Cool new toys....

...Who says that kids are the only ones who get toys for Christmas? Emily and I got a really really really cool toy this Christmas.

We got an Exilim EX-Z700 digital camera from mom and dad. It is very nice. See....this picture is of the Christmas tree at Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago. I had to go down there this morning to get a city sticker for the car. That was a complete bust, but I did have fun with the new toy. The building in the background is City Hall.

This next picture is of the windows at Marshal Fields...well at least it SHOULD be Marshall Fields...instead it is stinky Macy's....the windows were not nearly as good this year but I liked the costuming on this one. It was the Nutcracker this season.

The last picture is of The Chicago Theater. Emily and I are headed back down to Indiana this evening (assuming the weather permits us to do so.) for the New Years weekend. I hope everyone has a great weekend and stays safe. This is my last blog for the year of 2007. Lets hope 2008 finds a more consistantly update blog for me...eh?!

Merry Christmas !!!

Thanks for all the prayers for my stinkin back. It is feeling much better. (Not 100% but MUCH better.)

Today is Christmas Eve!!!! It is a Christmas miracle...both an eve and a day all at the same time! I hope that everyone who reads this are surrounded by those they love tomorrow. I am heading down to Indiana after work today. May you and yours be safe warm and happy this holiday season.

Thank you God for allowing your one and only child to come down to this troubled earth and be born as a baby to grow into our saviour. Amen!

Merry Christmas !!!

Words I like right now...

co·deine /ˈkoʊdin/[koh-deen] –noun Pharmacology.
a white, crystalline, slightly bitter alkaloid, C18H21NO3, obtained from opium, used in medicine chiefly as an analgesic or sedative.


a·ce·ta·min·o·phen /əˌsitəˈmɪnəfən, ˌæsɪtə-/[uh-see-tuh-min-uh-fuhn, as-i-tuh-] –noun Pharmacology.
a crystalline substance, C8H9NO2, used as a headache and pain reliever and to reduce fever.



Can·a·da /ˈkænədə/[kan-uh-duh] –noun
a nation in N North America: a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 29,123,194; 3,690,410 sq. mi. (9,558,160 sq. km). Capital: Ottawa.


What do these three things have in common...I am not in pain from misc. back pain for the first time in 24 hours because I have taken acetaminophen plus codeine that a dear friend brought back from Canada. God Bless Canada! (Even though they are planning to attack and take over the world...)

Randomness....

1.) I am blogging after only 4.75 hours of sleep. Last night was the big gala fundraising event for the place my sister works and in true big sister fashion she offered up my services for the evening. I didn't truly mind and I got to hear Denyse Graves, Sylvia McNair, and other opera wonders for free. It was an incredible concert.

2.) Today is Sunday. After church we (emily and I) are having two little girls (Brianna and Olivia) over for the day. It is partly for Olivia's birthday back in April. My gift to her was a certificate for a movie and popcorn with one guest at Emily and Cindy's house, she chose Brianna to bring with her (she said it will be the two sisters with the other two sisters) Well things just didn't work until now to do that. So after church I will be bringing them back with me to the house and we will eat lunch together, make a gingerbread house, watch a movie while we eat popcorn and drink hot chocolate. All this on 4.75 hours of sleep...sigh...I am so glad they are well behaved children.

3.) I could have had more sleep but my stupid body is used to waking up at a certain time and it didn't seem to understand that today was NOT one of the days it needed to get up at that time...grrrrr.... So I got up went to the restroom, and laid back down, but it didn't work, I was awake...mind you my entire being was complaining loudly that it was very tired and needed more sleep...it was just that some part of me that the rest couldn't conquer kept saying...NO! it is Light out we need to be up! *!#@&*#@! I am really not happy to be up.

4.) It snowed about 3-4 inches last night. Granted most of that fell before we managed to get home last night around 1 a.m. so atleast the car shouldn't be too hard to clean off, but that does mean that the streets will be crappy.

5.) I just re-read my blog thus far and it seems to have definite negative overtones...I did not mean for that to happen except for #3....I am happy that the girls are coming, and that last night went well...I am just tired. So if any of you actually read this please pray for energy for both Emily and I today. It doesn't matter if you don't read this on Sunday, God is not constrained by silly things such as our measurement of time, pray whenever you read this and I believe that He honors it.

6.) This week is the last full week of work for two weeks for me...next week we work monday only then we dont come back until Jan. 2 While I am very excited about the break and having time off I am also scared because that means I will have no income for that time. I am not full-time so I don't get paid for the break. I am choosing to focus on relaxing and enjoying my time off, but part of me will still worry about rent. Did I mention I have like 8 days in a row off...bliss....

7.) is the number John Elway wore when he played football with the Denver Broncos.

8.) is enough...I am ending this and hope you all have a great day.

Happy Birthday!!!!!

Today is my friend Colleenie-Weenie's birthday. She is 30!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEENIE, welcome to the next decade!

