tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190060102012-02-16T11:56:33.537-06:00Musings on life and craft and kids by Beth Wenell.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.comBlogger2021100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-5087047758813294402012-02-01T00:31:00.000-06:002012-02-01T00:32:13.633-06:00

hills... give you tools for the next hills...

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-24999676854116637042012-01-10T19:59:00.007-06:002012-01-10T21:38:06.887-06:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about keeping a sustainable pace. The last few years, largely the time I've been absent in the blogosphere, I have been working in retail and networking and looking for opportunities that would help me get back on track in my geoscience career. Last fall I started graduate school and I absolutely love it. The period of waiting was difficult on numerous levels,

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-89864211107245355852010-10-18T22:56:00.002-05:002010-10-18T23:04:51.063-05:00

I tend to be a transparent person. This puts some people off. I have found on this journey that I do not have the time or energy to be anything but authentic. Sometimes this has gotten me into trouble. People cannot always handle the truth (Jack Nicholson conveyed this so well).Today I went to work to do a little bit of training. Mostly this just meant that I was reading training modules on a

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-62666768359994034512010-10-18T16:34:00.003-05:002010-10-18T23:03:56.915-05:00

Subtitle: some of the nitty gritty of why I haven't blogged much in recent years.I have spent more of the past few years angry at God than not. Maybe you've heard me say that recently. I won't go into all of the things that have made me angry. But I will admit that the underlying theme, if I admit it to even myself, is that I seem to think I could do a better job than God. In my limited

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-84077263662883166922010-08-02T16:30:00.006-05:002010-08-02T22:27:40.957-05:00

I spent the last three weeks taking a geology class. It was an intensive field camp course that involved one week on campus in Minneapolis and two weeks at an environmental education center (camp/retreat center) near the university's hydrogeology field site, 200 miles north of the Cities.The field site was composed of numerous monitoring wells and a couple of pumping wells. One class project was

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-8229549603711756792010-02-28T20:12:00.002-06:002010-02-28T20:20:08.229-06:00

I heard from tons of friends today wishing me a happy birthday. And I was treated to breakfast in bed with the presentation of presents and cards. It was wonderful. I got some dandelion fabric from the boys and a sock knitting book from Dave. They apparently support my habits.We also met a new friend's new baby today when we brought them lunch... he's crazy cute! And we watched Team Canada pull

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-7670401797223619612010-01-30T07:51:00.002-06:002010-01-30T07:59:44.996-06:00

I never imagined that I would say that and mean it. Ever. But yesterday it happened.Dave saw a news item about a shantytown on a nearby lake that is an art exhibit. We were in that area on our errands yesterday so we stopped to check it out. As it turns out the exhibit is only open on weekends and we walked in on someone's house.Yup, she was living there.She was living in a dwelling that was

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-23082495331218040492010-01-18T19:46:00.004-06:002010-01-18T20:13:35.199-06:00

I really didn't mean to stay away this long. Since October, wow. I think I expect that in order to blog I have to have something profound to say. When my life pertained just to my family, I could pick what I shared and I was sharing my own secrets. Now that my work is elsewhere the secrets I hold are not mine to share.Oh, how I would love to share "crazy guest" stories.... the thought makes me

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-21818611895580819142009-10-18T17:22:00.002-05:002009-10-18T18:06:26.709-05:00

I've stumbled on a paradox in my life. At first I thought that it was a major problem and that the two realities could definitely not exist together. Today I realized that they do not have to be separate.Here are the realities. I know right now that I am where I am supposed to be. I have had that sense during the majority of my time with my current employer. However, during that same time I have

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-83800458619364875412009-08-19T23:55:00.003-05:002009-08-20T00:15:25.135-05:00

The last couple of weeks have been rough ones. Home is fine, but work and job search have been rough, which has impacted my performance everywhere. I'm back out of the pit of despair and in an attempt to start thinking happy thoughts so I can sleep tonight, I'm blogging about my climb out of the pit.On Sunday morning I was compelled to play a CD that I haven't listened to in years. It's a North

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-49866321569296392002009-08-13T21:42:00.003-05:002009-08-13T22:02:42.391-05:00

It's been so long since I've blogged that Blogger forgot me. I guess that's fair.We're at an interesting place. God is once again telling me to be content. Or so it seems. It's at least a definite stay put.I seem to be discovering more of the injustices of life around every corner. Last week's sermon was on truth, justice, and righteousness. I wish we could find more of those in the world.I keep

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-91692710699845302792009-07-28T21:32:00.002-05:002009-07-28T21:59:55.823-05:00

Life is still about waiting. Yesterday would have been my last day at work if a strange tease of a job offer had become reality. But it didn't.So I went to work and the place was in awful condition. Plenty of little surprises to start my day. Then more as the day continued.Today had more surprises for me: imagine a coffee shop without coffee. Seriously. Interesting. And lots of explaining about

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-14830016064250935312009-06-05T22:15:00.002-05:002009-06-05T22:27:53.799-05:00

It's been a while again. I've been delving into waiting at a pace that's slow but seems right. I wonder how many times I'll have to renew the book (When the Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd). I'll share some of the things that have been "hitting" me lately.Sue commented that she "struggled to trust that the whirlwind [she] was riding was a sacred opportunity--that it wanted to take [her] somewhere."

