made it

Hey babe,

Finally made it to the hotel here in Calgary about an hour ago. It's 6:30 am Glasgow (11:30pm here) and I'm about to go to bed. Longest travel day ever. I feel awful. And I forgot my toiletry bag. Grrrr.....

I will call you when I wake up hopefully.

love,
chica

Crawfish or Cottage Pie?

Well, it's finally happened. Dave has been accepted to a doctoral program. Two actually - University of Glasgow (Scotland) and Louisiana State University.

After two years of nothing but rejection, this third round of applications was much more successful. What does this mean for us? It looks like a move in the fall is imminent. "Where" is the real question. And I'm supposed to be happy, about this, right? Right.

And I am. Sort of. The thing is, I was so ready for this last year. AND the year before. I practically had my bags packed. But Dave didn't get accepted last year or the year before. He got accepted this year.

But this year we have (deeper) roots. We have (more) friends. We became members of our church. We have church friends. We know the good (and bad) places to eat. We know the roads. We have security. And now we have to say goodbye to all of that. It doesn't make me happy. At least not right now. In fact I'd go as far as to say that it makes me sad.

HOWEVER, I have always, ALWAYS promised myself that I would live life to the fullest and never let fear keep me from experiencing something new. I have never wanted to live in the same place for my entire life. And it's a permanent dream of mine to see as much of the world as I can. I will trade comfort for adventure every time. At least that's what I've always said. It looks like it's time to put my money where my mouth is.

Right now we are waiting to hear from both schools about the funding/scholarships, etc. they can offer Dave. We won't make a decision on where to call home until we have that piece of the puzzle.

In many ways this is awesome. I'm riding Dave's coat tails straight to my dreams. It's just that going toward my dreams means going away from the people that I love. It's a hard pill to swallow. I'm starting now so that hopefully by the time moving day arrives I will have already washed it down with a few buckets of tears.

I'll leave you with some Tom Petty lyrics to sum up my thoughts. He always says it better than I can.

It's time to move on, time to get going
What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing
But under my feet, baby grass is growing
It's time to move on, it's time to get going

Death to Misery

I realize I have been off the blogging scene for quite some time, but there's nothing that will break loose an avalanche of words like unanswered questions.  And I have a question.  A few actually.

Why do (some) people feel the need to regularly inform anyone who will listen of the most morbid, depressing, tragic news items that you could possibly imagine?  Actually, I would never even imagine the kind of things I'm talking about.  If I did I'd be writing the script for Saw XIII.  These masters of misery will call you just to ask "Did you hear about that guy who killed his whole family on Thanksgiving?"  Thanks for the update.  I'm just gonna go hang out in the garage.  With the car running. You know, for the tunes.

But seriously.  Am I crazy to be a happy person?  Sometimes I feel like it, as though it would make much more sense to sit in a dimly lit room somewhere and weep while looking at pictures of murder victims and starving children.  Am I heartless or cold for not wanting to know every time another little girl has been decapitated and thrown in a dumpster?  Am I ignorant or uninformed for not reading the kind of nightmarish news stories that keep you up at night and make you not want to take a walk by yourself?

Let me be clear.  I have no desire to pretend that there is not evil in the world.  I do not want to bury my head in the sand, and we should certainly have compassion for people.  But my feeling is that of course  there is evil in the world, but I don't need the details of the latest grizzly crime to know that.  I don't understand how the same people are continually shocked each time they hear a news story about another twisted pedophile trolling playgrounds or a deranged mother abusing her children.

A lot of people like to cite man's capacity to do evil as evidence that there either is no God, or that God simply cannot be good.  I see it as profound evidence of man's need for a Savior.  Jeremiah 17:9 says "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"  We cannot fix ourselves.  We need more than a proper upbringing or self-help books that instruct us on how to reach our "full potential."  Apart from Christ we don't have any potential.  It is only through his death on the cross that we can be free from sin and the utter depravity that is our nature.

I guess I do know the answer to one of my questions.  I am not crazy to be happy, because my hope is in Christ and the knowledge that while I was once completely dead in my sins, by grace I am now alive in Christ.  In James 4, this life is described as "a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes."  Let's use this "little time" sharing the Gospel with spiritually dead men rather than perpetually mourning for physically dead ones.

"I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

'Death is swallowed up in victory.'
'O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?'"

1 Corinthians 15:50-55

Yum

I made this cake recently.  It was a cookies and cream cake.  I was proud.

I Never Knew That About Me

I know I have already written a ton about our trip and I promise this is the last trip-related blog.  But this one might just be the most important of all.  Matter of opinion I guess.

 

Anyway, the trip was valuable to me in so many ways.  Not only because I got to experience the history, culture and way of life in two European cities, but because it taught me some things about myself that I never knew.

 

1.  I am not a city person.

 

I have never considered myself to be metropolitan or anything, but I did think that if necessary I could be content living in a big city.  Now I'm not so sure.  I didn't like the constant roar of traffic and always being surrounded by people.  I got tired of having to navigate the Underground/Metro and squeeze into germ infested subway cars with dozens of strangers and cling onto any bar available to keep from falling into someone's lap.  I didn't like having to wait at crosswalks every two minutes.  I didn't like how the huge buildings blocked out so much of the sky/sunlight in places. There were other things but you get the gist.

