the calm before the storm...

So I'm at my office earlier than usual this morning. I have a couple of papers to grade but plenty of time to grade them. All in all, I really don't have anything that pressing to do (or at least that I could do here since there's laundry and dishes galore at home that I could be working on). It is the calm before the storm. This afternoon I'll lug home around 110 exams which I hope to have completely graded by Friday afternoon. We'll see if I really get them finished or not but I'd like to since we have a family Christmas gathering this weekend and I don't even want to think about them during that!

I had a fantastic weekend this past weekend with several friends from college. They traveled to town so we could all go to the Indiana State Museum and visit its LOTR exhibit. After that we headed to the theater to see Narnia, which was fantastic. I was amazed at how deeply Narnia touched me. I really expected it to be just another kids' fantasy sort of movie but felt it to be much more profound. I'll definitely go and see it again.

Well, I guess the two or three papers in my bag aren't going to grade themselves. I just thought I would post a little something in the few fleeting moments of calm that I have.

You're never too old to need or miss your mom

I just realized that I haven't yet updated my thoughts and answer to Anna's big question of the week last week. I'm not going to do that in this post but eventually I promise I will. The longer I'm a mother, the more I'm amazed by my child and my love for her - where did it come from? I remember being terrified only a couple of days before she was born that I would not feel love for new little baby. How can one feel love for someone they've never met before? And yet, it came perfectly naturally and my heart was filled to the top and continues to overflow. As she grows and changes and adds more to the conversation that is our small family, I am blown away by what God wants to contribute to our lives through her. She is our "Grace Given back to God," but at the same time, she is God's grace and love daily expressed to us. It's simply amazing.

Speaking of, we had to smile on Sunday as Brian unraveled a mystery that he had pondered for a couple of weeks. He had heard Anna singing "Diggy, diggy, doggy sir" and had assumed it was one of the numerous songs she had learned at school (there are songs for EVERYTHING at school - lining up, snacktime, you name it!). However, when he heard her Sunday morning after church follow it with "angels bow before Him," we realized it was "What a Mighty God We Serve." HA. Smiles for the day. We continued unraveling musical mysteries that day, as we put together the fact that she had been singing Ho, Ho, Ho goes Santa Hee, Hee, Hee Hallelujah which was really supposed to be Ho, Ho, Ho, Hosana... go figure - she still firmly holds to her Santa lyric though and will not be corrected. I guess it goes to show how non-readers hear and memorize things.

Anyway, thinking of my own daughter leads me to thoughts of my mother and the special bond we share. I had no idea how much my mom loved me until I had a child. And while I could say it was because I realized how much work a child is and how only someone who loved a child could keep up with the constant care and challenge that is parenting, it's not really that. Rather, the love that overfills my heart for Anna with every smile, giggle, hug, and kiss is the same love that my mom feels in her heart for me. It's good to really "get" that and know that. Speaking of my mom, she's currently in MS with a group from her church doing some hurricane clean up work. You can swing by her church's website http://www.fbcshelburn.com/Ministries/ and read the group's journal (written by dear 'ole ma) and see pics, too. Thus far, three days of the trip are posted.

Theological Question of the Day

Shortly before she donned her pink pig nose during circle time this morning to sing barnyard songs at preschool, Anna posed a theological question to me in the car. We were riding along talking of all things seasonal - the fact that Christmas would soon be here and we would decorate a tree, her idea to plant a pumpkin patch in our woods next year so we could take pumpkins to our friends, the changing of the leaves - and then for awhile she was silent. Preschoolers and toddlers really do have the time in the backseat of the car to ponder all of the big questions of life... the way they get to sit in the carseat with nothing to do but look out the window and think makes me a bit envious, I must admit. And while some of Anna's ponderings are age appropriate, others reach into the depths and confront the challenges we all struggle with - why are people sometimes mean? why do some people not share? why do I have to live by one standard while others live by another? Anyway, her question was short and sweet and before I give you the reasons why she asked it and my response to it, I thought I'd let you all take a stab at it....

Does God have feet?

