hayk

My Baby, I mean, Little Girl

2009-03-23T16:18:00.016-06:00

It's easy to see that she's not a baby anymore. This is a classic NGK smile face. And she does look like she's up to something, so she probably is.

She loves to hug and kiss everything right now, Mom, Dad, toys, little boys at the park, and even trees.

She is a girly, girl, carrying purses and picking up shoes, but she also loves to explore and get dirty playing in the dirt.

She now loves to smell flowers and blow her nose in a tissue.

What I'm glad that she still likes to do is cuddle with her mommy. Right now she likes to suck her thumb and play with my hair all at the same time.

A Bad Car Wreck

2009-03-03T15:42:00.002-06:00

That's the only way I can think to describe the ending to the latest season of The Bachelor. You hate to watch, and you know it's hurting someone else, but you just can't pull yourself away from it. I will readily admit I watch it, though I wouldn't say I'm addicted. And last night was so sad and bizarre, CDK said (oh yes, he was watching it with me and I know of at least 3 other hubbies doing the same - you know who you are) "I didn't know this was a comedy". I'll admit I was laughing at parts. I don't think it's funny that anyone was hurt, but here are my questions for those on the show:

Do you really think you can fall in "love" when you see someone so little?
Why do you all seem to be falling from the guy for the moment you meet him - I'm mean he has bad qualities too (the obvious being that he is dating 15+ women at once), why are you so blinded to them?
I think this resembles a modern-day harem, did you realize you were part of a harem (especially if you get down to the date with the fantasy suite)?
Are you that surprised that he wasn't the one after all?
And why, oh why, do you chose to subject yourself to that sort of public humiliation? Because face it, you all end-up humiliated in one way or the other in the end.

Harsh, I know, but not as harsh as Jason last night!

Switching Sides

2009-02-19T15:53:00.002-06:00

So how did you chose your side of the bed when you started sharing it? I'm not really sure how I chose mine, but I picked the left, if you're lying down, on your back. And for almost 8 years now that's what it has been. CDK has always begged me to switch just for one night. I told him someday in our marriage I would, for one night, but don't know that I planned on following through.
With the arrival of our new bedroom furniture there weren't many options in arranging it and my dresser had to be put on Chris' side of the bed. His side is also closer to the bathroom. So with that we decided to switch, and he said it will also be better for whenever I'm pregnant again to use the bathroom a million times a night.
Last night was the first night and I didn't sleep well. I kept waking up disoriented and wondering why Chris was on the other side of me. How long will it take to break an eight-year-old habit? I don't know, but hopefully I'll sleep better tonight.

Hmmm...

2009-02-05T13:47:00.002-06:00

I guess it says something about your current blogging activity when you forget your password. Sorry for those that actually care about what's going on around here. Here's a short list:
1. My washer is broken, this stinks. I would like to get it fix and not spend the money on a new one, but secretly both CDK and I would like to have to get a new one. The front-loading ones seem so nice and are much more efficient, plus some come in really fun colors. And if I'm going to do a lot of laundry, and at least I could have a pretty color to look at.
2. NGK has the flu, poor pitiful thing. It's not stomach related, thank goodness since the washer is broken, but a cough, runny nose, and fever. I hope she gets better soon and we don't get it.
3. Some of our dearest friends are moving to our town. There are some unfortunate reasons why they are moving here, but we are thankful that we'll get to spend some time with us. They'll also be staying with us for a week and a half before their place is ready. So with 1500 sq ft in the house, 4 adults and 4 children, what do you think that's going to be like ?!
4. We're continually excited about the people we are meeting in our neighborhood and the relationships we're developing. It's so much fun to know our neighbors and be able to walk to the park with our kids together. God has really provided a great place for us.
5. I think Facebook is taking over my blogging time. For some reason I more readily "play" on Facebook than update or read blogs.

A Great Week

2008-12-29T16:22:00.002-06:00

There is a good week in the making at the K household. Here's why:
1. The weather has been beautiful today and will be tomorrow. That means walks and playing at the park. Which is always nice in the "dead of winter".
2. Some friends from our old town are moving here tomorrow. We haven't seen them in at least 4 years and they now have a little girl near NGK's age. They'll only be living a few minutes down the road.
3. We're having a New Year's Day party with our neighbors. I'm really excited about this as it's another attempt at getting to know our neighbors better. I think it will be fun, if anyone comes, so far only 1 RSVP.
4. CDK has two days off of work. Yipeee!
5. My oldest (as in time I've known her, not her age) friend and her husband are coming in town and we're going to hang out. I can't wait to see them.
6. We might, just might, order new furniture for our bedroom. This would be extremely exciting (I guess I'm getting old when furniture goes in the exciting category).
7. I'm having lunch with three friends on Wednesday, just the girls!
8. And I'm sensing the "I can do anything" attitude this week as the New Year approaches. So we'll see what happens.

Why Didn't I do this Sooner?

2008-12-16T22:39:00.006-06:00

I know that sending out the Christmas card photo combination isn't a new idea. I've just never done it. This year I realized how easy, and cheap it is. I can get 50 for about $15 at Sam's. Plus they have tons of layouts to choose from. Very cool!

Here's where you come in. Which card should we use? We always said we wanted to send out a family pic with our card, not just one of the kid (or someday kids). But these are cute and we aren't sure how much we like ourselves (me and CDK) in the family pic. So please vote. There are three options. The only difference in the last option is the coloring of the photograph. And of course this is highly important - it could end-up on your refrigerator and you wouldn't want someone saying "Why did your friends pick that card?"

A Christmas Gift

2008-12-15T14:05:00.002-06:00

At this point in NGK's life there isn't much she actually "needs" for Christmas. I don't know that she will ever actually "need" anything, since we really are more than provided for and if we can't get it, we have family that is usually willing to pitch in and help.

So, as parents, we weren't sure what to get her for Christmas. We figure the grandparents will give her all the fun stuff they want to spoil her with, and that's great (just as long as we can fit it in our car!). So we are trying to very deliberate and careful about what we get her.

Then we got the idea from some friends. We are going to get NGK a season pass to the local zoo. The pass will actually be for me, since she's free till three, but this way her and I can go as much as we want for the whole year. Plus you get free parking, and discounts on many other things in the zoo. Also your guests receive a small discount. The pass will pay for itself in 3.5 visits, so I figure it's a good deal. And we have other friends that have the pass, so we can all go together.

I think this is something we will try and do for several years and as she gets older we can see if museums and other local places offer season passes. I'm really excited about taking her to the zoo and watching her discover all the animals. And I love it even more because it's a great deal!

A Plague

2008-12-09T10:43:00.003-06:00

As if it wasn't enough to have braces in the 6th grade (this was before they were "cool" and had all the different colors), and have them for almost three years, they give you this permanent bottom retainer. It really isn't noticeable, after 15 years of having it, except for trying to clean behind it or food getting stuck in it. I don't really like it, never have, but I figure it's better than getting braces as an adult, if my front bottom teeth don't stay where they are supposed to.

So this morning my bottom retainer broke. The good news is that it broke while I was flossing, so this is a good story for the dentist. But I'm sure after closer examination he will know this isn't a regular habit. And it didn't break off completely, it only broke off on one side. It's still in my mouth, and one side is poking up above my teeth and in the way of talking and eating. Nice! I'm an adult, having issues with a retainer sounds so juvenile. Oh well, I have an appointment for tomorrow to get it fixed, I hope. The dentist wasn't sure if he could fix it or if he would have to send me to an orthodontist. Hopefully he can at least fix the pokey part. And not to mention, it's the holidays, and I don't want to be spending money on my teeth!

Home for Christmas

2008-12-07T22:34:00.002-06:00

Before this post officially begins, I'd like to offer a small apology for my lack of posting. It's been partly because I'm busy, partly because I'm not sure what's interesting about my life, and partly because the computer's broken. I'm going to try and do better. Thanks for still checking.

After four years of Christmas being somewhat random (two years in a country where Christmas isn't celebrated, two years in a small house and we had to drive 1 1/2 hours to pick-up our decorations and couldn't use them all), I'm finally at "my" home for Christmas. I really enjoyed putting-up our tree, and fishing through all the decorations I hadn't seen in four year. And also reconfirming the fact that I have too many Christmas decorations. I think I might make a charitable Christmas decoration contribution to my brother-in-law who just bought a house, and probably doesn't have many decorations.

I added a few new decorations that we haven't used before. There are three baby's first Christmas ornaments. We had them last year, but I couldn't find them all. There is also a new ornament that we bought in Hawaii before we moved. I'm glad to have that one up because that was a great vacation, and the ornament a great reminder. A new nativity set, it is pure olive wood handmade in our previous country, and was given to us by some donors that we hosted when they visited. I also used some fresh garland on our porch. I have always liked the idea of having fresh garland, but it's a little pricey. I found a good deal at Sam's and bought some. Oh, yes, and I musn't forget NGK's own pink Christmas tree. This purchase came from her great-grandmother who wanted NGK to have her own.

We don't have anything on the outside of the house, except the garland and wreath, but maybe we'll get to that next year. I have decided that next year we will buy, hopefully, and new tree that is pre-lit. Enough of stringing lights, the only fun part is actually putting the ornaments on.

A Coincidence?

2008-11-03T20:14:00.002-06:00

I know that my day always starts better if I actually get up on time and get the day going. I have been trying, for awhile now, to get up a little before NGK to at least eat my breakfast and do some reading. That way I will have a little peace and quiet and not have my breakfast interrupted by the predictable after breakfast (NGK's that is) dirty diaper. So this is the first morning I did this and enjoyed my breakfast. I was helped by some encouragement from CDK and the fact that he had to leave for work early.

So I'm more determined now to actually get up early and use that 1/2 hour to do something semi-productive. But today my alarm clock died - completely. No warning, just dead. What's worse is that I love this alarm clock. The last time I bought one I tried out 3 or 4 before I found the right one. I think they still have them a Target, so if all else fails, I'll go get another one.

Whoops!

2008-10-27T11:23:00.002-06:00

I really can't believe it's been so long since I've posted. I know I haven't been posting and I've thought about posting, it just hasn't happened. Sorry to all, I know your life hasn't been complete without knowing what's going on in mine (ha). Here's recap of the last month or so...

At the end of September we went to a Swell Season concert. If you've seen Once it's the guy and girl from that. They are so great and the concert was awesome. CDK suprised me after we decided not to go. I'm so glad we did. Check out their website (http://www.theswellseason.com/ ) and definetly see the movie if you haven't.
We had a garage sale in October because we needed to get rid of a bunch of stuff. We advertised on the street and asked our neighbors to join it. It was great because we were able to meet a lot of people. We have now met at least 10 of the 35 families on our street. One is a rock star, one an artist, one a biker, and one a former drive-in movie theater owner. It's pretty interesting to get to know your neighbors. And if you are looking for any furniture, we're still trying to sell some (couch, chairs, bedroom suite, headboard).
NGK started walking about three weeks ago. And, as predicted, as soon as she got her balance, she was off, there has been no turning back. We have discovered she's fearless, and therefore we have had quiet a few bumps on the forehead. Maybe she needs a helmet. An unexpected side of effect of the walking is that I think shes more tired. She's been taking 2 - 2 1/2 morning naps, 1 1/2 - 2 hour afternoon naps, and sleeping 30 minutes to an hour later in the morning. She's going to be 1 year in 13 days, I can't believe it. And she's going to be Daisy Duck for Halloween. A great sale at the Disney Store made this decision for us.
We went to a wedding a couple of weeks ago in our previous town and had fun visiting old friends and our old church. It's always amazing how much things have changed, and stayed the same.
Last weekend we threw a baby shower for our best friends who are expecting twins at the beginning of December. We can't wait to meet this new little boy and girl and for NGK to have some new playmates.
Have you seen the movie La Misma Luna (Under the Same Moon)? It's great! It's about illegal immigrants in the US and it really opens your eyes to what they deal with. I highly recommend it. I also read the book Three Cups of Tea it's a true story about an American who builds schools for children in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is so inspiring and makes you want to change the world.
And lastly - church. We are doing church in our home with three other families right now. There is a lot to this and the decision making process that lead us to this option, so I'll write more about it later. But to sum it up, we really feel like we are where God wants us for now. It's amazing how He has brought us down this road and provided.

So that's us in a nutshell for the past while. I'll try to do better.

What Shall She Be?

2008-09-15T14:28:00.005-06:00

We're going to dress NGK up for Halloween for the fun of it. I don't know where we'll go or what we'll do, but it's a great excuse to dress her in a cute, funny outfit and take some pics. Here are two choices, which would you chose? The lamb or the chickie? I ask because CDK and I don't agree :) It's an election year - so let your voice be heard!!!

Here's My Cutie

2008-09-14T19:28:00.002-06:00

I can't believe she's 10 months old! It's gone by so fast, but been so fun in the process. She's been pulling-up on everything, climbed into the entertainment center, is working on teeth numbers 3 and 4, and has taken her first steps.