 

2.  I am infinitely more impressed with God's creation than man's.

 

We saw some incredible architecture on our trip.  We visited Notre Dame and Westminster Abbey, Versailles and Hampton Court Palace, the Louvre - places that have inspired awe in people for centuries now.  After all that, I don't think those places hold a candle to the stars on clear night, or sunset on the beach, or coral reefs or a misty morning in the Ozarks, or the Buffalo River or mountains or the Northern Lights.  You get the point.  I looked at those cathedrals, and I just kept asking "Why?"  I understand they were built to be so extravagant because church leaders believed that God inhabited the building, so they wanted it to be beautiful.  But I just can't comprehend how anyone can look at creation and still think that they can construct something that is going to impress God, a building that would be worthy for Him to inhabit even if He did live within the church walls (he doesn't).  I mean c'mon.  Be serious.

 

3.  I love my country.

 

This trip made me realize just how much I love America.  I love American culture.  I like the fact that our history involves cowboys and indians, slavery, baseball, the blues, moonshine, disco, etc.  And I don't care that we don't have centuries-old buildings and cathedrals.  I like driving to work as opposed to taking the subway.  I like American people.  I just like it here.

 

 

Ladies and Gentleman, this train is now ready to depart. Stand clear of the doors.

Day 1

We took the chunnel from Paris to London and I had another scare with my train tickets since they were also in my married name meaning that they differed from my passport. Luckily I had no problems. The high speed train went under the English Channel and all of the tunnels on the way were making my ears pop horribly. I was stuck sitting across from an English guy who started snoring about two minutes after he put his sleep mask on and had his legs way over into my space. I finally just kind of kicked him and he startled awake and put his legs where they belonged.

Anyway, when we got to London we hit the ground running. While we were waiting to check into our flat we had lunch at Sorrento. It was this little place recommended to us by Nick, the front desk guy at our apartment building. It was GREAT. The food was super cheap and the homemade spinach and cheese quiche I had knocked my socks off. The lady who ran the place was so friendly and kept calling us all “darling.”

Then we headed to Westminster Abbey and got there just in time to attend the Evensong service. It was interesting and I enjoyed hearing the boys choir sing. Time well-spent in my opinion. We had dinner at The London Pub and all ordered fish and chips. We managed to squeeze in Westminster Abbey and fish and chips in a pub all in our first few hours in London.

Day 2

We took a train to the Cotswolds today since the weather for the rest of the week looked iffy. Part of the movie Stardust was filmed in the Costwolds. Anyway, it rained a little on and off while we were there but it was nothing much. We got off the train in Moreton-in-Marsh and walked around there for a while and then headed to another Cotswold village called Bourton-on-the-Water, which I thought was prettier. They both had lots of interesting shops and we had lunch at a traditional pub called The Black Bear. They had a fire going and it was fun to listen to the locals talk. One guy was saying how he had to fire a girl because she’d been e-mailing her boyfriend all day. It was comical. Tomorrow it’s supposed to rain a lot so we’re planning to visit The British Museum.

Overall London has not been quite as interesting as Paris because it is much more modern than Paris since much of it was destroyed in WWII. The attractions are much more spread out here so it’s not as walkable as Paris either, but we are still having a fantastic time.

Day 3

Today we went to The British Museum. It was much more enjoyable for me than the Louvre because everything was in English, and it was FREE. Can’t beat that. The highlight for me was listening to a talk by one of the museum staff about the pictures in the portrait gallery there. I also found the mummy section really interesting. After that we had lunch again at Sorrento and it was delicious once again. Then we walked to Oxford Street and went into some of the shops there. Dave wanted to go back to some of the shops around The British Museum so we did that. I went into the museum to use the bathroom and ended up getting a really cool necklace from one of the shops there. The design was moulded from some Byzantine earrings from 600 A.D.

Anyway, then it was off to the grocery store to shop for dinner. We ended up having Cumberland sausage with mashed potatoes and crumptets with clotted cream and jam for dessert. I have decided I am a fan of crumpets. You should try them. They’re sort of like English muffins only more spongy, so jam, honey, etc…soaks all through them. Yum.

Day 4

We tackled the Tower of London today. It was pretty cool. I think my favorite part was seeing all of the graffiti that prisoners had cared into the walls while they were held there, many of whom were tortured and eventually executed. The crown jewels are also housed at the Tower and we got to see them, which was quite interesting. It was packed with school kids though, which did take away from the atmosphere. Dave felt like many of the displays were hokey, but they did bother me as much as the drovers of elementary-schoolers. Even so, it was definitely worth visiting.

When we finished at the Tower we made our way to St. Paul’s Cathedral and were disappointed to learn that we had to pay to get in. So, we had to be satisfied with what we could glimpse from the lobby. We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around and visited some shops. Then we went back to the flat to regroup and figure out where to go for dinner. We finally decided on a pub called The Plough that was supposed to be good but when we got there it was packed so we started looking for somewhere else. After a good bit of walking we ended up back at The London Pub (where we had dinner our first night in London). At first we were a little disheartened to be there again, but the fried chicken sandwiches we got tasted amazing.


Day 5

Today we started with The National Gallery then had lunch at a pub called The Shades. It left a lot to be desired. The waitress was Russian (we think) and didn’t communicate well and the food was sub par. On our way there we ran into this big march going on that had to do with the G20 Economic Summit that is about to take place in London.

