Of Love and Valentines

According to ancient legend, once upon a time, there was family. And this family, well, they had two rather noisy children, but they kind of wanted some more. So they had a baby. She started out as a rather squally, red-faced baby, but over time, she grew more and more beautiful, and more and more sweet and virtuous, and they came to love her with greater ardor each passing year.
Anyway, as history would have it, she grew up, she met some amazing people, and she moved over to Romania (or Urania, to some) to live with the Europeans for a year. But her family and her incredible friends from back in the States still miss her.

So, as a token of love and affection, several of these sweet little friends made a couple of super cute Valentine's cookies for her. Only problem being that the fair made was stuck in Europe, and the cookies were stuck in the United States. So...rather than sending a package, her family took a picture of these aforementioned lovely cookies, and one known as the older sister is now posting them for the benefit of a certain fair maiden, in hopes that she might view this photograph and know how deeply she is missed and how much she is loved:



Happy Valentine's Day (slightly belated), Michelle! We love you!

~Thea, on behalf of Kaitlyn, LaReina, Queena, and Jade

On Living In Obscure Places...

"I'm from Wisconsin."

I used to be able to say that, and people at least knew that it was one of those little-known states in the Midwest. And though I'm not much of a spectator sports fan, it is rather handy to be able to say the three magic words "Green Bay Packers" and make an instant friend. And then I moved across the pond.

People noted my strange accent and asked where I was from.

"Wisconsin."

"Wi-what?"

...

"Um, the United States."

"Oh really! Where in the United States?"

"Wisconsin."

*blank stare*

"It's, uh, in the middle. Near the top. Ever heard of Canada? Yeah, it's not too far away. Relatively speaking, you know."

That was at the beginning. Now I've got it figured out. I just say I'm from the US. If they ask further questions, I use the whole "Imagine my hand is the United States" trick…and I've figured out some other helpful triggers--"5 hours from Chicago. 4 hours from Minneapolis. Ever heard of Lake Michigan?"

It goes both ways. Now when I went back to the States and people wondered where I'd been for the last 7 months, I told them "Romania."

My O'Hare friend summed it up the best. "Urania? What's in Urania?"

I think next time I'll just say, "Europe." Maybe "Eastern Europe."

Rejoice with us...

...that this beautiful girl has joined the family of God! Sham is from a Hindu background. and I don't know what her conversion will mean for her family. Please join me in lifting up Sham before the Throne of Grace as she begins her new life in the Lord.

14. That growly and potentially bitey dogs are not one of my worst fears. Really. Just ignore them, and they'll (usually) ignore you.

To my brother and sister-in-law...

Happy 1st Anniversary!

February 2, 2008

I love you both! (and Brock!)