A Little Bit of Irreverence... or Maybe Not

2008-08-29T13:19:00.002-06:00

The first time I saw the Jesus videos produced by a church called Vintage 21 I didn't really respond. Was it okay to laugh? Were these videos heresy? Well yes, it's ok to laugh, and no, they weren't heresy. The church took a good look at how the world sees Christians, and made it funny to ease the pain of the often negative view the world has of Christians. So I've watched them multiple times and laughed, and I've tried to consider how I participate in the "Christian culture" we've created and how my participation in that points others to Christ.

Another brilliant look at some silly things we do as Christians is the blog Stuff Christians Like. I just found it yesterday and was laughing out loud as I read it. Sometimes out of embarrassment because I've done a lot of the things that obviously look silly to the outside world.

What these videos and this blog cause us to do is look at what the perception of Christians is in the world. While there are often gross misinterpretations of what Christians are, and sometimes accurate interpretations, we must realize that perception is reality. If people think Christians are cheesy, then we're cheesy. If they think we're judgmental, then we are. If they think we are exclusive, then we are. This may be based on no first-hand experience with any Christians, but if that's what they think, then it is their reality.

So what do we portray that Christianity is? Is it wearing that cool t-shirt that copied some secular logo and put a "Jesus" phrase on it? Is it identifying with one political party and being convinced that Jesus would vote for "my" candidate? Or is it loving our neighbors as ourselves (well, we have to start with actually knowing them)? Is it taking care of the orphan* and the widow? Is it not judging and viewing everyone as a child of God, regardless of religion, race, sexual preference, or gender?

Take a look at the videos and blog. It's okay to laugh, and be embarrassed. But make sure to examine how you are perceived by those around you.

*Random fact of the day - If every church (i.e. a family in a church, with support from the church) in Texas would adopt one child from the Texas State Foster System, then there would be no children left to be adopted. Now, how would that change the perception of Christians?

In One Word

2008-08-19T12:59:00.002-06:00

I was tagged by MAB.
The Rules: Answer the questions using only one word. Then tag three others.

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Your significant other? handsome
3. Your hair? short
4. Your mother? helpful
5. Your father? giving
6. Your favorite thing? Chocolate!
7. Your dream last night? didn't
8 Your favorite drink? water
9. Your dream/goal?
10. The room you’re in? laundry
11. Your hobby? reading
12. Your fear? othersdying
13. What do you want to be in 6 years? me
14. What you’re not? perfect
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. One of your wish list items? furniture
17. Where you grew up? texas
18. The last thing you did? shop
19. What are you wearing? clothes
20. Favorite gadget? phone
21. Your pets? none
22. Your computer? on
23. Your mood? lazy
24. Missing someone? no
25. Your car? great
26. Something you’re not wearing? shoes
27. Favorite store? traget
28. Like someone? yeah
29. Your favorite color? purple
30. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday
31. Last time you cried? olympics

I tag Callie, Nicole S, and Amy W

Do You Know Anything about Water Polo?

2008-08-11T16:09:00.002-06:00

I know I certainly don't. But after I watched the last few minutes of the US Women's team playing the Chinese team in the Olympics, I had learned just a little about the sport. And that is one of the many reasons I love the Olympics. You get to see random sports that you would never watch, but you do, and you root for the teams, because it's your country.

Watching the opening ceremonies was incredible. It was so fun to watch the countries come in and hear some of the stories behind the athletes. Even though he doesn't have a chance, I want Hamza Abdo, the Palestinian swimmer who doesn't even have an Olympic size swimming pool in his home country, to win gold. Of course, as long as he isn't competing against Michael Phelps. I want the young Chinese gymnasts to do well, because their whole lives have been built around this sport and their is MAJOR pressure from their country to win. I flinch at the thoughts of what might happen to them if they don't win.

I loved listening to some of the USA "Redeem Team" Basketball players talk about playing their first game against China. As I listened I sensed some humility in their voice and could sense that it really meant something to them to play for their country, and not just their team or to gain more fame. And I think the US gymnast Shawn Johnson, is so cute! Not to mention, ripped. Man, I'd take 1/10 of her muscle tone and be extremely happy. And another thing I just noticed about the Olympics, I walk around my house all day humming the song.

I've decided that the next two weeks I probably won't go to bed before 11, when the Olympic prime time coverage ends, even though that is too late for me. Because last night, as Jason Lezak, the anchor for the men's swimming 4x100 m relay, raced to the finish CDK and I were standing up, jumping up and down, and yelling in our living room. Now that is fun, and we know we weren't the only ones around the country doing it. And, the best part, watching the faces of the French relay team. Oh yeah! And water polo, it seems pretty similar to basketball.

A Long Time Coming

2008-08-07T13:43:00.003-06:00

I wrote the post below awhile back, but never posted it. I've been wanting to post about our church for some time, but haven't. This post seems to sum up what I wanted to say. There will be more on this journey. Here's the "post-dated" post.

April Showers Bring May Flowers, May 13, 2008

Here in our household we are certainly hoping that the title is true. The end of April was a big "Whamo" for us. Things went crazy in the span of a week. It's taken me a while to write about it because it's emotional and some things are still painful, and probably will be for a long time. Don't worry, there is nothing going wrong in our marriage or in our family, we've just been dealing with some difficult situations.

The hardest by far is that the church we've been a part of for almost two years now has dissolved. The details aren't necessary, or might not even make sense, but our group of believers that we call church is no more. Not that everyone is gone, we just aren't united in the same body. It was not a vicious or nasty church split, it was just God's timing for the name of our body to dissolve.

This is hard on several fronts. The church had been struggling and going through various issues for a while now, but we know we love the people and the relationships. It seemed like we all had similar ideas as to what church is and many shared a great vision for the nations. It is because of this church that we looked for jobs in our current town and even turned one down that was out of town. It is because of this body of people that we are looking for a house in the locations we are looking. Since the church is dissolved, I feel like I'm floating.

I am also grieving the loss of relationship that will inevitably come. Friendships will change because of this, not because we're mad at each other, but simply because of circumstances. Some are moving, and we will end up as parts of different bodies. I grieve because there are friends that I won't get to be a part of their lives. I won't be near enough to celebrate with them when they have children or grieve with them when they lose a job. Of course, I will still celebrate and grieve with these friends, but it will be different. In building relationships in this body, I took on others' trials and successes as my own. As our relationships change, I feel like I'm losing a part of myself and I won't ever see the outcome of the trials and successes I felt like I was a part of. I also grieve the loss of relationships I didn't have yet. I didn't know everyone extremely well, but I did desire to be a part of their lives and know them as a brother and sister in Christ. That won't happen.

And I will certainly miss all these people being a part of my life. I grieve when I think about the women our daughter won't grow-up around to see as examples of Godly women. It's hard to think about living without the encouragement that so many in that body offered us at times when we needed it. We were a body that spoke truth, even when it hurt. And it was good to have people that cared enough about you to speak truth into your life.

The end of this chapter has left me feeling lonely. We have always had a church home, and from that church came our most crucial friends and the friends that are lifelong friends. Being in America and without a church family makes me feel lost and not sure where to go. Overseas I didn't have a "church" in the sense of the word that is present in America, but I didn't expect that either, it was a nation with a different majority religion. But somehow it feels so much different to not have one now.

I'm also grieving a loss of purpose. Not that I feel like I've lost a purpose for my life, but a purpose as part of a body. The church is the kingdom on earth, we as Christians are the kingdom on earth. Trying to discover what it meant to be the kingdom, and actually being the kingdom with a group of believers has always been a major part of my life. Obviously that won't cease to exist and I'll still seek that, but it will change. The question for us is "Now what?". And I hear the answer "Find a new church." It's just not that simple, it feels like there has been a death. If your spouse dies you can't just go out and find a new one the next Sunday, it doesn't work that way.

Even though the ending of this body is difficult, I look back over the time with this body and realize that God has taught me more about church and Himself than ever before in my life. And that is enough. God works through many avenues and different time spans, and I'm thankful He worked on me, in me, and hopefully through me during my time in our church.

I guess you could call that the beginning of the flood of April showers. There have been a few other circumstances with friends and family that have left us grieving, in shock, and wondering what is going on. But we do know what is going on, God is in control. And He always tells us that He knows best, and He does, even if we don't believe it. So, we are confident that God will heal hurt, restore relationships, and provide what is needed. He is good!

Ok, I know this has gotten long, but I want to leave you with the words to a song that have spoken to me for years. It's "You Are Still Holy" by Rita Springer.

Holy, You are still holy
Even when the darkness surrounds my life
Sovereign, You are still sovereign
Even when confusion has blinded my eyes

Lord, I don't deserve Your kind affection
When my unbelief has kept me from Your touch
I want my life to be a pure reflection
Of Your love

And so I come into Your chamber
And I dance at Your feet, Lord
You are my Saviour
And I'm at Your mercy
All that has been in my life
Up 'til now
It belongs to You
You are still holy

Holy, You are still holy
Even though I don't understand Your ways
Sovereign, You will be sovereign
Even when my circumstances don't change

Lord, I don't deserve your tender patience
When my unbelief has kept me from Your truth
I want my life to be a sweet devotion
To You

A New Blog

2008-07-23T09:42:00.001-06:00

I have a new blog now about cooking. It's not intended to replace this one, just a different subject. Hopefully you'll find it interesting and get to try to some new recipes that you like. So SaHatayn!

A Really Cute Picture

2008-07-19T21:01:00.004-06:00

Sorry I've been mute lately on the blog scene. I really haven't had a lot to say. Hopefully there will be something soon. So, here's a great picture of NGK from when she was about three months old. I just pulled it off my cell phone before I got a new one. Don't you just love that grin!?!

Pent-Up Consumerism

2008-07-15T15:58:00.004-06:00

Now that we are in our new house, it's so hard to resist buying everything we want, right now! And since we really haven't bought anything for a home in four years, it's even harder.

Here's the list of what we want:
- Master bedroom furniture
- Rugs (with hardwoods you need something soft around)
- Patio furniture
- Grill
- Landscaping
- Window coverings
- Coffee table
- Flat Screen TV
- New house phone, and I'm sure the list goes on.

Here's what we've bought so far:
- Breakfast table and chairs
- Bedspread for our bedroom
- Vacuum cleaner for the hardwood floors
- Paint for NGK's room
- Wicker bench for front porch

So, we're trying to resist, but it's hard. Patience, it's all about patience, and being debt free (which we are and intend to stay).

Seven Years Ago Today...

2008-06-23T09:01:00.004-06:00

... I married the most wonderful man in the world.

Our wedding day was, and still is, the best day of my life. I am so thankful that God knew exactly who I needed and when I needed him. There are so many things to love about CDK: he's intelligent, creative, artistic, sensitive, loving, a good listener, caring, and the list truly does go on.

We've been through a lot together, good and bad, but the one constant is that I've never doubted his love for me or my love for him. And we don't do this on our own, God designed this marriage, and He orchestrates all that takes place within it. I am in awe of how God teaches us more about Him through marriage and I plan to keep learning for at least another 60 or so years!

I love you CDK!

Father's Day Follies

2008-06-19T09:15:00.002-06:00

We're in our house now, so hopefully I'll return to blogging more regularly. We had a pretty normal move, you know, boxes, trucks, pizza, extreme exhaustion. But thanks to friends and family we were able to share the chaos. I don't want to do this again for a LONG time.

Since both of our families helped with the move, were in town, and it was Father's Day, we decided to treat them to lunch. We tried for reservations at both our dad's favorite restaurant, P.F. Chang's, but nothing was available till 3:15. Then we tried another place, but they weren't taking reservations. So we decided we would go before 12 to a local Mexican place that usually seats you pretty fast.

We arrived and there was a small line, but not too bad. So we waited. Well it ended up taking about 30 minutes to be seated because of our big party and the weird way they seat people. We sat down and one person from another table said they waited an hour for their food. I thought, surely not. Well we waited, and waited, and waited. Then I noticed another family, that was seated before us get up and leave, with no food. After waiting over an hour, with only chips and salsa, CDK asked our waitress to check on our food (who by the way was the bright spot in the day - thanks Courtney for great service!). Our food was still 15-20 minutes away from being ready. So with NGK well past her nap time and the rest of us frustrated we tipped the waitress and left. My parents headed home and CDK's stopped back by our house for Wendy's. So much for the wonderful Father's Day lunch.

Later that evening we went to Target. We were in the store about an hour and then left and drove a few blocks down the road. I ran into a restaurant to grab some food and when I came back out CDK told me to look on top of the SUV. Our moon roof was shattered. We didn't know what happened and were racking our brains trying to figure out if we caused it. We looked again and found a tennis ball-size rock lodged in the luggage rack. Someone had thrown a rock in the parking lot (or from the hill above the lot) and shattered our moon roof. It was really frustrating. We know someone must have thrown it because we would have definitely heard it if it hit while we were driving. So we filed it on insurance and it will be over a week by the time it's been fixed.
And to top that off, the day before our neighbor backed into CDK's company car and left a huge dent in the bumper. When it rains it pours!