After lunch we went to the National Portrait Gallery. My favorite part was seeing all of the original paintings of the Tudors. It was raining outside when we got done there so we decided to pop into the Portrait Café for some tea/coffee and scones. I really enjoyed that. I think tea might become a part of my daily routine when we get back. We’ll see. We left there and it had stopped raining so we started making our way to St. James Park. That was where a hungry squirrel actually started climbing u my leg thinking I had food in my hand. I was a little freaked out at first but then wanted to get a picture of it but it didn’t work out. That was cool. Then it started hailing/raining on us. Luckily that was short-lived. We decided that it might be worth making a trip to Harrod’s since the weather was less than favorable. I am so glad we did. I now know why it is “the world’s most famous department store.” It far exceeded my expectations. I have never seen so many of the finer things in life in one place. It was really fascinating. There was no limit to what could be purchased here. Ask me and I’ll tell you more about it. We did end up buying some bread, cheese, and pasta sauce from the Harrod’s food hall and had a nice spaghetti dinner at the flat. Tomorrow it’s Hampton Court Palace. Hopefully the weather will be a little better!

Day 6

We started out today thinking that we were going to Hampton Court Palace, but after buying our train tickets from one of the self-service ticket machines we were told that there were no direct trains going to Hampton Court that day because of engineering work. So, we got a refund for the tickets and took the Underground to Hampstead, a suburb of London. It was a really pretty place and we got to walk around for a bit in Hampstead Heath, a huge sort of park/nature area there.

We had lunch there a visited a few shops. Then we hopped back on the tube to London and shopped for our dinner. I guess supper of pesto pork chops didn’t quite satisfy us because after about an hour we were determined to go and find dessert somewhere. We managed to find a place nearby called Patisserie Valerie where Dave and Will scored some ice cream and I got a big slice of double chocolate cake, which I now wish I hadn’t eaten because I feel disgusting. Oh, and before we went shopping we went back to The British Museum because there were a few more rooms will wanted to see. We got to see the Rosetta Stone. It was much bigger than I expected it to be.

Anyway, tomorrow we’re going to try for Hampton Court Palace again. I can’t believe tomorrow is our last full day here. It’s pretty sad really, although I am looking forward to seeing Pip. And it’s probably best that I stop being a complete glutton sometime in the near future.

Day 7

Today was our last full day in London. Our flight leaves from Heathrow tomorrow at 12:20 p.m.

We went to Hampton Court Palace today and it was really enjoyable. The weather was good, it wasn’t crowded and the gardens were magical. I could have wandered around in those gardens for days. We brought sandwiches along for lunch and ate them on a bench amongst a tone of daffodils and flowering trees.

It was really fascinating to walk the same halls as the Tudors and so many other English monarchs. I got a picture with Henry VIII that I will treasure. ☺

We got back to London around 5 p.m. and wanted to make the most of the time we had left so we walked around the Covent Garden and Soho neighborhoods. It was really lively and very pedestrian friendly. It’s the only area I’ve seen here that remotely reminds me of Paris. We eventually stopped for dinner at a “ristorante Italiano” called Piccolo Diavolo. It was excellent and the wait staff were actually Italian and super friendly. I had mushroom risotto and Dave got a lamb streak. Will went for chicken cordon bleu. It was all very good and the tiramisu I got for dessert was the best I’ve ever had. Overall it was a great experience and a fun way to spend our last evening in London.

Now we’re all back at the flat packing. I am sad that the trip is ending, but it has to of course. It will be nice to get back to friends, family, Pip, and spring weather in Fayetteville. I am already thinking about our next adventure – hopefully to South America or British Columbia.

Je ne comprend pas.

     After spending around 30 hours in airports or on planes, we finally emerged from a metro station and surfaced in Paris. It was no fun at all dragging my huge suitcase through the metro.  Anyway, we had a little trouble finding our apartment, but some kind French ladies let me use their cell phone and we got there without much difficulty after that. It was in a fifteenth century building that I understand used to be a brothel. The stairs were extremely steep and narrow and the place was tiny, but it was home in Paris and we came to really like it. It was within walking distance of nearly all of the major attractions in a really colorful pedestrian neighborhood called Le Quartier Montorgueil.

 

     Here's the breakdown of our time in Paris.  I'm just going to copy what I wrote in my travel journal.

 

Day 1

 

     Today we visited the Louvre and Notre Dame. The Louvre was enormous and overwhelming. Most of the signs explaining what each item was were in French, which was frustrating. It's hard to be interested in something when you don't know what you're looking at.  I did get to see the Mona Lisa.  I also found the part of the Louvre where you can walk around in what used to be the moat and see the palace's original foundations quite interesting.Dave and Will were like kids in a candy store.  My favorite part of the Louvre came right after we left and I bought a "pain chocolate" and ate it in the Tuileries Gardens outside. 

 

     Notre Dame was amazing, but I think I liked St. Eustache even more.  St. Eustache is a cathedral really close to our apartment that we wandered into yesterday after getting settled in at our apartment.  The ceiling seemed higher, the carving more intricate and the organ bigger. While we were there I got scolded by a French man for looking through a prayer book that I thought was a guest book. All of the writing was in French! I didn't know.

 

     After Notre Dame we headed back to our neighborhood and shopped for our dinner. Most everything in the markets here is sold in very small quantities because people here shop for their dinner every day. Well, time to eat!

 

Day 2

 

     Today we visited Versailles. My favorite parts were the Hall of Mirrors, the Royal Chapel, and the gardens. Marie Antoinette's apartments were also interesting. The food in Paris is amazing. There are patisseries with the most delectable pastries around every corner and the bread is second to none.  Interestingly, people here really do walk around just munching on big, long baguettes.  Will and I are determined to get crepes from one of the crepe stands. They look heavenly. Paris is much different than Edinburgh or any other city I've visited. It is more work to communicate and frustrating at times, but it is a truly amazing city.  I've gotten pretty good at saying "Je ne parle pas Francais" (I don't speak French), "Je ne comprend pas" (I don't understand) and "Parlez vous anglais?" (Do you speak English?).  It is hard to be somewhere that we are so obviously out of place, but I think it's good for us.

