Dear Ainsley [Week 19]

Dear Ainsley,

I've already blinked way too much! You've grown so much right before our eyes even though we are trying to embrace every stage of your life!

Other than some adjustment getting back to a regular routine with me being back to school, there wasn't any other rough patches! You're night times have regressed a bit, but I'm crossing my fingers that it is just a result of adjusting back to our routine. I hope! Really even with the waking, it's bareable, it's your now screaming instead of whimpering at night that is unwelcomed. Ah, well though, you've been such a good baby, this still doesn't come close to others' horror stories!

In other exciting-only-to-a-mother news, you ate some banana for the first time this week! [Technically your grandma gave you some when she was watching you, but I guess you just squished in around in your mouth and then spit it out.] Your papa gave you some on Tuesday and then Sunday morning we gave you a bit more. We've been talking about when to start you on cereal--the internet advice experts say 4-6 months is typical--but we've also read that you can start with other "real" foods so we shall see. I'm guessing though, baby girl, within a couple weeks, you'll have more than milk and nanners! Papa and I will definitely be showing you the ropes to yummy food!

And to end this note on a quick funny story from today: We went to Sunday School and church this morning. [Confession: only the second time of going to Sunday School since you've been born because of the whole not wanting to use a bottle.] Anyways between Sunday School and church I slipped into the nursery to nurse you before going to the main service. Within a couple of songs after your belly was full your eyes got heavy and you were out for the count. You woke towards the end of Pastor Charlie's sermon. During the "charge" at the end of the service when everyone was standing, Papa was holding you and all of a sudden you had projectile spit up--thankfully it was the milk like spit up, not the chunky spit up! Since we were all supposed to be praying with our eyes shut, I quickly grabed a blanket and wiped it up off the pew/seat in front of use, and the coat of the guy in front of us. Then I had the giggles about how he'll never know! Way to leave your mark baby girl!

Love you lots lil' one! You are my second favorite person in the whole world, only second to Papa of course!! ;-)

Momma

Dear Ainsley [Week 16]

December 17th, 2011


Dear Jesus Ainsley,

This weekend was LBTs Christmas Cantata and we were asked to be Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Three years ago, Papa and I were Mary & Joseph [largely because your papa can grow a beard by grunting!], but this year was much better as instead of carrying a cold, plastic doll, I got to embace you through out the program. As far as the acting, we were directed to "be in our own little world, captivated by you and talking amongst ourselves". Easy enough! Momma's usually in her own little world. You naturally captivate us. And I can alway chat with your papa. You did AWEsome with your role as well. The first service you slept through 3 out of 4 songs and then once awake you silently, and adorably stretched! The second service you were awake for 2 songs but didn't make a peep--and we didn't need that bottle I stashed in the bales of straw just in case!

Photo Courtesy of Gary Brown

I'm not going to lie. I was nervous. Nervous you would, well be a baby and cry or fuss. I was also nervous because on Saturday within ten minutes of needing to be on stage you learned a new trick. As you shoved your hand in your mouth--nothing new-- you figured out that if you blew you could make quiet the raspberry on your wrist!! Yikes! It was quiet humorous, but I don't think baby Jesus did that in the manger, and thankfully you didn't either.

Joseph, Mary, & Jesus

In addition to your great acting debut and teaching yourself to make raspberries on your wrist you made another huge development this week! I was out in the garage working on Christmas presents when your papa came out and calmly said you just rolled over. What?! I didn't want to believe him in part because we're constantly joking that you walked or talked when the other one isn't around. He clarified that it was just on the couch so we immediately came back in to see if you'd do it again... and you did! Five more times! And then you proceeded to roll over once on the floor! 

Way to go lil' lady!


Love,
Momma

Emotional [Sun]day

Pretend you are reading this on Sunday; I’m a bit late posting. :)

Today was an unexpectingly emotional day. It’s Father’s Day and since it’s Sunday, Chris and I headed to church. We went to Sunday School and then across the parking lot to church. As we entered into church there was a commercial video playing about Man-dles aka candles with man scents. Think locker rooms, jock straps, and cut grass. It was quite humorous, but that's where the humor ended.

The choir sang a song [which I don’t remember what it was called] and while they were singing there was a video playing that depicted an elderly couple sitting on their couch looking through an album recapping their lives. Cute, in love elderly couples always pull at my heartstrings, but this day was particularly pulling. As I watched this couple on the big screen, I thought about how each of my grandmas were sitting alone for the first time in decades on this Father’s Day. I couldn’t even imagine. It was hard to think about. By the end of the song, with a couple deep breaths, the tears had dried up, but the thoughts were still running ramped.

Then Pastor Jonathan sang a song about a relationship between a father and a son and how the dad wants to be sure to live his life like Christ’s because he knows that his little boy wants to be just like his dad and dad wants the little boy to be like Christ. Go on, pull at my heart some more. Instead of the somber thoughts of my grandmas being without their husbands and my parents both being without their fathers for the first Father’s Day in their lives, my mind went to how in 2 short months, Chris will be that dad, and the joy that that thought brings. I am so confidence in his role as a father and I’m sure just as often that I catch myself smiling gazing at our lil’ babe, I’ll catch myself gazing at Chris interacting with our babe! I’m already guilty of that when he interacts with our niece and nephews. :) So there were some [more] tears there, but I’m pretty sure I saw some welling up in Mister’s eyes as well having similar thoughts.