Favorite quote of the day

Something on the news at noon here in Indy tickled my fancy... it sounded a little something like this - "Police say they are looking for a man known as 'little Willie.' The suspect has a glass eye." Little Willie just sounds like a guy with a glass eye, doesn't it?

Epic adventure of the Smurfs

So I sat at this lunch table my freshman year in high school, trying most of the time unsuccessfully to fit in with the cool girls. And there was this girl who used the "f" word as every part of speech. I had to try my best not to laugh out loud because it sounded so utterly ridiculous. Anyway, it occurred to me that the only other word that I had heard used in a similar way is "smurf," which got me thinking of one of my favorite SNL sketches of all time.

How Do You Do That?

We have some very good friends that have recently struggled with health challenges in their lives. Matt Lemmons, an elder at our church The Church at Stones Crossing (the site isn't the best but gives you a general gist), was diagnosed somewhere around the 4th of July weekend with Small Cell Type B Cancer with a tumor wrapped around his trachea. It's a cancer that general unhealthy smokers get in their 60s. Matt, however is 44, a very fine fit fella with a nutrionist for a wife and he's never smoked nor been around secondhand smoke on a regular basis.

If I had to describe the Lemmons, they would be pretty much the couple with the strongest marriage, the parents with the neatest kids (there are three boys - Grant who's in the 10th grade, Blake who's in the 8th, and Craig who's a 6th grader), a family that truly serves our church in so many unbelievable ways. Top that off with the fact that Matt is a very successful businessman who operates with the highest level integrity and it all adds to a big "huh?" when someone like Matt is diagnosed with such an agressive cancer of the rarest and most dangerous type.

Needless to say, their journey to wellness has been rocky over the last few months. Through it all, Matt has been blogging every few days at his Caringbridge site. If you get a chance, read his story (go to the journal entries, too). I am constantly amazed at his Christ-centered attitude and desires in the midst of all of the illness that surrounds his physical body. If you think on it, pray for Matt and his wife Robin (my hero of the past several years) and their three boys (there are pics on the site, too). They are truly precious in His site and in mine, too.

I had a completely crappy week last week for various reasons. With my prospectus due this Thursday, papers to grade next week, and 120 exams to grade the week after, the next few will probably continue to smack my mouth loose. But when I consider these small things in the face of something what like the Lemmons are currently struggling with, I consider it nothing.

Best of Friends

So I mentioned Anna's friend Kaylee Ellis (daughter of Dave and Danielle (Williamson) Ellis) in my last post. Here's a pic of Anna and Kaylee earlier this summer playing @ our house in more "dress up" clothes. Sensing a theme here? Anyway, these are actually my dance costumes from childhood that my mom saved for me.
Anna and Kaylee have an unusual friendship for little girls their age. They really do enjoy seeing each other and have a pretty good time playing together. Their sharing issues are fairly limited and the last time Anna spent the day @ the Ellis', they even took their naps in the afternoon together in the same room. We pray that they'll be lifelong friends but for now, it's fun to see them have someone to connect to and spend time with.
Aren't Kaylee's curls adorable?!

Horsin' Around

I couldn't resist posting this picture of Anna in her new horsey costume. We really don't do the whole Halloween thing (that's another post for another day). However, when we were visting Anna's best buddy Kaylee Ellis the other day, Anna had such a fun time playing with Kaylee's unicorn (unihorn if you ask Kaylee) costume that we rushed to Sam's Club to buy the horsey variety for our very own. Anyway, Anna loves to gallop around the house with this on and she even puts the horse in her pretend stable at night in her playroom. What a hoot!

One Ring to Rule Them All...

So today was much better than last week's first day of school. No puke in the backseat of the Bravada. However, it wasn't without its own challenge (what day isn't?) as I left my parking pass in B's car and had to double back down to the 'wood to pick it up and then head back to campus after dropping Anna off at school.

I took a different route to campus back, trying to get used to going down Illinois since the work on the new Colts' Dome will begin soon and my normal path to school won't be accessible. So anyway, as I was driving past Circle Centre Mall, I noticed a giant Frodo looking over the street from the windowed walkway. This was exciting to me b/c I've known for awhile that the Indiana State Museum is going to have a superb exhibition from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. It opens Oct. 4. I'm going to try to wait until you come to go with me in Dec. Jules, but I can't make any promises as it looks terrific and I am dying to go.