 

Day 3

 

     Today we started out visiting the Musée Carnavalet, a museum about the history of Paris. It was something Will wanted to do. I was pretty bored there, but that's ok. Then we wandered around for a long time trying to find lunch. We ended up buying some pork chops from a market we passed and sat on a bench and ate them. After that we headed to the Ile St. Louis and walked around.  Dave and Will got some ice cream from Berthillon while we were there. 

 

     We finally made it to the Eiffel Tower this evening. It really was beautiful. I didn't really expect it to be that impressive, but I was kind of enchanted by it.  Maybe it was just because it meant, "Wow. I am in Paris eating a crepe and gazing at the Eiffel Tower." It was also great for people watching.  We ate hot dogs on the Champs de Mars and waited for the Tower to light up.  Not just any hot dogs either.  These had baguettes for buns and cheese melted all over them.  I also finally got a chocolate crepe, which was as tasty as it looked.

 

     One thing I have learned quickly is that it is all go all the time on the streets of Paris. Even if you don't know what you're doing you learn to walk fast and act like you do.

 

Day 4

 

     Today we took the 9:45 a.m. train to Provins (that we nearly missed). It was a really fun day. The town, located about an hour outside Paris, was very medieval.  We climbed on top of the ramparts that used to surround the city. We also visited the Tour Caesar which used to be the home of the Counts of Champagne. It was scary how narrow some of the staircases were. Definitely not somewhere I would recommend to claustrophobics.  Oh! And I accidentally jumped out and scared someone while we were in the Tour Caesar thinking that it was Dave and Will. Luckily she laughed about it. We had a hearty lunch of "saucisses frites" (sausages and french fries) with English mustard, which about killed us.  That stuff is strong, and I mean strong.  It was a great day and a welcome break from the constant hustle and bustle of Paris.

 

Day 5

 

     Today was our last full day in Paris. We take the train to London tomorrow. We started the day by going back to St. Eustache because we hadn't gotten any pictures of it yet. We also decided that we should go see the Arc De Triomphe so we headed in that direction on foot. We walked for a LONG time to get to it - much longer than Dave had guesstimated. Luckily Dave and Will were both very impressed with it and kept saying how "epic" it was.  I got a "crêpe sucrée" (sugar crêpe) on the way so I was satisfied. We also visited the Forum Les Halles today. I think it's supposed to be France's largest mall. We spent a little time poking around in souvenir shops on the way to the Arc. We ended the day by going to a historic restaurant called Chartier. It was a great experience. The restaurant was in a beautiful old room that reminded me of the inside of the Titanic and the food was good, simple, and reasonably priced. And the waiter was really nice and helped us translate the menu. Chartier was definitely our style and it was the perfect way to wrap up our time in the City of Light.

 

     Paris was an incredible city.  Just to walk around was fascinating, but I have never been anywhere that made me feel so frumpy and uncool.  The people there are so fashionable and very few of the women are overweight.  I did notice a lot more bad breath and body odor than I am accustomed to, however, and smoking is apparently still hip in Paris because we saw a lot of it.  Anyway, tomorrow it's on to London!

 

 

   

A Frightening Episode

Hello all. This is an introduction to the extensive blog that will follow with all the details (okay not all, but many) of our trip to Europe.

 

Let us start from the beginning. A day and half before we were supposed to leave I made a terrible discovery. After months of planning, I got my passport out only to realize that I had never changed my name on my passport to my married name. It still read "Amanda Levesque," and I had purchased our plane tickets as Amanda Parrish. I wasn't too worried initially. I was optimistic that it would just take a few phone calls and it would all work out. Well, I spent part of one evening and literally all of the following day on the phone with Orbitz, United Airlines and Lufthansa trying to get it corrected and the answer was no, no, and an emphatic "NO." Orbitz has made me hate "Canon in D" (their hold music) more than I ever thought possible.

 

When Dave's mom picked us up to bring us to the airport I still didn't know if they would let me board the plane. I explained the situation the lady at the United Airlines desk and she then asked if I had my marriage certificate. I did, and produced it. She said it wasn't sufficient because it wasn't stamped or didn't have some kind of raised seal on it. It's the only thing I was given when we were married, so I was distraught. She said that I had to call Lufthansa, and given my success rate the previous day I was no longer hopeful. I called and they said no yet again. The United Airlines agent then asked if I had my driver's license in my married name, which I did. Apparently that was the ticket and she printed my boarding passes out. I was thrilled.

 

So there were were, sitting at our gate waiting to board and about ten minutes before we're supposed to get on the plane, here comes that same United Airlines agent and asks "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?" My heart sank. She said she called her boss to double check if what she's done was ok, and that I would make it to Chicago, but they definitely wouldn't let me board the flight to Paris. She said I had a few options. 1) Stay in Fayetteville and get my passport amended and take a flight to Paris the next day. 2) Fly to Chicago and take a cab to the embassy there during our layover and get my passport updated, or 3) Fly to Chicago and check with the Lufthansa desk there to see if they would make the name change.

 

I opted for number 3 with plans to go to the embassy if Lufthansa wouldn't help me. We had to run to make it onto our plane to Chicago. We got to O'hare and made the long trek to the Lufthansa ticket counter. It was there that a wonderful German man charged me $50 and changed the name on my plane tickets back to my maiden name so they matched my passport. And then we rejoiced. We had a celebratory bite to eat (even though I couldn't really eat anything because I was still so stressed) and found our gate and waited. We were going to Paris!