Colleen is on the far right in the picture standing next to our friend Julie completeing with each other in the chubby bunny game with Justin the Ref in the background. I have no idea who won but man was it fun to watch two loud mouths stuffing their mouths with marshmellows...giggle...

I gotta go to work now, Hope you have a great day today Colleen!!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

I love this time of year, and here is why: (Listed in no particular order)

1. Snow. I love snow. Being born in Denver Colorado may have something to do with this love, but whatever the cause I love snow. The first big snowfall also signals the beginning of the end of allergy season for me. (I love fall but the mold and yuck doesn't like me) I love watching it fall gently down to earth, I love tromping through it to get to work I love the white blanket that illuminates the sky at night and brightens the day with blinding light. I love snow. I love curling up with a good book, a warm blanket, and some hot cocoa or hot tea and watching it come down.

.

2. Football. I love football, the NFL. Again being born in Denver Colorado may have something to do with this love as well. See when you are born in Denver they give you a shot, it is orange and blue, and you are a life long Denver Bronco football fan...so really I had no choice in the matter. I love watching it, and occasionally (oh so occasionally) going to a game. QB's, RB's, FB's, and the ever amusing tightends.....giggle... I love football.

3. Preparing for Christmas. Both physically and spiritually. I love the songs the lights the decorations, the buying of gifts...I LOVE giving people gifts. I love picking out what I think they would like and seeing their face when they open it. I think that that is SO much more fun that receiving gifts. Don't get me wrong I love getting things but I just love giving them more... however I don't know what I would do at Christmas if I didn't get my boot socks from mom...I think I may cry... Moving on... I also love the old Christmas movies...White Christmas, Holiday Inn, Sound of Music, It's a Wonderful Life and all the others. Bing Crosby has the most wonderful voice...sigh... Moving on (again)... I want to go back to the aforementioned songs. I was raised on music. All kinds of music. Music plays a large role in my memories of past events so it is natural that music is a large part of my "Christmas Spirit." It doesn't matter what kind of mood I am in if I turn on Christmas music (anytime of the year) I am smiling within five minutes. I can't help it, it just makes me happy. (Except for the Beach Boys Christmas song..Little St. Nick...I hate that song...of COURSE Christmas comes each time this year, it isn't like it is a traveling holiday...honestly...)...Moving on (for the final time)... I love thinking about the love God our Father showed to us when He allowed his Son to come to earth. If you think sending your kid off to college is hard imagine sending your child off knowing, in truth planning, the exact time and way of His death . God knew the pain the anguish Jesus would face and yet He still let His Son go into the world so we could be with Him after death. Wow. How amazing is that love? I cannot truly fathom it, I just trust in it.

So that is why I feel this is the Most Wonderful time of the year.

The Game...

It was freezing, the wind off the lake was bitingly cold, it sleeted/snowed on us for the first three quarters, my team lost in overtime and it was GREAT!

That is the way football should be. A good game (even if the Broncos didn't come out on top at least Rex Grossman (the much abused quarterback for the Bears) had a good game) cold weather, weather that seperates real fans from wussy fans....I think dad had fun and that is all that matters. Life is good.

(The picture is not fo the game I saw, but I liked it so I am posting it.)

Thanksgiving was grand as well. Jeremy my cousin who lives in Las Vegas was back and we all enjoying spending time with him.

Sorry this is short but I have to get going and get ready for work. Have a great day!

Boo-ya!!!!

I am going to a football game. What football game you might ask...well I am glad you ask let me tell you...

I am going to the Denver Broncos/Chicago Bears game at Soldier Field on Sunday...which also happens to be my father birthday!!!!!

Emily Dad myself and possibly my uncle Carl got tickets this week and I am SO excited!!!!! Here is hoping that we win (the Broncos of course) and that it isn't too miserable weather-wise.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours may it be blessed and relaxing. It looks to me like this turkey to the right is very relaxed....thanks to Julie for the great picture.

Keep up the good work peeple if we don't give up we may just make it through this day!

Thanksgiving....a random thought.

Isn't it weird the places that we find the most conducive to prayer and being thankful....for me very often it is the shower. It starts off with me being happy that I am in nice hot water, then I am thankful that indoor plumbing is the norm here in the US of A. Then I starting thinking about how blessed I am that I have a bathroom and an apartment in which to use this wonderful hot water. From there it just goes on and on...it happens really quite frequently. That is my random thought for the month...

...in other news my job is going well. I am now certified by the State of Illinois in Food Management, Safety, and Sanitation. Yippee. We are being audited by the Federal Food Program. Oh joy. And finally my boss loves to micro-manage. Hooray. Other than the last two I am enjoying my job and the limited interaction with the kids. The staff are great and the kids are kids...they have their good days and their not so good days. The audit shouldn't be bad we have all our ducks in a row...or at least we will by the time they get here. I am revising our procedures that are five years out of date and Megan (the Co-Director of the daycare) has the bulk of the yucky paperwork gathering to do. So while I don't feel I will be there for more than two years or so it is paying the bills in the present.

