Summer time

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We found the most beautiful place- a park near my parent's house. I never even knew it existed. The park was far off the road; nestled back in the woods. We were driving down an old dirt road and all the sudden came upon a well-maintained park. Full of trails and look out towers, a faded bridge walkway around the pond, and perfect summer evening weather, it was the ideal way to spend an evening playing with Kayden.

Needs to learn how to hold a bat yet...

Video

Some of you have requested to see the news segment. I had a hard time uploading it through photobucket, but the direct link is on this page:

http://www.minimebabygear.com/press.htm

Just click on the Channel 13 icon, and it will take you directly to it after the car ad. Don't be too harsh! I was pretty nervous:-)

A few new videos

Because I could watch this 100 times and still laugh...



He looks huge in this video, huh?



What we do on a Sunday afternoon at my parent's house for entertainment. Yes, we are dorks.

Good To Go.

Beware: Soap BoxIt seems like every time we order take-out lately, I feel like I have to tip the To Go worker. I worked at Applebees-- I know that it takes them a little while to put the order together. I remember many nights, however, where the TO GO specialists made far more than me waitressing. I even overheard one of them lamenting about someone only tipping them $2.

My Question is this: When did we have to start tipping for TO GO's?

Cold?

Every Wed. night after softball games, we invite the team to our house for swimming. Apparently, my brother thought the water was a little chilly....
or perhaps he was teasing my dad whom would really like a wet suit for swimming.

Happy Father's Day

I hope you all had a great father's day. Some of my fondest memories of my dad:

Eating popsicles with him and my brother Nathan when I was little.

Sneaking to the parking lot with all three of us kids in tow when it was icy. Mom used to hate us doing donuts, but dad did them anyway.

My dad is a handy man. I am always asking him for help around the house or to fix something broken. I did not even realize that all guys do not possess this handyman gene. I could bring him almost anything and he could fix it like new.

The day I got married. My dad teased me for months that he would do a happy dance down the aisle. The actual day of my wedding, my dad was emotional all day. Walking me down the aisle, giving Josh my hand, kissing my dependence on him as the man in my life goodbye.

My grandpa had a cottage on Hess Lake. It did not matter how many friends I took along or how long we wanted to tube or ski. Dad drove the boat, catering to our liking. He never complained about driving or the hot sun...only now that I have my own kid do I realize what a sacrifice it was to give up his free day to make ours fun.

Flying home when my grandpa died. My grandpa was my hero- actually a lot of people's hero. One of those great men- worked tirelessly for the homeless, did everything for his family, used his life's savings to bring his family joy. He had that special quality of making everyone feel like you were his favorite. I was devastated when he died as it was very unexpected. I flew home and stepped off the plane to my awaiting parents. My dad had tears in his eyes. I had such respect for him because he did not try to hide his feelings.

He always gave me the frosting off his cake, still does.

I remember as a child, the place we went camping had a big hill. I fell down and was embarrased because a couple of friends were along. I remember my dad asking me if I wanted to hold his hand. He probably does not even remember it, but I remember telling him no and then later being so upset that I missed the chance to hold his hand.

Above all, I am so thankful I was blessed with such a great dad. Not everyone is so fortunate to have someone who wanted to be such a large part of their kid's life.

Pastor Scott Leaving???

Look out into the crowd after church, and you will see many people talking and milling about. My husband will not be one of them. Immediately once church is out, he heads--or should I say runs--for the door.

Before we were married, he got into the habit of leaving before the final song to avoid the "yappers" as he likes to call people like me. I really like "yapping", so now we stay for the final song; I head for the people, he heads for the door.

When I am in nursery, we drive separately to church. Some of the kids were getting a little antsy for mom and dad to come back, so I looked to see if the service was finished. Who did I see trying to slyly sneak out the door unnoticed during the final song? You guessed it.

Arriving home a bit later, Josh was sitting at the kitchen table. Following is our conversation:
Jamie: "Hey, I have to know. What did they say about Pastor Scott leaving the church?"
Josh: "What?" looking befuddled. "Oh, I am not sure.."
Jamie:"They said at the end of the service that Pastor Scott was leaving. What did they say about it?"
Josh: Scratching his head, and looking at me confused. " I don't really know. I must have missed that part."
Jamie:"You don't even remember hearing anything about it? They made the announcement at the end of the service. You do not remember at all what they had to say?"
Josh" "No, I am sorry- I think I missed it."
Jamie:"Could it be because you were not present?"
Josh: Laughing, hysterically. "Busted"

Sometimes it's just plain fun to mess with Josh.