In Case You're Wondering

Ok, so you're probably not wondering (what I've been up to that is) but I hadn't posted a blog in so long that I thought I'd better let my handful of readers know that I'm still alive and all. 

 

Most of the reason that I haven't posted in so long is that nothing has struck me as significant enough to write about in awhile.  Yes, I realize that many blogs are dedicated entirely to making little things seem more important than they are.  Nevertheless, I am just going to write a general update and hope that it's at least somewhat interesting.

 

I never could get into the Christmas spirit this year, but the holidays were still enjoyable.  We spent Christmas with my family in New Haven, Mo. We got to spend a lot of time with my niece, Valerie.  She's just over a year old and getting to be a lot of fun.  We really enjoyed that since we don't get to see her or my brother very often.  We rang in the New Year with Dave's family here in Arkansas.  It was anticlimactic as I suspected it would be, but New Year's always is (my opinion).  There were games and lots of tasty snacks, however.  Those were definite highlights.  All in all I am glad to be back to my old routine.  It's cheaper and less hectic, if not always as exciting.

 

Dave and I have been spending a lot of time anticipating things to come.  We are just over two months away from our trip to Europe and it is finally starting to feel real.  We will be staying six nights in Paris and seven nights in London.  We are trying to nail down a rough itinerary and figure out where we should go on our day trip/trips from London.  There are so many places to choose from and no way to tell for sure which ones we would enjoy the most.  We are open to suggestions.  I have been acquiring lots of travel gear (waterproof jacket, rain boots, etc.) that may or may not be necessary.  Meanwhile, Will and Dave have been scoffing at my preparations.  We'll see who's scoffing when I'm warm and dry and they're cold and wet.  As much as I am looking forward to the trip, I am also somewhat dreading it.  Crazy, right?  I am mainly just dreading the grueling travel (seven hour layover in Chicago followed by an overnight flight), flying (it freaks me right out, especially landing) and being away from Pip for two weeks.  I know, I know...but I love that little guy, and two weeks is a long time.  I know I'll worry about him even though I have no reason too.  We have a good friend who I know will take extra special care of him.

 

We are also both very anxious to find out if and where Dave has been accepted to school to pursue his doctoral work.  He has applied to the University of Kansas, Brown University, University of Texas at Austin, Ohio State University and the University of Alabama - meaning that we could be moving to any one of those places (Kansas, Rhode Island, Texas, Ohio, Alabama) within the next few months depending on where he gets accepted.  He will probably start getting acceptance/rejection letters in early to mid March.  We're equally scared and excited about the prospect of moving to a new place.  Anyone who has moved understands that I'm sure.  So, yeah, March is a big month for us - a trip to Europe and mail that will determine our next step in life.  We are trusting the Lord and we know that he has a plan, but waiting to find out what that plan entails is tough. 

 

Those are the more significant things on our plate right now.  Other than that, we've just been working (Dave is teaching part-time for the University of Phoenix), hanging out with friends, family, and our dog, reading, cooking, going to church, conducting some delicious experiments with our newly acquired bread machine, playing BF2 (Dave) and watching reality TV (me).  You know, business as usual at the Parrish residence.

 

I think I have covered everything worth mentioning.  Adios for now.  Or I suppose "au revoir" is more appropriate.

 

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

I have embarked on a few new endeavors as of late.  Some of which have been successful - others haven't.  You can probably guess which are which by looking at the pictures.

 

New Haircut

 

I am calling it a success, but I guess that's a matter of opinion.  It had been a long time coming.  I needed a change and "Jacque" gave me that change.  Sure he smelled like cigarette smoke, had bad breath, and was an ultimate queen, but I left Salon Professionals not wanting to put a bag over my head (and $40 poorer).  That's all you can ask for.

 

Dwarf Japanese Holly Bonsai

 

This also goes into the success category, because it has made an interesting centerpiece for our coffee table, and that was my main goal.  I've been looking at all these books on bonsai and still have no idea what to do to the litte guy other than water it, so hopefully that's enough.

 

Oatmeal Cookies

 

Not a success.  I have no idea what happened.  I just followed the recipe, which usually produces fairly good results in my experience, and then this happened.  They don't taste that bad believe it or not, but I have a feeling they're not going to get eaten.  1)  Because we bought this cool cookie sampler from Aldi the other day that has tons of cookies.  2)  Because there are a ton of oatmeal cookies.  3)  Because they're too ugly to bring to work and pretend that I'm treating everyone.

 

So, as far as new endeavors go, I'm two for three.  I can live with that.

 

The Good Life

Recently, Dave and I had the good fortune to spend a day with our friend Ryan Siebert.  He invited us out to his homestead in Protem, Mo. and treated us to a day on the lake in his family's ski boat.  And what a pretty boat it was. 

 

We got to eat lunch (turkey sandwiches, Sun Chips, cookies and grapes) on the water and just talk about life.  In my humble opinion, there are few sensations that compete with cruising on the water on a beautiful day with the wind blowing through your hair.  And in this case, Kylie Minogue was playing in the background (thanks Ryan).

 

Another highlight of the day was getting to meet Molly, the Siebert family's Golden Retriever.  She was so sweet and cute and cuddly.  She made me think that someday I'll have a Molly of my own. 

 

As if the day wasn't good enough, we got to go back to Branson that evening and hang out with the Wyatts, two people I wouldn't trade for the world.