I am very excited to be going home to Indiana on Wednesday for the Thanksgiving break, I need some 'home' time. The only down side to it is that there will be no little kitty greeting me as I walk in the door. Funny how it hurts more now than it did the several times I went home right after we had to put him down. I miss my psycho-devil-cat. That is what we called him when he went tearing through the house like a bat outta hell for no apparent reason. You cat people out there know exactly what I am talking about.

And seeing as how it is Thanksgiving time it is also Fall and the pics today are of God's mighty talent at painting the world during this season.

Anywho...I need to go get ready for church. Have a splendid day. Keep up the good work, people. If we don't give up we might just make it through this day!

warning....warning...warning...

Just a warning to let you all know that my computer is on it's very last leg and with no money to replace it I will be blogging...well...hardly ever. Sorry I will resume when I have a more solvent computer situation. If you are in need of me or have something ot tell me please call me because I will only be getting e-mail once ever third tuesady that has a full moon. Love ya all.

North Carolina

Hey we (Emily and I) went to North Carolina with our Cousins Rod, Michelle, Kirsten and Kira. We went down to visit our other cousins Jason Yvette, Jayia and Nadia. We then went to the mountains. We had a blast and I will write more later but wanted to get a few pics up for ya.

The first is a self portrait of the Kira, Me, Em, and Kirsten.

The second is of Nadia, isn't she just TOO cute!?!

and Last is the two of us in front of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Blessings always...

The wonderful blessing that is Christian radio.

I moved from Northwest Indiana to Chicago. I never really thought anything about researching the radio stations of a city before moving. I will from now on. I left two fairly good Christian radio stations to come to Chicago. There is Moody radio but it is geared for an older generation than me. There is too much talk in relation to music and the music they do play is good but everything is slow and smooth. I like Newsboys, TobyMac, Plumb, Barlow Girl, Superchick, Skillet, and a whole host of others that Moody would never approve of.

So this all said I gotta give God the glory for providing for me even in this...in the last five years especially internet radio has exploded. I love that I can pick from so many different stations to listen to. I can even listen to both of the stations in Indiana, plus the one I like in Des Moines, and I can't forget KLove.

So today started out hard, frustrating, and just generally down...but then I tuned in, requested a song (or two) and listened to other requests. It never ceases to amaze me how sing to the glory of God provides so much strength and encouragement. So if you are down or just blah, go find your favorite Christian radio station or CD and crank it up, you are sure to feel better! All of creation (including the zebras in the picture) sings to the glory of God, remember to join them now and then.

Remember God gives us many blessing when we need them the most...always.

Good music??? For some but not for others...

Johnny Cash was a wonderful musician. I truly feel that that is true. I do not think however that Johnny Cash is for everyone. He is more of an acquired taste. I myself couldn't stand the man's singing as recently as ten years ago. I have always enjoyed the stories he tells with his music, I just haven't always enjoyed his unique style of vocalization. Then my father started getting all of his Cd's from the library (and I do mean ALL of Cash's Cd's) As he loaded them onto the computer and I began to listen to them occasionally while working on their computer I began to realize how incredible this man's life was and what he did with it. He went from mega success to drugs and booze back to mega success then stepped out of the lime light for a brief time to go on tour with the Rev. Graham. Cash and his wife (can I just say Cash's wife was a powerful lady who despite it all kept her faith in God and served others) were a wonderful singing pair but an even more wonderful example of redemption. They went through so much but came through it firmly in God's grip of grace where they remained for the rest of theirs lives and they weren't shy about letting the public know it. Now he never got rid of the bad boy persona, that was just part of who Johnny Cash was ans always will be. I love the fact that he was known as such an outlaw, a criminal who was prison hardened , yet in truth served a total of like two weeks in jail, not even prison. So as I sit here listening to Johnny Cash, smiling to myself because I know that Mom and Emily would go nuts listening to him for three hours, as I have been, I just wanted to share with you all how much I have learned to enjoy Johnny Cash and his music. Hope everyone is having a good day.

Leave of absence

I took a small leave of absence from blogging. Truth is I didn't want to think about changing my last post. If I don't think about it it isn't as real. As of yesterday it has been a full month since we put my cat to sleep. A full month. Anyway life has gone on, good and bad but that is just life. I have been getting some outside help in encouragement and direction with my job search and it has been very helpful and motivating. I think that maybe just maybe I can get back into this and really be agressive again. Mom and Dad came up to visit this past weekend to celebrate my birthday, I am now 30 years of age. I am no longer twenty something. Huh. Doesn't feel any differently than being 25. It was a good weekend. Dana made me the most beautiful and the best tasting cake EVER! I don't have much else to add right now. God is real and He is good even when we don't understand His methods. Love you all and thank you for all your prayers concerning my cat.

