Blog abuse, blog block, blog neglect.
I have no excuse, at least no excuse that everyone else doesn't have as well. Yes I've been busy, taken up with the celebrations and festivities, yes work has been crazy with everyone trying to get their appointments in before the end of the year.
But mostly I just haven't had much to say. Perhaps its been the business of my life that keeps my mind to preoccupied to think about much more than getting through the day. But I know there are people far busier than I who find time to think, write, and challenge themselves. So I'm left with only a few conclusions, one of which seems to be the most likely:
My brain is getting lazy.
I'm not really sure how I'm going to fix this problem, but I promise to blog more whether I make progress or not.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with their friends and families. Mine was filled with delicious food, sleeping in late, and of course some thoughtful presents. Michigan didn't provide a white Christmas, but it still felt like home.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Sunday, September 24, 2006
The short version
Here are my long-awaited (I don't know how you've all been sleeping at night) before/after pictures. I actually typed out the whole long, painful story, but just as I was uploading the last picture, my computer froze up, and I don't have the energy to do it again. Suffice it to say that while the difference between the beginning and the end seems negligible, three different boxes of hair dye and finally a 3 hour, 4-procedure process at the salon are the undocumented footage. My hair has now been dark brown, horizontally striped lighter brown, black, and slightly green in the past week. (by the way, those weren't all happening at the same time. Each color had its own reign of terror)
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Proof of Some of Andy's Hidden Abilities
Here is a photo of Andy in his high school musical, "Grease". Good luck finding him. If you're lucky enough, perhaps you will have a chance to view this video sometime...
Here is proof of Andy's hair dyeing abilities. Clearly, there are no missed spots here. I rest my case.
Friday, September 15, 2006
She trusted me...again!
Even though I missed a significant portion of her hair last time, Casi decided to give me another chance. Tonight we both helped each other dye our hair, and the results were much better. Niether of us has any stripes, patches, or spots in our hair, so we're already a step ahead of last time.
Here's Casi's before picture, where she's warning me that I had better not mess up this time!
And now deciding if she likes it (and also if we can still be friends)
She likes it!!
Soon to come...Janell's before and afters!
Here's Casi's before picture, where she's warning me that I had better not mess up this time!
And now deciding if she likes it (and also if we can still be friends)
She likes it!!
Soon to come...Janell's before and afters!
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Second Winds and New Beginnings
That was the title of Pastor David's timely sermon on Sunday. This past Sunday marked our church's first meeting in our new building, as well as our first Sunday with our new pastor, David Womack. Looking back, it makes all the delays in our building progress as well as the long search for a pastor so worth the wait. It was so fitting that we should all begin anew together, and we honestly couldn't have planned it that we way if we tried. Obviously we weren't the ones planning it.
I never would have guessed the incredible amount of time and work that would be required when we broke ground over a year ago, but I am so thankful for the challenges and needs that have met us along the way. Up until that point, everything had been handed to us. But as people left, and contractors went out of business, and money grew tighter, a strange thing started to happen. We started to act like a family, a family that could pull together and contribute whatever we had to get through. And we started (emphasis on started) to rely on God again. We knew the odds were against us, and the only way we were going to get through was (and is) to rely on God and His wisdom, not our own.
We had our last real workday last Saturday, from 7:30am until 11:30pm! I somehow found myself painting...again. This time it was wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling shelves, and this time I got to have a friend. Casi and I spent all day painting shelves for the Christian Education office, and maybe a little bit of time talking. : ) Though it was a very long day, it was also one of the most rewarding. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the work yet to be done as I walked out the door to go home, I felt excitement. In only a few short hours, we would be meeting there, singing praise to the Lord, listening to Pastor David bring us the Word, and celebrating God's faithfulness to us!
And that's what we did. We sang and prayed, and we listened to Pastor David talk about the things we can expect God to do in us and in our community through our new beginning. It was so refreshing to be still for a moment (a recurring theme I guess) and look back on where we've been, and then to look eagerly ahead to where we are going.
