Leap Day

It only comes once every four years, and today is the day.

Leap Day!  And what a day it was.

Today the temperature was almost 60 degrees -- not unheard of for the last day of February, but still somewhat unusual for a month that tends to be the snowiest month of winter.  In addition to the warmth, it was also sunny and very, VERY windy.  (Three hundred miles away in southern Illinois there was an F4 tornado that all but obliterated a small town.)  By the time the sun set, the temperature had plummeted, the wind was still howling and gusting, and it was snowing.

Crazy Leap Day weather.

Tonight was Senior Night at Purdue.  Robbie Hummel scored 26 points.  Lewis Jackson had 12 points and Ryne Smith had 9 (three 3s!).  Together these seniors accounted for more than half of Purdue's 80 points in the win over Penn State.

Boiler Up!

At the beginning of the year I complained about this extra day.  I'm sure the people who live in Harrisburg, IL and Branson, MO and other towns and cities that were affected by tornados and other adverse weather would have been happy to have skipped this day altogether.  But for me, thankfully, it was a good day.  I might even look forward to Leap Day 2016.     

*sigh*

I went to the grocery store this evening . . . in the rain.

I spent $38 on yogurt, fruit, fig bread, cauliflower, provolone, quinoa, and olive oil.

I didn't buy any chocolate.  : /   Of course, now I am desperately craving chocolate.

If it wasn't still raining, I just might get back in the car and drive to Meijer.

Darn you rain!

Music Monday

Leo. And my name is (ab)normal.

Float On.

Inspiration, meet perspiration

Well, I have the inspiration.  Now I need the perspiration.

It's almost the end of the month which means I need to write the monthly thank you note for the non-profit that uses my services as a ghost writer.  Normally the thank would be due on a Tuesday, but this time I need to have the note ready for Monday.

Instead of writing, I spent the evening watching the Oscar telecast with G.  Now it's perspiration time.

This afternoon I had a very interesting encounter with a stranger at TJ Maxx in Wheaton.  I hope I can remember all of the details until tomorrow when I'll have some free time. 

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Today was an incredibly boring day.

Boring.  Boring.  Boring.

I didn't get up until almost 2:00 and if I had gone to the bathroom, taken my prescription, and then gone back to bed, I wouldn't have missed anything.

Boring.

Finally Friday

The day finally arrived -- Friday, February 24, 2012 -- Match Day.

And the really, really good news is that N got a match!!!

Sometime this summer he and E will move to Salem, Virginia where N will intern at the Salem VA Medical Center.  There is lots to be done and tons of details to work out, but for now the most important thing is . . .

Nate. Got. A. Match!

Thank you Lord!

Thankful Thursday

Normally when I write the Thankful Thursday post, I'm describing a person or an event or an object (like my electric blanket!) that I love or that I find amazing or inspiring.  When I've written about an event, it's always been something that's already happened.

Today I am giving thanks for something that's going to happen tomorrow . . . and at this point in time, I don't know what the outcome will be.

Tomorrow N will find out if he has an internship for the next school year.  If he does get an internship, he will also find out where he will intern -- Springfield, MO; Charleston, WV; Salem, VA; Salisbury, NC; Chicago; Milwaukee; Seattle are his options.  There is a definite possibility that he may not be offered an internship this year, and if that's the case, he will continue to focus on research and his dissertation, and then begin the internship application and interview process again later this summer/fall.

Needless to say, there's a lot riding on the news that N will receive tomorrow.

N, E, and I have talked often about all of the what ifs -- internship, no internship, close to family, more than 2000 miles away, job opportunities for E, the possibility that E might not be able to find a job, and on and on. 

The one thing that I've stressed to both of them is this: before N filled out his very first application, before he went on his first interview, before he submitted his final ranking of preference -- God already knew exactly what was going to happen.  Knowing that God is trustworthy and always wants the very best for us, no matter what happens tomorrow, we can trust that the outcome is God's will for N and E at this time in their lives.