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-13358840139133794532009-05-17T21:23:00.002-05:002009-05-17T21:41:30.816-05:00

Did I mention that one of my guests recently thought that I was around 26-years old? This made my day for sure. I guess it helps that I have to wear a hat at work; it does tend to make people look younger.Her name is Carol and she reminds me of a Marlene that I know. Very serious exterior, but I sense that she has a big heart. I think it would take a while for most people to get through to her

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-80201290557604237822009-05-10T21:27:00.002-05:002009-05-11T19:11:57.930-05:00

I am learning good and encouraging things about waiting. These things don't remove my impatience or discontent, but they affirm it.The waiting that Sue Monk Kidd talks about in When the Heart Waits takes place for most during a life crisis (midlife or otherwise, the latter in my case!). Sue describes it as a time of learning about yourself at the deepest level, shedding all of the false personas

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-67161792108651198462009-05-08T20:33:00.002-05:002009-05-08T21:13:44.300-05:00

I think my primary activity for the last month has been waiting. Not really sure what I'm waiting for. I think mostly to do something that I'm not doing and to be somewhere that I am not. That sounds just plain awful, doesn't it?I read on another blog recently about the author's frustration with waiting. As I read I realized that what I am learning in my current waiting is about relinquishing

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-35419892533468701022009-04-12T20:43:00.002-05:002009-04-12T20:58:12.542-05:00

Happy Easter. It has been a weird day for me in some ways. I think I was remembering too much of last Easter. Maybe it's watching people around me make poor choices. But I definitely went into today very drained. I watched kids around me all day, mine and three others, full of tons of energy and I wished that I could tap into their energy.There are so many things I want to do and make and study

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-55671822692882815352009-04-03T22:09:00.002-05:002009-04-03T22:14:20.350-05:00

Today two of my guests had nifty handmade things that were from Etsy.com. I'm into the "buy handmade" movement. I was explaining Etsy to my team members and I said something like, "Buy handmade... instead of... Target. Oops."Yup. Wouldn't that be a perfect world?Sometimes I walk through the aisles at Target and think about the fact that everything on the shelves, aisle after aisle of packaging

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-61805192113054001982009-03-30T20:50:00.002-05:002009-03-30T21:00:08.577-05:00

Starbucks cups used to have great little quotes on them. I always enjoyed reading my cup. They're doing away with this so they can toot their horn about the "Shared Planet" stuff they do. They say that YOU do the Shared Planet stuff because you buy their coffee. Good for YOU. I'm going to My Starbucks Idea to bring back the quotes. But meanwhile, I would like to share my favorite quote of late:

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-62901781598035587642009-03-28T21:14:00.002-05:002009-03-28T21:33:27.906-05:00

that I would have to review my team members. And that I would have to do so without training. I did it and they really didn't have much of anything to edit, so I guess it went okay. It will be an interesting week when I "get" to sit down with each team member and give the reviews. Based on the company's criteria you have to be pretty darn amazing to get a review of "effective." There are two

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-58923606165470164872009-03-15T22:18:00.002-05:002009-03-15T22:30:39.573-05:00

I feel like I have absolutely nothing to blog about.But that isn't completely true. There have been plenty of fleeting thoughts of sharing this or that profound thought. But there are never still around when I have a chance to write them down.I know. A notebook. Thanks.Profound things have happened in life lately. God is good and he keeps challenging me and teaching me stuff. I wish I had time to

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-43278774898522745312009-02-26T19:56:00.002-06:002009-02-26T20:19:38.344-06:00

We recently took another trip to the zoo and got some fun pictures of the boys. If I manage to get organized enough, I'll probably have portraits printed of these.These are the good old days...As February concludes I get a little older and we have great plans for the weekend (Dave even made cheesecake!). We're heading to a friend's parents' lake home for some fellowship and play time (we'll let

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-44842688442878875592009-01-16T21:38:00.002-06:002009-01-16T21:45:48.089-06:00

This is a baby book moment that I don't want to forget. Lately when Nils gets a bonk and we attend to his injury (with a traditional oooma kiss) we ask him, "Where did you bonk?" He points to the spot on the floor where his head landed, not to the spot on his head.I love that.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-12123317565135849302009-01-11T14:04:00.004-06:002009-01-11T14:34:33.627-06:00

Happy new year. It's only 11 days in, so in the big scheme of things that counts as a new year's greeting.We celebrated Christmas with my family last Sunday, so we traveled to Wisconsin and had some quality sleep-over time with Mormor. I enjoyed watching the boys adore her (and it was mutual). But we forgot the camera...Nils got a harmonica and I was hoping that he would manage to drive my family

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-84270687149936721002008-12-31T22:13:00.002-06:002008-12-31T22:36:10.889-06:00

Nils' primary response to everything lately is to shrug. I noticed it the most on Christmas Day. That's pretty much how I feel lately, so he probably got it from me. But it's cute when he does it.Christmas in retail is not Christmas-y at all. Team members are grouchy and overworked. And they are grouchy. And I have harsh feelings toward consumerism, so the holiday taking on such a terrible tone