This coming weekend is our Grand Opening, which will include a Fun Fair for families as well as a dessert/coffeehouse for adults, so that will be a little busy. After that, my life should (for some reason it never seems to work out this way) become a little less crazy. And I can post more than once a month. And hopefully sleep a little bit more. And become slightly less addicted to coffee.
Then again, what's so bad about coffee? ; )
I never would have guessed the incredible amount of time and work that would be required when we broke ground over a year ago, but I am so thankful for the challenges and needs that have met us along the way. Up until that point, everything had been handed to us. But as people left, and contractors went out of business, and money grew tighter, a strange thing started to happen. We started to act like a family, a family that could pull together and contribute whatever we had to get through. And we started (emphasis on started) to rely on God again. We knew the odds were against us, and the only way we were going to get through was (and is) to rely on God and His wisdom, not our own.
We had our last real workday last Saturday, from 7:30am until 11:30pm! I somehow found myself painting...again. This time it was wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling shelves, and this time I got to have a friend. Casi and I spent all day painting shelves for the Christian Education office, and maybe a little bit of time talking. : ) Though it was a very long day, it was also one of the most rewarding. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the work yet to be done as I walked out the door to go home, I felt excitement. In only a few short hours, we would be meeting there, singing praise to the Lord, listening to Pastor David bring us the Word, and celebrating God's faithfulness to us!
And that's what we did. We sang and prayed, and we listened to Pastor David talk about the things we can expect God to do in us and in our community through our new beginning. It was so refreshing to be still for a moment (a recurring theme I guess) and look back on where we've been, and then to look eagerly ahead to where we are going.
This coming weekend is our Grand Opening, which will include a Fun Fair for families as well as a dessert/coffeehouse for adults, so that will be a little busy. After that, my life should (for some reason it never seems to work out this way) become a little less crazy. And I can post more than once a month. And hopefully sleep a little bit more. And become slightly less addicted to coffee.
Then again, what's so bad about coffee? ; )
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Being = Painting
And I don't mean pictures. I mean baseboards. I know I promised myself to just relax and "be," but in the face of so many things to do, I just couldn't.
Every Saturday morning, we have a workday at our new church building, which usually involves cleaning or small projects. Andy and I try to go if at all possible, especially lately since we'll be (hopefully) moving our services there in just a couple weeks. This is one of those things Andy and I always do together, but I wanted to go this morning even though he is out of town to get started on a project that will ultimately fall on his shoulders: painting the baseboards in our new auditorium.
Andy is a fantastic painter. He's fast, innovative, and meticulous, so it isn't hard to understand why any leftover painting jobs have been assigned to him. However, with so many other things on his plate, he's been putting in a lot of time (read: too much) trying to get everything done.
So I decided to help. I went in this morning with a mission: to get the first coat of primer on the baseboards (which are already mounted, making it much more time consuming to paint). Without going into too much detail, let me explain how this job could possibly take as long as it did. The carpet is already installed, so the floor-baseboard angle had to be taped to avoid painting the carpet. Also, we have wall carpet that extends halfway up the wall (not as weird as it sounds) which is preferably avoided when painting as well. So...that means I had to use a 23 inch edging tool that I slid between the top of the baseboard and the wall carpet in order to get to the very edge of the baseboard without painting the wall...
...it took FOREVER!
This morning, I finished the biggest wall but had to leave to take one of my friends to the airport. So this afternoon, I debated: "I know I said I would just 'be,' but if I don't finish that, it's just more work for Andy, and he already has too much to do." Next thing I knew, I was at the church.
At first I was disappointed in myself. It truly is one of my (more socially acceptable) weaknesses that I will "do" anything before I allow myself to contemplate the thoughts in my head, to process the things that happen in my life. But as I painted, my thoughts slowed, and I began to think about the many people and situations that make up my world. There was no one else there to talk to, and there was no music to distract my ears and mind. It was just me and my thoughts...and the baseboards.