So in faith, I am thankful today for what will happen tomorrow.  I am thankful that as much as I love N and E and want the very best for them, God loves them more and He knows what is best for them.  His will be done. 

Humility

Today is "Be Humble" Day.

I wasn't aware that there was such a day until today.  So I posted about "Be Humble" Day on my facebook and included a Scripture verse.  One of my daughters and one of my cousins "like[d]" my status post.

I guess humility isn't very popular.  : /

But for believers, God calls us and desires for us to be humble.  A humble person is teachable and submissive, not stiff-necked or proud.  A humble person puts others first rather than pushing to be "ME first."

I know I have much to learn before I will walk easily in the ways of the humble, but I hope that my heart is inclined in the right direction.  And thankfully, as is always the case, the Word of the Lord is my guide, a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way.  Psalms 25:9 

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation.  Psalms 149:4

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do His just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD.  Zephaniah 2:3

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.  Proverbs 11:2

The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.  Proverbs 22:4

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.  Luke 11:14

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Philippians 2:3-4

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience.  Colossians 3:12

Humble yourselves before the LORD, and He will exalt you.  James 4:10

Ugh

Now I know how Darth Vader must have felt when Luke took off his mask/helmet just before he died.  Vader wanted to be able to fully see his son (and for his son to be able to see him) but once the mask came off, he no longer had the use of the breathing apparatus/life support system that had enabled him to survive.  On their own, his scarred lungs were too damaged to allow him to live for more than a brief moment.

While I'm not in danger of dying, I can't breathe through my nose, and I've spent the past three days breathing through my mouth like a demented fish.  My lips are chapped, my eyes are watery, and even though I've slept a lot, I feel exhausted.

Two of the women in my Bible study small group are pregnant, so I've decided it would be irresponsible for me to potentially expose them to my germs, especially since one woman is less than a week from delivering.

Hopefully when next Wednesday rolls around I will be completely recovered and able to rejoin the fellowship.

Music Monday

As proof of how sick I am, I forgot that today is Monday -- Music Monday.

This song is so smooth and fine.  (You really need to draw the vowels out when you say so, smooth and fine.)  When I listen to Smokey sing this, I can almost forget that I'm not 21 . . . and haven't cruised in years.  : /

Sick of being sick

Okay, so I've only been sick for two days, but I'm sick of being sick and I'm ready to be well again, ready to be able to breathe again.  Last night I slept for almost twelve hours and only drug myself out of bed because I had to go to the bathroom.  With that mission accomplished, all I wanted to do was go back to bed and sleep some more.

My cold is all G's fault because he was sick last week.  Instead of being selfish like he normally is (not true, but I'm sick and I'm not thinking rationally) he decided to be generous and share his germs with me.  Ugh.

This evening I found out that K's boyfriend is now sick with a cold.  K said I gave it to him.  Why do my kids think that every bad thing that happens is always my fault???

I hope I get over my cold quickly -- G is still recovering, but he is much, much better than he was a week ago.  I also hope KC gets well soon and, most importantly, doesn't share his cold with K.  : /

Just lunch, or more?

Today G and I met our daughter K and her boyfriend, also K (so let's call him KC) for lunch.  This was the first time we had ever met KC although he and K have been friends for 6 months and dating for about a month.

I have to admit that I was more than a little bit nervous.  Since K moved to Chicago for college 5 1/2 years ago, we have only met one of the guys that she's dated (unlike high school when we met and knew all of her dates).  It's not to say that during undergrad and grad school K dated hundreds of guys, but there have been several she went out with or was interested in on more than just a friend basis that she never asked us to meet. 

This time around, KC asked to meet us.  Yikes!  I'm trying to not read too much into that turnabout.  K has met his parents and spent time with them on a few occasions, so he probably figured that it was only fair for him to meet her parents.  That makes sense.

We had a nice lunch and enjoyed some low-key conversation.  It was a fun afternoon.