A New Addition

2008-05-27T09:23:00.004-06:00

We are proud to announce that we have a new house! Yeah! We really can't wait to move into our new place and we're so thankful for what the Lord has provided us.

Here are a few things that we are REALLY looking forward to after four years:

No train in our backyard (or mosque)
SPACE
A dishwasher
A disposal
A laundry room
A garage
Seeing all our stuff again

We're moving in less than three weeks, so if you don't hear from me for awhile, you know why!

It's Almost Boring: A Product Review

2008-05-09T08:25:00.003-06:00

I decided a while back I would try to make NGK's baby food. So I bought a couple of recipe books and was trying to read up on the subject before getting started. I decided we would need to purchase a steamer because it was listed as the most nutritious way to cook the foods and almost all foods could be steamed, then pureed. While my mom was visiting we were in Williams Sonoma and ran across the Beaba Babycook. It was literally like a moment on television when a spotlight shines down on something and you hear the heavenly chorus singing "Ahhhhhh". I was way excited. This product was a steamer, blender, defroster, and food warmer all in one. It wasn't long before I was sold. Noticing the heavy price tag ($140.00) I knew without a doubt I could go home and find it online cheaper. So I left the store excited about this new product and anxious to find a deal.

Well I guess Williams Sonoma had one of those TV spotlight moments when they became the ONLY American store carrying the product. Not only could I hardly find the product, when I did find it it was only in Europe, and definitely not cheaper. I was a little sad, but a few days later we realized we still had some money left over that was given to NGK when she was born. So we decided to invest in this contraption.

This week I made my first batch of summer squash for NGK to freeze. As I sat there and watched the squash steam for 15 minutes I turned to CDK and said "This is almost boring." I cut up the squash, put it in the steamer, then removed the steaming basket, and put the food in the blender, pureed it, and was done. I couldn't believe it was so easy. And then all I had to wash was the steaming basket and the blender. Now it doesn't make extremely large quantities. The steamer held one large squash (cut-up), but I filled up about eight ice cube compartments. I made three batches, so I have a good amount of squash frozen. I haven't used it for the warming and defrosting function yet, but I'm still sold. I highly recommend this product and I think we will get our money back quickly since baby food is about .50 a jar. And the homemade stuff should be better for her.

Well I guess life is pretty boring when the highlight of your week is making baby food. Oh well, I had fun, and that's what counts!

Opening the Box

2008-05-06T09:21:00.004-06:00

I'm convinced that God placed children in our lives to teach us more about Him and to simplify, and mature, our faith. NGK continues to teach me new things everyday.

A couple of weeks ago she was fidgety and not happy, so I decided to open the Cabbage Patch doll that she got for Christmas. I thought a new toy might do the trick. As I sat there and opened it in front of her she was more fidgety and "demanding" to play with the doll. She couldn't seem to wait the 30 seconds it was taking for me to open the box to get her hands on the doll. In my mind I was thinking "NGK, just be patient. If you'll wait just a few minutes I'll give you what you want and you'll be happy. If you only knew that I know what's best for you and I'm not going to keep it from you."

Not a mili-second after that thought came across my mind, I stopped cold and realized, how many times God must say this to me. "KLK, just be patient. If you'll wait for my timing, I'll give you what you need and you will be happy, in me. If you would only trust that I know what's best for you and I'm not going to withhold it from you."

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

WalMart Episode 2: The Way to Save the World

2008-05-04T09:24:00.007-06:00

My WalMart series will now include more than just conversations. That's why I'm giving each episode a title. So, welcome to the second installment.

I recently saw a large ad in a magazine about all the thing WalMart is doing to be environmentally friendly. I was quite impressed and not only is this a positive step, it's a good PR move for an organization that is so large and doesn't always have good PR.

I bought five WalMart reusable shopping bags for a $1 a piece. As I paid for them the cashier put them on the bag carousel and began to load my groceries in them. She was very particular at arranging all my groceries in the bags, being careful not to smash anything and put the cold items all together. I was impressed and appreciative. I even wondered if WalMart had trained their employees on how to pack the bags.

On my next trip I took my bags in with me and decided I needed to purchase two more so all my groceries would fit. I put my five previously purchased bags on the conveyor belt first and then the two news ones. I explained to the cashier that I already owned the first five and was purchasing the other two. As I was unloading my groceries he asked if I wanted the two new ones in a bag. Figuring he didn't want to pack the groceries around the price tag that was holding the bags shut I said that was fine, whatever was easier.

After unloading all my groceries I pushed up to the counter and what did I see - all my reusable grocery bags stuffed in one plastic bag and all my groceries being put in plastic bags. I thought about correcting the employee, but decided it would take too much effort. I guess next time I'll explain to the cashier what the bags are for. So much for saving the world WalMart!

Aren't You Lucky

2008-04-28T09:23:00.002-06:00

Wow, two posts on hayk in the same day! That's unheard of. I was tagged by Amy, so I thought I would chime in while I had the time.

Jobs I have had in my life:
1. Concession stand worker at the Baseball fields
2. Church office secretary
3. OSHA Monitor at a chemical plant (lots of fun stories)
4. Assistant Director of Constituent Relations

4 Movies I’ve Watched More Than Once:
1. Once
2. Return to Me
3. Little Miss Sunshine
4. Old Yeller

4 Places I’ve Lived:
1. Amman, Jordan
2. Longview, TX
3. Waco, TX
4. Fort Worth, TX

4 TV Show I Watch/Watched:
1. The Office
2. LOST
3. Alias
4. Survivor

4 Places I have Been:
1. Jerusalem
2. Interlaken, Switzerland
3. Sur, Oman (talk about some good fish)
4. Beirut, Lebanon

4People who email me regularly
1. CDK
2. Traci
3. Mom
4. Robin

4 of my favorite foods
1. Mexican - Ninfa's fajitas rank at the top
2. Arab - specifically matlubbi and fetah de jaaj
3. Pizza King Pizza
4. Blue Bell Dutch Chocolate Ice Cream

4 Places I Would Like to Visit
1. South America (only continent I'm lacking besides Antarctica)
2. New Zealand
3. Italy
4. Some exotic island location with the straw huts out over the water

4 Things I am Looking Forward to in the Coming Year
1. Buying a home
2. Watching NGK discover and learn new things, and her calling me "mom"
3. Finding out what church will look like
4. Learning how to be "mom"

4 Friends who I’m Tagging
(I think everyone I know has already done this!)
1. Traci
2. J at Herd of Turtles
That's all I've got!

Giving In

2008-04-28T08:51:00.002-06:00

Well I finally gave into CDK's requests for me to set-up a Facebook page. I hadn't jumped on that part of the "networking" bandwagon, so I did. It's amazing how many people I know are on there. I guess I was missing out! As I quickly realized this morning, after only spending a few minutes on it, it can be addictive, just like blogging.
I don't have too many thought-provoking things to say. My thoughts are constantly distracted by stuff going on in our lives right now. When I've had more time to process and organize those thoughts, maybe I'll blog about them, or maybe not.
Thanks for checking in. Here's a fun picture of NGK from about a month ago. She loves eating her toes. I wish I were that flexible!

For Sale

2008-04-21T13:42:00.003-06:00

FOR SALE

2006 TOYOTA COROLLA
45,000 Miles
$11,500

(not actual car, it's dark blue with gray interior)

Details: Automatic; Power Windows/Locks; Six-Disc CD Changer; 4-door; GREAT Gas Mileage (30/38); Cruise Control; Key less Entry; Good Condition; Bought in August 2006 from a Toyota Dealer and was a Certified Used Car

The only reason we're selling it is because CDK got a company car. We were planning to drive it till the wheels fell off. It's a great car and our car seat fits in the back. And we were always surprised by how much we could fit in the trunk.

If you're interested or have questions, contact me. If you don't know how to contact me, leave a comment and we'll figure out how to get in touch.

Somebody... Anybody?

2008-04-15T12:43:00.002-06:00

This famous quote above is brought to you by my "baby" brother who turns 24 today. Happy Birthday AKM! When he was really little he wandered into my parent's room during the night. My parents were awake but didn't answer as he said "Mom...... Dad....... Somebody...... Anybody?!?"

The quote also accurately describes the feelings regarding my blog lately. I've gone four straight posts with only one comment (thanks Amanda). So, am I boring everyone now or what? I'm not trying to be needy, but just wondering if anyone is still out there. To add to my "blog depression" is the fact that my Cluster Map on the sidebar archived, so now I'm starting over with an world void of red dots. It stinks too because I was only missing dots on two continents, South America and Africa. CDK says I'm just being vain about my blog. Oh well, I guess I am!

I'd love to hear from ya!

Young@Heart Update

2008-04-08T12:35:00.002-06:00

This video always makes me cry, but today I heard the real story of the man singing it, and it makes me cry harder. Him and his friend were practicing it as a duet, but the friend was sick and in the hospital. The friend checked himself out of the hospital so he could get to rehearsal for his duet. He died two weeks before the performance, so the man in the video, recovering from a heart attack, sang it as a solo.
You may have seen this group,called Young@Heart, of senior citizens sing current "rock" songs on Dateline or some other news show. I absolutely love this video, it's amazing the difference lyrics can make, just based on who is singing the song. There are several videos of their songs on YouTube, so look them up if you want to see more.
There is also a documentary coming out about this group and I can't wait to see it. And hey, there's nothing wrong with a good cry every now and then.

*Update* Here's a link to the Nightline Report about this group: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4624199. Enjoy!

Do We Need a "New Earth"?

2008-04-04T08:51:00.001-06:00

You may know of Oprah's new book club book, A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle. When I first heard the name I suspected that it was a new age book, and the more I heard about it the more my thoughts were confirmed. Now my disclaimer is this, I haven't read any parts of the book or participated in any of the online classes, so I admit my knowledge of the book is slim, but what I have seen and heard is disturbing. The video above gives a little insight into the book and its classes. While it might sensationalize the situation a little, the basic issues are of great importance.
I don't view this book as disturbing in itself, I view the way people are grasping onto it and believing it, simply because Oprah does as the disturbing factor. There will always be books, beliefs, and teachings out there that don't line-up with Christian beliefs, so making an argument against the book itself would be fruitless.
My main issue is how we, as Christians, handle a situation where other Christians and such a large part of our society are buying into this system of belief.
If you watch this video you see Oprah denying that Christ is the only way, something she did years ago. Oprah professes to be a Christian, and though we can't judge her heart, we can take the overflow of her heart as evidence to her beliefs. Denying that Christ is the only way is in direct opposition to the Bible ("Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'” John 8:12). From this and other evidences, we must seriously consider the source this book and these teachings come from.
In our current world full of political correctness and tolerance, we still can't be afraid or ashamed to stand-up and say that Jesus is the only way. As we say this, we must say it in love and know that not all will believe, but it is not our job to make others believe, our job is to proclaim the name of Christ Jesus.
I can see how it might be easy to slip into these teachings. They don't seem bad or harmful, and after all Oprah's a good person and professes to be a Christian. But we must constantly guard our hearts in this world that is constantly seeking to pull us away from the truth of Christ. We must “… hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful,” Hebrews 10:23.
I'm not saying boycott Oprah (I tried that during my senior year of high school, obviously not very successful). She has interesting people on her show and interesting topics, it doesn't hurt to watch her show. In fact it doesn't hurt to read the latest book. What does hurt is when Christians start to accept the teachings of anyone, and I mean anyone from Oprah, to Ghandi, from Billy Graham, to President Bush, over that of the Bible and Christ. We must diligently examine what we hear, read, and study and make sure it lines up with the teachings of Christ.
What am I saying? Guard your hearts, speak in love, and prepare yourself with prayer, scripture, and a community of faith. The Bible says Christians are waging a battle, and the hope is that we know who wins.

I Just Thought That was the Deal of the Century

2008-04-03T08:32:00.002-06:00

CDK came home from lunch yesterday and we had this conversation:

CDK: I just got a car.
KLK: What?
CDK: I just got a car.
KLK: What?
CDK: I just got a car.
KLK: What are you talking about? (thoroughly confused considering he already has a car)
CDK: I just got a car. My company called and they're giving me a car.
KLK: What are you serious? Is this a delayed April Fool's joke? You've got to be kidding me.

The conversation proceeded as I tried to figure out what kind of joke he was playing on me. But, no joke, he's getting a company car. We were both in total shock and disbelief. We knew that after working there six months he might be able to negotiate a car allowance, but in no way were we expecting a car, with all maintenance and insurance paid. Woo hoo!!! Praise the Lord, what an unexpected blessing.

So, we're going to sell our second car. If you're looking to buy a 2006 Toyota Corolla, let me know!

The Deal of the Century

2008-03-18T08:57:00.005-06:00

If you've known us at all you know we've had hand-me-down couches from both sets of parents since we've been married. And we're thankful that this is one less expense we had to incur after we got married. The couches have been masked by some illustrious khaki slipcovers that don't particularly like to stay in place. We also love to decorate and have always dreamed of getting leather couches.

