1. Trucks // This picture was accidentally taken by Joshua on my cell phone. 2. Elephants // he loves making an elephant noise 3. Stars // Stars anywhere on a flag, in a book, on his clothes. We'll be driving along and he'll say "dar, dar, dar". We'll look around and sure enough there is a star in the most random place. 4. Trucks 5. Water // He loves his bath and he loves washing his hands in the sink. And playing with the water. 6. Helping in the Kitchen // Joshua has a step stool and he likes to pretend like he is cooking with us. 7. Shaun the Sheep 8. His Grammy and Grampa // They came to visit this weekend and went with us to the Field Museum which had... elephants and stars (oh yeah and a lot of other cool stuff). 9. Handy Manny 10. Blocks // This was made by Joshua
We are excited to announce that God has been gracious to us yet again and has brought another child into our family. We recently found that we are pregnant!
After much anxiety and anticipation in light of our loss this past Fall we are glad that God has provided another life.
We are expecting Kristin or Matthew Jr. to join us on Sept 6. (Dad is rooting for the 9th 9/9/9.) So far the pregnancy has been a bit rougher than Joshua's but Kristin is quite the supermom. Herding a 20-month old Joshua, keeping a beautiful home, and feeding a hungry husband.
For all three of you who read this blog (mom, dad, and Mike!)
I want you all to know that yes, indeed, I did grill out Sunday for lunch. Pork chops. I also made some mashed potatoes. Mmm!
It was 43 degrees and you’d have thought it was 65. Neighborhood children were rollerblading, I saw a mom and dad with their 2 children in a wagon wearing only sweatshirts, I talked to my neighbors on the driveway... It was like the bears coming out of hibernation.
Tomorrow it’s supposed to get to 60!
The pile of snow in our front yard is still 2.5 feet tall.
Today and tomorrow Kristin is working at some of the elementary schools in West Chicago doing some testing of students. Joshua is hanging out with his friend Cameron these couple of days.
Joshua got a sweet new stool so that he can stand up and see over the counter, as well as turn the lights on and off... and on and off... on and off... you get the picture.
So as it turns out I need to get a new passport before my March trip to Costa Rica. I discovered this recently and on Thursday took actions to get it fixed. I had my wife take a photo in our living room, I ordered it from Walgreens, completed my application, went over there to pick up the photo.
Upon return I opened my photo looked at it and thought, my goatee looks crooked.
I turned and asked my wife, does my goatee look crooked in this photo? She agreed it did, and then proceeded to tell me that my goatee was indeed crooked.
Evidentally that morning I got a little to razor happy and had shaved off a portion... OOPS!
I am getting the passport with the crooked goatee photo to remind myself of what God says in James when he says that we should look intently into the mirror (the Word of truth) and walk away knowing who we are, not quickly turning away and forgetting who we are.
Overall I was very impressed by Barak Obama and his inauguration. Despite the Justice fumbling in the actual swearing in. Barak, er Mr. President, was flawless. Fun to listen to. Very ambitious.
But there was a part of the inauguration that made me feel unsettled. It came during the benediction when Joseph Lowery said: "Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around -- (laughter) -- when yellow will be mellow -- (laughter) -- when the red man can get ahead, man -- (laughter) -- and when white will embrace what is right."
I thought this was supposed to be a celebration of how race now that we have a black President. Not a bashing of races by using slanderous terms of color. Look at what he says:
"Black will not be asked to get back" - Inferring to the times when segregation ran rampant and black men and women had to sit in the back of the bus.
"When brown can stick around" - Stick around? Not be returned to their home country?
"When yellow will mellow" - Just going for the rhyme.
"When red man can get ahead" - Indians would just get ahead.
Here's the one that ticks my clock: "when white will embrace what is right" - So what have I been embracing my whole life if it is not "right"!?! What Mr. Joseph Lowery do I need to get right? What are my friends and family doing that causes you to plead to our Heavenly Father asking for us to get it right?
All Americans, myself included, celebrate the inauguration of the first non-white President. It is a sign of our times and evidence that many racial boundaries and hurts of the last century have been overcome. But using his platform at a Presidential inauguration to call white people racist was uncalled for and very disrespectful to people of all races who came behind Barak Obama in his race to the White House.
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After talking with my wife a bit about this last night and at lunch, I did some research. Turns out I am not the only one who is upset about this.