On the way home, unprompted, G said that he thought KC was nice, down-to-earth, and easy to talk to.  Coming from G that is a ringing endorsement.

So we'll see.  Was it just lunch or was it more?  

When it rains, it pours: another baby shower

Today I went to a baby shower for another mom-to-be in my Women's Bible Study small group.  As far as I know, no one else is expecting, so this should be the last shower.

The guest of honor this morning, K, had been the hostess for the previous shower for E.  In turn, this shower was hosted by two women from K's Sunday School class, so the demographic for her shower was definitely younger than it was for E's.

In fact, there were actually babies at this shower!  Four babies to be exact.  The oldest was an almost 9 month old boy and the youngest was a 4 month old girl.  Two other boys were somewhere in the middle of that age range.  The women of College Church are certainly a fertile bunch -- especially since there potentially could have been more babies if some of the young moms hadn't elected to leave their babies at home with the daddies.

The mom of the 4 month old baby girl was in my small group two years ago.  At that time she was pregnant, but miscarried.  She conceived and miscarried a second time before she and her husband were blessed with their beautiful daughter.  The little girl is as sweet as can be -- a delightful, smiling child -- and her mother is so gentle and at ease with her.

This same mom also gave a beautiful devotion based on the opening verses of 1 Thessalonians.  K likened Paul's depiction of the Thessalonians' work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope that was rooted in Christ Jesus to the task of a parent raising and nurturing a child with the goal and desire to see their child grow up to be an adult who strives to attain maturity in Christ.

The mom-to-be was very touched by the devotion and prayers that were offered for her, her husband, and their unborn child.  I hope that this baby's grandmother, who was also at the shower and does not seem to be a believer, was also blessed to hear the words of scripture and the prayers of God's people on behalf of her daughter and her first grandchild.          

It's just a matter of time

G has a cold . . . again.  He has been sneezing as if someone's promised to give him $1000 dollars every time he grabs for a tissue.  He must be getting even more money for multiples because he doesn't just sneeze once and then again five or ten minutes later.  No, he sneezes three, four, five times or more in a row -- one right after another after another after another . . . .

Now I'm not an unsympathetic person.  I genuinely do feel sorry for G, but his sneezing is annoying as h*ll.  If he didn't sneeze so loudly (and sooo often) it wouldn't be too awful.  But he is a "sneeze big or go home" kind of guy.  : /  

I really hope that this time (unlike last time) he keeps his cold and cold germs to himself.

Thankful Thursday

Today was a beautiful day -- sunny and relatively warm for mid-February in Chicago.  It was a very pleasant day to be out and about, running errands and escaping the cold germs that G was coughing and sneezing all over the house.  Had I been so inclined, it would have been a nice day to go for a walk outside, but let's not get carried away!

So today, I am very thankful for warm, spirit-lifting sunshine.  Winter is so much more bearable when the sun decides to "go big."

The day after

This is a goodie for the day after Valentine's Day.  I heard this on the radio (Dr. David Jeremiah's Turning Point) as I was driving to Women's Bible Study this evening.  Dr. Jeremiah was speaking about anger.

Seen in the swap ads of the local newspaper: Wedding Dress.  Never worn.  Will trade for .38 caliber revolver.

Yikes.  That definitely reflects some anger, and I think most people would say that it is justifiable anger.  Although the revolver might be a step too far. 

Love

John 3:16

Music Monday

I love, love, love this song.  Pretty sure I've said that before, if not on this blog, then in the real world, but it is so true.  I really do LOVE this song.  And, it's a perfect song for the day before Valentine's Day.  A little warm-up of sorts.

Marvin Gaye was an amazing singer who, like Whitney Houston (from a human perspective) left this world much too soon.  I can't think of a current singer who injects so much love, lust, and longing into his music.  The vocals and phrasing are incredible, and his voice is sooo smooth.

So . . . Let's Get It On.