Since we're planning on buying a house in the next few months, we've started saving for new couches and looking for them. We have always loved a certain set of couches from Pottery Barn - the Manhattan, but for us Pottery Barn is cost-prohibitive, in a big way. We did find out if you work there you can get a 40% discount, but even then, that was pushing it for us. Though we hadn't totally put away the thought of one of us working a part time job there for a short time, we were trying to find other couches that we liked. We've only looked passively, but still nothing was measuring up.

I was visiting my cousin Pam, a decorator, a few weeks ago and told her what we were looking for. I asked for store recommendations and she said she would keep an eye out for us. She called me the other day and said I wasn't going to believe what she had done. She was at an antique furniture auction and they started auctioning off new furniture. She saw a leather sofa and two leather chairs that looked exactly like what we wanted, so she bid and bought it. She told me it was ours if we wanted to buy it from her, and if not, she'd resell it. She was going to send us pictures so we could decide whether or not we liked it, but, she didn't have too. After looking at the couches and the Pottery Barn website, she thinks that it's the exact same couch and chairs. The exact same set we wanted in the exact same color we wanted! And the best part - for the the whole set she only paid the cost of ONE of the chairs, on sale! It's a steal, not only for leather couches, but for any set of couches, especially from Pottery Barn. Needless to say I am out of my mind excited! Way to go cousin Pam!

As soon as we buy the house to put them in, you're all invited over for a test sit!

Four Months = Four Pictures

2008-03-17T21:28:00.008-06:00

As I've said before I don't want this blog to become baby-focused, but it's a big part of my life, so she'll definitely creep in occasionally. We visited the doctor last week for the four-month check-up and here are the stats: weight - 13 lbs. 4 oz (75th percentile), height - 25 1/2 inches (95th percentile), head circumference - 17 1/4 inches (off the chart). So she must be getting the big head because we're always telling her how pretty she is. Enjoy the pictures below (that my wonderfully talented husband took) and check out her blog if you want to see more.

(This is my baby jewelry she is wearing in this picture. My mom saved it and gave it to me at the hospital)

Conversations in Wal-Mart - Episode 1

2008-03-11T08:40:00.002-06:00

I do my weekly grocery shopping at WalMart and it's now a much more pleasant and less stressful experience since I can go during the week and during less busy hours. This also gives me time to talk to people, which happens often now because the cutest little girl in the world is riding in my cart :) I've had some interesting conversations, so I thought I would share. I call this Episode 1 because I'm sure there will be others. And I must confess this first one isn't a conversation I was involved in, I was eavesdropping.

Male Oil and Lube Employee: Well are you?
Female Seasonal Aisle Product Stocker: (doesn't say anything, looks down and away)
M: Well, are you?
F: What are you going to do if I am?
M: I don't know, have a baby. Are you? (he then proceeds to lift up her shirt a little and look at her stomach) Are you?
F: (she's still looking down and nods yes)
M: Well how far along?
F: I don't know.
M: (seeing a friend of his) Hey Joe, what's up? ( he walks off)

I blog about this for a couple of reasons. At first it's a bit comical, especially the fact that they were having this conversation in the space of a 4 foot wide aisle, with me, a total stranger standing next to them. And then it's a little sad. I'm sure the young lady and young man were both scared to death considering the young lady claims she's pregnant. I sat there and thought "You should say something, she might need help", the other voice said "You're just being silly and nosy, walk away". The first voice won. I asked the girl if she was okay and if the young man was bothering her. She said she was fine and he was her ex. I said I just wanted to make sure she was okay.

So yeah, I was eavesdropping and nosy but I couldn't push aside the thought that maybe she needed someone to talk to and had nowhere to go and maybe a stranger is the safest person for her to talk to. No conversation developed, but I felt like at the very least letting her know someone cared was important. I think this is part of "the kingdom of God is among you" like in Luke 17:21.

What does it look like to be "the kingdom" among the world? Is it acceptable to interfere in a strangers life? Do we step into situations that aren't are business? I know a God who was concerned for everyone and His son stepped into the lives of a lot of strangers.

A Victim of the Marketing Vortex

2008-02-20T10:01:00.009-06:00

Marketing Vortex is a term CDK and I came up with to describe all the incredibly cute baby stuff that we have an overwhelming urge to buy. All those baby-product-making people out there really know how to get us. We have been good and resisted more often than not, but I discovered a new marketing vortex last week that I really didn't know I had been sucked into.

We've been looking for a second car. CDK is a great researcher and will research the heck out of big purchases like cars, cameras, computers, etc. So, I know when he thinks something is a quality product and worth buying, it really is. Long story short he had narrowed the field down to three crossover SUV's including a Jeep Compass, a Mitsubishi Outlander, and a Hyundai Tuscon. Of the three CDK felt that the Hyundai was the best option based on car reviews, price, mpg, etc. While I trusted his research there was something in me that didn't like the idea of Hyundai (no offense to anyone owning any of the cars mentioned, just being honest). We tried out the Jeep and the Hyundai. I liked the look of the Jeep better and it had the Jeep name. I have fond memories of Jeep because my first car was a Jeep Cherokee and CDK drove a Wrangler when we first met. But the Hyundai was roomier on the inside and the deal we found was much better for it (a 2006 with only 5500 miles). The Tuscon received the same ratings as the similar Honda and Toyota and the Jeep was only receiving so so ratings because it was only its second year out and it was too early to tell if it would be a decent car. So when we put all the facts in order and it made sense to choose the Hyundai, so we did (it's a nice silver, not the interesting sea foam green in the pic). I finally just had to realize that I was completely immersed in the marketing vortex and was discriminating against cars based on a brand name.

I also realized as I was writing this post that in the Middle East I drove a Kia Joice. I don't think the model is available in the US but it's a cross between a minivan and station wagon (too bad ours wasn't the beautiful magenta color like this picture). This make and model didn't bother me in the least bit, though we did laugh at the name and called it Joice. But when we visited a dealership here and we sat in a Kia SUV I found myself seriously looking for reasons to not like it. I just didn't like the name on the back and what it is usually associated with. You have to admit, the local Kia commercials aren't the most creative or decent in the world. So, was I not bothered to drive a Kia in the Middle East because I hadn't had a car for over a year or because I was out of the Western culture that is so consumed with marketing and image?

What other marketing vortex's am I sucked into? I don't mind wearing off brand clothes, but of course I like wearing name brand. But with clothes you can't see the name, well some of them. So what is it? Maybe I just don't like being labeled period by what I buy and how much it costs or should have cost. Or maybe I'm too concerned about what others think and need to reevaluate how much I let others opinions alter my decisions. Or, the worst option, maybe I'm too shallow and I actually judge others by silly brand name standards, so therefore judge myself by those same standards. Ouch! BTW -I love our new car and, I feel confident that it was the better choice over the Jeep.

Spring has Sprung

2008-02-13T09:08:00.002-06:00

Well, not quiet yet, but a new season is my life is beginning. I resigned from my job last week and I'm now a stay-at-home mom. This is a job I've always aspired to. I was always thankful that my mom was able to stay home with my brother and I and I've always wanted to do the same. So, my new full-time job is without monetary pay, but the return will be great.

I am looking forward to many aspects of staying home. I want to teach my daughter things, meet and develop relationships with my neighbors, exercise, have a (somewhat) flexible schedule so I can minister in new ways, and many other things. I'm also excited about being able to concentrate fully on managing our home.

I know there will be hard days, just like any other job, but I'm excited for this change. I'm so thankful that God provided a job for CDK that made this possible. I know I'll be back in the professional world someday, but this is my season for now, and I will treasure it.

Half my Brain

2008-01-29T13:37:00.000-06:00

Leaving your newborn child for the first time is a milestone that every mom eventually reaches. For some it's fairly quickly, for others it's not till they're much older. I've been proud of myself for taking time to do some things on my own, and CDK and I have even gone out twice while leaving NGK with the grandparents. We love our daughter and always want her to be with us, but we know it's extremely important to our marriage that we have time on our own. Each time we've left her it's only been for a few hours, and she's always done well, and so have we.

So I wasn't too concerned when we decided to leave NGK in the church nursery last week for the first time. There are only a few babies in the class and since the church is small I know all the nursery workers and have complete confidence in them. I left her with the childcare worker and gave a few instructions. Well, I tried to give a few and not overload the sweet volunteer with too much info, I don't want to be high maintenance.

After being in church with her since she was born I was looking forward to being able to completely focus on the worship and teaching. But that wasn't really the case. I found that my ears would perk-up to any slight noise that I thought might be her crying and my brain kept wondering: "How is she?" "Is she sleeping?" "Has she eaten yet?" "Do they know that she'll stop crying if you put her on your shoulder?". Needless to say, I was not completely focused on the church service as I thought I would be. Then I realized, that's probably how the rest of my life will be. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, half my brain will always be wondering how my child/children are. I realize that this is natural, now I just have to make sure it doesn't consume my whole brain!

Books on My Shelf

2008-01-22T13:22:00.000-06:00

I really love to read. It's a nice escape, so I do it mostly for entertainment, not to necessarily learn anything. I never make a list of books to read during a year, I just read as I wish. But this year I'm going to try and read the books that are on my shelf. Granted there are a lot I haven't read that we own, especially since CDK has been in school. Though most of his school books won't make my list, some will.

I think the reason a lot of these books are still on my shelf unread is because they are what I call smart books. The purpose of these books is to teach you something or to enlighten you. That's great, but again not usually while I read. So, maybe this will be my year of getting smart if I'm reading all these smart books.

Here are books on my shelf that I'm going to try to read, and a little explanation about each as to why I haven't read it or why I would like to read it. But don't worry, I know I won't get to all of them this year.

The World is Flat - Thomas Friedman - I've read his Beirut to Jerusalem, which is excellent. The first time I visited Jerusalem I was reading it so it made my trip come alive. He's a great reporter and writes well about global issues. And I give him props for writing so objectively about the Middle East, especially since he's Jewish.
The Lexus and the Olive Tree - Thomas Friedman - same reasons as above
A Beggar in Jerusalem - Elle Weisel - Just seems like a good book to read, though I haven't read his more famous novel Night. This one seems like it's written in stream of consciousness so don't know that I'll even attempt it.
Bourne Supremacy - Robert Ludlum - I bought this one and the next at Half Price Books to have some mindless reading around. I'm currently reading this one.
Bourne Identity - Robert Ludlum
Angels & Demons - Dan Brown - Same as #4. Brown is a great suspense writer, you really don't want to put the book down.
Kitab al Muqaadis - (The Bible - in Arabic) - I read the Bible in Arabic as I was learning the language and tried to translate as I went (very slowly I might add). At first it was painful, but then I really began to enjoy it and learn more about the scriptures. I'd like to try this again to stay fresh with my Arabic reading.
Cost of Discipleship - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis - It's C.S. Lewis, what else do you have to say? I read this one in early college or late high school and liked it then, but I know I would get more out of it now.
Joyful Christian - C.S. Lewis
Miracles - C.S. Lewis
Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
This Holy Seed - CDK read this book and refers to it often. It shapes a lot of what he believes about the church and its role in society. I'm interested to read it for myself.

American I-Dull

2008-01-17T20:25:00.000-06:00

I think that this is the 7th season, or so, for American Idol. While it's been interesting, it's getting a little tiring in my opinion. And there are several things that are making it lose it's appeal.

Haven't we had enough of the endless humiliation of some of these nice, innocent people? I'll be the first to say that I think some people tryout for the show with the goal of being different or standing up to Simon, and they get made fun of. But, there are plenty that are just trying to "make-it" that are nice and genuinely think they can sing. As a moderately decent singer myself, and one who tends to think she knows a little something about music, I'm not sure why some of these people think they can sing or what the people that told them they can sing were thinking. But it's still just plain mean. Anyone who has seen the show must have some clue that they will be made fun of or humiliated, but haven't the producers taken it to far? I saw on the tryouts last night that they did a whole special segment on one guy that they made fun of. And by made fun, I mean they literally laughed in his face. I think that's probably the worst humiliation anyone could experience, but to top it off they went to his hometown and profiled him in his job of a maintenance man at a ballpark. All the while playing dopey music in the background. I mean, come on, it's just sad and completely devoid of any compassion.
Last season's Sunjya issue was ridiculous. The guy should have never made it to the top 10 in the first place, but the fact that a lot of good, talented musicians didn't make it on because he kept going is just sad.
It often seems like the most talented never win. I have nothing against Jordin Sparks, last years winner, but when compared to Blake Lewis or Melinda Doolittle, she doesn't hold a candle. Melinda didn't falter all season long, she was amazing. And Blake is a genius at the way he arranges songs and he's truly unique. Whether or not you like his style of music, you have to give him credit as a genuine artist.

So, will I still watch? Probably. But I don't think I can watch all the people be humiliated in the tryouts. I think I'll wait till they narrow it down a bit.

Current Favorite Recipies

2008-01-07T14:33:00.000-06:00

I know, it's been awhile. Since I've been at home I've been excited about cooking and having more time to devote to it. And I was really excited when I went to Walmart at 9 am this morning and it was not crowded and very well stocked. Oh, the joys of shopping on a weekday morning! So, I'll share a few of my new favorite recipes with you. I'm also currently working on a new Mega Meal Plan, so I'll try to remember to share that too when it's done.

