2.14.2007
Happy Valentine's Day!
This being my first married Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share my joy by sharing a website full of Valentine's Day funnies. They cracked me up and I figured they could make just about anyone smile today. There are two pages, (one, two) so enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day!
2.12.2007
Family Additions
No, I'm not pregnant :-) We have now added six goldfish to our little family--Bones, Peter, Rusty, Big Fatty, Pumpkin Eater, and Little Guy. Unfortunately, it's not looking like Little Guy is going to last much longer. He is currently quarantined in his own bowl so he doesn't infect the healthy fish. I almost named him Little Fellas and am glad I didn't because I'd be much more sad when the 28 cent fish died. But, I think I saved him from a sadder demise inside the belly of a larger fish.
You may be wondering, "Why the sudden addition?" Well, as you know, the Valentine's Day banquet was on Saturday. It just so happened that these little fish were the centerpiece for each table. I bought them Saturday morning and we managed to keep them alive throughout the banquet. And then I took them home :-D Speaking of the banquet, it went great! We had a lot of fun preparing for it and many people said they had a wonderful time. What a blessing!
Now the rush to pack begins. I took everything off the walls last night and packed it all away with sheets in between so nothing breaks. With things off the wall it feels more like we're on our way to moving. Saturday is the big day! I'm SO excited!!!
You may be wondering, "Why the sudden addition?" Well, as you know, the Valentine's Day banquet was on Saturday. It just so happened that these little fish were the centerpiece for each table. I bought them Saturday morning and we managed to keep them alive throughout the banquet. And then I took them home :-D Speaking of the banquet, it went great! We had a lot of fun preparing for it and many people said they had a wonderful time. What a blessing!
Now the rush to pack begins. I took everything off the walls last night and packed it all away with sheets in between so nothing breaks. With things off the wall it feels more like we're on our way to moving. Saturday is the big day! I'm SO excited!!!
2.08.2007
Hold, please
I have decided not to pursue beginning the MABS (Master of Arts in Biblical Studies) program this summer. This decision has been about a month in the making. Several weeks ago I had a lengthy discussion with my boss, the principal of Liberty Christian School, Thom Doney. I'll spare you the details, but essentially he exhorted me to think about how much money it would cost to begin to do something that has a very limited professional field and wasn't something that I absolutely knew I should be doing for a forseeable goal.
In my own thinking, I had been adding up the cost to do this for the next 4-6 years. Ballpark figure was somewhere around $14,000. When people asked me why I wanted to do it, I never had a set-in-stone answer. I think that my conversation with Mr. Doney was exactly what I needed in order to think and pray and discuss with Amy what I wanted to do and what we needed to do.
So, that frees up a week this summer for work/vacation. It also allows me to possibly pursue some other classes that will probably be significantly cheaper and more immediate in their impact on my job. Right now, I'm taking a class from Fresno Pacific University called Teaching Elementary Physical Education. Because it is professional development, Liberty is paying for 75% of it. I have to read through a textbook, watch a video and fill out the notebook that comes with it, take inventory of my PE materials, and teach two specific lessons gleaned from the information learned in the class. Lord-willing, I will finish the class before summer and then take another course or two during the summer. But we'll see what the Lord has. He is so kind to me to give me so many options and so much wise and informed counsel. Praise the Lord!
In my own thinking, I had been adding up the cost to do this for the next 4-6 years. Ballpark figure was somewhere around $14,000. When people asked me why I wanted to do it, I never had a set-in-stone answer. I think that my conversation with Mr. Doney was exactly what I needed in order to think and pray and discuss with Amy what I wanted to do and what we needed to do.
So, that frees up a week this summer for work/vacation. It also allows me to possibly pursue some other classes that will probably be significantly cheaper and more immediate in their impact on my job. Right now, I'm taking a class from Fresno Pacific University called Teaching Elementary Physical Education. Because it is professional development, Liberty is paying for 75% of it. I have to read through a textbook, watch a video and fill out the notebook that comes with it, take inventory of my PE materials, and teach two specific lessons gleaned from the information learned in the class. Lord-willing, I will finish the class before summer and then take another course or two during the summer. But we'll see what the Lord has. He is so kind to me to give me so many options and so much wise and informed counsel. Praise the Lord!
2.05.2007
A Sad 100th Post
Well, this is post number 100 for our blog. Unfortunately, it's going to be a sad one. Saturday morning found Amy and I in a church membership meeting at Village Bible Church. My phone was on silent for obvious reasons so I didn't notice that my brother Trevor had called a few times shortly before noon. The meeting ended at noon and Amy and I stopped at Big Lots to get some canned fruit. I noticed I had a voicemail from Trev, so I listened to it.