Garmu Efunkle Leinbach

That is my cat's full name, and he is dying.

Mom took him the the vet after two weeks of decreased appetite, accompanied by noticeable weight gain. This just didn't make sense. So off they went to the vet this past Monday. The news is not good. He has a tumor that is leaking bloody fluid into his abdominal cavity. As the cavity fills it puts pressure on my kitty's stomach and intestines, causing his body to think that it isn't hungry. If left this way one of two thing would happen, he would starve to death, or the pressure from the fluid build up would rupture something somewhere and he would die in massive pain. They could do exploratory surgery and try to remove/repair things but this has three draw backs; 1) he is 14 years old, 2) it would cost upwards of $800, and 3) there is no real hope that they could actually fix it and that it would not come back. So Saturday we are taking him in to the vet to put him to sleep.

I will be going down on Thursday morning, while Emily will be joining us on Friday night. He is currently not in any pain and as long as this remains the case we will plan on Saturday, but if he presents with pain and discomfort we will not wait for Emily or me for that matter.

I appreciate it if you all would pray for this situation, that he isn't in any pain...ever...and for my family as we mourn the loss of a family member (though I am unsure if Dad would classify him as such ;) he loves Garmu deep down...maybe really deep down. No he loves Garmu because he knows I do) who has been a part of us for 14 years. (His b-day was April 1st.)

I feel slightly silly for crying so much over a cat, but he is my friend. A friend that cares only for himself but somehow has made me feel so much better about life so many many times.

He has lived a long pampered life, the only pain he has ever really known is the occasional step on the tail, (not counting being fixed.) I know people say cats don't have souls but gosh darn it my heaven has three cats in it, Taffy, Baggy(even though she never really liked me, she only really liked Emily so it was good that she was Em's cat!), and soon to be Garmu...and none of them will cause my allergies to flare either....

In the picture he looks kinda wild cause I had just been playing with him, you know dangling my fingers over the edge then hanging them back just as he went for them...oh he gets so mad when I do that...

I'm gonna miss him so much.

Walk

by faith not by sight...or feelings. I have been struggling recently to keep my faith where it should be. I have been walking too much by feeling rather than by faith...again...crap...it is this ever revolving wheel of sin...well I am tired of being a hamster on that particular wheel. So I am going to jump off and go look for some nice cedar chips to burrow into. *giggle* Ah, I wish everyone could see the pictures in my head sometimes...

Today is an absolutely wonderful day outside. I love spring. It does my heart good. Where ever you are I hope it is nice outside and that you can enjoy it. I know I have enjoyed it mightily. God is amazing in His vast power.

Have a great day. The random picture of the day is simply entitled "Really bad dog."

The trees...

...are a mass of beautiful bright new green leaves. The cherry blossoms are done, the redbuds are in bloom, the lilacs are coming along and will bloom shortly. The tulips are reluctantly giving way to their cousins the hyacinths. Everywhere I look I see pansies, and all manner of other annuals. Ah,yes... spring is here and warmer weather is here to stay...I hope. Although it is currently only 55 degrees it is blazingly sunny, with brilliant blue skies. I must not forget the wondrously white puffy clouds that are strolling through the sky on their way to where ever they may go. Ah, yes...God in His mighty power is so incredibly good to us silly mortals down here on His amazing planet. Today is one of those days that you breathe deeply and are so glad to be alive.


I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High!
Psalm 9:1-2 (NIV)

God is great...

...and God is good, and we thank Him for our food, by His hands we all are fed. Give us Lord our Daily Bread, give us Lord our daily Bread...amen.

Food for me this week has been being able to spend time with those I love and who love me, "warts" and all. These past few days in Indy have been such a blessing to me. I have reconnected with friends, real friends. You know the kind, those who you can spill you guts to, become a blubbering fool in front of and they just open their arms to you and tell you that it is okay and they love you.

I miss having those people in my life. These are friends from my college days, and I think it is because how wonderful they are that I don't put more of an effort into my relationships in Chicago. It hurt so much we we all graduated and went in different directions, hurt to loose those connections those blessings.

I do not deal well with change...within the past year the brand of gum I prefer changed their packaging...I wrote to the company letting them know there was no need to do that and that I didn't like the new design (yes i realize this is anal) Now that you realize the extent of my dislike of change I will continue to my point. I tend to want things to stay they way there are. When they don't stay that way I retreat into myself, I hide to protect myself. This does nothing except make myself feel worse that what I had is no longer there. This trip and really made me aware of the fact that I am only half there in Chicago, the other part of my is desperately clinging to the past.

I do not want to stay that way but am unable to begin to know how to change this. I am paralyzed by fear and motionless waiting...waiting...waiting... Waiting for what? Good question I don't know, and at this point am unsure I would know it even if it hit me with a 2X4.