Anway, click on the link and check out what's going on and then make the trek to Indy to see the exhibit!

A Perfect Day?

So do you ever idealize a certain situation when it looms out in the future? I had thought about my first day of TAing on and off all summer. What would I wear, what would I say, how would things go were questions I had pondered.

So yesterday morning, even though I got up a little late, I was pretty calm and collected. Anna wanted me to take her picture for the 2nd Day of School and I obliged because she was looking like a cutie patootie. She's way into posing for the camera right now which explains this little hunched down, knee bent, funny expression picture... super models watch out - a three year old redhead will soon be stealing your runway!

Anyway, we headed out on the interstate and traffic was awful but I kept my cool. About 15 minutes into the drive, Anna begins to complain that she wants to go home, but I keep both she and myself together, and we get off the interstate eventually and head toward campus. About one block shy of the RCA Dome, which ~ 2 miles from our epicenter of the campus, Anna's complaints intensify and she eventually throws up all over herself in the backseat - WHOA, I totally did not see that one coming.

Now for those of you who know me well, I do not do well with vomit (I even gag looking at the word). Brian and I had a pre-marital agreement that he would handle cleaning such bodily fluids and I would assist with the pulling of teeth if we were to have children. He's made good on his promise so far, knowing that if he didn't clean it up, I would end up getting sick and he'd be cleaning up both of us. And my day will eventually come with the whole teeth thing. All of this is beside the point, I did my best to blot her off and turned the Bravada around and made the 30 minute trek home to Greenwood. Praise God traffic wasn't too bad as most folks were headed into the city instead of out of it.

Once we got home, I got both Anna and the car cleaned up and began to do damage control. My TAship doesn't really start until the afternoon, so the morning was clear to be home with her but I wasn't sure what I would do when I needed to leave. Luckily, B's very gracious boss, the wonderful Mr. Jack Smart, volunteered to cover a case for Brian @ 1 PM so he could come home and be with Anna. So, he zipped in @ 12:50 and I zipped out. I made it to campus and had a successful day - it really felt comfortable to me, even though the conduct of the students (which I could do a whole other post about) is far from my undergrad experience. Anyway, I met with Bob, aka Dr. Barrows, for a few minutes after class (he kept them the entire time the first day, I bet they didn't care for that too much) and then got in the car, fought rush hour traffic and made my way back to Greenwood. B and I chatted for a few minutes and then hopped back in the car and went to night court (cue the sitcom music here).

So all of this to say, not in a million years would I have envisioned yesterday to go the way it did. However, flexibility is the name of the game when God puts children in your care. He provided a way for everything to work out and in many ways it was a perfect day - stomach bug and all!

My Little Scholar

Here's Anna on her first day of school at her classroom window! She had a great day, making a new friend named Baker and also apparently an arch-enemy simply known as "the curly haired girl." We think the curly haired girl must have a sad heart since she kicks and takes things away from others. For lunch, she had a salad, hotdog, and corn (but she didn't eat the salad). They sang songs and read the book "The Silly Teacher." She played on the playground but didn't go down the slide because it was too hot. She took a nap and might have been the last to get up since when I arrived she was the only one at the snack table and she looked a little disoriented. Miss Elizabeth, her teacher, was very nice and said Anna had a great day.

I survived but couldn't hold out til 4:30 PM to pick her up, arriving around 3:30 instead. I know, I'm a wimp. But I'm sure it will be easier on Wednesday as my class doesn't end until 3:45 PM and I'm supposed to hang around and be available for students. But I did get a lot done in the morning hours and took a very long walk (the length of the entire canal and back!) at lunch time. It was beautiful today (I have the farmer's "tan" to prove it, too).

First Day of School...

