A Penguin Dedication

Winter really brings out the penguinosity in commercialism. I loved penguins before everyone else went crazy about them, and I'm sometimes sad that everyone else fell in love with my animal. I love penguins, and I love them year round. I was trying to think of all the reasons why and here are a few that I've come up with in no particular order...

1. Penguins are birds, yet they can't fly. In a way, I think this makes them an outcast of their own kind. It kind of reminds me of myself when I feel I don't fit in, or perhaps the real, true Christians that are the same but quite different from other humans. I appreciate this difference in the penguins.

2. They are absolutely adorable. The way they walk, the sounds they make...the way they randomly decide it's probably going to be better to stop walking and just slide the rest of the way on my belly. It cracks me up, and I love that they have such personality.

3. They look hugable. I really really want to hug a penguin. So far, I've only hugged stuffed penguins (the fabricated ones, of course), but I really want to just hug a penguin.

4. I appreciate their morals. They are one of the few animals that chooses a partner and sticks with them through very difficult times. Some humans don't even do that.

5. I love how they have fun swimming. They don't just dive, but they spiral down into the water like it's the best thing ever.

6. Their responsibility toward their family. For some reason, it seems like they are quite self-sacrificing. If during the winter they go to get food, they return to share it or to trade places with their partner. So, although they have fun swimming and socializing, they are very responsible creatures.

7. Their methods of teamwork might put us to shame. It seems that teamwork is required for everything they do -surviving the winter, caring for the egg, feeding the chick, getting to the ocean.

8. I love that God made them so beautiful. At first it may seem that they are dull with only black and white while other birds have many colors, but penguins are beautiful...I wonder how God ever thought to create them.

9. I like that they are short...with nearly no leg at all. I feel connected to all things short, so of course, this includes the penguins.

10. I love the peguin waddle...and some day I hope I can waddle as well as a penguin does!

Baby J

A baby on the way

Well, I can say that I'm excited...but also quite anxious. On October 24th I took a home pregnancy test that was positive. When I realized that it wasn't negative like it had been many times before my heart did a little jump inside and then instant panic set in. I took the test over my lunch break, and I kept my secret from everyone (trying to absorb what it really meant) until about 8:30 that night when Andy came home. He thought I was trying to play with his mind...but he was really more excited than I was. We then kept our little secret for quite sometime. We finally told our parents after a very long Thanksgiving weekend. At lunch on Sunday afternoon I handed each mother a Thanksgiving card with a picture of the ultrasound. Watching their reaction was really great, but so far the most amazing thing was the ultrasound itself. Somehow, being able to see a tiny human-like being moving and jumping inside of me seems amazing. Thankfully, Andy was with me as we saw and heard our baby's heart beating...you could see the muscle contracting as the little fetus moved around. It really seems unreal to me. I don't really look different, and besides being hungry all the time I don't really feel different. Sometimes I think this is a very mean dream I'm dreaming or that they tricked me with the ultrasound somehow. The sutle changes are reassurring that things are going as they should, and I'm quite grateful that I haven't been as sick as some. I have no idea how to express my emotions or even tell you how grateful I am that God has given us a child -something we had been praying about for a while. So, please keep praying for all three of us and I'll keep you posted.

Pancake Love

Andy didn't have to be at work this Saturday until 11:00am. (He's recently been gone 8am-8pm on Saturdays.) We woke up happy to be in the warm covers and hungry for something to eat. He headed to the kitchen to make something for me. The outcome was very delicious pancakes...and even more special than that -heart shaped pancakes. It's absolutely fantastic to be so loved.

A Trip To The Zoo

This week was our church's annual mission conference/celebration. We had 4 different families serving in various countries (Ireland, Trinidad, Tanzania, Bolivia) come and present their work and hang out with us for 5 days. It's been interesting. On Saturday they had special things planned for the families: spa for the wives, shopping for the teens, zoo for the little kids, and golfing for the men. They asked me if I would help with the kids at the zoo. I'd never been to our local zoo, and kids are mostly fun so I agreed. I ended up with 4 kids in my car. Our zoo here is small, but the kids loved it! I think that they all agreed that the giraffes and zebras were the best part. Tonight we ended with a harvest party, and I really enjoyed the time I spent talking around a campfire with one of missionaries (who is also a nurse) about how they got to be where they are. Andy and I are excited to see how God will use us wherever we are!

It Grows...

On October 4th I had this bright idea that I would go back to the girl that had cut my hair earlier in the year. The shop has appointment availability but also walkins. Last time I walked in and it turned out great, so this time I was ready with a picture and away I went. When I got there I found that the girl who had cut my hair before no longer worked there and was living in Illinois. I was a little disappointed, but thought "I have a picture"... It didn't turn out anything like what I'd wanted. The lady literally chopped off my hair "because it's so thick" and because "it'll be easier to work with." Well, it was disappointing but everyone around me seems to think it's okay. In the last couple of weeks it has grown at least 1/2 an inch, and I like it a lot better... That's the redeeming thing about a bad hair cut...at least it grows, and thankfully my grows quickly.

p.s. if anybody has a great idea about how I might cut my hair, send me a picture and I might give it a try :)

And not a picture to prove it...

Well, Andy and I had the opportunity to attend yet another Rowden Reunion. I feel like every year there are fewer and fewer people that I know - not that I knew a lot of people to begin with, but my small group of acquaintances is dwindling, it seems. So, mostly the anticipation of a roadtrip adventure is what makes the reunion so exciting for me. That, and Ted Drewes. This year I believe was the first year that we attended and left without a picture to prove our presence. I keep saying that Andy and I should move to St. Louis. It seems like a fun town, and they have penguins I can see for free. (In the zoo, of course.) I doubt that we'll actually make any crazy move like that without more motivation than "it would be fun", but it would be slightly closer to Jonathan and Kristine, only 30 more minutes to Anderson, and perhaps an overall more exciting place to live. Who knows where God will send us, or if He prefers us to remain in Evansville to make an impact.

Our jobs are jobs. Nothing wonderful, nothing horrid. Our schedules still don't match up...but if I'm honest, I have to say that I prefer this schedule. I get all my free time with Andy on Monday and Tuesday, and a couple of alone hours each evening before he comes home the rest of the week. The only downside is Saturday. When he works all day long, it leaves me scrambling to plan things so I'm not bored, and I'm sometimes wishing he was off so we could do something together (movies, dinner, plays, geocaching, etc.) Perhaps if I had Mondays off, it would be fantastic :)

So, that's a little update -a little late, too...but an update nonetheless.