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-69169949963944040502008-12-15T20:32:00.003-06:002008-12-15T20:58:19.382-06:00

I think they should just add multitasking to my Core Roles at work.At one moment today I had the following items to attend to:1. Team member in training pulling me aside to let me know that's she still my friend (huh? how old are we?) but that she'd like me to tell her if she's not getting her new roles. Explaining to that team member that I hadn't said anything because I'm waiting (and hoping)

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-33083642998951317572008-11-29T21:53:00.003-06:002008-11-29T22:06:00.279-06:00

I have more to add to the old lady discussion. I have made it a policy to wear thermals every day.I remember looking at them with a fair amount of curiosity last year. In our moderate climate I wondered why I had such a substantial collection. Dark ones, light ones, pants, tops, camisoles, v-neck, something shaped and colored perfectly to hide under most everything I wear.Thankfully we have a

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-91782103067019211912008-11-20T06:35:00.003-06:002008-11-20T06:43:01.876-06:00

I used to be that kid who would hit the snooze button for an hour. Then I would jump out of bed and take a two minute shower, get dressed, my enabling mom would hand me an instant breakfast on my way out the door and I would hear the school bell when I was about a half a block from school.Now I wake up before my alarm.In my defense, it probably didn't help this morning that Anders was

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-24318336186694923292008-11-10T20:24:00.000-06:002008-11-10T20:25:39.260-06:00

funny. and sad.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-45179384736989578122008-11-04T20:31:00.002-06:002008-11-04T20:39:03.902-06:00

Today I gave away 200 coffees. Some people complained that they don't drink coffee. Seriously.I got to hear how long everyone waited in line to vote. I was proud of them and wondered how many people give up and walk away.Others talked about the other election specials. I think some of them were venue hopping.One guest declared them a reason to vote.Huh? 1 free coffee + 1 scoop of ice cream =

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-16890448037408850962008-10-26T21:47:00.002-05:002008-10-26T21:53:14.699-05:00

I have been reflecting on my life through the years lately and I have noticed a theme of grayness. I'm not talking about gray in the sense of gloom or gray in the sense of the lukewarm, spit you out kind of grayness (Revelation 3:16). I'm speaking of gray in contrast to black and white thinking.For much of my life I was surrounded by black and white thinking inwhich things were either very right

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-86001520710425460932008-10-19T20:32:00.004-05:002008-10-19T21:22:19.985-05:00

I feel like I'm due for an update. I usually have too much to say and no time to sit down and type it out. And tonight I have a little bit of time to type it out and I can't think of any of the things I've been meaning to say. I'm sure I wish I would have shared all of those thoughts with the world, but quite honestly it feels nice right now to be clear-headed.I've had the last few days off and

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-15175826125481354282008-10-09T09:20:00.003-05:002008-10-09T09:46:14.575-05:00

Nils had his tooth pulled this morning. He had to go under general anesthesia for the two-second procedure, which was worse than the procedure. We spent a total of two hours at Children's West for the ordeal.He was a great sport for the whole event and he's currently running around the house like nothing happened. Of course, the pain stuff they gave him is still working. I was really grateful

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-56460027054055549442008-09-23T19:38:00.002-05:002008-09-23T19:54:18.157-05:00

I swallowed a camera today. Kinda.The RN prepping me for the procedure had done her homework and knew all about me. I was impressed.When the doctor came in they numbed my throat and gave me some narcotics through an IV port. They conversed about politics and the doc apparently thought I was too with it, so even though the room was moving a little weird he told the nurse to give me more.Then they

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-71254810795006773412008-09-22T21:22:00.003-05:002008-09-22T21:27:22.436-05:00

swallowed a camera?I know most of my secret agent friends have done so, but tomorrow I will swallow a camera for the first time. In the last couple of months my digestive issues have been a very enlightening experience. I had no idea that they could send cameras to so many places. In fact, I was quite happy to not know where they could send cameras.So if you've ever swallowed a camera or have any

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-36737105694791503392008-09-08T21:31:00.002-05:002008-09-08T21:47:26.289-05:00

I'm pretty much running a few weeks behind in general, so here are finally some pictures from my family's gathering.We gathered together on August 17th to celebrate a couple of birthdays and graduations. We had a beautiful sunny day and great healthy food (I think there were 6 salads) and although the pool was a bit cold, the natives did not seem to mind.Above you'll see Nils and Anders enjoying

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-46029616155647727852008-08-26T05:44:00.004-05:002008-08-26T05:52:06.902-05:00

I woke up this morning to my trusty alarm and it felt like I had just fallen asleep. I thought, "My, it's dark. The days are really getting shorter. Argh, fall is really coming."I reflected on how I don't think I stirred one bit last night. I thought that should be restful for me. But it seemed a little short of restful.I showered and did as much of my other business in the bathroom as possible (

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-85446898376332089742008-08-25T20:02:00.004-05:002008-08-25T20:11:44.879-05:00

Today I was greeted by pretty nearly all of the executives in the store and many of the team leads with a whole lot of, "Way to go! Green!" comments. I was pretty thrilled, too. It happened. My store not only got at 100% "Snapshot" from Starbucks, but we also entered into Target's green (which is good, as in red, yellow, green) guest service level. In an ironic turn of events, we were the only