Ok, so I have the jitters. I slept awful last night. I'm up at the crack of dawn, making coffee, doing laundry, and making lunches... it can only mean one thing - first day of school! Now, it's not my first day of school (my TAship doesn't officially start until Wednesday); however, it is Anna's first day @ the IUPUI Center for Young Children (there's a link to the right, go to "Take a Tour" and there's a nice QuickTime video of the place). I have the nervous mommy, my little baby's growing up so fast blues. Anna is totally ready. Even though she is still sleeping right now, her backpack is packed, and she's been pestering me about this moment for about two months. We'll see how the day goes. She'll be there from about 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM. I promise to post pictures later on this evening and give you a full report.

Pray for us both if you get the chance. I think I'll need it more than she. But thank the Lord for one way glass, so I can be the creepy lady in the hall all day long, staring into her classroom. :)

Where All the Women are Strong, the Men are Good-looking, and the Children are Above Average

Alright ladies, prepare to be jealous... Also, expect a little cheesiness and a few awwwwwsss.... Fellas, you're going to have to step it up if your significant other reads this post.

Last night, I once again remembered that I have the most wonderful husband in the world. Let me just preface this entire post with the statement that Brian is quite possibly the best gift-giver on the planet, at least for me. He has always wow-ed me with his thoughtfulness and unique ability to know exactly what would be a terrific gift for me even when I myself didn't know I needed or wanted the said gift. That being said, Brian is a terrific special occasion gift-giver. He's not really a bring you home flowers just because sort of guy (he's allergic to them for starters so it wouldn't really work out that well), nor has he ever surprised me with a weekend getaway. But I can always count on the biggies - Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christmases, etc. - having spectacular gifts to mark the occasion.

For instance when we were yet young 'uns, in fact even before we were engaged, Brian decided one day was not enough to celebrate my birthday, so he gave me an entire weekend, disbursing gifts on each day. After our whirlwind romance, we were married by the next birthday and he decided that a weekend wasn't enough for his "bride" and gave me an entire week. It was that year - 1999 - that The Seven Days of Cherie were born and he's consistently continued to bless me with this celebration every year. Yep, that's right I get a gift every day the entire week leading up to my birthday - some are small, some are large, some are silly, some are significant, all are given with love. Eat your hearts out ladies.

*** side note - one of my favorite gifts of all time during TSDOC was a package of three small matchbox cars. I had longed for the little automobiles for months, stating that it would be so much fun to let them fly down the railing of our apartment building - the space was perfect for racing. And seeing my dream come true, letting them fly down the railing and crash into the wall was FANTASTIC!

Ok, so I digress... this year's anniversary present was tickets to see Garrison Kellior @ the Indiana State Fair. I have been A Prairie Home Companion Fan since early college, always hoping I could catch a NPR station on the five hour drive home from Wilmore and hear the Old Time Styled radio-show with biting wit and good music. Anyway, a few times I had checked into seeing PHC but didn't want to fork over the money for tix so I had put that little dream on the backshelf (I am cheap when it comes to such things). So I was thrilled to open the envelope with the tickets!

The show was fantastic... I could do an entire post on it. But I must say the best part was sitting with my beloved in the absolutely perfect summer evening, listening to an unbelievable guitar duet, glancing occasionally at the midway lights and then closing my eyes, feeling the slight breeze on my face and knowing there was no other place I wanted to be, no other person I wanted sitting next to me. We ate fair food, held hands, and wandered around the fair on what seemed to be the most perfect Indiana night imaginable. It was one of those evenings where you don't want to breathe because it's just so perfect. I am indeed blessed.

So that's the news here from Lake Lowebegone this week...

A little over a year

For a little over a year, I have resisted blogging... Mainly because I have been pretty busy with school and a now three-year-old. Life has changed little and greatly at the same time. We're living in the same place, in the same jobs, have the same great kid. But I've endured a year of graduate school full-time, Anna is potty-trained, and B has endured a year of me in graduate school and Anna being potty-trained. I really can't complain. Life is good. I'll try to be a more faithful blogger, but no guarantees. In some ways, blogging feels to me like someone is looking in your underwear drawer. It leaves you incredibly exposed and vulnerable. But then again, there's something freeing about that at the same time. This is not an invitation; however, to come over and look through my underwear drawer.

This is a recent picture of Anna on her new swingset, built at her Swingset Raising Third Birthday Party. That's right, when it comes to manual labor, the Lowes do it up Amish style.