As I neared the end of my task, and my sense of accomplishment grew, I was reminded of the body of Christ. To me, my task was significant and important. To others, the baseboards will likely go unnoticed. In light of all the work thats been done and all the hours and energy sacrificed, my contribution was minimal. But just the same, every part of the body performs its function, and though mine was less than momentous, it was what I could do with what I've been given.
I finally finished at 10:15pm. Usually, I would expect to feel tired or worn out, but tonight, I felt renewed. Maybe it was seeing the result of the work I had done, or perhaps doing something I knew would help my husband. And while those are the tangible evidence of my time spent painting, I am also aware that my goal to just "be" was still accomplished tonight, despite my propensity to avoid it.
I cleaned my paint brush, returned the supplies to their designated place, turned off all the lights, and stood in the dark silence. My heart and mind were still. Je suis.
Every Saturday morning, we have a workday at our new church building, which usually involves cleaning or small projects. Andy and I try to go if at all possible, especially lately since we'll be (hopefully) moving our services there in just a couple weeks. This is one of those things Andy and I always do together, but I wanted to go this morning even though he is out of town to get started on a project that will ultimately fall on his shoulders: painting the baseboards in our new auditorium.
Andy is a fantastic painter. He's fast, innovative, and meticulous, so it isn't hard to understand why any leftover painting jobs have been assigned to him. However, with so many other things on his plate, he's been putting in a lot of time (read: too much) trying to get everything done.
So I decided to help. I went in this morning with a mission: to get the first coat of primer on the baseboards (which are already mounted, making it much more time consuming to paint). Without going into too much detail, let me explain how this job could possibly take as long as it did. The carpet is already installed, so the floor-baseboard angle had to be taped to avoid painting the carpet. Also, we have wall carpet that extends halfway up the wall (not as weird as it sounds) which is preferably avoided when painting as well. So...that means I had to use a 23 inch edging tool that I slid between the top of the baseboard and the wall carpet in order to get to the very edge of the baseboard without painting the wall...
...it took FOREVER!
This morning, I finished the biggest wall but had to leave to take one of my friends to the airport. So this afternoon, I debated: "I know I said I would just 'be,' but if I don't finish that, it's just more work for Andy, and he already has too much to do." Next thing I knew, I was at the church.
At first I was disappointed in myself. It truly is one of my (more socially acceptable) weaknesses that I will "do" anything before I allow myself to contemplate the thoughts in my head, to process the things that happen in my life. But as I painted, my thoughts slowed, and I began to think about the many people and situations that make up my world. There was no one else there to talk to, and there was no music to distract my ears and mind. It was just me and my thoughts...and the baseboards.
As I neared the end of my task, and my sense of accomplishment grew, I was reminded of the body of Christ. To me, my task was significant and important. To others, the baseboards will likely go unnoticed. In light of all the work thats been done and all the hours and energy sacrificed, my contribution was minimal. But just the same, every part of the body performs its function, and though mine was less than momentous, it was what I could do with what I've been given.
I finally finished at 10:15pm. Usually, I would expect to feel tired or worn out, but tonight, I felt renewed. Maybe it was seeing the result of the work I had done, or perhaps doing something I knew would help my husband. And while those are the tangible evidence of my time spent painting, I am also aware that my goal to just "be" was still accomplished tonight, despite my propensity to avoid it.
I cleaned my paint brush, returned the supplies to their designated place, turned off all the lights, and stood in the dark silence. My heart and mind were still. Je suis.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Je suis
One of the few phrases I remember from my 3+ years of French, it means "I am." Or more accurately, "I am in the state of being." This weekend, I am going to attempt to do just that: be. A few of the significant people in my life are out of town this weekend, and I will miss them all. But in the time that they are gone, I have a specific goal in mind. Yes, I would like to clean my house. And yes, I would like to get to some of those projects that never actually get done. But even more than that, I would just like to step back from the "doing" and allow myself to "be" for a few moments. I don't really know what that will look like; perhaps a long walk with no destination, an evening with a good book and some coffee, a pad of paper and the thoughts in my head...the possibilities are endless. I wish for the familiar beaches I grew up with - to go wander and observe and soak in the beauty. But in their absence, I am certain I will make do.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
One more for mom
I realized that wasn't the greatest picture of the piano lamp to see how nice it looks with the piano, so I took another one this morning for you. I don't know how much you can tell from the picture, but it really brings out the gold stripes of the vase on the right and goes well with the lamp shade on the left. I couldn't have picked a better one myself! : )
Thankyou mom!