I am a child of God, I claim Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and still I allow the evil one to convince me with his lies that I have something to fear by working at realtionships with others in Chicago. Not only am I denying myself but I am denying others by not sharing the gifts God has placed in me. By gaining real friends in Chicago I am not betraying or being unfair to my friends from college, nor will I loose them. They are in my life...forever...I truly believe this.


So what is there to fear? Everything. But that is not how God wants me to live, so with His help I will begin to start the process of becoming a whole person in the place that I am.

Stressful relaxation

Have you ever had a time of stressful relaxation?

On Wednesday I am leaving to go to Indy for six days. I am going for two reasons; 1)to meet my new nephew 'little Joe' who was born last month and 2)to go down to Vincennes University to participate in the last CCF worship service in their current building (which is going to be torn down by VU very soon.) Both of the reasons are very good reasons to be going out of town right now.

However...

...rent is looming and we don't have all of the money we need for it. So by going down I am missing out on $160 that I could be making working with the day care.

On the other hand...

...I really need a time where I can simply enjoy those around me relax and forget about the worries of my life andjust be.

The question remains...

...will I be able to do that? Am I going to be down with my wonderful friends and be contantly worried about not being able to pay rent let alone buy food after this week?

It is all moot anyway...

I am going down. I have the bus reservation, the day care has found alternate help while I am gone so it isn't like I woud earn the money even if I stayed here, and I have a new mom of two wonderful children very excited to see me and spend time with her and the boys.

I guess all this is really about...

...prayer. I need peace about rent, I need God to provide in mighty ways if we are to meet rent, I need comfort while I am away, I need rest, and protection from the evil one, that he won't convince me the situation and life in general is hopeless. I cry out to my Lord, and would be grateful if you would petition Him on my behalf as well. I love you all.

The picture is kind of how I feel. I feel as if I am adrift in the desert, I keep seeing trees and hoping for an oasis but they just evaporate into mirages when I reach them. (The desert being life, and the tree symbolizing a job.) But even so I am able to see the beauty of the landscape around me and the wonders of God in that landscape, I just really need an oasis soon. I am so parched.

Cats or Dogs?

I am a CAT person. I am NOT a dog person!

I have been dog sitting the most needy, smelly, stupid, hydrated dog ever. Now you may be thinking that the word hydrated may not go with the rest of that sentence but it really does, as I will now explain.

Zorro is a male springer spaniel of some kind. He has issues. Everytime he sees me he pees. The owner explained that this means that he knows I am alpha, or dominant and he is submissive. Well yippy freakin skippy. He shows that I am dominant EVERY time he sees me by peeing....submission peeing. *sigh* I would prefer if he thought he was dominant, cause when push comes to shove I am the one holding the choke chain. I have never used a choke chain before this, and on the first couple of days I didn't use the chain, but as his behaviour went down hill, I found that taking him for a walk became much less of an ordeal when I used the chain. But I digress, the peeing...so a day into this gig I run out of paper towel. I search all over but to no avail...sooooo, I have to use real towels which stink to high heaven and have to be washed and dried. HE stinks too because he has been peeing all over himself iterally to let me know I am dominant....grrr....So when you walk into the house, which by the way is three huses away from the lake, it is a very nice house but too bad it smells of urine!!! Nothing I could do helped because as fast as I cleaned up the pee a new puddle was soon to come, and did I mention the he stinks now too, I just don't understand how one dog can pee so much and get so much of it on himself. He reeks! Then to top it all off you have to follow him around outside with a plastic bag to pick up the poop right away. It is just gross!

Why? WHY WHY WHY?????? Why would anyone want a dog? They are needy, smelly, loud, in constant need of reassurance that they are okay and loved, if I wanted to deal with that I would HAVE KIDS!!!!!! Did I mention how bad he smells?

Give me a cat any day over a dog. They are indepentent, warm, they don't smell, they DON'T pee on themselves, they clean themselves up, they go in a litter box, don't need constant supervision, and could care less if you reassure them that they are okay and loved. All that and they purr too, there is no contest, cats trumph dogs every time! I mean look at my kitty! Basking in the sun, having no need to know where I am or what I am doing. Content to believe that he is superior simply because he is a cat. It just makes you want to hug him...or at least it makes me want to hug him. He is happily sitting alone, looking out the window, and I know even if he sees a squirrel he isn't going to start barking his head off at it!

So to sum up...dog not good, cats very good. Peeing dogs really bad, purring cats really good. 'Nuff said.

The week of painting.

So we went down to Indiana for the week preceeding Easter to paint Kira's room. Kira is the three year old (well 3 years old as of April 17) daughter of our cousins, Rodney and Michelle. She is a very energetic slightly chaotic child who is full and overflowing with mischief. The bedspead, sheets, and valance set they picked out was Polk-a-dots and Stripes. So just like when we did Kirsten's room we took the bedding and designed a room around it. Here are some pictures of the results.