 

A look back

This afternoon I checked out E's blog.  She had posted pictures of everyone at lunch yesterday at Destihl.  The pictures were great and I know when I look back at them in the future, I will remember all the fun of that day.

When I finished looking at the photos, I took a trip down memory lane and read E's very first blog post -- Christmas Day 2007.  Then I read her posts for 2008, all 78 of them.

It really was a journey into the not so distant past.  I remembered some of the events that E had written about, but others had faded from my memory.  I enjoyed looking at pictures from weddings and family celebrations -- and I especially loved the pictures of sweet Penny as a little kitten.  She looks very much the same today, not much bigger than she was when she came to live with E and N.

As I read through the year, E grew from a somewhat nervous newbie graduate student and TA into a confident scholar and instructor.  Just as she had at GBN and Hope, she gave graduate studies her very best effort.  And, she didn't just scrape by, she excelled!

Graduate school wasn't the only challenge E faced in 2008, as during that same period, she and N were also navigating the uncharted waters of their first year of marriage.  I'm sure it wasn't always smooth sailing, but E's posts underscored their willingness to work together as a team and to stay on course.  (Can you tell that N is a sailor?)

When I talked with E tonight, I told her what I had done and how much fun it had been to re-read her posts.  While we were talking, she looked through a few of her old posts and agreed it was fun to peek back at the moments that she had memorialized.

I hope that as time allows, E will be able to go back over more of her previous posts.  Some of them are funny and lighthearted, but others are more serious and reflect challenges that she and N were experiencing at the time.  Re-reading and reliving some of those later posts could be similar to the Biblical concept of revisiting stones of remembrance.  At the site of a great event, the Lord instructed the Israelites to build a monument of stones, piled one on top of another, to serve as a visual reminder of the way He had worked in their lives to give them victory over an enemy or triumph over a difficult situation.  In the same way, God was at work in E and N's lives -- knitting them together as a married couple, growing their faith, helping them through illness, stress and uncertainty -- and E's blog posts are a testimony to His presence and action in that crucial first year of marriage and graduate school.  

I'm glad that E decided to start a blog.  I've enjoyed knowing what was happening in her and N's life -- seeing their pictures and reading their stories.  And I'm very glad that she and N will always have this record to return to whenever they need to be reminded of God's love and care for them in the biggest and smallest details. 

The very first blogger probably never envisioned all the ways that blogs would connect, encourage, and inspire readers and subsequent bloggers, but God knew that this new method of communication could be the 21st century technological version of the Old Testament stones of remembrance.                

Surprise!

And it was a surprise!  I didn't think my mom and my aunt and uncle would be able to pull it off, but they did.  When my dad walked into the restaurant, he had no idea that my family of six would be sitting at a table, waiting for him.  : ) 

We had a really good lunch -- wine, appetizers, sandwiches, tacos, pasta, and dessert.  Everyone enjoyed what they ordered and our server and his helpers couldn't have been nicer.  When Joe brought out the desserts we'd ordered, he also brought out a special dessert (on the house) for my mom and dad to share since he knew we were celebrating their anniversary and both their birthdays.

It was great to be able to share a meal, talk and laugh and then not have to get up from the table and do the dishes!  The restaurant was pretty busy when we got there at 1:00, but it gradually cleared out.  It was especially nice that we never felt rushed to finish and free up the tables for someone else.  In fact if anything, the service seemed like it might have been a little slow, but in defense, I think everything was made from scratch, and cooking takes time.

I'm glad the weather cooperated and my dad was able to ignore his aches and pains in order to come to Champaign for his special 75th birthday surprise!

Happy Anniversary!  Happy 73rd Birthday, Mom!  Happy 75th Birthday, Daddy!

I Love You!!!   

Busy Friday

It snowed today.  Boo.  And the temperature dropped, drastically.  Not loving the subzero windchill.