Greek Chicken Cutlets - This one really only takes about 15 minutes, seriously, and I love it. Though I'm trying to figure out what a good side dish is, any suggestions.
Three Cheese Ravioli with Zucchini - These aren't two ingredients I would think of putting together, but they're great. It's a new and surprising taste.
Raisin and Bread Stuffed Pork with Parmesan Green Beans - Tip - make sure all the stuffing is completely inside the pork, or else the stuffing will cook too fast and burn, smoke, and smell bad (yes some lessons you learn the hard way).
Turkey Spinach Toss - This is a great flavor with the oranges and it looks pretty. Quick and easy preparation.
Sausage and Pepper Pizza - I love bell peppers, so this is a great pizza for me. I don't make my own tomato sauce and can't find the kind of crust they suggest, but it's still good to me.

My new favorite place for recipes is Everyday Food. It's by Martha Stewart, but incredibly easy and still really good. They have a magazine, website, and PBS show. Happy Cooking!

Check Your Lint Trap

2007-12-17T13:41:00.000-06:00

While my mom was here after NGK was born she was helping with the laundry, and many other things. She mentioned that it seemed like our dryer was taking a long time to dry. I said I hadn't noticed, and I probably hadn't since I lived the past 2 years without a dryer and it usually took me a minimum of 24 hours to do my laundry (the shortest washer cycle was about 2 hours and then it had to hang to dry).
After she left I started paying closer attention and also began to do a lot more laundry. One day I asked CDK to check on it and he quickly did. He started checking the venting and took the front of the dryer off to make sure there wasn't some lint stuck somewhere. He was about to delve further into the dryer to find the culprit when he decided to check the lint trap outside. There he found the culprit, a bird's nest. Since the washer and dryer hook-ups were added long after this house was built, the lint trap is long and a bird had stopped up the end of it.
CDK called maintenance and they came out quickly (it helps when you use the sob story of "We have a newborn and we can't get our laundry done"). The helpful maintenance man removed the birds nest and proceeded to pull out a 5 foot solid tube of lint! Hmm, wonder why my dryer isn't working very well. Now I feel like I've moved into dryer heaven because my clothes dry in about 1/4 the time as before. Hopefully the extra work on our dryer's part won't cause it to break anytime soon.
Moral of the story - if your dryer is taking a long time, check the lint trap, outside.

Yes, Jesus Loves Me

2007-12-05T22:27:00.000-06:00

As I've entered the world of motherhood I've obviously started to learn quiet a bit. I'm learning how to take care of someone else 24/7, what it's like to be needed all the time, what it's like to be a mom and a wife at the same time, and loads of other things. But the things that are most prevalent to me and that I'm gaining a new understanding of are the references to children that Jesus makes in scripture, and other fundamental truths of my faith.

Childlike faith - She's a newborn, there is nothing else in this world to have faith in but me and her father. If only I lived each day as if there were nothing else in this world to have faith in but my heavenly father.
Being a daughter of Christ - It's amazing to imagine that Christ loves her more than I do. Though I can't comprehend that, it is such an amazing assurance that he loves her and me so much.
Unconditional love - I told CDK that this has to be the closest to unconditional love I will ever come. I feel it now because she hasn't really done anything to hurt me or upset me, and probably won't for a long time. But Christ loves me on those days when I do hurt him or upset him. Unconditionally.
Just because you're you - I've thoroughly enjoyed watching so many people love our child. I had to stop and think "What makes them automatically love her?" The answer is nothing. She hasn't done anything to earn or gain their love. They love her just because she is herself. The same way Christ loves us. We can't and won't ever do anything to earn his love or refuse his love. He loves us, just because we're his children. It truly is an overwhelming thought.

These truths are those that I've started to whisper in my daughters ear or sing to her through songs. I've also begun a journal that I plan to keep through her first year and give to her one day. NGK, a child of God, has been entrusted to us for a short time on this earth to raise as a child of God. Thankfully the father will lead us in this endeavor and I'm so excited to have this privilege.

She's Here

2007-11-15T12:25:00.000-06:00

I'd like to introduce our daughter, NGK, born November 13, at 11:20 am weighing 8 lbs. 12 oz, and 21 1/2 inches long.
The induction on Monday didn't produce much progress, so we tried a different angle with another medicine overnight Tuesday and it did the trick.
We're headed home from the hospital within the hour and are excited to start this new adventure.
Baby, mommy, and daddy are doing well. If you would like the link to her blog site with tons of pictures, send me an email.

An End Date

2007-11-07T08:28:00.000-06:00

Well, we know she'll be here no later than Monday, Nov. 12. We set-up the induction for then, and unless something happens beforehand, which we're hoping it does, that's the big day. It's nice to finally have a definite end, though I must say I was hoping it would be a little sooner.

Here are some pictures of her nursery, though I use the term loosely. It's still half an office and CDK is selflessly sharing his closet with her (it also doubles as our photography studio). Since we're in a rental, no painting the walls, and we obviously didn't pick the carpet. We'll be out of this house in a few months, so then we'll put to work our real decorating skills and make the nursery just like one we saw in the Pottery Barn catalog! We must thank the generous grandparents to-be and great grandparents to-be for help furnishing the room. Her place is ready, now if she would just hurry up!

Patiently Waiting, for now Update

2007-11-01T10:32:00.000-06:00

*UPDATE* We will go to the doctor today at 4pm and see what's going on with little Miss K. I think we will make some definite plans for induction, based on what the doctor has said previously. While I know induction is perfectly safe and normal, please pray that this happens naturally.

So the day came and went as expected. We had a doctor's appointment this morning, and I'm progressing, but as he said it's unpredictable. So far, I'm still fine with that.
Four good things about missing the due date: 1. Her birthday won't be on Halloween. 2. CDK made it to his job interview last night and didn't have to cancel. 3. The furniture finally came in and we're picking it up today. So, we'll get to set-up the nursery tonight, yeah! 4. Now that I have been to work during November I get my full months worth of sick and vacation accrual that I'll get paid for during my leave.
Random, but I just noticed that the counter is stuck at 1. Well, we know that pregnancy isn't eternal.

I'll keep you posted!

Trick or Treat?

2007-10-30T13:45:00.000-06:00

Well, today is the official due date. As my doctor said, there's a 50% chance either way. I'm shooting for this weekend, so I'm not really expecting anything to happen today, but she may surprise us. She'll either show-up today and be a Halloween treat, or not show-up and be a Halloween trick. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime enjoy this photo of a lovely autumn scene.

Leave Nothing

2007-10-24T11:44:00.001-06:00

Have you seen this commercial? Not only is it just a cool commercial, I love the tag line "Leave Nothing". This tag line sums up my latest thoughts on faith.

I had a minor knee injury during my soccer days as a Freshman in high school. After I had recovered and had been playing again for a few weeks my coach approached me and put his hands on my shoulder. He said "Does this hurt?" and he kicked my knee. I said "No". He said "Then stop playing like it does." I remember, vividly, the next game I played and how great I played. No, didn't score a goal or even save any goals, but, man, I made some great plays. Those few words my coach said empowered me to do what we both knew I was capable of. That next game I left nothing in myself, I gave it all to playing that game.

I've witnessed several situations lately where people within the church have had to make difficult decisions about life and faith and how they work together. I've also watched how the "community" of the church has played a role in assisting people in making those decisions or carrying those decisions out. At one point I told CDK that as the church we have to do everything in our power to help people and be a part of community with them. I don't believe God called us to walk this road of Christianity alone and that if we sit back and passively watch others believers in our lives go on their merry way and never invest in them, then we are not doing what we're called to do. We can't leave any stone unturned when we are trying to work together as the body of Christ, we must put forth all our effort and explore every option of how to work through situations, good and bad ones. I think it's sometimes easier to let our excuses of "it's a personal issue" or "I don't want to intrude" cover our apathy. Shouldn't we care enough about each other to intrude? Especially when the stakes are high. Though my theory is that if we "intrude" (and I use this word to simply mean, being part of each others lives in an intentional way) in the everyday, small things, we will naturally be a part of the big things.

Christianity isn't an individualistic pursuit. Even Christ wasn't alone, he had his community of the 12 disciples. So why do we think we can do it ourselves? And how far do we actually take that? We've seen the results of taking it too far, cults like the Branch Davidians. And it's easy to see the results of our faith pursuits being too individualistic, just look at the number of denominations out there and new churches starting everyday.

I think that at the end of each day we should crawl in bed exhausted and think "Man, I played a great game today." And that game being the one of faith, one where we leave nothing lacking in relationships with believers and non-believers, one where we know that we did everything God asked us to do that day and he's smiling, because he knew all along we were capable of that, with his help. The only difference is that sometimes, unlike my knee, it will hurt. There will be hard days, there will be defeats, and there will be people who don't want us, or God rather, in their lives, but the end result is much more exciting than a great day on the soccer field.

A Muslim in Space

2007-10-12T09:01:00.000-06:00

I'm assuming that some days it's hard enough to fulfill the tenants of Islam, without being in space. Praying five times a day, the washing rituals before prayer, eating halal food (depending on where you live), and others. This article had a bit of comic relief for me when they talked about how many times the guy would have to pray because of the speed of the shuttle's orbit and how a new version of the tenants were written for astronauts. I bolded the parts I found particularly funny.

Doctor to honor Ramadan rituals in space
By VIJAY JOSHI, Associated Press WriterWed Oct 10, 4:56 PM ET

A Malaysian doctor who will spend the last days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in space has vowed to follow the rituals of his faith even as he hurtles around Earth at 17,000 mph.

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor lifted off Wednesday in a Soyuz spacecraft from Kazakhstan, en route to the international space station where he will spend about 10 days.

The spacecraft — which also carried an American and a Russian — will take two days to reach the station, a period coinciding with the last days of Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. Sheikh Muszaphar has said he will fast and pray in space, even though clerics said he could delay the fast.
"I am not sure how it would be done but I will share my experiences (with) all the Muslims all over the world when I get back," the 35-year-old Sheikh Muszaphar wrote in his Web journal. "After all, Islam is a way of life and I am quite sure I would not face much difficulties."

Sheikh Muszaphar is taking vacuum-packed Malaysian food, including skewered chicken, banana rolls, fermented soybean cakes and ginger jelly to mark the end of Ramadan.
A bachelor who has become a national heartthrob, the orthopedic surgeon will not be the first Muslim in space — Saudi Prince Sultan bin Salman joined the crew of the shuttle Discovery in 1985 and there have been several others since.

Still, the mission initially presented a dilemma about fulfilling religious duties such as fasting, kneeling for prayers in zero gravity or facing Mecca to pray.

After all, praying five times daily on a craft that goes around Earth 16 times a day would have meant praying 80 times in 24 hours. Also, it is virtually impossible to face Mecca continuously in a craft traveling at such high speed.

Muslims are required to wash their hands, feet, face and hair before prayers — a luxury on the Soyuz where water is so precious that even sweat and urine are recycled.
To get around these problems, 150 Malaysian scholars, scientists, and astronauts brainstormed and published an 18-page booklet of guidelines for Muslim astronauts.
If he follows the guidelines, Sheikh Muszaphar can forgo fasting in space and make up for it when he returns to Earth. He can pray three times a day instead of five, facing any direction, and he can do without the ritual washing.

On Tuesday, Sheikh Muszaphar told reporters his trip will be an inspiration for his Southeast Asian homeland as well as to other Muslims worldwide.

"It's a small step for me, but a great leap for the Malaysian people," he said, rephrasing Neil Armstrong's words after the 1969

Long Awaited

2007-10-02T08:16:00.000-06:00

Ok, sorry about the plethora of baby posts. I'm trying not to get to obsessed with this, but it's kind of hard, especially with only 29 days left. But, you've been asking, so finally, here they are, belly pics! I about 32 weeks in these pictures.

And finally, while I'm not particularly fond of showing my exposed skin in a picture (much less of exposing my skin anywhere!) here is a pic for posterity's sake. Plus I think CDK did a really good job with this one, so I wanted to show him off too!

FYI - don't forget to post your vote on the Baby Pool!

Please, no!

2007-09-27T12:28:00.000-06:00

This article and picture was on Yahoo! News today.

BARNAUL, Russia (Reuters) - A Siberian woman who gave birth to her 12th child -- doing more than her fair share to stem Russia's population decline -- was stunned to find that little Nadia weighed in at a massive 7.75 kg (17.1 lb).
Nadia was delivered by Cesarean section in the local maternity hospital in the Altai region on September 17, joining eight sisters and three brothers, a local reporter said.
"We were all simply in shock," said Nadia's mother, Tatyana Barabanova, 43. "What did the father say? He couldn't say a thing -- he just stood there blinking."
"I ate everything, we don't have the money for special foods so I just ate potatoes, noodles and tomatoes," she told the reporter, adding that all her previous babies had weighed more than 5 kg.
The Guinness World Records lists a 10.2 kg baby boy born in Italy in 1955, and a 10.8 kg baby boy who was born in the United States in 1879 but died 11 hours later.
The average weight for most healthy newborn babies is around 3.2 kg (7.06 lb), according to World Health Organisation figures.