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
What you've been missing...
...or at least what I've been meaning to post about. If I were really going to do this right, I would make a separate post for each event, but that sounds too complicated. So here is a conglomerate of pictures describing what I've been up to of late. That said here they are in non-consecutive order:
We tried to go to a Cubs game, but it got rained out, so we just spent a night on the town in Chicago instead (afer getting drenched!)
My mom gave Andy and I this beautiful piano lamp for our one year anniversary, and I just love it! (thanks mom!)
I met the beautiful Evelyn Elizabeth Moorman, Lydia's niece. She is so sweet, and I already brought her some cute clothes to wear. : ) Congrats Ted and Sarah!
On the way back from a concert with Casi and Karen Mattox in Casi's new Mustang convertible - it was really windy, and I didn't have a hair tie in case you were wondering!
I caught them drinking Mountain Dew! (they gave it up for 1 year - but I found out that Karen is on vacation, so it doesn't count...so I had one too.) : )
Sporting the wind-blown look...
The proud new owner of a red '03 Mustang Convertible...funny, now she always wants to take her car everywhere!
Before...
...and after. ( I helped Casi dye her hair...twice. I missed a rather large spot in the back of her head, so we had to go back to the store and get a little bit more hair dye. By the way, if I am scheduled to dye your hair at any time in the near future, this weekend perhaps, please do not be afraid. I am really good at this, promise. Also, do not under any circumstances ask Casi about this.)
Lydia and I went to a jazz club we've been talking about for months, Green Dolphin Street. The band was wonderful, the atmosphere sophisticated yet unpretentious, and the food (even the bar menu!) was fantastic.
Jazz, a good friend, candlelight, and a camera...what more could you ask for?
Also, Andy and I got to visit my family last weekend, which was really nice. It had been a long time since I was home, so I really enjoyed the relaxation, catching up, and of course the Lake.
I'm sure I've forgotten several things, but I dont' have any pictures of those things, so its just as well.
Now for the biggest news of all: I have the day off tomorrow!!! I can't wait to do all the things I've been thinking about every day for the past few weeks. Number #1 on my list is to calm the storm of flowers/weeds outside of my house that is now forming a barricade to the front door. I'm not sure which is weed and which is flower, so my game plan is just to trim everything a little bit until it doesn't look like the plant from "Little Shop of Horrors." That alone should take until at least noon.
We tried to go to a Cubs game, but it got rained out, so we just spent a night on the town in Chicago instead (afer getting drenched!)
My mom gave Andy and I this beautiful piano lamp for our one year anniversary, and I just love it! (thanks mom!)
I met the beautiful Evelyn Elizabeth Moorman, Lydia's niece. She is so sweet, and I already brought her some cute clothes to wear. : ) Congrats Ted and Sarah!
On the way back from a concert with Casi and Karen Mattox in Casi's new Mustang convertible - it was really windy, and I didn't have a hair tie in case you were wondering!
I caught them drinking Mountain Dew! (they gave it up for 1 year - but I found out that Karen is on vacation, so it doesn't count...so I had one too.) : )
Sporting the wind-blown look...
The proud new owner of a red '03 Mustang Convertible...funny, now she always wants to take her car everywhere!
Before...
...and after. ( I helped Casi dye her hair...twice. I missed a rather large spot in the back of her head, so we had to go back to the store and get a little bit more hair dye. By the way, if I am scheduled to dye your hair at any time in the near future, this weekend perhaps, please do not be afraid. I am really good at this, promise. Also, do not under any circumstances ask Casi about this.)