"Andrew, Gruden got hit by a car."
That was all he said.
For those of you who don't know, Gruden is the family dog. Maybe my mom can help me out here, but I don't remember what year we bought Gruden, but it was when I was in high school. My little brother Trevor had wanted a dog for several years before we finally got Gruden. Trevor named her after then-Oakland Raider coach Jon Gruden.
Gruden was a Black Lab and Australian Shepherd mix. She blended in well with our family because she was always full of energy and enthusiasm. She caused her fair share of problems but we all grew to love her. A few years ago she had a seizure one night and since then, she was on medicine to stop or lessen the severity of the seizures. She continued to have them, so my parents raised the dosage.
On Saturday morning, my dad was in the front yard doing some yard work. He let Gruden into the front yard so she could sniff around. A truck pulling a trailer came down the hill and Gruden decided to chase it. Apparently, the trailer ran Gruden over because my dad heard a "terrible" sound. He saw Gruden get back up and stagger back to the driveway where she collapsed. Dad said that he felt her heart beating but a little later saw her whole body just relax and go limp. Obviously, it was and is hard on my family, especially Trevor. My dad and Trevor took Gruden to the vet and said goodbye for the last time.
Goodbye Gruden. You were a good dog and a fun dog.
"Andrew, Gruden got hit by a car."
That was all he said.
For those of you who don't know, Gruden is the family dog. Maybe my mom can help me out here, but I don't remember what year we bought Gruden, but it was when I was in high school. My little brother Trevor had wanted a dog for several years before we finally got Gruden. Trevor named her after then-Oakland Raider coach Jon Gruden.
Gruden was a Black Lab and Australian Shepherd mix. She blended in well with our family because she was always full of energy and enthusiasm. She caused her fair share of problems but we all grew to love her. A few years ago she had a seizure one night and since then, she was on medicine to stop or lessen the severity of the seizures. She continued to have them, so my parents raised the dosage.
On Saturday morning, my dad was in the front yard doing some yard work. He let Gruden into the front yard so she could sniff around. A truck pulling a trailer came down the hill and Gruden decided to chase it. Apparently, the trailer ran Gruden over because my dad heard a "terrible" sound. He saw Gruden get back up and stagger back to the driveway where she collapsed. Dad said that he felt her heart beating but a little later saw her whole body just relax and go limp. Obviously, it was and is hard on my family, especially Trevor. My dad and Trevor took Gruden to the vet and said goodbye for the last time.
Goodbye Gruden. You were a good dog and a fun dog.
2.01.2007
Corn Muffin Story
Since my mom-in-law mentioned it, I thought I'd quickly share the funny corn muffin story.
So, as we know, it was in fact Happy's first baking experience. Seeing as he is SO amazing, he decided to help me out by making the corn muffins. The corn muffin mix is the Jiffy one that you add water, oil and eggs to. After mixing, he started to fill the muffin pan. Having filled one muffin cup, I glanced over and asked, "Did you spray the pan?"
He said, "What? It doesn't say I'm supposed to do that..."
I responded by picking up the box, pointing and reading "Grease the pan."
"Oh," came the response. Then of course, Happy emptied the muffin cup and cleaned and dried the pan.
Following this, he proceeded to fill four muffin cups before I glanced over and asked, "Um... did you grease the pan?"
"BLAST!" was his reply (or something like that...). So, he cleaned the whole thing again and did this time remember to grease the pan. What a wonderful husband I have! :-)
So, as we know, it was in fact Happy's first baking experience. Seeing as he is SO amazing, he decided to help me out by making the corn muffins. The corn muffin mix is the Jiffy one that you add water, oil and eggs to. After mixing, he started to fill the muffin pan. Having filled one muffin cup, I glanced over and asked, "Did you spray the pan?"
He said, "What? It doesn't say I'm supposed to do that..."
I responded by picking up the box, pointing and reading "Grease the pan."
"Oh," came the response. Then of course, Happy emptied the muffin cup and cleaned and dried the pan.
Following this, he proceeded to fill four muffin cups before I glanced over and asked, "Um... did you grease the pan?"
"BLAST!" was his reply (or something like that...). So, he cleaned the whole thing again and did this time remember to grease the pan. What a wonderful husband I have! :-)
1.30.2007
Spaetzle and Lentil Soup!