There's a few lessons to be learned here:
1. Don't have 12 children.
2. Your pregnancy diet shouldn't consist of only potatoes, noodles and tomatoes.
3. Don't buy too many 0-3 month size clothes, your "little one" might not fit in them.

A Little Fun Update

2007-09-21T09:30:00.000-06:00

Ok, so still no belly pics (sorry KarenD), but in the meantime, how about a Baby Pool? My co-workers have started one, so I thought it would be fun to track one online and see what everyone thought.

Enter your guess here.

4andcounting made a good point, so here's a little history and some pregnancy facts. I was 3 weeks late and over 8 1/2 lbs, CDK was 6 weeks late (that story is for another post) and over 10 1/2 lbs, and 23". So far I've gained 18 lbs. Maybe that will help a little.

Random Facts/Habits - Tag

2007-08-24T14:20:00.000-06:00

I was tagged by mab for this one. I think I've been tagged before, but haven't participated as of yet. I'll answer, but I don't think I'll tag anyone, this seems to have made it around my blogging circle already.

Here are (drum roll please....) my 8 random facts/habits/quirks, whatever you want to call it.

I really like to open packages, cd's, dvd's, anything that's new and with a wrapper. Even if I already know what's in the package. My husband knows this and lets me open his packages. Though the other day CDK inadvertently opened a package I had received in the mail. I wasn't very happy. I guess this stems from the fact that one of my love languages is gifts, so a package always seems like a gift.
I like to eat certain foods with certain sized utensils. For example, I eat my ice cream with a small spoon, so I can savor it. I also eat my yogurt with a small spoon, but that's because too big of a bite of yogurt will make me gag (that's not just because of pregnancy, maybe this should be it's own quirk). I like to eat soups with large spoons. As for cakes and pies it depends. If it's a layer cake I like a big fork so I can get a little bit of each layer in each bite. But if it's that really good Cheesecake Factory Godiva chocolate cheesecake that CDK and I usually split, it's a small fork. Unless I'm threatened by his much faster eating pace than mine and I want to get my fair share. Enough on this one!
I like to keep my food in the same place on the plate during the entire meal. What?, you may be asking. If I get up and go get seconds and sit back down and my meat isn't in the same place as it was before, I don't like that. I will often turn my plate around till it feels right again.
Before I put the car in gear, I get everything in order. I adjust the mirrors, buckle-up, turn on the music and air, and put my cell phone in an easy to reach place. CDK says this is a quirk, I just think it's what I was taught in driver's ed and it's safer this way. If I'm trying to put in a cd, adjust my mirrors, and find my cell phone in my purse while driving, it's not good for the rest of you out there.
OCD Grocery Shopping. You can read the post for a full explanation. Though I must admit, I got tired of my menu plan sooner than I had expected and am due for another. I've been out of this habit, and have missed it. It's on my to do list before baby arrives.
I prefer reading non-fiction or story books over what I call "smart" books. I love books that are a story and I can't wait to pick up again. I would like to read more non-fiction and learn more, but it takes me forever. I think it took me a year to get through From Beirut to Jerusalem by Thomas Friedman, even though I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I do highly recommend it. My compromise has been biographies and historical fiction. This way I get a story and I'm getting a little smarter.
I'm not extremely good at any one thing. Most people have one thing they're known for being really good at, but I don't. And I'm ok with that. I can do a lot of things average and a lot of things a above average, but I have no speciality. I was an average to above average player in most sports I attempted, I was an above average student, an average singer. I guess that makes me sort of a Renaissance woman, since I can do a lot of things pretty well. I wonder if I just don't have the attention span or diligence to get really good at one thing.
When I return to my hometown or get feisty I fall into the accent from my hometown. I realized this as soon as I went off to college, that I did have an accent different than most others in my state, and especially other states. Since then I have been told multiple times that I don't have any accent and people can't even tell what state I'm from. I like that, not because I'm not proud of my state, but simply because I hope that makes me more adaptable to wherever I am and more approachable.

So there you have, KLK's random habits/facts/quirks. If you can identify, I'll be glad to hear it.

A Reality Check

2007-08-16T08:05:00.001-06:00

I don't want to be a downer today, but this article I found on CNN is disturbing. Take a few mintues to read about Iraqi women turning to prostitution to provide for their families. It's an extremely sad thought and turns me in two directions.

The first is to prayer, prayer for this country and its people that are literally dying and wasting away, and most without the eternal hope of Christ. It also turns me to praise, praise for all the blessings (though I don't always count them as that) I have been given. Praise for the small home, for the one car, for the job that provides. I live in a world where my biggest problem right now is that my house is too small. At least I have one. I've been convicted of my discontentment lately, and this article reminds me to give thanks, in all things.

Take time to pray for the situation in Iraq and for its people, and take time to thank the Lord for whatever He's given you.

The First Ever "hayk" Blog Awards

2007-08-07T11:50:00.000-06:00

4andcounting gave me a blog award the other day. I was plesantly surprised, so to continue in the tradition, I will bestow the Blogger Reflection award on some blogs that make me think.

1. mab - she always has something to say and it's always funny or insightful.

2. cnn.com - in the field - I feel like a nerd putting this one on here but, oh well! Though I obviously don't know these reporters personally, it's interesting to see where they are and what they are blogging about.

3. Saxon Update - This family has just lost one of their three sons to cancer. Their raw honesty and reflections on faith always challenge me in my faith with Christ. Kudos to them for being so open and honest to so many strangers. They know that their son's too-short life was not in vain and they are making sure others know too.

4. The FancyPants Factory - Tough I've only been reading her blog for a short time she makes me laugh and think about a lot of deep subjects at the same time. Plus she posts frequently, which is always a plus.

Two New Books (and a Soap Box)

2007-08-01T11:22:00.000-06:00

My husband gave me two books I'd been wanting for my birthday. They were both excellent, so I read them pretty fast. Here's a little review.

A Thousand Splendid Suns - After reading Khaled Hosseini's first book, The Kite Runner, I knew I would read this one. This story of two girls in Afghanistan spans the war-torn years of their country and their lives as they grow into women. It was a great story and he's an excellent writer. Though I didn't enjoy this as much as Kite Runner. It seemed that there was not a redemptive quality in this book till the very end and I felt the story of the Kite Runner was laced with redemption and remember making some very specific biblical parallels. I love stories of redemption, because that is what we're all seeking.

My other concern is bigger, perhaps because I lived in a similar culture. I read a book in the Middle East as part of a book club. The book was called Pillars of Salt and chronicled the lives of two women growing-up in a Middle Eastern country (obvious parallels to A Thousand Splendid Suns) and the hardships that existed for them. A comment from one of the Muslim-Arab women in the book club, who was born and raised in America, was that she thought the author simply wrote all the horrible things about her culture because that's what Western readers wanted to hear and that Western readers couldn't discern between that and everyday life in the Middle East. I didn't agree with her at that time, but I kept that comment in the back of my head.

But that is just what I saw in A Thousand Splendid Suns that disturbed me. If you made a list before you read the book about all the bad things you think happen to women in predominantly Muslim cultures, you would find those things in this book. I could predict, very accurately, what was about to happen to each woman in this book and how the men were going to act towards them. I feel like it's sad that Hosseini portrayed his own culture in such a negative way by highlighting all the things that are wrong with it. I felt like the Kite Runner told a story that could happen in any culture and any country. The culture simply enhanced the story.

Yes, horrible things do happen to women, in many cultures, and they are not acceptable, and I don't think they should be belittled or ignored, but when do we start trying to see the good in other cultures? When do we try to find common ground and learn about how we are similar? When do we try to understand the beautiful cultural differences that might drive us crazy? What are we teaching our children by constantly pointing out the bad things in a culture and never highlighting the good? Because there is good, and plenty of it. It is good that a total stranger would invite us into his home for coffee and insist that we stay to share in his meager poor man's dinner. It is good that a poor couple invited us into their one room apartment (and I don't mean one bedroom, plus a bath, kitchen and living room, I mean one room) where they lived with their three children and honored us by serving us coffee and weren't embarrassed by their surroundings but simply shared everything. It is good that the cashier at the grocery store would never put my change directly in my hand. Why? Because he knew I had a father, husband, and/or a brother, and didn't want to dishonor my family name by touching me.

Ok, if you've made it this far, here's one more review with less of a soap box.

Perpetua - As you may recall I actually recommended this book before I read it. After reading it I can still say I recommend it. The author puts a great human side to the story of this young martyr and I could see myself in her life in so many ways (not the martyr part, but learning about my relationship with Christ, being newly married, etc.). This book also spoke to me about my spiritual life, which surprised me, I don't expect that out of a book that's basically historical fiction (the story is based on the true diaries Perpetua kept). I do have a few critical thoughts about it. I felt like the author had an underlying agenda about what she thought church should be. I can't say I completely disagreed with what seems to be her idea of church, but I thought the agenda was a little too obvious at times. Another criticism is that I felt like she had the Christians in the book use Christian terminology that we use today, and I highly doubt some of those terms existed in the third century. One character even uses the word "saved" to describe someone. My understanding is that that is a more modern Christian term. But, all-in-all a thumbs-up on this book. And if you really want to enjoy the book, go visit the site of her martyrdom. It makes the whole story come alive.

What are your thoughts on any of these books or subjects?

Not so LAZY Hazy Days of Summer

2007-07-17T11:20:00.000-06:00

Busy-ness is something I enjoy, sometimes even thrive on. But as we lived in a different culture, one that took life at a slower pace, I learned to appreciate not filling every minute of my day with some activity and taking time to sit and enjoy the people and places around me. When we returned to America that was something we wanted to keep as a part of our family, taking time to enjoy life and refusing to get caught-up in the crazy busy-ness of our own culture.

Well, I think we've gotten caught-up. It seems like every time I turn around there is something new to do. I'm not sure where this flurry of activity sprang from that sent me from Jan 1. to now the middle of July in the blink of an eye, but something got me here. And the hard part about it is that we aren't just creating random things to do for ourselves (we aren't in sports leagues, book clubs, dinner clubs, or anything else), we're doing things we enjoy, spending time with people we love, and investing in those people and in ministry. But why does it have to equal a crazy schedule?

What have we been doing? Once a week we each have meetings with friends from church, so we scheduled them on the same night so we could be together the other nights. It seems at least once a month I have to work late for an event. And because of where we live and the people we know about once a month a friend comes in to town that we haven't seen in years, or won't likely see in years, so we have to hang out with them. We've had a few speaking engagements, I had a work conference in the spring, we picked-up a little extra money by working proms a few weekends. My brother got married and I got pregnant so new events are necessary for each of these. And none of this includes, me working 40 hours a week, CDK working part-time and going to school full-time, or any necessary activity required to live (i.e. eat, sleep, etc.).

I'm just thinking there has to be more in life than following my calendar around. We want to teach our child that activity doesn't equal success and definitely not Godliness or more spirituality. But how do we do that when it seems like we can't stop doing things ourselves? How do you keep a check on your busy-ness? Or, do you?

Prayers for Friends

2007-07-10T08:51:00.000-06:00

If you have a moment today, visit The Saxon Report at http://www.paulsaxon.com/. Here you will read about a family who has just made an extremely difficult decision regarding their 4 1/2 year battle with their 5 1/2 year old son's cancer. Please pray for this family. If you have more than a moment, peruse their blog (especially the thoughts on the right) and you will witness a journey of a family who is grounded in faith and puts their hope in nothing less than Jesus Christ.

Witnessing History

2007-06-21T12:09:00.000-06:00

I was there. I watched Sammy Sosa join the likes of Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays, as he hit his 600th career home run last night. It was pretty cool and now I can say I was there at this moment in history. Though this would have to be under the category of Sports History, not the category of history that truly effects or changes the world we live in.

This made me think, have I witnessed any true historical events first hand. Our parents can easily recall where they were when Kennedy was assassinated and our generation will always be able to tell what we were doing, in detail, when we heard the news about Sept. 11. But have I truly witnessed history. I've seen Presidents Clinton and Bush (the elder) and had a picture taken with First Lady Laura Bush (and 10 other people). But these aren't actual historical events, I guess historical people.

Getting closer to witnessing history I realized we were in Israel the day that Yasser Arafat was buried. Though we weren't anywhere close to the funeral. Later we talked to some people in a restaurant that had gone to the funeral to film a documentary. Their experiences made me glad I wasn't there.

The closest I could come to actually witnessing a historical event was the terrorist attack on Amman, Jordan in November 2005. I was in the town and heard one of the explosions. Two of the three explosions were within a 2-mile radius of where I was. The next day I saw the ruins of the hotels. A few days later, I was in one of them and the baggage handler pointed out the blood on the sidewalk and holes in the wall from the shrapnel in the bomb.