Lydia and I went to a jazz club we've been talking about for months, Green Dolphin Street. The band was wonderful, the atmosphere sophisticated yet unpretentious, and the food (even the bar menu!) was fantastic.
Jazz, a good friend, candlelight, and a camera...what more could you ask for?
Also, Andy and I got to visit my family last weekend, which was really nice. It had been a long time since I was home, so I really enjoyed the relaxation, catching up, and of course the Lake.
I'm sure I've forgotten several things, but I dont' have any pictures of those things, so its just as well.
Now for the biggest news of all: I have the day off tomorrow!!! I can't wait to do all the things I've been thinking about every day for the past few weeks. Number #1 on my list is to calm the storm of flowers/weeds outside of my house that is now forming a barricade to the front door. I'm not sure which is weed and which is flower, so my game plan is just to trim everything a little bit until it doesn't look like the plant from "Little Shop of Horrors." That alone should take until at least noon.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Better late than never
Casi and I making lime-margarita chicken kabobs
Even though its taken me almost two weeks, I still need to prove that I actually planned something, and then it happened exactly how I planned it. To be fair, when I say "I," I mean Casi. But thats completely beside the point. From here on out I'll say we.
We decided to host a 4th of July party at Casi's house this year, complete with swimming pool, a friendly bags competition, a cookout, and fireworks. We had a great time (aside from being bombed by Andy's water balloons at various points throughout the day) and enjoyed a relaxing day together.
We were really excited about the cupcakes!
Soon-to-be parents Ted and Sara (we can't wait!)
Two of the sweetest and most eligible bachelorettes in Chicagoland (Casi and Lydia of course!)
Still newlyweds! : )
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Summertime
This is why I love summer, and why I love living near Chicago. The girls and I made a day of going to Ravinia a couple weekends ago, and it was heavenly. We relaxed on our blanket, ate lots of food, did plenty of people watching, and listened to the smokey voice of Madeleine Peyroux.
Though we did get a few drops of rain at the end, it was so warm out that we didn't mind a bit.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
At last...
It is time to return the favor. Recently a longlost friend of mine got in touch with and gave me a little update on her life. Tonight, I am finally able to sit down for a moment and attempt to do the same. (Sorry for the delay!)
I guess I'll start where you did, after high school. I decided to go to Wheaton College, which is about 20ish miles west of Chicago. I went right after high school and really enjoyed my time there. I had great professors, made some wonderful friends, and yes, met my husband Andy there. I met him on my first day at Wheaton, and it didn't take long before we were spending every possible moment together. We dated all of my four years at Wheaton (he graduated a couple years before I did) and got engaged my senior year. We will have our one year anniversary this July 9th. (I can't believe it's already been a year!)
We moved to Aurora IL right after we got married and bought a house. We are still in the process of painting and putting in new carpet in some of the rooms, though to be honest our progress has mostly stopped in the last 3 or 4 months. We've both become increasingly involved in our church, and our time at home has become less and less as a result. I have played the piano for our church for about 3 years now, and Andy has just recently found himself on just about every committee there is! We are in the process of building a new building as well as searching for a pastor, so as you can imagine there is plenty of work to be done. We will probably move into the building in August, so we are truly looking forward to that! So much work and prayer has gone into this project, and we are really looking forward to the new opportunities we will have.
I am working as a dental assistant (thats what you get for majoring in English!) in a nearby city called Naperville. I work for an endodontist, meaning we do only root canals. I started there as soon as I graduated, and have found that I really like it. Andy is a fifth grade teacher, and he has been teaching at the same elementary school in Aurora for 3 years. During the summers he does interior painting jobs, which is a really nice extra income to have around.