Yeah, I knew winter was just hiding around the corner, waiting to pounce on all of us winter-haters.  : / 

It had been a long time since I'd done laundry so I forced myself to go to the laundromat . . . in a snowstorm.  Then I had to go to Michael's and Barnes & Noble.  By then the snow had stopped, but the wind was howling.  Fortunately I was able to find everything I needed/wanted.

Tomorrow is a big day.  G, K, and I are meeting E, N, and M in Champaign for a surprise birthday luncheon with my parents and Aunt M and Uncle D.  My father is celebrating his 75th birthday in 10 days and we decided to surprise him with lunch at a nice restaurant.  My mom's birthday is in 6 days so lunch will be a celebration of her 73rd birthday, but she's in on the surprise.  Three years ago my dad gave my mom a surprise party for her 70th birthday, so she's already had her surprise.  : ) 

I hope the weather has settled down by tomorrow.  I really would be disappointed if the West Lafayetters decided that they couldn't make the drive to Chambana because of ice or drifting snow.  Worse yet would be if my dad decided he didn't want to go along with my aunt and uncle on their shopping expedition to Bed Bath and Beyond -- the excuse they're using to get him out of the house and on the road to party time.

Hopefully tomorrow will bring sunshine, safe travels, and fun for everyone.  : )

Thankful Thursday

I went shopping this morning.  Shopping used to be a fun experience.  Actually it still is a fun experience, just not when I'm shopping for clothes, shoe, or bras for me.  Then it is torturous and an exercise in futility.  : //

Today was no exception.  It took me over two hours to purchase a pair of dress jeans and a tee shirt.  I should have counted, but I'm pretty sure I tried on at least twelve pairs of pants -- jeans, corduroys, dressy slacks, and boring basics.

After I tackled pants, I decided to try on some sweaters and tee shirts (because trying to find something to clothe my bottom half wasn't challenging and depressing enough).  I had high hopes for a crew neck, 3/4 length sleeve, print cardigan, but it looked oddly like flowery surgical scrubs.  Next I tried on a grey and yellow floral tee shirt.  This was a better choice.  But true to my growing OCD tendencies, I had to try on every one of the tee shirts that the store had in my size.  I wanted to find one that had the best fit, but I was also concerned about the layout of the pattern.  I normally don't wear yellow, but with this pattern, I felt like I wanted to have some of the yellow at the neckline, rather than just the grey background.  So I tried on at least five tee shirts . . . multiple times.  And every time I put a shirt on or took one off, my limp, electrically-charged hair crackled and popped and stood on end.  I could have been the perfect illustration for a sixth grade science project.  Ugh.

By now you're probably wondering -- where's the thankfulness in this mess?

Well here it is -- Even though this shopping adventure was frustrating and exhausting, I walked out of the store with a nice pair of jeans (that almost fit) and a pretty tee shirt.  I am thankful that I was able to find something to add to my pathetic and meager wardrobe  . . . and, even better, both items were on sale!!!

Winter is back

Well, it's not snowing and blowing, but it definitely is winter.

Boo.  I was hoping that the practically impossible would happen and the weather would stay mild.  But no.  When I'm honest I will admit that the temperatures the past few days have been extremely tolerable.  I've gone out a few times and haven't bothered to wear gloves or a scarf.  If I was going to spend an extended time outside, I would need to dress more warmly, but as it is, my winter coat is good enough.

So I guess now my new hope is that we manage to make it through the rest of winter without snow.

No more snow?  Yes. We. Can!

C'est la vie

There are good days and there are bad days.

This is a bad day.  : /   

On a day like today, the sentiment of yesterday's song for Music Monday means very little to me.  In fact, on a day like to day,  I feel as if Al Green is mocking me when he sings that song.

Here's hoping tomorrow will be better.  Even a tiny bit better will be a huge improvement.   

Music Monday

I LOVE this song!

Al Green is amazing and this is a timeless song.  I don't think I will ever get tired of listening to him sing this.

A few weeks ago President Obama sang a little bit of this song.  I will admit he did a good job, but to borrow from Lloyd Bentson, "Mr. President, I've spent almost my entire life listening to Al Green; I know Al Green; you sir, are no Al Green."