That'll teach. Being 6'8" has its disadvantage-- no such thing as sneaking discreetly out the door early.

Senior Pranks

Yesterday morning, Josh was playing pick up ball at East Kentwood High School when a teacher interupted them in the gym.
"Did you hear that school is cancelled today?" he asked the other players, most of which were fellow teachers at East Kentwood High.
None of them had heard the news, so they continued playing. Two minutes later, one of the head teachers received a phone call asking them to evacuate the school.

Bomb Threat.

Although I would not classify this as a senior prank, that is what it was. Kids must be losing their creativity. Even though it was a million years ago, our senior pranks were awesome- throwing water balloons at freshman, hiding open tuna fish in library books, dying the lawn at school with the year of our class, letting a pig loose in the hallway, hanging bras in the trees.

My mom's class moved the Principal's car into the creek. I am not sure he was so happy about that one. So, what about you? Any good ones?

Diane Sawyer I ain't.

Blogging has taken a back seat this week. Three reasons why:

The start of softball! Okay, Okay. I hear you now. Jamie playing softball? I seem more like an "indoor girl", right? I not only play-- I love it! We play on Wed. nights (we are still in need of one girl if anyone out there wants to play). One of my first posts was about the greatest sports moment of my life- winning the softball tourney last year. There are so few sports memories to choose from, it was not hard to hone in on that one. More than anything, we have a lot of fun.

Deep in me is a hermit longing to get out. Far too much time in my basement has left me feeling like a hermit. It must be summer and swimsuit season for all the Wet Happened? bags that have been ordered this week.

Remember that "before" picture of my sewing room? Well, it looked exactly like that Wed. night. Not great when the news crew was coming Thursday morning. My solution? Shove the mess in the closet, drawer, spare room. Now I am unable to find anything! Even as we speak, I am looking for my card reader. No luck. I will have to find it later and post pix then.

Thanks to all for the nice comments regarding my TV segment. That is nerve wracking! Even though I am not really a drinker, a good shot of vodka would have been just the ticket.

A few posts ago I mentioned watching a mother bird build a nest right outside my kitchen window. For a week, I struggled on tip toe to see how many babies were in there- if I would catch a glimpse of a tiny beak. Initially, I thought there were two:

Growing bigger-- they are so ugly they are cute!

Imagine my surprise when I looked in there and saw four! They are starting to spread their tiny wings, all of them have their eyes opened, and are getting too big for the nest!

I have wasted more time watching these baby birds! The reflection of the sun blocks me from the mother's view, so I can view them from about a foot away from their nest. I am going to be sad when they fly away! I have witnessed God's nature at it's finest!

Also, I am sure many of you moms have come across this. Thank God they are washable crayons!

Why, Oh Why??

Would it kill gas stations, since they are making record profits and all, to actually have nice restrooms for us ladies to use? I am not asking for the Ritz, here people, I am just asking for something that has been cleaned in the last month. For the price we are paying for gas, kick a little back to the people, Exxon Mobile. At least then I will feel like I am getting something for my $10 a gallon.

Little Lucy

Alright, fellow bloggers--I try to keep business separate from this blog most days, but I could not resist showing off Little Lucy. She is so adorable, and did so well for our photo shoot!

I simply adore her little hands and feet and precious face. Thanks, Katie, for the great photos and Emily for letting me use her!

Just a small note: If you think of it today, please pray for my mom. She is going in for ear surgery. She has tumors growing in her ears that can attach to her brain (one is actually very close to doing so now), causing meningitis and all sorts of other problems. She went in last year at about this same time for the other ear, and it is a long and painful recovery, so if you wouldn't mind saying a little prayer for my mom, Jan, that would be appreciated!

Calling All Swimmers:

Don't ya just love all those plastic toys???

Well, it is finally open after much frustration and, I will admit it, a little crankiness from me. I could not get my pump working this year. The two previous years we had it opened for us, and I thought it high time to learn! Kayden has already almost fallen in four times.