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-51696842761481067632008-08-23T14:37:00.002-05:002008-08-23T14:40:48.270-05:00

This week we had some positive things at work. Two weeks ago a Starbucks secret shopper came through and we scored 100%. That's really good news. For the last two weeks I've also been 0.02 and 0.04 points away from being in Target's "good" guest service level. My area has not been at a good guest service level since the first two weeks after the store opened. This was very affirming for me. And

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-9937234071330975832008-08-22T21:44:00.002-05:002008-08-22T21:46:10.509-05:00

Nils begins nearly every sentence with, "What's that?" Then he answers his question, "Zebra.""What's that? Cow. What's that? Rooster."He's a joy. He's also still talking about the gimoses (his way of saying ginormous) motorcycle that he sat on last weekend when we were at my mom's place. Pictures coming when I get a chance.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-81108826708733688572008-08-19T21:10:00.002-05:002008-08-19T21:19:34.529-05:00

I just ranked myself on the 1930's marital scale and I still rank as a "very superior" wife. LOL!77As a 1930s wife, I amVery SuperiorTake the test!

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-51608203118165398572008-08-10T20:47:00.002-05:002008-08-10T21:28:57.165-05:00

It's been a while since we had to church shop. And it's our first time doing so with children. There's so much more to look for in a church when there are four of us who are looking for ways to be involved.We have basically been shopping between two churches since we moved here. One is large and multi-ethnic and city-based. The other is very small and suburb-based and very limited in diversity (

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-44516766877378127562008-08-06T07:09:00.001-05:002008-08-06T07:09:19.817-05:00

Next time you get ice at a restaurant, ask when they last cleaned the water distribution system in their ice machine. That's what I did yesterday and the store has only been open for 10 months and there was a ton of pink and black slime (mold). It was nasty.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-51722663745625099792008-08-02T20:14:00.002-05:002008-08-02T20:16:07.264-05:00

Yeah, it's been a while.In case you're keeping track, Nils was spared again with a 7-foot fall from a play structure this week.The last few weeks have been rough ones for me. I've been sick a lot and I'm working with a doctor on a diagnosis. In the process I have discovered that the Canadian healthcare system completely rocks in comparison to Park Nicollet, the regional ginormous near-monopoly.At

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-23514108005048151192008-07-24T13:06:00.002-05:002008-07-24T13:14:55.904-05:00

God spared Nils again today. He probably should have had a trip to the ER. He tumbled down a rope ladder from about 6 feet off the ground.Spared. Again. That kid...I'm grateful, but I think I left my stomach at the park.I think I need a nap. If only Nils would agree that he needs one. It's my fault, really because when he was truly ready I decided to give him a quick hair cut instead of putting

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-48706905531938442622008-07-07T20:26:00.002-05:002008-07-07T20:42:36.512-05:00

Four years ago today Dave and I woke up very early and headed to the hospital to have a baby. We were full of all sorts of nervous excitement that we would soon meet our new child, but we were also a little disappointed that this was a very anticlimactic moment. Our baby was breech so the c-section was planned for Dave's day off (why not make it convenient, right?).Today as I think about the

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-88684948728989272982008-06-30T21:52:00.004-05:002008-06-30T22:12:04.350-05:00

I'm alive and well and I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of the barista world and we'll see how the team leader world pans out. By the sound of things, I will have my work cut out for me in the latter realm. In the mean time, I can pull you ristretto shots, so stop by and get one. I think they would make for a very nice Americano. I'm pretty sure the people who trained me don't even

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-20465765684198456202008-06-19T21:18:00.002-05:002008-06-19T21:51:17.237-05:00

On Saturday we had a busy but lovely anniversary. Here's our 11th anniversary portrait. I think we had been in a modern art museum for a little too long... :-) After the museum (which was preceded by a morning with the boys celebrating Midsummer's Day at the Swedish American Institute), we went to dinner and a movie (Narnia) and we went home and did not have to be parents because our boys were

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-24752744884194498992008-06-11T21:46:00.001-05:002008-06-11T21:46:14.319-05:00

Tonight I was offered a job as a Target Team Leader. I'm not sure what area, yet, but I'm very relieved and excited to have something permanent finally lined up! Yay God!

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-38606154746014590162008-06-09T21:58:00.002-05:002008-06-09T22:02:15.803-05:00

We moved from the city of dollar stores, consignment shops, Starbucks and personal trainers.We now live in the city of Target stores, Caribou Coffee and Chipotle restaurants (it's an epidemic).Don't try to look for the deep meaning in all of that. I'm just stating the facts.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-35601312327960752782008-06-07T12:02:00.002-05:002008-06-07T12:24:23.130-05:00

I worked in a sweatshop this week. Not really, but I worked in a building with large room after large room filled with 80 or more workstations in every room (4 workstations per table). And I did the same task 3000 times in the course of 3 days. I graded the same 11th grade science question over and over and over and over again.I couldn't even park at the building where I worked. I had to park a

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-49850533632273860632008-06-06T21:44:00.005-05:002008-06-06T22:04:45.049-05:00