In the first picture you can clearly see the two sections of the room. Below the chair rail we went with stripes. There are a total of ten colors in the bedding and some people wanted to use all ten colors in the stripes. I however would not budge on the limit of five. I was very concerned about the "AACCK!" factor. Simply put, I do not want people to walk into the room and be so assualted visually that they cover their eyes and go "AACCKK!" So I think that the five colors we chose went very nicely. Above the chair rail we decided that we needed a focusing factor to lead around the room, so we had gently rolling hills the entire way. (That would be the black line in the picure.) On the line we had both animals that could be made of polk-a-dots and random polk-a-dots rolling up and down the hills. In the pic above you can see Emily's catapiller trying to push a rathr large polk-a-dot up the hill toward the pig. Not shown are a turtle and a bunny and a flower all made out of dots.

Kira went to Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis after she was born due to some very serious health problems. Their mascot is Riley the giraffe. We really wanted to include a giraffe somewhere in the room but it was not looking good, see it is really hard to make a giraffe using only polk-a-dots. So we fudged a little but he still has dots on him! :) On the back of her door is her growth chart. Every time we meaure her we will just add another polk-a-drop at that heigth and write down the date and measurement. I really like my little rain cloud and polk-a-drops.

So all in all we are happy with the room and had a good experience doing it. I would love to write more but I have to get going to the After School Program that I help out with. Keep up the good work!

Hooray I'm an Aunt again!!!

One of my dear friends, Wani, in Indy finally had her second little boy (She went 41 1/2 weeks)!!! Josiah Christian Penrod joined this world at 3:50 a.m. this morning, after 19 hours of labor and two hours of hard pushing Wani was able to have him at home like she really wanted to and everything went wonderfully. Here are the pictures that are posted on her blog. He weighed in at 8lb.8oz. and is 21 inches long. While I am not actually Wani's sister biologically, sometimes God gives you sisters (and brothers) who are just as dear to you as your biologically related siblings, I am so glad that He gave me Wani! Life is good here, we are preparing to go home to Indiana on Monday adn are staying the whole week. Em and I are painting Kira Grace's room. When Kirsten moved into her 'big girl' room to make room for Kira in the nursery we did a bang up job of painting her room, so now it is Kira's turn to have a room painted especially for her. The nursery will be no more and there will now be just two 'big girl' rooms. I am looking forward to spending time with family. I doubt I will post more before Easter so I hope you all remember the amazing gift that was given for us on that cross so long ago. God bless each of you. Safe travels for those of you who will do so.

Work in Progress

So I am doing a little sprucing up of my blog. I decided that I didn't like the dark dots anymore, but when I went to switch to the white dot template they changed the color of the actual dots. I didn't like that, and so I began looking through the other templates. At this point you may be thinking..."Gee I have never seen this template she is using before." That is because I didn't really like any of the ones they offered...so I decided to pick the one that I saw the most potential in and I...well...I 'tweaked' (Or for Dana's one friend I tweaked it)...I drug up from the recesses of my mind all that I knew about HTML and began sifting through code. Through much trial and error I managed to remove what I didn't want and add what I did...mostly. I enjoyed myself enormously and only had to call in reinforcements late in the game..thank you Kev. So I am still tinkering and will continue to tinker until it is the way I have it in my head, or I give up. Whichever comes first. SO I hope you like the new palate and layout, if not....well too darn bad. giggle. Hope all is well with all of you.

Wow....I can be a real downer.

Jeez. That last posting was really dark. Sorry. Anyone of you who has dealt with depression can sympathize, but still...jeez... So life still isn't rosy but hey, when is it? Even so God is good and He provides for our needs! We are going to have enough money for rent, (and even food too!!!) Emily has been contacted by Shedd Aquarium about a possible job that could be used to step into a job that she would actually enjoy and be happy in. I have several good leads about work, too bad most of it doesn't start until June, but hey I am keeping all my options open. Emily has new carpet in her room which means that we can move all her stuff back in...hooray! My friend Amy is pregnant again...hooray! My friend Wani is going to give birth any moment now I just know it! Finally, I booked my trip to Indy (and thereby down to Vincennes) for the CCF house farwell, for only $2.50. HOORAY! I get to go , and not only do I get to go down to the CCF house I will get to spend some extra time with Wani and her new little one, not to mention Nate and Isaac too! I am SO excited. The weather here is schizo, warm sunny beautiful, rainy cloudy butt-cold. It sucks, I want at least rainy, cloudy and WARM. I am done with cold. Ah well, such is life. The pics today, well let's see...the first is representative of my longing for spring and warmer weather. I love how the flower in it is from a thistle plant. Even yucky ouchie plants (or experiences) can produce beautiful things. The second is my longing for peaceful calm. A time where outside things don't matter, there is just quietness, the gentle sounds of water lovingly lapping the side of the boat, and God. *Sigh* Keep on keeping on, or to say it another way Keep pressing on towards the goal!
P.s. I re-vamped my blog whadda think???

Without God I really do have NOTHING.