 

For me, friends, the outdoors and good food add up to equal the good life.  I got to live the good life this past weekend.

This isn't a political blog but...

I am not usually one to begin a discussion on politics, but I feel more strongly than usual about the importance of this election year and what it will mean for our country.  I hope you will take the time to read the excerpts below taken from Dr. James Dobson's (founder of Focus on the Family) October newsletter as you consider who to vote for on November 4.  Here are a few sections of the letter that I felt were most important/compelling: 

• Let's start with the need to elect a pro-family, pro-life President. The importance of this objective cannot be overstated. Between 2009 and 2012, there will likely be two or more opportunities for the President to nominate new justices to the Supreme Court. Some court watchers say there could be as many as four resignations. That alone should give us serious pause as we consider for whom to cast our votes. It will likely affect the definition of marriage, religious freedom, and the protection (or lack thereof) of life in the womb.

 

• Senator Obama's record is more liberal than that of any other Democrat in the Senate. For example, when he was a state senator in Illinois, he voted four times in three years against legislation that would have saved the lives of babies that managed to survive the abortion process. The U.S. Senate subsequently passed similar legislation called The Born-Alive Infant Protection Act by unanimous consent.6 (Obama was not a U.S. Senator at the time.) State Senator Obama was chairman of the committee that opposed this protection of babies, and in 2001 and 2002 was the only legislator who rose to argue against the Illinois Born Alive Act. To further underscore Senator Obama's radical devotion to abortion rights, he has promised that "the first thing I'd do as president" would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act. The FOCA is a devastating piece of legislation that would overturn nearly every local, state, and federal anti-abortion law passed in the last 40 years.  In fact, it's so broadly written that legal analysts suggest the bill may prevent institutions and physicians from refusing to provide abortion services by invoking the conscience clause.

 

• As for Governor Palin's qualifications to be Vice President of the United States and to assume the mantle of President, should that ever become necessary, she is much better suited for the job than the talking heads on the liberal Left would have you believe. She came out of nowhere to win the Alaskan gubernatorial race against a powerful incumbent. While in office, she bravely fought widespread corruption—including that within her own party—in the face of great opposition. Govenor Palin's critics suggest that her experience as mayor of a "small town" is somehow a liability, but it is an asset. In fact, her time as Mayor of Wasilla and then as Governor of Alaska gives her a greater degree of executive experience than Senator Barack Obama can claim. Her qualifications to be Vice President, I would submit, exceed those of Senator Barack Obama, who spent only 143 working days in the U.S. Senate prior to announcing his run for President.

  He authored no significant legislation during that time.

• Senator Obama's selection of fellow liberal Democrat Joseph Biden (Del.) is also extremely revealing. While the National Journal ranked Obama the most liberal Senator last year, Senator Biden was ranked 3rd on their list—just ahead of Vermont's Bernie Sanders, a self-avowed socialist.15 While the Senator of 36 years from Delaware stands in blatant opposition to the pro-family movement, many of you will remember him from his vociferous opposition to several of our finer Supreme Court justices, namely, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Alito and Thomas.

• It is likely, say the pundits, that both the House and the Senate in the 111th Congress will still be controlled by Democrats. If that party also takes the White House, a wave of anti-family, pro-homosexual legislation is almost guaranteed to pass in 2009. The bills put forward and advanced this year by Democrats reveal where they want to take the country. For example, they inserted hate crimes language into the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill, but were forced to remove it in conference, again under the threat of veto.

  While in the Illinois Senate, Senator Obama voted for a bill authorizing "comprehensive" sex education beginning in kindergarten. 

  Large portions of the agenda promoted by homosexual activists will also be enacted. The implications for a federal hate crimes law are clear. People speaking against homosexuality have already been prosecuted under hate crimes laws both in the United States and abroad. If a federal hate crimes law passes, there will be little to prevent the government from endeavoring to control and curtail religious speech, especially from the pulpit. It is entirely possible that a pastor could be charged with inducing a federal hate crime simply by preaching from one of the many biblical passages that address homosexuality.

• Congressional Democrats will also seek to pass the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, meaning businesses will be forced to accept and condone homosexuality —and possibly transgenderism—in making employment decisions. Further, business owners, including religious businesses, will not be able to make hiring and firing decisions based on their religious convictions. Earlier this year, Senator Barack Obama said, "I will place the weight of my administration behind the enactment of the Matthew Shepherd Act to outlaw hate crimes and a fully inclusive Employment Nondiscrimination Act."

 

Also, I know that Obama's claim that "95% of Americans will recieve tax cuts" if he is elected sounds very appealing since pretty much everyone reading this blog is probably making less than 200K per year, which means we would qualify for those cuts.  In addition, on the surface "universal healthcare" has a nice ring to it, but before you jump on the Obama bandwagon, please read this very informative article by Ken Blackwell (no, it's not from a conservative website).

 

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/obamas_patriotic_tonic.html

 

I am not trying to be annoying or preachy.  I just want to encourage everyone to be well-informed voters and to prayerfully consider your choice.  Whatever decision we make is going to determine the kind of country our children and grandchildren are raised in.  Obviously, no candidate is perfect, but I really believe that there is a lot at stake this election.  Read up and and don't take your decision lightly. 