Anyway, starting in June once school is out, Friday is open swim day for the kiddos. From 1-4 every friday we open the pool to neighborhood and friends. If you are interested in coming, please just swing on by! I will give a reminder once school is out, but we really do love "open swim". It is a lot of fun to grow new friendships and relax.

Rules, Rules (I really only have two):

1) Bring your own snacks/drinks and (if you remember) towels.
2) Each parent must watch their own children. From time to time I need to run into the house, and feel better about each parent being responsible for the kids they bring.

Only 17 more days of school, right???

A Blog about a Frog

Every teacher has to take a turn doing chapel at school. Today was Josh's day to be in charge-teaching a lesson to the K-5th graders. We decided about a month ago to focus on the fruits of the spirit, and thought it would be memorable to attach a live animal example to each fruit. So, we asked Josh's class which animals they have as pets, then I researched each one and attributed it to a fruit of the Spirit. Granted, many of the traits are oversimplified. We just wanted something unique so kids remember each fruit. For example: dogs=love. We used our dog Carmelo as the example and told how even when we get mad and punish him, he still wags his tail and is happy to see us- giving us unconditional love.

We got rolling right along, and went through the leopard gecko representing gentleness due to their gentle disposition, and the rabbit that stood for goodness (It was the one of the only pets Lincoln would let into the White House). The turtles were next representing patience, followed by a snake for peace. Then we got to the frog.

Opening the net top, one of the fourth graders went to grab the frog and it leaped onto another fourth grade girl. She, of course, screamed bloody murder. It hopped around a couple more times, leading to more screaming and running from the frog. Scrambling for the frog, the owner finally caught it. Just as soon, it slipped free again.... hopping straight for the kindergarten class. You guessed it- mass pandemonium. Kids screaming, jumping out of their seats, running around frightened. Finally, Mrs. Wells caught the frog and put it back inside the bucket.

So, what did the frog stand for, you ask? Self Control. (Frogs are excellent swimmers, but if they do not have the control to go to land for a break, they will drown.) So much for that fruit. I guarantee every kid in that place will never forget what frogs stand for though!

A few pictures from Thursday- it sure was fun to have Joy around. The most fun part is that she is so girly! We played with tiaras, picked flowers, played with boas, looked at dresses. It was fun playing with something other than cars or trucks.

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When I sit down at my kitchen table, I look out the window to see this:

...a robin ready to have baby birdies. Watching her build a nest, and fly in and out has been one of our favorite things these days.

"Pretty Boy" Floyd

In lieu of the fight Saturday night between "Pretty Boy" Grand Rapids local Floyd Mayweather and "Golden Boy" Oscar De La Hoya, I thought I would share a small story from my past.

When I was a freshman in college, I met a little blond haired girl, Jennifer, while we were on a class smoke break outside ( I cannot believe I actually smoked that much!). We actually have been friends ever since. Anyway, we always had a lot of fun together and as a last hurrah before I got married, a whole bunch of us girls went to this place called "the Grotto". Right as we were about to leave for the evening, this guy came up and introduced himself. His pick up line was " I am going to be on ESPN this Saturday night". Yeah right, I thought. "For what?" I asked, to which he replied "boxing". He proceeded to tell me about his three houses and how famous he was. I had never heard of him.

During that season of my life, I was working towards become an attorney, and I loved to argue. I thought he was lying and told him so. Josh and I were rubbing elbows with Wayne Gretsky's agent and all sorts of sports talent, so even if he was a local celebrity, I was not impressed. Stubborn as I am, he tried for fifteen minutes to convince me he was a "somebody" to no avail. Sure enough, I open the paper the next morning, and who is on the front page? This guy-Floyd Mayweather. He was telling me the truth. Oopsie. Every time I hear about this fight, I am immediately transported back to 1999, the "Grotto", and bickering with Pretty Boy Floyd.

Separation of Church and Bank

There is a small debate going on, and I would like to know your thoughts. Here is the issue:

A church in the area has asked their members to sign up for direct deposit, withdrawn each Monday morning, for a 10% (or more) tithe. They claim they are thousands short each week, and would like to make sure that, even on vacation or absence from church, people are still tithing the full amount they should be.

So, what do you think? Overstepping boundaries? Taking out the "cheerful" part of giving? Or darn smart idea?