So, I witnessed history, but it wasn't a major world-changing event. Obviously it changed the lives of all involved and the country, but because of the frequency of these news items in the past several years, was probably just a blip on the radar.

I'd love to hear how you've witnessed history.

The Results

2007-06-13T06:31:00.000-06:00

The results are in and only one of you were right. Congrats Jennifer! It's a GIRL! We're extremely excited and thankful that everything is perfectly fine with her growth and development. She was very active when we watched her on the screen. We have a name picked-out, but we'll keep that a surprise. Isn't it amazing what God can do?!

Poll: Pink or Blue?

2007-06-11T14:54:00.000-06:00

So tomorrow is the big day for us. We'll find out if it's a boy or a girl, if our baby isn't too modest. I thought I would take a poll to see what your guess was. Leave your guess in the comments.

If you want the facts that may (or may not) help you guess, here they are:

I have always thought my first child would be a boy. But I have no specific strong feeling as to what it is.
The heart rate has been high. It was 170 something at the first sonogram and 150 something at the 12 week visit.
I have one brother, CDK also has one brother.
The Chinese Lunar calendar says it's a boy. I haven't done any of the other tests with the wedding ring or whatever.

If you want to know any other facts, ask, but don't ask any questions that are to personal, please! Our appointment is the afternoon, so I'll likely post the results on Wednesday morning.

A Book Recommendation - Though I've Never Read It

2007-06-06T07:20:00.000-06:00

Strange right? Recommending a book I haven't read. Well, I've looked for a book about Perpetua, a saint martyred in the third century, ever since we visited her place of martyrdom in Tunisia. We stood and looked-out over the few remains of a Roman Coliseum as our friend told us her story. After that I walked around the area silently and was incredibly moved by what had happened in that place and how God had worked in that woman's life.

My friend Alison recommended the book on her blog. So I wanted to pass this along. Though it's a fictional account, the sacrifice Perpetua made is true. I can't wait to read this.

It's Been Awhile

2007-05-22T14:54:00.000-06:00

Well, I haven't blogged in awhile, but I've thought about it. I have several posts rolling around in my head, but none that I have the time to hash out right now.

So for something interesting, or maybe not, here's a pregnancy update. I'll be 17 weeks tomorrow and all the doctor's visits have been good. Good heart rate (on the high side if you believe the predictions about heart rates) and I haven't gained any weight yet. Which is fine, but the dr. says I'll probably have 8-10 lbs next time. Ewww! But that will be offset by the fact that we'll find out if we're having a boy or girl!!! We can't wait.

I had a relatively symptom-free 1st trimester, just a few headaches, and some other things I won't mention. I feel much more tired this trimester and it makes me feel like such a weenie. Oh well! Am I showing - well, it depends on what I wear and what time of the day it is. But I'm still in my normal clothes with a few minor adjustments to them. So, that's all folks!

OCD Grocery Shopping

2007-04-24T07:48:00.000-06:00

Each Saturday is the same, my main goal is to plan my meals for the week and get to the grocery store. I enjoy cooking and I enjoy providing healthy home-cooked meals for my family. I just don't enjoy the minimum of the 2 hours it takes on a Saturday to do this. Especially since I work 40 hours a week and don't have much discretionary time. So I devised a plan.

About three months ago I sat down and made a meal schedule for five weeks. I figured that I cooked 4 dinners a week at home (not that we ate out the other meals, but with leftovers and unexpected events, this was the number), so I picked 20 meals to last for five weeks. I arranged the meals in each week and tried to have a variety in each week. Each week includes a fish, poultry, soup or salad, and beef or some other variation. Then I tried to group the meals together that had similar ingredients so I don't waste money on something small that I won't use again.

I have the menus on the fridge with the cookbook and page number listed. I laminated each week's grocery list, so all I have to do is check my cabinet to see what I'm out of. The list includes three sections 1. Basics (bread, milk, etc.) 2. Basics for the recipes (spices, chicken broth, etc.) 3. Necessary Items for the Recipe. I always know I need everything in category #1 or #3, unless it's been a really strange week, and then I double-check my cabinet for category #2. And each category is in the order I shop through the store.

Let me just say, this has been the BEST thing I have ever done related to grocery shopping and meal planning. Why?

I am spending less time in the grocery store. I can actually be in the check-out line within 30 minutes of entering the store (how long the check-out takes me varies, it's Wal-Mart).
I'm spending less money because I know exactly what I need. I'm spending at least $10-15 week less than my grocery budget.
I know what is on the menu for each evening and I'm looking forward to that meal. I'm less likely to give into a craving for a restaurant on the way home.
On busy weeks I can prepare a few things ahead of time so that the week will run smoother.
CDK is always willing to cook, so all he has to do is go to the menu list and pull out the ingredients to make it.
Our 5-week plan usually stretches into 6, so we can repeat the plan and it doesn't feel like we're eating the same thing again. We're about to start our third cycle of this and we're not tired of it at all. If we do get tired of it, I'll make a new one.

So, I think I could sell this. I really think busy women would pay to have a meal plan made like this and to have grocery shopping simplified. What do you think? Maybe I'll post some of my menus.

Coming Attraction

2007-04-05T11:35:00.000-06:00

Coming this Fall to a hospital near you...

A BABY

Starring

Baby #1

Co-Starring

CDK & KLK

Arriving Oct. 31 (give or take a few days)

There will most likely be a sequel, but please don't start asking when!

A Blue Bell Dilemma

2007-03-27T12:00:00.000-06:00

If you live in my state, you know about Blue Bell Ice Cream. It's great, and you can't get it many other places. I love Blue Bell, and always have. In high school I would eat a bowl every night. If we were out, my mom would give me money and I would drive to the store at 9 or 10 at night to buy some. I know it's sad, but it's really good ice cream.

Still not convinced how much I love it? Living in the Middle East for two years without Blue Bell, or much good ice cream at all, was a sacrifice for me. So much so that when we went on a business trip to Dubai and I mentioned that I heard you could buy Blue Bell there, our boss guaranteed me that we would track some down. No complaints here. So after a three hour cab ride, two grocery stores (one called "Safest Way"), and having to buy spoons in the grocery store, we had our Blue Bell. The funny part is that when we returned to our hotel our cab driver said "The grocery store you found the ice cream at is right by your hotel." Oh well, he got a good fare out of it. Here's the pic that documents our Blue Bell excursion.

So maybe now you're getting an idea of how much I like this stuff. So, on occasion, I buy a half gallon of Dutch Chocolate Blue Bell at the grocery store. In order to make my investment last I only have it once a day and I put it in a small coffee cup. That helps it last longer and decreases my caloric and fat intake. Not that that I care that much when it comes to Blue Bell.

This weekend I bought a half gallon and with any luck can enjoy it for about a week and a half. So here's my dilemma (sorry, long build-up), my husband has been wanting to eat some too. He's not the ice cream lover that I am and chocolate usually isn't his first choice. So I'm confused. Of course I've been sharing with him because I love him and it's just ice cream (right?). But it's not easy. It's my own special treat that I like to enjoy myself. When I want to share an ice cream experience with him, we go to Marble Slab (one of the first places we went while dating). I want my Blue Bell to myself. How selfish is that? I guess I can justify buying it more often if he's eating it too. That's the bright side. What's a Blue Bell addict to do?

Are we more connected?

2007-03-21T18:54:00.000-06:00

When we returned to the US I was anxious to start new relationships and get to know people. Though I quickly noticed that people weren't as willing to talk and engage in relationships as they seemed to be in the Middle East. I don't say this as a criticism, simply a cultural observation.

I noticed that more and more people participated in everyday activities with ipod headphones on or a blue tooth thingy on their ear. People were not only disconnected, but were purposely showing on the outside that they wanted to disconnected and didn't have time to interact with those around them. They only had time to interact with what was in their ears.

I was excited to grab a copy of my favorite magazine when I got back. As I was reading there was an article about awkward situations. One situation was how to let the talkative person working-out next to you know that you really didn't want to talk, just work out. I was pretty upset at that, as I see the gym as a great place to try and get to know people.

I've also entered the blogging world and am a lurker on about 15 friends and acquaintances blogs. I realized I know more about some of my friends than I have in years. Which at first blush seems great, and it is, but I realized I use that as a substitute for a relationship where I show care and concern and genuine interest (I'm not dogging blogging, just making observations about my blogging habits).

So with all these ways to stay more connected (email, cell phone, portable music, songs, TV, sermons, and blogs) are we really more connected to each other or more connected to technology and ourselves? And how on earth are we supposed to meet new people and get to know them, if our world only pushes us to be more disconnected?

CDK and I are on a quest to develop relationships, real relationships; ones where honesty, accountability, and real-life are shared. It's not easy, but we think it's worth it. These relationships may be contrary to our culture, but they are the very essence of the culture Christ lived in and created.

Work on a Saturday?

2007-03-03T14:36:00.000-06:00

Yes, that's where I am. And though I should be working to catch-up (after all that's why I'm here), I'm blogging about it instead. Why? Because it stinks and I want some sympathy. And I want my boss to know how dedicated I am! Not that he reads this (but I made sure to send him an email, so if he looks at the date, he'll know I was here:).

I've had several projects the past couple of weeks that have eaten every last bit of my time and I haven't been able to get my "real" work done. Couple that with some serious distraction and lack of motivation (because I dislike the all-consuming projects), it's been hard to push through. I came to work today to clear some things off my desk and literally clean up my office. Almost every space has a stack (or 2, or 3, or 4) of paper on it. Including the two chairs for others to sit in. It's not pretty.

Oh, well, my theory, Saturday kind of stinks because I came work, but at least Monday will be a little better, since I'll feel somewhat caught-up. Oh, and it's nice to play music loud in my office and sing, since no one else is here!

We Need Some Help

2007-02-14T08:34:00.000-06:00

So, we're looking at spring break, CDK has a whole week off, I have two days, so we figure we should go somewhere. I could easily take off three extra days and that would give us a whole 10 days (including weekends) to have a vacation. I don't know that we necessarily need it, but we're itching to travel. After all, we travelled quiet a lot the past two years, now it seems that we don't at all.

So, where to go? We don't know, so I'm asking for your help. I don't know how many of you are actually reading this, but now is the time to chime in. We don't have long to make plans and we need some good solid ideas. I'll list our criteria and other factors affecting the vacation destination.

Finances - We don't have a lot to spend on a vacation, but we're willing to make some other sacrifices to make it work.
We don't feel like it's a vacation or an adventure unless we actually get on a plane.
We don't want to go to any of the surrounding states. We're willing to vacation in our state, but the drive can't be too long.
We would love to go to South America! It's the only continent we haven't been to, minus Antarctica. We checked out tickets to Argentina, but way too expensive.
We are perfectly willing to vacation in the states, and that's probably what we'll do, but where?
Though a beach or a ski vacation sound nice, it will be spring break, so you know what that means. Overcrowded beaches/slopes, too many drunk people, not for us.
On vacation we like to be in a place where there are interesting things to explore (nature, cool cities, fun activities) but also where we don't feel like we're missing out if we just "hang out" a couple of days and relax.
We are not all-inclusive resort or cruise people.
We like to go places we've never been. Though there are places we'd like to return to (Hawaii, Australia, Switzerland, Israel), the list of new places is long and usually takes precedent.

Ok, so hopefully that helps. Let the suggestions begin, we're counting on you!

Chimin' in on the Cheap Dates

2007-02-08T12:08:00.000-06:00

I realized yesterday that I hadn't posted in awhile. Then I realized, I had had nothing to post. Then today, four new ideas came to my mind. I'll spread them out, so you don't have to much to read in one week, but I thought the idea of collecting cheap date ideas was timely. Though in no way does this mean I support cheap Valentine's dates!

Through a blog "chain" I found someone collecting other bloggers ideas for cheap dates. Here's the blog http://shalees.blogspot.com/2007/02/let-cheap-dating-begin.html. And here's my list.

Start your own Book Club with your sweetie. Read the same book and set aside time to talk about it each week. Only cost, the price of the book.
Take a class together. Check out offerings at the university near by, they always offer continuing education classes, or the community center to see what's available. It might be a little expensive up front, but if you average it out over the number of weeks, it will probably be reasonable. Plus, you'll learn something new and meet new people.
Go to the planetarium. There is one near where I live and it's about $5.00 a show, and the show lasts from 45 minutes to an hour.
Go to the local rose garden, arboretum, or botanical gardens. Most are free, or cheap at least. Take a picnic and a stroll to enjoy the beauty of nature and each other.
Check out the plays at the community theater or at a university nearby. You can see live entertainment for less than the cost of a movie.
Concerts - again check out the nearby university and see what's available. Also, many community groups put on free concerts in the spring and summer.
Go out to eat for breakfast. The food is usually cheaper and you get to start your day with your sweetie.
Local community and recreation centers have all kinds of free or cheap programs. Check out the city website of the town you live in and look under the recreation department.
Go to the zoo. An often over-looked form of fun for adults.