 

 

Apartment life, or lack thereof

What were you doing this morning at 1:30 a.m.? I hope sleeping or doing something that you enjoy. I, on the other hand, was lying awake listening to what sounded like monkeys playing tackle football above me. Finally, after I had been laying there for an hour and half attempting to sleep while the thudding and booming above me continued, I decided to go up and ask nicely for them to quiet down. When I made it up the stairs, my trashy neighbor who is always cussing at her preschool-aged children (Example: Put down your f*!*&%$G baby doll!) was sitting outside with yet another random man (there's been several in the last few months). Here is the conversation that followed:

Me: Do you think you could tell your kids to quiet down a little? I've been trying to sleep for an hour and half.

Trashy lady: They're three years old (spoken in a hostile and sarcastic tone, which she maintained throughout this conversation)

Me: So because you have kids I have to stay up all night?

TL: That's what happens when you life in an apartment. Deal with it.

Me: Yes, we do live in an apartment. That's why you're supposed to be considerate of other people around you.

TL: They're three years old. It was his birthday. They had cake.

Me: Can't you tell them to just quiet down a little?

TL: It's the weekend. Do you have to get up and go to work in the morning?

Me: No, but my husband has to get up for a painting job and I'm going to be getting up with him.

TL: Well then you can go back to sleep when he leaves.

Me: It's 1:30 in the morning!

TL: Turn on a fan. Drown it out.

Me: We have the fan on.

TL: Then turn on some music.

Me: Music keeps me awake.

TL: There's 24 hours in a day. Find time to sleep. And if I'm not mistaken you're dog was out here a little while ago making noise (I guess his tags jingling qualified as noise) and I didn't complain about that

Me: *confused look on face: So you're comparing my dog being outside for 30 seconds to go pee to your kids jumping around for the last hour and half? My dog isn't keeping you up at night.

TL: I didn't say your dog was keeping me up at night

Me: *more confused: This is only the second time since you've lived her that I've ever complained about the noise (they've lived her for several months and are very noisy a lot)

TL: Yeah, you don't complain about the people next door playing their guitars!

Me: They're not out doing it at 1:30 in the morning!

TL: They're three years old. They knew we had kids when they moved us in up here.

Me: Fine. You can tell the police that.

TL: Fine!

Of course when I got back into my apartment I was seething. I didn't end up calling the police because I figured then I would have had to talk to them and I would have been kept up even later, but I might as well have because it took me an hour to calm down.

I told the management about this morning and they just said "We can't do anything unless you tell us when it's happening." I didn't know I had the option of telling them at 1:30 a.m., but apparently there's a number I could have called.

After my police calling threat of course they quieted down up there. I am just appalled that someone could be that dumb, rude, trashy, inconsiderate, hostile and downright mean. The second she saw me she was ready to fight. There was no apologetic tone, no attempt to even pretend that she cared. It was like talking to an angry brick wall with lower than average intelligence. Amazing.

I know who to call next time, but with people like her I'll probably end up with slashed tires or a keyed car once I put my money where my mouth is.

Recent Developments (in a nutshell)

Ok, so I haven't been blogging for a while because nothing worth writing about was happening, and then some stuff happened and I got distracted by the previously mentioned stuff and wasn't thinking about blogging. So, here are a few of the more significant or at least semi-interesting things that have taken place in the last several weeks.

1) I discovered an online design school that tickled my fancy (www.sessions.edu). I am enrolled in a class there now and plan to enroll in the graphic design program within the next few weeks. My concentrations will be print design and web design.

2) I am going to get a MacBook Pro and Adobe CS3! Woo hoo! The process has been complicated. After nearly getting scammed trying to get a MacBook on Craigslist, and then nearly getting scammed trying to get one on Ebay, I ordered one from a legitimate site, then my mom offered to pay for better one, so I cancelled the first order, became obsessed with placing the order for newer MacBook and am currently driving myself nuts while waiting for the green light to place the new order. I am also quite excited about the free iPod touch I will receive when I order my Mac. Words really don't exist to describe the level of anticipation and excitement I have about the whole Mac/design school happenings. It has been amazing how the Lord has answered my prayers on this subject. I have been overwhelmed by the generosity and support that I've experienced since I started seriously pursuing a career in design.

3) Some guy asked me out at the library, and when I responded nicely that I didn't think my husband would like that, he responded "Well he wouldn't have to know about it." I wasn't nice anymore. Creep.

4) I stepped in gum on the way into the library today. It was bright red. I'm thinking Bubblelicious-Strawberry Splash.

5) A bunch of peach juice leaked out of the tupperware I had the peaches in and into the passenger seat of my car, and now there's a big, dark sticky spot there and I'm dreading the day when someone actually needs to sit there.

6) We have been formulating a plan for a trip to Europe in March. We are planning to spend about a week in Paris and then a week in London. So I have also been flirting with insanity trying to find cheap lodging and cheap plane tickets for that pending adventure.

7) Dave has continued his training to teach at the University of Phoenix and has gotten an offer to teach his first class, U.S. Constitution, in October. Hooray!

Ok, I think that's everything worth mentioning. Until next time!

My Top Ten Simple Pleasures

In no particular order...

 

1.  Seeing the sunrise every morning when I walk my dog

 

2.  Getting swept up in an amazing book

 

3.  Stretching (it feels so good at the end of a long day)

 

4.  Listening to classical music at my desk on dreary mornings

 

5.  Cooking great food with my husband

 

6.  Lying out in the sun, especially if there's a nice breeze

 

7.  Spending a day alone doing domestic things and watching one of my favorite movies 

 

8.  Escaping to the library on my lunch break to read or surf the net

 

9.  Cheering on my favorite reality show contestants

 

10. Anticipating future adventures (trips, moves, etc.)

The Invention of Respect

"Respect was invented to cover up the place where love should be."