Tonight I saw my cousin, Nate, for the first time in around 11 years. His family took our family to the Minnesota Children's Museum. We had a blast. And we managed leave with the same number of children that we took with us, so the evening was a success. We got to meet Nate's wife, Gwyn, and their kids, Jarod, Peter and Nianna.Anders was absolutely thrilled to have some new cousins and especially

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-47975080383532024142008-06-06T21:34:00.003-05:002008-06-06T21:38:09.381-05:00

Dave probably won't toot his own horn on this one, so I'll do it for him. He's been making some pretty cool lunches for the boys. We don't have pictures of all of them, but here are the couple that we have. He's awesome.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-71634558625950641232008-06-03T12:09:00.002-05:002008-06-03T12:57:45.379-05:00

Last night Anders had me read Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I love that book. I acquired it long before we had kids. You pretty much have to read it in a matter-of-fact but silly way, making the sentences sound intense and run-on, taking deep breaths at the end of long phrases. For those who know her, it's the same way Luie read the Junie B. Jones books to the

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-74637120875930251362008-05-30T19:52:00.001-05:002008-05-30T19:52:38.069-05:00

Nils is repeating many words suddenly. But he has a regular repertoire that I'll list below. Also in the last week he has finally started enjoying books. He even sits for the whole book most of the time. Previously we were lucky to get through more than a page unless we were reading "Pat the Bunny" or a certain animal lift the flap book.Nils' vocab:airplanezebra (most animals, especially zoo

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-9535223702972910142008-05-25T13:06:00.001-05:002008-05-25T13:06:08.925-05:00

Anders has been fixated on "bad guys" today. Makes me wonder what the kids talked about in his Sunday school class...As he was watching Robin Hood just now we had this conversation:A: I like the good guys better than the bad guys.B: That's good. Jesus wants us to be good guys.A: Jesus doesn't like bad guys.B: Actually, Jesus loves everybody.A: Jesus even loves his enemies.B: That's right."You

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-59561976625716703632008-05-22T07:36:00.003-05:002008-05-22T07:58:42.393-05:00

Our boys find great comfort and enjoyment in the ABC song.They find comfort in our bed time songs as well, but because of the association with going to sleep, we're not allowed to use them to comfort the boys when it's not bed time.The morning we left BC, Nils was freaking out. He had no context for knowing what was happening and why our house was empty. He just aimlessly wandered around the

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-32117964647636088612008-05-20T08:07:00.005-05:002008-05-20T12:13:23.390-05:00

My friend, Alaina, wrote yesterday about delayed gratification. I can't decide if that makes it sound better or worse than "waiting."God has been turning my focus to Isaiah 40:31 lately and the waiting and the renewal of strength."But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-65916730788892756462008-05-17T16:23:00.004-05:002008-05-17T16:51:24.076-05:00

We haven't seen my mom since August, so we were well overdue for a visit. She was able to spend the last two days with us, and we had a lovely time. We did all kinds of fun stuff (and plenty of work) and we even make ice cream, so it was quite a party.Our first outing was a small fireworks display to help Golden Valley celebrate their town. April and Wilder joined us and I think most of us had a

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-32399986357282903482008-05-13T11:42:00.001-05:002008-05-13T11:44:23.422-05:00

Now I will be without excuse when I am in the wrong lane.We have Minnesota plates (I guess they call them tags here).

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-88612883569037919372008-05-12T20:20:00.003-05:002008-05-12T20:49:13.663-05:00

Our internet service was connected today. We're thrilled to have it at home in hopes that it will help with the job search and also we'll be able to communicate a little better. It's been a very out-of-touch two weeks for us...Our unpacking and settling in have gone amazingly well. Miraculous, in fact. I feel like I can only attribute it to lots of prayer because this seems beyond our means. On a

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-52248671409647202862008-05-11T21:44:00.003-05:002008-05-18T20:08:23.804-05:00

We had a wonderful Mother's Day. First I was able to sleep in. That'salways a great way to start the day. For my pre-kid friends, it mightnot count that I slept until 8:00, but in a small apartment, that's apretty good sleep-in when the rest of the family was up at 6:00. Theboys were very peaceful all day, with barely a rebellion, which isthe greatest gift on Mother's Day.We also went to church

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-53768821171202812152008-05-10T16:08:00.002-05:002008-05-10T16:10:02.712-05:00

A week ago today we moved in to our new little home. And it's already starting to look like home. Today I even got a bunch of pictures hung up, and I plan to do more tonight. I confess that part of my goal is to figure out which frames we don't need and get rid of them. There's not a whole lot of space to store stuff and by the time winter comes I hope that we can fit our car into our garage!The

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-29420610731709224322008-05-05T20:11:00.002-05:002008-05-05T20:13:35.568-05:00

we're here and we're doing a fantastic job of unpacking quickly and settling in and finding our way around town and exploring the park and all that good stuff. i tried blogging today while visiting a friend in the hospital who is trying to not have a baby, but it didn't work. but we're here and safe and the boys are doing pretty well and we're doing our best to get internet service. and until

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-43982827206932891982008-05-02T21:20:00.002-05:002008-05-02T21:25:28.296-05:00