Transported

The Year: 1988

Place:Terry Hall, Grandville, MI

Event: Roller Skating Party

Mission: get asked by some other boy classmate for "boy's choose free skate"

Memories: Sweaty Palms, concession stand with awesome candy, backward skate, classmate speed races, loud 80's music blaring, disco balls, and the hokey pokey. Can't you just smell it? They all seem to smell the same.

Tonight was the skating party for Dutton Christian and I felt transported. Apparently this roller skating hall has been the exact same for thirty years, so although it was a different rink than I went to as a child, it looked so similar. Maybe all of them look 70's disco themed.

Nostalgia...don't you love it?

Lessons Learned in Florida

We got back yesterday and had a great time in Florida. We went to Destin, which is on the Gulf side. It was beautiful.

A couple lessons learned:

1. I can survive an entire week without my computer and Internet (okay I did cheat once and went to the library to pay bills).

2. Alligators are very soft, and not at all slimy like I thought they would be

3. Mom needs to do a better job with sunscreen, even though Kayden made it pretty difficult by wiggling and screaming bloody murder the entire application. I tried waiting him out and after an hour I wrestled him down and just forced it on.

4. 19 hours is a long car ride. Kayden did so much better than I thought he would. He did not cry once. We stopped a few times to let him run around outside. Other than that, he really enjoyed being in the car. Surprising.

5. God hears me. On the final day of our trip, we were out by the beach all day. The sun was hot, the water was teal blue in contrast to the white sand. We set up our chairs and umbrella and played up and down the beach all afternoon. There was a dip in the sand where water would pool and we dug holes for Kayden to play in. When it was time to take Kayden back for a nap, we discovered that the room key had fallen out of my dad's bathing suit. We thought we might get lucky if it had fallen out right where we had initially sat. My dad and I went down to the beach and combed through the sand. Nothing. We expanded our search a little further. We went down to where we had dug our holes. We went everywhere we had been and could not find it. I looked up and down the beach for someone with a metal detector that would possibly help us out. After an hour, we felt all hope was lost of ever finding that key. Since it was the last day, we had no idea if we would have to get a locksmith or some other solution to remedy the situation. I sat down in the sand and said a prayer and decided to dig one more time. Into my hand slipped that metal key. Unbelievable. Someone once said that answered prayers can be explained away as coincidence if unbelievers choose to look at it that way. One three inch key in a beach full of sand? A God thing.

Before and After

Why is it that before I take a vacation, I have to clean? I tackled the black hole tonight- my sewing studio in the basement. I love seeing your before and after photos, so I thought I would share (and also so you feel good about how clean your house is after seeing these photos).

Yikes, how does it get like this?

Okay, it never really looks like this and the minute I get back we will be in BEFORE territory again.

Yikes twice

Is God pushing rewind?

Seems like we are going backwards. Waking up to six inches of blowing snow is certainly not making it look like spring is coming any time soon. We even had the pool guy drop off the chemicals needed for this summer today and I thought, "Why bother?"



Flat tires must be the order for this month, because not only did Tami have one recently, but my two brothers and I had one also. As I was getting four new one installed today, someone ran into an electrical line on our street, knocking out power from 3-10:30. Two thoughts came to mind:

• We must have either exceptionally clumsy drivers, or very low poles. This is the second time in the last seven months that someone has split an electrical pole in half, leaving wires dangling over the street and us without power for six or seven hours.
• I take electricity for granted. Do you know what there is to do without lights, a computer/sewing machine, television, or heat? Not much. After about an hour and half of talking in bed, Josh and Kayden finally fell fast asleep, leaving me just getting more and more annoyed that I could be doing something. Anything!

I have heard that the snow is not lifting anytime soon. Hopefully by the time I come back, the outlook will be little more promising around here.

Naughty Blogger List: MiniMe Mom

My only excuse I have is that I have been adding many products lately, and it took a lot longer than I thought it would.

I hope all of you had a nice Easter. Our church service was beautiful and I found myself emotional at the wierdest of times.. thinking of Sam Post, my friend Joan that lost both of her parents recently. Realizing our suffering and brokeness is nothing compared to the sacrifice of the cross....

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Update on Kayden, from the mouth of babes:

Kayden lately is being a big tease. I will ask him "Do you like Puppies or Kittens?" and he will always say Kittens even though I know he likes Puppies better. He then laughs and laughs with that glint in his eye. This repeats all day- he will tease my mom that he is really Papa's Sweetheart and not Grandma's sunshine. He teases rotating between Joy and Lacie. If I ask him if he likes Lacie, he says he likes Joy better and vice versa. He is on his way to the VanderPloeg art of pushing buttons.