XLVI

Super Bowl XLVI -- Giants vs. Patriots.

Who did I want to win?  I am definitely Team Manning.  It doesn't matter if it's Eli or Peyton.  I even like Cooper, the oldest, non-football playing Manning brother.  Seriously, how cool a name is Cooper?

So needless to say, I was very happy with the Giants 21-17 win over the Patriots and their less than ethical coach and petulant quarterback.

I would have preferred to see the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees on the field at Lucas Oil, but at least Brees and his wife and kids looked cute in that Chase commercial that aired during the game.  Maybe next year he'll be wearing a uniform and holding up the Lombardi trophy when the Saints win XLVII at the Louisiana Superdome.  : ) 

Now showing

I went to a movie today with my friend, K.  We saw The Artist and agreed that it was very good.  It probably won't win the Oscar for Best Picture, but it definitely is deserving of its nomination.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed an almost exclusively silent movie.  I was also surprised that very little of the dialogue was communicated by intertitle.  Sometimes it was easy to either read the actors' lips or decipher what was said by the context of the scene.  But at other times I would have liked to have had an intertitle to make the interchange between characters more clear.   

Best of all, The Artist has a happy ending.  For awhile, I wasn't sure it would turn out that way.  : / 

Oops!

Today is Friday.  So that means yesterday was Thursday. 

THURSDAY!  I forgot Thankful Thursday!

There have been a few times when I've haven't been able to put up the Thankful Thursday post on time -- out of town, no internet, no power, etc.  But I've never forgotten that it was Thursday, until yesterday. 

So, a day late, but still thankful . . . I'm thankful that N's internship interview process is over.  Yay, no more interviews . . . at least until the post-doctoral process gears up.

I'm pretty sure that N is glad to be finished interviewing.  It has been a long almost two months: lots of miles on the Toyota, more than a few nights in hotel rooms (thank you to family and friends who graciously hosted N in Milwaukee, Seattle, and Chicago!), more than a little bit of money expended, and a whole bunch of stress.

Now all N (and the rest of us) can do is wait until Match Day, February 24 to find out where he and E will put down roots for his internship year.

Groundhog Day

Yay!  It's Ground Hog Day!

Here in Chicago, the official groundhog, Stormy, from Brookfield Zoo did not -- repeat, DID NOT -- see his shadow.  So . . . spring is just around the corner!

Ha ha ha ha ha.  It's February 2nd  . . . in Chicago.  News Flash -- spring is right around the corner and Governor Quinn is going to contribute his own money to wipe out the deficit in the State of Illinois budget.  Next you'll try to convince me that Rahm Emanuel is going to do away with patronage hiring in the city of Chicago, or even better, the Chicago Cubs will win the 2012 World Series.  Right.

Way off to the east, the Head 'Hog, Punxsutawney Phil, DID see his shadow.  From what I heard, it was cloudy in Punxsutawney, PA, so I'm wondering how ol' Phil managed to see his shadow.  I suspect what he saw was courtesy of the lights from the all the TV camera crews and photojournalists who were there to record his bogus prognostication.  Take that Phil!  I'm calling you out!  I bet you were bought off by some ski resort operator in the Poconos or a snowmobile dealer.

Six more weeks of winter?  My heart wants to stand in solidarity with Stormy, but my head says Phil, shenanigans aside, probably has the inside meteorological scoop.  : /

A new month and an accomplishment

It's February!  We survived January without a snowpocalypse or a blizzaster.  That's quite an accomplishment.

But the end of January brought another pretty amazing accomplishment.  I wrote a blog post every day in January.

That's right.  Thirty-one posts.  Wow!

It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be; although, there were a few days when I was really digging to come up with an idea. 

Having said that, I don't think I will attempt to post every day in February . . . but it is a shorter month . . . only twenty-nine days.  Hmmm.

We'll see.  : )