We made it. We had a nice, slow morning. And the moving truck survived the wind, which wasn't as bad as soon as we hit Minnesota. The truck was seriously traveling long at an angle because of the wind. Dave's blog has more details about our day. We shared a nice dinner with April and Wilder and we're ready to crash. If only Nils would crash. He had a great time bonding with Uncle Wilder (they

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-54608924240057153742008-05-01T22:36:00.002-05:002008-05-01T22:40:14.520-05:00

Okay, so it's not exciting at all in North Dakota (the ND Badlands are much better than the SD Badlands, though, but historical knowledge and not a reflection on anything we did today).We're in Jamestown. And it's late, especially because we're now in the central time zone. The boys were stellar travelers today. Probably better than their parents, if you want to know the truth.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-64528319141193804242008-04-30T23:06:00.002-05:002008-04-30T23:16:23.852-05:00

Today is the last day of April and I'm ready to see it go. It has been an absolutely crazy month.They boys are doing incredibly well on our journey. Nils fussed a lot less today, and he really wasn't too bad yesterday. I think he understands that all we can do is drive. Anders is a champion at entertaining himself and his brother. Today Anders spent much of the day in the moving truck, in the

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-23516224937082576112008-04-30T00:25:00.003-05:002008-04-30T00:51:43.006-05:00

I wish I had the presence of mind to take more pictures over the last few days. But this one is worth plenty, so enjoy.That's fish & chips. We ate that. In fact, we ate two of those piles (granted, there were 5 adults and 4 kids). It's scary. And it may explain why my stomach has been a little weird today. But it's only one possible explanation. Either way, fish & chips at the beach seemed like

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-80806377410181076632008-04-28T00:15:00.001-05:002008-04-28T00:15:25.001-05:00

10 things I'll miss about Canada (except for the people because they go beyond the bounds of such a silly list):1. Rick Mercer2. Canadian Juicy Fruit gum3. Girl Scout Caramel Delites/Samoas all year long (worth the trip to Superstore)4. Flashing left turn signals5. Really cheap medical (we had great doctors, too)6. The Bread Box, cheap no-spray produce, and Mary, it's proprietor7. The absence

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-1645060735478618592008-04-27T23:47:00.002-05:002008-04-28T00:02:04.136-05:00

supper shared.packing party. (?)friends left.bathroom packed.kitchen packed.basement packed.brain fried.back hurting.bowls and spoons borrowed for breakfast.phone disconnected (don't tell them they missed the internet).boys sleeping.parents will be soon. we hope.tomorrow we pack the truck and clean.then we drive. and drive. and drive.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-41122869459894952022008-04-20T23:38:00.002-05:002008-04-21T00:15:14.920-05:00

I finished knitting a pair of socks today. They are just shy of three weeks overdue for my "secret sister." But she's having surgery this week, so this will give me a good chance to visit her. The pattern is Monkey and the yarn is Lorna's Laces. I don't think it's the colorway I agreed to in the trade, and I didn't think I liked it. But as I knit these it really grew on me, even if it looks

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-17228422702610865302008-04-17T10:21:00.003-05:002008-04-17T10:29:54.501-05:00

A couple of weeks ago Dave pulled a "beautiful silver" hair out of my head. My head. He was excited and wanted to show it to me. I wasn't terribly excited. I felt sad and confused. My mom is 70 years old and barely has a gray hair on her head. And she doesn't dye it. I was counting on her genes. Nope, I have another one of Dad's genes. Most of them are good, don't get me wrong. We give him credit

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-56698026767937706892008-04-13T00:51:00.000-05:002008-04-13T14:08:50.861-05:00

You're blessed when you are at the end of your rope.               With less of you there is more of God and His rule.You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you.               Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.You're blessed when you're content with just who you are–no more, no less.               That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-37876044509201253132008-04-12T09:23:00.003-05:002008-04-12T09:28:23.037-05:00

Here are some little treasures found on our camera from while we were away...Mr. O loves Lincoln Logs. Anders fell in love with a Where's Scooby book at their granddaughter's house. I guess their granddaughter didn't mind giving it to him. She's in grade 4 and one day when she came home from school her mom found a list of things she wanted to do with Anders and Nils in her backpack. She's smitten

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-73546287126157761462008-04-12T08:33:00.002-05:002008-04-12T08:39:14.316-05:00

What to do when Nils isn't actually ready to get up for the day? He can be a pain, for sure.I was supposed to have a date with my spiritual director today. The timing seemed good. But she's sick.I still have a date with God. An extended one.Followed by an appointment for a manicure.(It was a gift. It makes me smile, too. I think that's the point. I would have never done it for myself.)I think I

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-13116725264948007262008-04-10T13:21:00.001-05:002008-04-10T13:45:04.795-05:00

Nils is 17 months old today. And I was away from him for four days (and nights) this week.I needed the break, and plenty of people convinced me to not feel guilty and to savor the time away.So I did.And Nils and Anders had a fine time. I never had to worry about their care. They spent a day with Eryn and Steph and the rest of the time was with Dave and Val (Mr. and Mrs. O, as Anders says).This