Easter picture with Josh's parents:

Kayden did not really "get" the idea of egg hunting this year. Saturday morning at 9am, we traveled to Jenison for the Easter Egg hunt at their church. Arriving with a big bag in hand for all the candy my son would receive, and I would eat, we eagerly anticipated the start of the hunt. After the sermon, all the 1-2 year olds (plus parents) huddled behind the caution tape until the organizer said "GO". Kayden quickly picked up four smartie packs and decided he was spent. We watched as all the other kids loaded their baskets full of eggs. Alas, I did not really need the candy anyway.

And from Chuck E. Cheese:

with the giant sucker he got:

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Throw open the beach houses, wax the surfboard.... I have been asked a lot by all you Californians when we are coming to visit. Josh and I just got tickets for the end of July. We are taking Kayden with us this time, and so excited to see you all again...

Spring Break

So, how is spring break going for you?

I am ready for summer having Josh here all week! It is so nice having him home. Kayden and him are big buddies. We have had people over we usually only see in the summer time. I even got Josh to stay up to, gasp, twelve o'clock one night.

Some highlights of this week:

• Kayden- on one of our many walks, looking intently into the storm draim, "Kayden wants to go swimming"
• Chuck E Cheese- what is vacation without Chuck E?
• Big Red Lighthouse- I did not realize that the end of the pier in Holland is an open block of concrete! Josh and I were talking and looked up to see him running straight for the water. Good thing Josh is quick. I probably would not have caught him. Brrr, cold.
• Thursday we are going to go over and see the triplets. Josh has not met them yet, so we are excited.
• Sleeping in-without even opening my eyes, I usually frantically search for the remote so Kayden can cuddle up and watch Mickey Mouse clubhouse in the morning, giving me an extra twenty minutes of sleep. No Meescha Mooshca this week!
• Uccello's Pizza- how have I not know about this pizza? $12.67 for two 14" pizzas and breadsticks. Delicious.
• My dad setting up for the 17 hour car ride to Florida (Leaving in two weeks). He had Josh bring over the car seat for a "test run". At one point he talked about creating a freestanding apparatus to attach the portable DVD player to, just so Kayden could swivel the DVD player. He finally settled on attaching it to the seat. I swear he will still make one. That is actually one thing I love about my dad- he is a problem solver and a fixer. He can fix or build anything.
• Jamie with a chainsaw. Our tree out front needed some trimming, so I used my dad's "chainsaw on a stick". Not the technical term for it, mind you. I actually had a lot of fun until Josh came and watched me cut one branch down. Possibly the fact that it is on a stick frightened him. Images of me dropping the heavy chainsaw through the window, or worse-the electrical line close by, made him take over pretty quickly. He cut a few branches and broke the chainsaw chain. Thankfully Dad already fixed it.

I can see why kids have such a hard time going back to school after Spring Break. This taste of non-structure makes me long for lazy summer days. One of the teachers Josh taught with in California was often asked, "What is your favorite part of teaching?" to which he always replied, "June, July, and August".

Name that movie::

In my sidebar is a youtube video from one of my favorite movies. Can you name that movie?
Hint: The sonnet at the end is my favorite part

At my parents house, I know where everything is-- the stashes of candy my mom tries to hide from my dad, my old pair of slippers waiting in the laundry room bathroom for me to slip on my feet as I enter, my bright yellow fuzzy blanket I used as a child. There is a certain comfort for me in knowing that no matter how long between visits, it will always be familiar.

Tonight I was out to dinner with a friend who asked me what I thought about the Hancock Fabric store closing. I denied that it was even a possibility. Hancock is my home fabric store. Surely I would know if it was closing. Josh and I have run to that store so many times, I know it takes 22 minutes round trip if I throw my bulky roll of fabric over my shoulder and hustle to the cutting counter. No dawdling and looking through fabrics or trims- just a beeline knocking down anything in my path.

Will I be able to find the fabrics elsewhere? Probably. Mostly, I just hate change. I am used to that bulky fabric roll. I am familiar with the small brown crack on the corner of the cutting counter that I pick at while waiting for my cut.