I thought I'd let you all know that there are more pictures in our web albums. This is Happy's first baking experience, or at least his first baking experience as a married man. He made corn muffins and they were excellent!There are also pictures of me making spaetzle and lentil soup for the first time! Both came out good and I had fun making them. Then again, the lentil soup didn't take much.... I just put everything in the crockpot and let it do all the work. Crockpots are great :-)
The other album that I added is from this weekend when we went to Pasadena to have breakfast with "the guys" and Katie. Then we went to Christie's tennis match. I have a better idea of how tennis works, but I was completely ignorant before. I think now I'd say I can watch a game and sort of understand what's going on. It was kind of cool though since Happy and I will have tennis courts to use at our new apartment! Ok, that's it for this morning. Have a good Tuesday!
1.26.2007
Semesters
I've just finished my first semester of teaching. I've never experienced a faster semester. Time flies when you're having fun! I'm taking a class this year through Fresno Pacific University called "Teaching Elementary Physical Education" so that I can become more informed and organized when it comes to planning my classes. I love my job, I love my wife, I love life, and I love my God! Have a great weekend!
1.25.2007
The Dentist
Just after Christmas Happy and I visited our new dentist. I found out I had two cavities. Bummer. But, I finally made an appointment to go in yesterday at 4:30. Not only did they drill and fill my two cavities, they also sealed 5 of my other molars and they feel weird. Now all that's left is to get one crown on a molar that has a silver filling. I'm sure that will be fun.
Once the dentist came in my little room I told him my "issues" with needles (thinking of the Novacaine) and he told me that for 99% of kids getting fillings, they don't use Novacaine because the drilling really isn't so bad. He gave me the option of using it or not. I opted not to use it. All in all, it really wasn't so bad (even though he did drill four separate times--he'd drill, rinse, then say "Just a little bit more...") and there was only one point where my eye twitched at the pain. For me, it's well worth it to not have the shots.
The last cavity I had filled was a long time ago, but I clearly remember at least 6 shots of Novacaine and still being able to feel the drill just as much as I did yesterday. Then I had a numb mouth for several hours. Yesterday I didn't! As I was leaving they asked if I wanted to have my teeth cleaned right then because one of their appointments didn't show up. Apparently there's new technology to clean teeth (shows how long it's been since I had my teeth professionally cleaned) which uses baking soda and a high powered sprayer. It tasted kind of gross, but it made my teeth whiter :-D Aside from the baking soda dusting on my face afterwards, I liked it much more than the nasty stuff I used to have.
So, even though I asked Happy to meet me at the dentist and drive me home, I could have driven myself home after all! In light of my exciting evening at the dentist (all of it took less than an hour), I thought I'd ask, does anyone else have any memorable dentist experiences to share?
Once the dentist came in my little room I told him my "issues" with needles (thinking of the Novacaine) and he told me that for 99% of kids getting fillings, they don't use Novacaine because the drilling really isn't so bad. He gave me the option of using it or not. I opted not to use it. All in all, it really wasn't so bad (even though he did drill four separate times--he'd drill, rinse, then say "Just a little bit more...") and there was only one point where my eye twitched at the pain. For me, it's well worth it to not have the shots.
The last cavity I had filled was a long time ago, but I clearly remember at least 6 shots of Novacaine and still being able to feel the drill just as much as I did yesterday. Then I had a numb mouth for several hours. Yesterday I didn't! As I was leaving they asked if I wanted to have my teeth cleaned right then because one of their appointments didn't show up. Apparently there's new technology to clean teeth (shows how long it's been since I had my teeth professionally cleaned) which uses baking soda and a high powered sprayer. It tasted kind of gross, but it made my teeth whiter :-D Aside from the baking soda dusting on my face afterwards, I liked it much more than the nasty stuff I used to have.
So, even though I asked Happy to meet me at the dentist and drive me home, I could have driven myself home after all! In light of my exciting evening at the dentist (all of it took less than an hour), I thought I'd ask, does anyone else have any memorable dentist experiences to share?
1.24.2007
Bacteria
Yes, that's what's in my sinuses right now. After a couple weeks of fairly regular headaches and fatigue (and at the prompting of my wonderful husband) I finally visited my allergist to see if there was something wrong. He said my ears look great, which I'm very thankful for, but my nose is a mess. Actually, he looked in my nose and said "You have a bacterial infection in your nose." He gave me a prescription for an antibiotic, which I began taking last night. I'm thankful that it seems to be as simple as that. I'm hoping that it is.
I learned last night that most nasal passages are like a maze, designed to keep bacteria from getting into the sinuses where it can cause worse problems. Unfortunately for me, my nasal passages are keeping the bacteria in my nose. Bummer. But, God's design is pretty amazing. He's got great ideas :-)
I learned last night that most nasal passages are like a maze, designed to keep bacteria from getting into the sinuses where it can cause worse problems. Unfortunately for me, my nasal passages are keeping the bacteria in my nose. Bummer. But, God's design is pretty amazing. He's got great ideas :-)
1.23.2007
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