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-47918059892367742292008-04-05T09:48:00.002-05:002008-04-05T10:01:30.347-05:00

When Nils see's Star Wars characters, whether on a blanket or in the toy box, he calls them "guy." I guess I usually refer to them as "Star Wars guys" so that makes sense.Nils has also been counting. When I count or when Anders asks him to count, Nils says, nodding his head in perfect tone and rhythm: na, noo, nee.Nils has been cutting molars since Dave left for Minneapolis. We've had some lovely

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-75694147468521007742008-03-29T21:06:00.001-05:002008-03-29T21:08:53.228-05:00

Today was a two-day.I made two pots of soup, two lasagnas, two types of hummus.I gave two haircuts.I helped Eryn get supplies for two projects.I got squished by two boys.I wore two pairs of glasses.I swept the kitchen floor twice.Dave helped me with two cover letters.Dave took down two shelving systems, packed two boxes of DVDs and two boxes of scrapbooks.Dave also put away two loads of laundry

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-37093904672032818822008-03-28T00:03:00.002-05:002008-03-28T00:06:24.198-05:00

Sometimes Canada irks me.It might not actually be Canada, but just in case I have stopped saying "washroom."So take that, Canada.And take your stupid tax money.I can't believe $200 is the difference between 15% tax and 30% tax. Grrr.I need to go to the bathroom.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-78495677291504943732008-03-21T18:47:00.004-05:002008-03-21T19:14:30.006-05:00

in a few days the stone will be rolled away and He won't be there. and that's a very good thing for us right now.you've never looked at my blogroll. it's there for me. but i was looking through it just now, taking a foolish break from resumes and portfolios and cover letters and (ish) taxes (for two countries, ish, ish, ish, fifty times ish).why i would take a break from a full day of computer

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-84359081058566211462008-03-09T17:39:00.003-05:002008-03-09T23:33:45.735-05:00

Today Nils woke up an hour later than usual (I know, we'll get to that). I got up and nursed him (on a normal day he gets to nurse in the early morning and at bed time only) and put him back to bed as usual. I figured I wouldn't get back to sleep, but I snuggled in and hoped Nils would as well. He was at least quiet for a while. Then he started screaming, so I grabbed him before he disrupted

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-75237929291841668412008-03-07T20:01:00.002-06:002008-03-07T20:48:48.209-06:00

Nils is getting into animal sounds. We've already discussed that most animals say, "arf arf." But yesterday in the car Nils revealed that he knows what a turtle says: dude. (Many thanks to Finding Nemo.) Today he also kept saying "Oliver" in his own way, of course, when we were getting ready to go to Oliver's house.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-82952006446759780562008-03-05T21:55:00.003-06:002008-03-05T22:25:26.957-06:00

March has been in like a lion again this year, but not with the weather. We're not snowbound (and in some ways I miss that bit of community). Life's just crazy and overwhelming, but Nils has too many new words to ignore, as I mentioned a couple of posts ago, so here's the list.Pappa, Mamma, book, ball, arf arf (which is the noise made by all four-legged creatures and possibly ducks), potty (he's

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-7834112153147084702008-02-29T19:53:00.002-06:002008-02-29T19:56:52.461-06:00

A four-night hospital stay (surgery and jello included) in British Columbia:$35 ($20 for parking and $15 for phone and TV).Having your husband home and getting well at last:Priceless.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-27037503287768635642008-02-27T22:51:00.002-06:002008-02-27T23:02:36.458-06:00

Things are bursting around here. If you haven't heard, Dave's appendix ruptured sometime this weekend (perhaps as early as Friday night). He finally made it to the doctor on Monday. We saw our family doc around noon and Dave was in surgery before 4pm. Tuesday was a bad day as he recovered from surgery and his body dealt with all of the toxins. Today was much better for him, except for a little

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-33018371337919349022008-02-23T23:36:00.004-06:002008-02-23T23:56:36.317-06:00

two words. nils said two words today. a two-word phrase, that is. all done. he said it at the end of dinner and when he was ready to get out of the bath tub. all done. my baby said two words.my big boy is praying again. he has finally moved beyond, "Jesus, thank you for the food and for everything." tonight he started with that as usual but added a bunch of other stuff. "thank you for God. and

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-62025269998076900992008-02-19T22:49:00.006-06:002008-02-20T00:05:28.085-06:00

Nils had his first haircut on Saturday morning. He had been called a girl at least 8 times last week, so I guess that was the last straw. He sat on the toilet and I chopped away. I was sad, but I couldn't let it show or it would have scared him and Anders, and I can't let my emotions jeopardize Anders' willingness to let me cut his hair.Goodbye sweet, silky-soft curls. Goodbye hippie baby. Hello

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-13033613176042867592008-02-14T14:00:00.003-06:002008-02-19T22:49:01.555-06:00

I finally finished my Clapotis. I wrote about it when I started it last MARCH. Oh dear. People always ask how I find time to make things like this. It only took me 10 months, so I see what they mean!In other news, if you are looking for something to do this weekend, check this out... What better way to raise money for schizophrenia?