I am so glad that I have God in my life. I am pretty sure that without Him I would not be here right now. The weight of the world would have crushed my spirit beyond the breaking. As it is I am feeling so weary and tired. I just want to lay down and not bother getting back up. The energy it takes to keep smiling and telling people I am fine and dandy isn't worth it any more. God has used many different things to help me continue to get out of bed each morning, and drudge on with life. I know that He has plans for me to prosper me but right now I have no job rent is looming large in three weeks, my sister's unemployment benifets unexpectedly stopped and I don't see a resolution to this situation. So God, You need to steer my moves right now, help me apply to were I need to apply to in order to gain employment that I won't hate. Your prayers are needed and coveted. Thanks.

Heavy Heart

I have a heavy heart tonight. I have just learned that the Christian Campus Fellowship (CCF) House at Vincennes University is going to be torn down this fall. VU is expanding and is taking the house and property. The house dates back to before Prohibition, in fact during the 20's/30's there was actually a speakeasy in the hose on the third floor. But beyond that history it holds so many many memories for many people. It was my home for so much of my time at college, for one year literally my home. Being a CCF resident was loads of fun. So many nights sittingon the porch swing talking, praying,and laughing. We built onto the back of the house adding and worship/activity center and further back apartments for housing 8 guys and 8 gals. It has been the heart of CCF activities for 13 years...it makes me hurt to think of it no longer being there. The last worship service is April 27 and all Alumni are being invited to it. I would really like to go, to say good-bye and get pictures, we shal see what money is like then. I have no idea what plans are as far as a new home for CCF are but I cannot bear to think of VU without CCF at all. I ask that you say a quick little prayer that the ministry will survive and thrive despite this event, goodness knows that the University needs the ministry. The first pic is of the house before we built anything on the back so...1998. The second picture is in the worship center, it was our Valentines program in 2002.

Happenings...Satan Sucks!

So as of late we haven't been at church on time...in fact we are lucky to get there before the sermon begins. So yesterday (Sunday) we we going to be ON TIME!! I was very excited...and then Emily got up and went to get dressed....it all went down hill from there. You see she discovered that the carpet was soaking. Emily and I each have bedrooms in the basement part of our apartment, up until now it has been completely water tight. Sigh. So we spent the next forty minutes or so moving all the important things that could be harmed if exposed to the water. We called our landlord, had an exasperating time ensuring that something would indeed be done to correct the situation THAT DAY, and finally got to church...over an hour late and the sermon had already started. Satan just sucks!

Hence last night was spent moving everything we could out of the room and into any space we could find. Today I spent cleaning my room so we could move more stuff into it from Emily's room (I have been needing a kick in the butt to get started cleaning my room (it was really bad) it is just that this wasn't exactly what I had in mind.) Vlad (our normal maintenance guy who was off on Sunday) came today and ripped out the carpet and let us know that tomorrow (Tues.) people were coming to fix the problem of the leaking foundation. He looked at where the water was coming in and heaved a huge sigh, turned to us and said sadly "Big problem, big ugly problem." (Vlad doesn't speak a lot of english) It made me smile because it was a very accurate disciption of the situation.

On a happier note; we get to go home to Indiana on Thursday. Friday we will spend with Grandparents and parents, and then Saturday Kirsten turns FIVE! Well she actually turns five on Thursday but the party is on Saturday. I can't believe she is that old...sigh...time passes so quickly.

One last note; Dana (my other roomie besides Emmy) had finally joined the blogging set. Her blog link is located at the top of my links section just to the left on the screen. Take a second and enjoy a bit of fun with Danafoto. It is going to be pics of random things, she is having a lot of fun with it.

I think that is it...I have no random pic for this entry; you need to look at Dana's latest foto for that. At least we made it before Easter (you'll understand when you see it)

here it is

Cute Children

I am just blessed to know SO many many really cute children. For example, the first picture you will see is of my newest cousin Jace...isn't he cute?He is the youngest of three and his big brothers are just as adorable as he is...when the first was born we kept saying that we just didn't know how they could get any cuter...why do we always sell God short...He really is able to do anything! That is not to say that Jace is cuter than Cole and Alec but they are equal in their cuteness factors. Amazing. Next we have my pseudo-nephew Nate...now it was REALLY hard to decide which picture to post (cause they are all SO stinking cute) but I finally narrowed it down to two. He is going to be two in July and he is getting a little sibling in March...yes his mommy was/is a little freaked about it but God is good and she knows she will be able to handle all that comes. It was a bit of a shock (HUGE shock) when they cut his pretty brown locks off to reveal a little blonde boy underneath. As his daddy says (and I paraprase)"When I went upstairs I had a little brown headed boy with shaggy hair, the next time I came down stairs there was the little blonde kid in the living room and I was like where is Nate and who is this!" But we all still love him just as much and he is still amazingly cute so it is all good.