"You can avoid having ulcers by adapting to the situation: If you fall in the mud puddle, check your pockets for fish." ~Author Unknown

So what happens if I do not like fish?

Blogger's Night Out, Part III

From left: MiniVan Mega Fun, MiniMe Mom, Me and My Boys, The Preacher's Wife, and Confessions in Caledonia

Every once in a while, I come across someone who outwardly cringes when I discuss blogging. By their own admission, they view them as a means of showing off how perfect ones life is (they obviously have not read mine). I see it very differently!

This group of women above would not be my friends without blogging. Perhaps our paths would have crossed somewhere in the future, but blogging has introduced some wonderfully warm and caring people into my life. In reading their blogs, I get a glimpse into their world, daily struggles, and hilarious stories. I am so grateful for these friends and the opportunity to talk about anything and everything for three hours once a month. I look forward to our next visit already!

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Nursery: I love it and I hate it at the same time. I love getting to sit in church without distractions. No one tugging at my sleeve or asking "Mommy Carry You". I know Kayden is having fun with his "girlfriend" Joy. Unfortunately, germs run rampant. Fevers of 103 and the current little nugget picked up in nursery: pink eye.

Taken earlier this week in one of his favorite outfits (yes, observant blogger. It is his Halloween costume):

The Daily Grind

Upon returning home yesterday, I noticed a little treasure sticking out of my mail box. Oh, happy day! I popped out of my car, ran over and tore open the package mid street. You know what I was so excited about? Zippers. My life is extremely dull lately.


Life seems to be in a holding pattern, stuck between winter and spring. I am waiting for the warm weather- longing to plant flowers, clean off the swingset, get out the patio furniture, throw open the windows and breathe that first warm air of spring. Josh has already decided spring is here and opened all of our storm windows, leading to some mighty chilly drafts.

So, for now, I will try to remain content in the daily grind over here, biding my time until mid- April when Florida comes calling.

For Chelle:

It's all Relative

I remember a couple of years ago, Josh and I went to a football game in California. It was pretty late in the year- possibly the end of November. Anyway, we were having unseasonably cold weather, so I took along my scarf, mittens, hat and gloves. As I sat in the stands with the other spectators, we kept griping and complaining to each other how cold it was- trying to scrunch together with the hopes of stealing body heat. Hot chocolate was $2 at that game, high by any standard. I think I bought three cups.

As we were exiting the stadium, I told Josh I was surprised that it was not snowing, to which he pointed up to a bank flashing the temperature. 62 degrees. I was a true Californian.

It's all relative, huh? Wasn't today a glorious day! 50 degrees, sun shining! We even took a walk, sans coat, with Kayden. He ran down the street jumping all the way. It is unreal how much extra energy and happiness the sun and warm weather bring to the Bird House.

Michigan Temperature Chart:::
60 above North Carolinians try to turn on the heat. People in Michigan plant gardens.
50 above Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in Michigan sunbathe.
40 Above People in Michigan drive with the windows down.Italian & English cars won't start.
0 People in Miami all die... Michiganders lick the flagpole.
60 below Polar bears begin to evacuate the Artic. Michigan Boy Scouts postpone 'Winter Survival" classes until it gets cold enough.
297 below Microbial life no longer survives on dairy products. Cows in Michigan complain about farmers with cold hands.
460 below ALL atomic motion stops. People in Michigan finally get out their winter coat
500 below Hell freezes over.The Lions win the Super Bowl!

Low cut leotards

Yesterday I encountered sweating, panting, grunting, and a blue low-cut stretch shiny leotard. And that was just Tae Bo founder Billy Blanks.


Before I had Kayden, I was really in shape. I taught aerobics, and was very strict with my diet. I was even known to write down every calorie I ate in order to fit into that elusive size two pant. Now, I am not sure either of those words even exist in my daily life. Size Two? Maybe one leg.

Before kids: I headed all the way to Studio City to pay twelve dollars for a class at the famous Billy Blanks Tae Bo studio. Red carpet, a heater set to full blast, lots of skinny surgically enhanced women, and the man himself teaching what he had become famous for: Tae Bo. It was a craze back then, and I was a true believer in the body transformation results of Tae Bo.

Seven Years later: it has been three years since my last workout. We loaded into a small room in the corner of my parents church with a VHS of Tae Bo in the VCR. Lots of out of shape moms, huffing and puffing through the "beginner" work out.