OK, so check out the site and add your date ideas to the list. We should never run out! Also, for my overseas friends, I'd like to hear your versions of cheap dates and what you do.

A Six-Month Anniversary

2007-01-24T11:59:00.000-06:00

A friend reminded us the other day that we have now been back in America for six months. He had returned to the states the same day we did. I realized a lot had happened in six months. We're settled into our house, CDK has completed his first semester, I've settled in my job, we've found a church, made new friends, and seen a lot of friends and family.

As I sat in my office this morning a realization came to me. I realized I still have so much of my "overseas life" in me. Here's a small example: I heard several cars honking outside and I thought "There must be a wedding party" (after a wedding in the Middle East everyone that attended the wedding would drive around town and honk wildly). Of course I quickly snapped out of that thought and remembered it was just the busy street outside my window.

At the same time I also realized how thankful I was to have that "overseas life" as a part of me. It forever changed me, just like any major life event can change a person. It changed me in many unforgettable ways and it's now part of who I am. It wasn't always easy, and there were days I wanted to be anywhere but there, but to have the experiences, life lessons, friends, and opportunities those two years provided is immeasurable and invaluable.

Thank you Father for all the opportunities you have given me in life, in many countries. You are my rock and sustainer. You used those two years to point directly to who you are. I pray that the rest of my life I will be constantly pointed to who you are and point others in the same direction.

This picture was taken about a month after we arrived in the ME. We're still very "green" at this point, and who knows what color we are now!

Below are some things that briefly transport me back to that country, a few thousand miles away.

Sometimes I cut people off while driving, they honk and get mad, and I think "What's wrong with them?"
Sometimes while making my grocery list I think "Will they have [insert American food item here] at Plaza today, or will I have to go to Cozmo?"
Sometimes I leave my house and think "Oh no, I'm not dressed conservatively enough today."
Sometimes when I think about where I want to go eat for dinner, I quickly realize I can only get there by plane (Today feels like a good day for Kalha!)
Sometimes I wish I knew when the next time was that I would be able to get on a plane and go to a new country to see how God is working there.
Many times the only words that enter my mind in response to someones statement are "Inshallah" (If God wills) and "Mumkin" (Maybe).
At least once a week I stop and watch my screen saver at work and smile at all the pictures of our life in another land.
During busy weeks I wish for the simplicity and slow place of the life we had there.
Almost every morning I wake up and thank God for the central heat I now sincerely appreciate!
Every time I hear news about the Middle East, I watch intently and listen hard to see if I can translate the Arabic before the announcer starts to translate it.

Snow Day!

2007-01-17T14:17:00.000-06:00

What a surprise when I woke up at 5:30 this morning to find the ground covered in snow. I know you won't believe it if you know where we live, but it's true. Though my initial reaction wasn't excitement. I had stayed at worked till 9 last night preparing for a very important meeting this morning at 8. I had planned to leave the house and be at work by 6:30 to make sure everything was ready to go. Since my employer so easily seems to dismiss work I figured any minute I would see the name scroll across the bottom of the television, but nothing.

So I proceeded as planned. I got ready and at 6:10 very subtly asked CDK to clean off the car for me (he's so sweet). I got in the car, bundled up and ready to go. The roads weren't slippery, just white. It was hard to see the lanes, and for the most part people were driving sensibly. About 15 minutes into the drive CDK calls and says work is cancelled. I was relieved because I didn't want to get all the way there and then have to turn around.

When I returned home I ate breakfast, called the parents, and got dressed in warm clothes. We went and walked around campus for awhile and CDK took pics with his new camera. Then we came home, took a nap, ate lunch, and plan on goofing off the rest of the day. Oh, and I want to make chocolate chip cookies, but don't know if I have the ingredients. It's a good day! And, the snow day leads to my first ever picture post.

Consider This a Commercial

2007-01-12T22:05:00.000-06:00

I thought about a lot of resolutions this year, but I didn't see much point in making them, or at least making them public. So I've kept them to myself and as expected, I'm not living up to them. Oh well.

One we are working on as a couple, not as a resolution, but a goal, is to better manage our finances. We have always been good at saving and living within our means, but just never knew exactly where our money went. So, we set a budget and I found a spending management website called www.mvelopes.com. I've only been using it for two weeks now, but it seems to be working well. It's basically the envelope system of accounting, but electronically. I like it, it's easy, and only takes a few minutes a day. And I already feel better about how we're spending our money. So that's my commercial, check it out.

A Great Week

2007-01-07T21:37:00.000-06:00

There are some weeks that are spectacular, others that are bad. Then others that are great, but not for any particular reason. That was this week for me.

I was to return to work on Tuesday, after my week long Christmas break (which is a great perk of my job), but my boss called on Tuesday night. Since it was a national day of mourning for Gerald Ford all non-essential government offices were closed. Seeing as I work for a non-essential government office, it was closed. It's so much fun to have an extra day off. This is the second time I've gotten an unexpected day off since starting this job 3 1/2 months ago. I love it!

On Tuesday afternoon we drove visit some really good friends that we worked with a couple of years ago. We had a great dinner catching up and talking about ministry. We also got to see their precious little boy.

This week at work I felt like I was able to make some progress in my position that the VP of my department was happy with. And I'm working on several projects that I really like. I got started on a great creative streak on Friday afternoon and before I knew it it was 4:52. I almost didn't want to go home (that never happens).

Friday it was our life groups turn to clean the church. While this doesn't sound like fun, it only takes about 30 minutes, and it's time to hang out with good friends. We went and ate Mexican food and hung out at Starbucks afterwards. Saturday CDK and I just hung out and watched a movie. Though I did watch the Cowboys lose and that wasn't so fun.

Lastly, today, we had a friend we hadn't seen in two years come into town. We had lunch with him and sat for about two hours talking. So a great week with friends, family, and work, can't beat that!

Oh, the Possibilities

2006-12-30T10:03:00.000-06:00

Don't you just love the approaching of the New Year? It's just so fun to think about a new start, a clean slate. There are thoughts of how you'll live your life better or healthier and things you want to accomplish. I love that the new year feels like a big blank page waiting to be written on. It's the same feeling when you get a new journal or calendar and it's just waiting to be filled.

As I was thinking about that this morning I was reminded that God's grace is the exact same way. His mercies are new every morning and we have a clean slate, amazing. No matter how my day, week, month, or year has been, I wake up every morning in His new mercies. So this year I am going to live that, and be in that promise. Live in His mercies and share them with others.

Fortunately, Fridays Always Come

2006-12-22T08:36:00.000-06:00

I know Friday always gets here eventually, but some weeks it seems like it is an eternity before it arrives. That has been especially true this week, since it's the last week before Christmas, and, since at my wonderful work place, we get the whole week between Christmas and New Year's off. All I can say to that is "Hallelujah"!

But it has been a long haul to get to Friday. Wednesday started the ever-increasing flow of people walking by my office and saying "Merry Christmas. See you next year." They are the lucky ones who are taking extra vacation and adding a little time to their holiday. I, on the other hand, haven't been employed here six months yet, so can't take the vacation time. And today, Friday, I know the office will be very quiet. I've volunteered to help take down the Christmas decorations, so maybe that will waste some time. And there is a rumor that we'll be allowed to leave early anyway, so that would be nice. We made it to Friday.

Fa la la la la, la la la la

2006-12-21T10:51:00.000-06:00

I LOVE Christmas music and I love playing it as often as possible during the Christmas season. There is a station that plays all Christmas music starting after Thanksgiving, so I've been listening to it at work and in the car. And as much as people laugh about Christmas caroling, I'm a dorky person who would actually like to go Christmas caroling.

But this year I've been reminded that there are Christmas songs I don't like. This list might get longer as the day goes on and I hear more songs on the radio.
- The Christmas Shoes
- Santa Baby - especially the version Madonna sings
- The Alvin and Chipmunks Christmas song
- Christmas songs by the Jackson 5
- Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses (added 11:23 am)

This is no reflection on any ones talent, but for some reason these songs, or these artists singing Christmas songs, just don't work for me. On the flip side, my absolute, all-time favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night. It's my favorite and my dads too.

Spell Check and Jesus

2006-12-19T08:05:00.000-06:00

What do they have in common? Not much I guess, unless...

My spell check on Word stopped working on my computer about a month ago, long story short, I've spent a lot of quality time with the IT department lately. An IT employee, Nate, was working diligently on the problem and we spent about an hour on the phone trying to figure it out (BTW - if you have this problem I can help you fix it now :).

At one point Nate said I was the most pleasant client he had helped all day and that most people aren't very patient. I told him I didn't see any reason to get upset, he was trying his hardest and I was grateful for his help.

That evening I was telling my husband (CDK) about the crazy recurring spell check problem and he suggested that a door was opened for me to share my faith because Nate appreciated my patience. I agreed and determined that's what I would do. After all my "banner" lately has been "Live Intentionally", and I knew I would interact with Nate again.
The next day Nate was in my office working on my computer for about an hour, so there was time for conversation. God opened the door for me to share Christ, and I did. From my understanding Nate practices a form of Buddhism, so I constantly emphasized the grace of Christ.
So here are my questions:

Did my spell check break just so I could share with Nate?
Did the IT department ignore my help request for two days just so Nate would be assigned to the problem?
Did God place Nate in the foster home of a Presbyterian missionary as a child 31 years ago to plant a seed in his heart?
Did God place me in this job simply to water that seed?

I don't know the answers to all those questions, but I like to think it's yes. Why? Because our Father cares enough about his children to constantly reveal himself to them. He delicately weaves the whole tapestry of the universe to reveal his glory! (I think that's a Piper quote) Even a broken spell check.

What a mighty God we serve!

Christmas in America

2006-12-10T10:54:00.001-06:00

After spending two years in a country where Christmas isn't celebrated by the majority people (and spending the holiday camping in the desert, by choice), I was looking forward to a Christmas at "home" the way I remember it to be. Well, I quickly realized that while my idea of Christmas at home had stayed the same that wasn't necessarily the way it was going to go. #1 I had to travel an 1 1/2 hours to actually get my Christmas decorations. Why you ask, because most of our stuff is still in storage in the previous town we lived in. Why, you ask again. That leads to difference #2. #2 Our current dwelling is only 650 sq ft. Our previous stateside dwelling was almost 1800 sq. ft., so you can imagine, not everything fits in our new one. And there wasn't much room for the Christmas tree. After deciding I wasn't going to move the breakfast table out of its normal spot, I used a small space beside the entertainment center and sort of smushed it against the wall and entertainment center. It works and it's a tree. And it finally feels like Christmas here in our little bungalow.

The beginning...

2006-12-09T23:12:00.000-06:00

So I decided to take the plunge and join the blogging world. I really wonder why anyone would read anything random I might have to say, but I'm addicted to reading my friends blogs, so maybe you'll become addicted to mine too! Though I love to write and journal, so this seems like a great outlet for me. It seems strange to send an email to everyone I know and say "Hey pay attention to what I have to say", but I guess I'll do that. But I think I'll put up a few interesting posts first.

hayk

My Baby, I mean, Little Girl

A Bad Car Wreck

Switching Sides

Hmmm...

A Great Week

Why Didn't I do this Sooner?

A Christmas Gift

A Plague

Home for Christmas

A Coincidence?

Whoops!

What Shall She Be?

Here's My Cutie

A Little Bit of Irreverence... or Maybe Not

In One Word

Do You Know Anything about Water Polo?

A Long Time Coming

A New Blog

A Really Cute Picture

Pent-Up Consumerism

Seven Years Ago Today...

Father's Day Follies

A New Addition

It's Almost Boring: A Product Review

Opening the Box

WalMart Episode 2: The Way to Save the World

Aren't You Lucky

Giving In

For Sale

Somebody... Anybody?

Young@Heart *Update*

Do We Need a "New Earth"?

I Just Thought That was the Deal of the Century

The Deal of the Century

Four Months = Four Pictures

Conversations in Wal-Mart - Episode 1

A Victim of the Marketing Vortex

Spring has Sprung

Half my Brain

Books on My Shelf

American I-Dull

Current Favorite Recipies

Check Your Lint Trap

Yes, Jesus Loves Me

She's Here

An End Date

Patiently Waiting, for now *Update*

Trick or Treat?

Leave Nothing

A Muslim in Space

Long Awaited

Please, no!

A Little Fun *Update*

Random Facts/Habits - Tag

A Reality Check

The First Ever "hayk" Blog Awards

Two New Books (and a Soap Box)

Not so LAZY Hazy Days of Summer

Prayers for Friends

Witnessing History

The Results

Poll: Pink or Blue?

A Book Recommendation - Though I've Never Read It

It's Been Awhile

OCD Grocery Shopping

Coming Attraction

A Blue Bell Dilemma

Are we more connected?

Work on a Saturday?

We Need Some Help

Chimin' in on the Cheap Dates

A Six-Month Anniversary

Snow Day!

Consider This a Commercial

A Great Week

Oh, the Possibilities

Fortunately, Fridays Always Come

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Spell Check and Jesus

Young@Heart Update

Patiently Waiting, for now Update

A Little Fun Update