Next on the list are my cousins Kirsten and Kira. Kirsten is pictured here with her Papa at the Indy Zoo shortly after her sister was born and transfered to Riley Childrens Hosptial. But as you can see from the next picture Kira came out of it fine...I love that Pooh flower costume (Kirsten looked really cute in it too when she wore it as a baby) Kirsten turns five this March...wow five...sorry didn't realize how weird that sounded until just now...and Kira 'the destroyer' will turn three this year..wow that sounds weird too...man the time flies by. sigh.

That brings us to our last picture...Abby. She is another 'psuedo', she is my psuedo-niece. She joined the ranks of cute children this past Dec. and man is she a cutie!!!! I realized as I posted this that I need some new picture of her. I will have to see what I can do about that. Right now I need to go so I can get ready to go see Body World 2 at the Muesum of Science and Industry. Some friends from out of town are coming in ontheSouth Shore and we need to pick 'em up on time, so mow I get to go get my sister outta bed...wish me luck!

No more football...

Well last night was great! I love Super Bowl games that are real games (not blow outs like the Broncos in '90 against the 49's ...ouch it still hurts and that was nearly twenty years ago. It is still a record however...(for those of you who aren't football buffs the Broncos lost by a deficit of 45 points, the largest in Super bowl history.) It is a sad record to hold...) So the second half of the game the Bears didn't do ...well much of anything. I felt bad for Brian Urlacher...he so deserved to win a Super Bowl. Maybe next year. Peyton did well and has put his time in in the League so it was fitting that he was finally able to earn the ring that seems to qualify a QB as great or sub standard. (although even if he never got the ring I don't think that anyone can really say that Manning is a sub standard QB.) So here is to another great game of football, filled with many, many great moments, heart pounding plays and incredible teams. OH OH OH! I almost forgot...that was a KICK BUTT Half time performance by Prince!!!! I don't' know Prince songs so I couldn't sing along but it was great, way to go Super Bowl Honchos for finally getting a musician in for the halftime show. I hope they continue to be smart about it next year too.
That said we now enter into my least favorite time of the year...the off season. I really like football, I miss football when it is not on...sigh...I will just have to wait for spring training to begin and hope that the Broncos have a better season this upcoming season than they did this past season. Oh and todays picture I like to call, Two Great Men with a Great Trophy.

Ah, fair Chicago!

I really do enjoy living in the city of Chicago. However I am ever amazed by Chicagoians ignorance of their sports teams. Emily and I each have Broncos Jerseys. We wear them on a regular basis. We have been wearing them more recently because we have come to realize and accept that the majority of people we meet on the street everyday don't know the difference between our Bronco jerseys and Bears jerseys. In the beginning this bothered us greatly. We would correct people when they commented on our Bears jerseys. We moved past that stage adn have wearily accepted that many people will never know the difference, and since we don't have Bears jerseys we will wear our Bronco jerseys in support of the Bears. (This would NEVER happen in Denver...they KNOW what their team uniform looks like...and it isn't at all like a Bears uniform!(see the Bronco uniform is mostly Orange...grin...(if you don't get it you aren't from Denver.))) Hey Kev....wanna fly into to town next week and watch the game with us? ;) Hope everyone is having a great day! Go Bears!

Correction.....

Ahem....I erroneously stated in my previous post that I was "...from Indiana..." and thereby expected to be a Colts fan...I am ACTUALLY from DENVER and it does hold true that I am therefore a BRONCO fan first and foremost! Now let me clarify...I was born and my true allegiance lies with the Denver Broncos. Sadly I have however lived in Indiana for a time longer than the time I lived in Colorado. So one may think I would root for the Colts, instead of the Chicago Bears where I have only lived for two years....one would be wrong. See I have never had a problem supporting the Bears, they are NFC while the Broncos are AFC, which means simply that they would never play in a game that really mattered except for the Super Bowl and then it would be a no brainer who I would support. (Broncos...duh) Let us be painfully honest now...the chances of the Bears and the Broncos both making into the Super Bowl the same year are about the same as John Elway coming out of retirement to play for the Broncos again...sigh...I wish...sigh....(vigorously shakes head to clear the daydream from head) Anyway so while I am happy that it is a Colts Bears Super Bowl...I am totally supporting the Bears, no ifs ands or butts...heehee...I just said butts...although there are a lot of great butts in spandex in the game of football....but I digress...the other reason (admittedly a much more superficial reason) I support the Bears is because I am still color coordinated no matter which team I am rooting for. To the Orange and the Blue I will always be true. So while I hope that Peyton Manning does well in his first Super Bowl showing I hope his team doesn't do quite as good a job as the Bears when all is said and done. GO BEARS!!!!

Midwest Super Bowl in Miami

Well, well, well....Chicago Bears vs. Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl 41. Being from Indiana but having lived in Chicago for the past two years one may think that I would be conflicted on who I am going ot root for...not so...sorry Grandma but GO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!! And that's all I've got to say about that.

Storm Troopers on Parade...

Storm Troopers on Parade...'nuff said.