It's a start.

Calvin College

We drove in the front entrance, unloaded the diaper bag, and climbed over a snow mound to get to the commons area at Calvin College this evening. A few of the teachers (now administrators) from California were in town tonight interviewing for the positions open at Redlands Christan school. We also met up with five of Josh's former fourth graders that are students there. A couple thoughts came to mind:

• The Calvin college campus, including the common's area, is in need of some major updating.
• Seeing all those former students made Josh and I miss California, and on a smaller scale- four quarter basketball. Two of the former students used to play basketball for Josh, and that team was probably the most fun we have ever had in a season. Five period ball blows!
• I realized talking to these students just how old we are that our fourth graders are now in college.
• Josh was offered the fourth grade position open at Redlands Christian, and I seriously think if I wasn't there he might have accepted:-)
• I now see why kids miss mom's cooking- that food was horrible!
• Being in college is a lot of fun. Stories were told of daily life, and although there is some stress involved with studying, a lot of college is carefree and fun.
• I miss the orange groves. That could possibly be what heaven smells like. If you have never experienced the smell of fresh, dewy orange blossoms first thing in the morning or late at night- you are missing out, friend.

Although it is only about fifteen minutes from our house, Calvin College seems like another world. I am sure it feels that way to all of these California transplants, too.

Better than a celebrity

When I used to be a visitor to Michigan instead of a resident, I always tagged along with my parents to their church-Chapel Point in Jenison. They recently built a beautiful new building, and this morning was the dedication service for the community to come in and have a tour.

The church and service was very lovely, but the thing I was most excited about was seeing someone better than a celebrity in my book- Uncle Charlie! He came in as a special guest for all of the younger age kids. I remember listening many of my childhood years to the Children's Bible Hour and grew up loving that program. I even wrote letters to Uncle Charlie and was thrilled when he wrote me back. In fact, I was more giddy seeing Uncle Charlie than meeting some nationally known celebrities.

He looked nothing like what I imagined. I always thought he would look like Tom Bosley (the dad on Happy Days). Anyone else grow up listening to Uncle Charlie?

The Why's of Life

Everywhere I turn lately, there seems to be death....From far away-the tornado, the deadly bus crash, to close by- one of my frequent blog commenter's, Joan, dad is dying after her mom just passed away two weeks ago.

It makes me stop and think about the why's of life. Why the suffering, Lord? Amazing how God always leads you to a great devotional when your heart searches for answers.

I read about the murder of John the Baptist, whom Jesus said "Among these born of woman there has not risen anyone greater." I know I have thought to myself why God would have allowed such a senseless death to occur, and for such a seemingly stupid reason. However, any questions as to why are met with silence in the Bible. No explanation like we offer these days like, "Well, I am sure God had a great reason or a higher purpose for allowing him to die." It says that Jesus just slipped away to mourn privately. I am sure if there was any great, significant reason for John to die that way, Jesus would have explained it.

You know how you click on a blog and it takes you to another blog? By the time you click five or six times, you have no idea how you got to the resulting blog? I ended up Here, reading about Katie. One of the eight that said goodbye to her mom, a tornado preventing her from ever return home. I am sad for her family, for my friend Joan who is now saying goodbye again. I have no platitudes for you- only to say that soon, now, very soon. God will dwell among his people, and we will discover why.

Katie and Michelle are cool

Katie and Chelle have such cool headers, I just had to make one for myself. Not nearly as wonderful as theirs, but I had more fun than I want to admit making a new one. Thanks for the inspiration, guys!

ETA I am not finished with the changes, I just do not have time right now to make it exactly how I want it!

Diet Coke and Mentos

Have you guys seen this experiment?

http://www.eepybird.com/exp214.html

Someone has a little too much time on their hands! Makes me want to go outside and try it.

Moving out

My neighbors are moving today. I hear the big semi outside and the hustle and bustle of people. I'm happy for them, but now we are going to have an empty house sitting next to us, and for how long? They will accept renters, too, so I am just hoping someone moves in with a small child that Kayden could play with. They did have a large Mother Mary statue outside that donned Christmas lights year round, so I guess I won't mind that being gone.

I think this gray weather is coloring my outlook, seeing dead grass and an abandoned house for the next year seems a bit depressing.