Pastor Charlie preached and then concluded the service with a challenge. He charged all the married men in the church to come forward. Now usually at this point there are maybe a handful of people who go forward for one reason or another, but this morning was different. Nearly immediately Chris and many, many other men went forward to pray. I’m not 100% sure what it was, but there is something about men being men and standing up to lead that hits deep. As Pastor Charlie continued to challenge the men, more and more came to the front. It was awesome. To be completely real, what he said to them, was probably the best words that I have ever came out of his mouth. It was like I was a fly on the wall that was able to hear men talk heart to heart and challenge each other to be better—better men, better husbands, better friends, better fathers. I could sit in on that conversation every Sunday day!

Lastly after church Chris helped me pack for a week in Grand Rapids. I have training for school through Friday and while I know that it’ll be good and productive, I hate the idea of being away from Chris so long! Ten miles out, I had some tears welling.

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And now it is Tuesday, and I wished that/feel like it should be at least Thursday. I miss home. I miss Chris. I’m going to continue to try to get everything out of this conference so I can be best prepared—well so that I can best prepare my long-term sub—for the kick off to the year and beyond, but Friday at noon I'll be celebrating all of my 3.5 hour drive home! I may even make it home in less time! :)

3-Part Ramble: Math... Church... Chris!

I have had about 3 different blog ideas today so prepare for a modge-podge. : )

The first two go hand in hand in my mind, so let's see if you can make the connection:

Sometimes I hate my math brain and biblical interpretations...

Did you figure out the connection yet? No I'm not trying to do the math of dividing 5 loaves and 2 fish to fed a multitude!

Part 1

The first statement simply leads to the second statement. Tonight I went to church [which is unusually in that I went to a Wednesday evening service] but I deciding to go because I wanted to hear the pastor candidate again. [That topic in and of itself is a can of worms. Pastors come and candidate and then members vote as if they are watching So You Think You Can Dance?! based on a single performance.] Anyways tonight Dr./Pastor Charlie talked about the inspiration and interpretation of the Bible and he began his lesson with a question about boating. He asked how many people had been on a boat for 1000 miles and a few ex-military men raised their hands. Then he proceeded to talk about how if you began your 1000-mile journey just 5 degrees off, which everyone agreed didn't sound like much, that what didn't seem like a big deal would leave you 90 miles from your destination in the end. Which is kind of a big deal. I knew where he was leading at this point... that if we are a little off with our interpretation of the Word, it can make a BIG difference in the end. 

It was at that point that I stopped listening began multi-tasking. 

Seriously?! 90 miles of track?! That doesn't sound right. Is the porportion of degrees to 360 the same as 90 to 1000?! That doesn't seem right! Is my mental math that horrible? Am I becoming calculator dependent like too many of my students?! Oh man! This is going to kill me! I've got to figure this out!?

And so I did. I began my math on the back of an old bulletin. 5 over 360 equals x over 1000.

Cross multiply. Divide. Double check my math.

[I'm teaching this right now to some of my students ironically.]

x = 13.8 miles not 90.

And so I reworked the problem the other way...

90 over 1000 = x over 360

Cross multiply. Divide. Double check my math.

x = 32.4 degrees not 5.

Then I debated if I would nonchalantly shake his hand later and inform him of his mathematical error. It wouldn't be the first time that I corrected a Bible teacher over a math-related error, but I woud likely get the same response: "Oh really? Huh, I just heard it used before so I'm using it. Come up with a new example, okay?"

Oh, brain. : )

Part 2.

Another statement that Dr./Pastor Charlie stated was that 97% of the Bible is literal and only the wee-little bit rest is figurative. [I don't think he was saying this as a fact, but rather that the overwhelming majority is literal. That would take a lot longer than 5 minutes to check his math on!] This statement got me thinking that this is probably true and furthermore, the problem is that the 3% is interpretated 97 different ways and each person or denomination chooses a different 3% to consider figurative.

His example was from Romans: "But if your enemy is hungry, feed him and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so you will heap burning coals upon his head." [Romans 12.20] The second part of this is clearly not literal and I would venture to say that 100% of sane Christians would agree with that classification.

But what about these verses:

Do  you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. [1 Cor. 6.19]

Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. [Prov. 23.20-21]

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. [Matt. 5.9]

Salute one another with an holy kiss. [Romans 16.16]

Now I realize that I was able to pick and choose what verses I wanted to list here and I'm not implying that I think one way or another about any of them, but what I am saying is that Christians, pastors,

EVERYONE!

picks and chooses what they want to say is literal and what is figurative.

I could list a hundred different times that I have heard about adultery, lying, cheating, drunkenness, cussing, and drugs from the pulpit, but do you know how many times I've heard a pastor preach on gluttony or even self-discipline such as excersing?!

Zilch.

We've got to stop picking and choosing verse by verse and simply pick and choose the Bible.

Okay, soap box over.

 Part 3:

Today in our staff meeting we were talking about various ways to incorporate technology into our classrooms and we had a few students present helpful websites. One of which was wordle.net which I haven't figured out how I am going to incorporate into geometry, but this was fun to make none the less. : )