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-80611399389881402008-02-08T23:36:00.000-06:002008-02-08T23:52:23.739-06:00

Tonight I was reminded of a time when we had nothing to do but trust God completely. I hadn't been trusting Him, at least not completely, and I was a basket case. I was worrying and wondering and bitter and helpless because I knew I couldn't solve our problems on my own. If I had been anything but seven months pregnant we would have been self-sufficient because I would have gone to work. But that

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-44184667668259913662008-01-29T11:02:00.000-06:002008-01-29T11:07:09.686-06:00

I forgot to mention that last night during the bedtime routine Nils kept calling for Dave, "Aa-paa?" This morning Anders got up and came to my room and was concerned that he was too noisy and woke up Pappa. Even he forgets. But we had a good night. Nils woke up at 3:30 and wasn't happy, so in anticipation of the screaming I put Anders in the guest room. As soon as I closed the door to his room,

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-64755867576294889522008-01-28T22:33:00.000-06:002008-01-28T22:58:20.515-06:00

We made it to the airport this morning then ran to the evil empire to pick up a clothes steamer, then we went back to the airport to kill some time before running to the postal centre to pick up a package. The boys and I stood by the runway to see the plane take off.It was a strange weather day because some schools were closed. We were wondering what we would encounter as we drove Dave to the

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-7109945420280045602008-01-27T22:09:00.000-06:002008-01-27T22:42:41.713-06:00

This week I started reading Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne of The Simple Way community. Dave put it on my night stand a while ago (along with some other books; he's subtle, isn't he?). I think this book is going to change my life. At least I hope so. I don't think I've processed enough of it to tell you a whole lot, but God seems to be talking to me about His grace right now. This

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-80921915951935373422008-01-16T23:02:00.000-06:002008-01-16T23:05:57.670-06:00

I haven't had a chance to blog for a while, but it's not for lack of things to say. I'll do my best to gather some recent thoughts and try to be concise (yeah, right). I never realized that with motherhood would come the inability to gather ones thoughts and think deeply. They say you lose brain cells with each pregnancy. I think you may just lose the time to use them properly!One year ago this

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-63996335035251838022008-01-02T15:03:00.001-06:002008-01-02T15:30:22.627-06:00

"Peace on Earth, good will to men, Jesus is born in a Bethlehem."We had a friend for lunch on Sunday and Anders did an impromptu recital at the table, singing his song from our Christmas cantata. She was in Singapore during the program, so she was glad to catch the best part. :-) He's singing "Joy! Joy! Joy!" as I write this. He mixes up the words, but they are always appropriate, and I love it.I

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-87172758134882484532007-12-23T18:55:00.000-06:002007-12-23T19:49:52.276-06:00

Today we had breakfast with Dave's family in Iowa. I really enjoyed the chance to see faces and talk with people. Dave's parents bought us a webcam for Christmas and it's a Wonderful Thing. Maybe my family will join in on this amazing technology. Someone at church asked if this just made things worse, but it was truly nice to see everyone. I didn't feel homesick after talking with them. I think

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-61803902004075973122007-12-15T23:51:00.000-06:002007-12-16T00:14:17.352-06:00

Before I get into the baby book Stuff I Want To Remember, I have a couple of "Canadian" words for you.Toboggan: I'm told this is any type of sledding device...disks, plastic sleds, anything (I didn't ask about cafeteria trays). There has been some discrepancy among the Canucks on this one.Hamper: Christmas gift baskets are in full force, and apparently some baskets can be referred to as hampers.

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-70892771675092050952007-12-05T16:19:00.000-06:002007-12-05T16:27:25.105-06:00

Anders melted down when we had to leave our friends house today. He screamed the whole way home (in the stroller for all the world to see) without his jacket or shoes. Then he sat in the stroller (still sans jacket, but it's not very cold out...) for a long time after we got home. Then he melted down some more when he realized that it was rest time. For once I kept my cool. I even meant to take a

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-44423196516661880942007-11-29T22:01:00.000-06:002007-11-29T22:20:26.252-06:00

Nils has been saying, "Amen" after prayers lately. He said "go" a while back in context on a few occasions but hasn't used that much since. Perhaps this is his real first word? He's so sweet. (Unless Dave is trying to get him to sleep...)Nils has also been giving us kisses, which means that he pecks at our mouth with open, soggy lips. But we love it. This morning I took him to the doctor (no ear

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-6230319936692495002007-11-26T23:34:00.001-06:002007-11-27T00:25:50.251-06:00

November 26 seems like a pretty normal time for a first snow. But things are different here. I was talking to someone tonight who will cancel her errands if there's still a trace of snow tomorrow. Since it doesn't stay for long, snow removal gear is not in Full Force (because Full Force doesn't exist), so the roads will truly be a bit yucky until it melts. Tomorrow. That part doesn't seem

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19006010.post-18512634301226716292007-11-25T23:00:00.001-06:002007-11-25T23:20:51.286-06:00

I almost don't want to post this because I don't want to admit that it's taken this long to put up our pictures of our family and friends. But in my defence we have a narrow galley kitchen and it just wasn't going to work to put them on the fridge (they weren't going to stay there). So I set out to create an artistic display of the pictures on our kitchen wall. After exploring lots of ideas, this

Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11881319836156118603noreply@blogger.com1