So says the bewitching, sinful and beautiful Anna Karenina. When I first read this quote on page 685 of my massive copy of the story, the insensitive, free-thinking, sometimes irrational part of me gave a hearty, mental "Amen!" Then the subdued, responsible, spite-fighting side of me said "Wait! That's not right..."

After a day to think more about it, I've decided that I agree with that debatable statement more than I disagree. Mainly because I feel that if there is love, or even a semi-signifcant like involved in a relationship of any kind, then respect should be clanking around somewhere among all those kind and endearing things that come along with the "L" word, like patience, forgiveness, etc.

Respect does always seem to be that opinion stifling, self-control using, fun-killing thing that is called into action when you happen upon someone who is genuinely unlikeable, despicable even, but who is genuinely your superior in some professional, societal or familial way. We've all heard it, "You don't have to like me, but you will respect me."

Oh yes, respect is there in our enjoyable relationships too, but we don't have to drag it into our mannerisms and conversations, prying its fingers off of door jams along the way. It's there because it wants to be there, because those people actually deserve it.

When Anna Karenina made this statement she was harboring fears that her lover was no longer under her spell and that he would leave her alone in the world as a ruined woman. Perhaps it was just a fleeting, irrational thought of a wildly jealous, fictional heroine. I see truth in it anyway.

Some Blogtastic Thoughts on Marriage

Today is our two year anniversary, and despite the fact that Dave has been mocking me for even having a blog by making up words like "bloggeriffic" and "blogtastic," I can honestly say that I am as happy as I was when we were in the blissful dating stage and we could do no wrong - spending way too much time in the car, freezing to death while we talked outside our dorms, and dodging C of O security (maybe it wasn't that blissful :).

 

Dave and I have both made it clear to one another on numerous occasions since that picture-perfect May day two years ago that we are both capable of doing wrong.  But I feel like we've also made it clear that it doesn't matter - that when we said "for better or worse," we really meant it.  Honestly, I don't think we've even tasted "worse" yet, but we're in it for the long haul just the same.

 

Before we got married, so many people told us "The first year is the hardest...If you can survive the first year then you'll be fine."  Dave and I didn't merely survive the first year - we loved it.  The second year was a piece of cake, and I can't wait to see what year three has in store for us.  So for anyone out there who is afraid of marriage just because of what it represents, a lifelong commitment, don't be.  If you are with the right person, nothing beats getting to spend every day with them. 

Backyard Beauty

This past weekend, Dave and I went to see Prince Caspian. I was really needing a little willing suspension of disbelief, so I enjoyed it thoroughly. Although, the sweeping camera shots of all those breathtaking landscapes made me sincerely wish I could visit Narnia, even if it isn't what it used to be.

After the credits started rolling and I realized that Narnia wasn't a real place, it made me sincerely wish I could visit wherever the movie was filmed. When I realized that probably wouldn't happen in the near future, my heart actually started to hurt. Not just because I wouldn't be able to visit the "set" of Prince Caspian, but at the thought that I might not get to travel extensively. I have such a strong desire to see as much of the world as possible because for me, it is one of the most awesome displays of God's majesty, and I wan't to see all of it I can.

The next day, Dave and I visited Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park. We had been there once before, and I remembered it being pretty, but this time it was beautiful. I was actually overwhelmed with how beautiful and lush it was, and how the air smelled like honeysuckle. At that moment, it occured to me that I'm not sure my senses could have been more pleased by any place than they were right then, as I watched the wind make waves in the tall grass.

So I guess I'm saying that sometimes intense beauty is right in your backyard and you might not even realize it. I still plan to travel the world and the seven seas, but every time I consider the possibility that my plans might not pan out, I'll try to remember that day we spent in the tall grass just 20 minutes from home.

7 Comments on the "Comment"

Hello Readers,

 

The writer of the lengthy comment (that was pretty vain and guilty wasn't it?) on my "Clarification" blog chose to insult me in a personal way because they disagreed with my philosophy on work and life. Despite the temptation of posting the stellar rebuttal that I have penned, I have chosen to send that directly and privately to the commenter to spare them the embarassment that they tried to bestow upon me. 

 

However, I will make a few general statements that sum up my feelings on the above referenced comment.

 

1)  This blog was not meant for anyone specific

 

2)  Just because I don't work too much doesn't mean I can't express my opinion on people who do (if you disagree, maybe you're a fascist)

 

3)  No, it is not "necessary" to spend all of my free time with my spouse. I just want to.

 

4)  Working 40 hours a week does not make my job more important than God or Dave.  In fact, it's an important way of serving them both (see Proverbs 31:10-12, Proverbs 21:25).

 

5)  I do enjoy material blessings.  I admit it openly.  I simply will not sacrifice my home life to get them.  (see Matthew 6:19-20)

 

6)  It's obvious that this blog was upsetting to the commenter.  I think that person should consider why, since it honestly was not targeted at them.

 

7)  This blog was not created to be a debate forum, and I look forward to writing about a totally new topic very soon.  Keep checking back!

 

 

Clarification

Hello all.  It seems that my previous post has offended some who feel their overtime is worthwhile.  Perhaps I should have been more specific about my commitment to work vs. family.

 

Occasionally going the extra mile to do your job well and help out your company or co-workers is not what I was referring to in my address to "folks."  I am referring to those who consistently stay late in an effort to gain more money or more power or more of something else that doesn't matter at their family's expense. 

 

I hope that my stance on that matter is a little clearer now.

 

Ta ta