I still love to read as well, but just like you said, Janette Oke hasn't made her way onto my bookshelves as of late either. I've also grown to love music, especially anything with a folk influence. Hmmm...what else does my life consist of? : )
My family is somewhat scattered now, with Ben living in Minneapolis, Steve and his wife Rachel (and my adorable 9 month old niece Ella!) living in the UP of Michigan, David just graduated from Wheaton and moved to Muskgeon for the summer, Lisa in Grand Rapids at Aquinas, and Daniel still at home. It is amazing to look at my siblings, the younger ones really, and see that they have grown into adults, with real lives and friends and goals! It is sometimes hard to be far away from everyone, as I'm sure you know.
Well, I guess that covers the basics. There are so many things that don't fit into words, but here is everything that does. You mentioned in one of your posts that you are planning to visit your family soon. Where do they live? I have no idea if it is close to where I am now, and if they are if it would even work, but I would so love to see you and your family. I don't want to intrude on anything or make your schedule any more hectic than it probably is, but on the off chance that something would work out I'd be thrilled! You can email me if you want instead of posting all that in a comment. : ) (Janell.Mccann@gmail.com)
I guess I'll start where you did, after high school. I decided to go to Wheaton College, which is about 20ish miles west of Chicago. I went right after high school and really enjoyed my time there. I had great professors, made some wonderful friends, and yes, met my husband Andy there. I met him on my first day at Wheaton, and it didn't take long before we were spending every possible moment together. We dated all of my four years at Wheaton (he graduated a couple years before I did) and got engaged my senior year. We will have our one year anniversary this July 9th. (I can't believe it's already been a year!)
We moved to Aurora IL right after we got married and bought a house. We are still in the process of painting and putting in new carpet in some of the rooms, though to be honest our progress has mostly stopped in the last 3 or 4 months. We've both become increasingly involved in our church, and our time at home has become less and less as a result. I have played the piano for our church for about 3 years now, and Andy has just recently found himself on just about every committee there is! We are in the process of building a new building as well as searching for a pastor, so as you can imagine there is plenty of work to be done. We will probably move into the building in August, so we are truly looking forward to that! So much work and prayer has gone into this project, and we are really looking forward to the new opportunities we will have.
I am working as a dental assistant (thats what you get for majoring in English!) in a nearby city called Naperville. I work for an endodontist, meaning we do only root canals. I started there as soon as I graduated, and have found that I really like it. Andy is a fifth grade teacher, and he has been teaching at the same elementary school in Aurora for 3 years. During the summers he does interior painting jobs, which is a really nice extra income to have around.
I still love to read as well, but just like you said, Janette Oke hasn't made her way onto my bookshelves as of late either. I've also grown to love music, especially anything with a folk influence. Hmmm...what else does my life consist of? : )
My family is somewhat scattered now, with Ben living in Minneapolis, Steve and his wife Rachel (and my adorable 9 month old niece Ella!) living in the UP of Michigan, David just graduated from Wheaton and moved to Muskgeon for the summer, Lisa in Grand Rapids at Aquinas, and Daniel still at home. It is amazing to look at my siblings, the younger ones really, and see that they have grown into adults, with real lives and friends and goals! It is sometimes hard to be far away from everyone, as I'm sure you know.
Well, I guess that covers the basics. There are so many things that don't fit into words, but here is everything that does. You mentioned in one of your posts that you are planning to visit your family soon. Where do they live? I have no idea if it is close to where I am now, and if they are if it would even work, but I would so love to see you and your family. I don't want to intrude on anything or make your schedule any more hectic than it probably is, but on the off chance that something would work out I'd be thrilled! You can email me if you want instead of posting all that in a comment. : ) (Janell.Mccann@gmail.com)
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Sometimes he makes me laugh
Anyone who has known my husband Andy for very long would be able to tell you that he is a little picky when it comes to food. To be fair, I will eat just about anything, so it doesn't take much before I put someone in the picky eaters club. But by any standard, Andy's tastes are highly discriminatory. Though I could list all of the foods on the "Andy-does-not-eat-list," that is not the real reason for my post.
The food I want to focus on today is bread. Not so much a loaf of bread, (because he doesn't really eat that), but sandwich rolls. I am gradually learning what makes a good (and bad) sandwich roll. The bread must be soft and a little doughy, with no type of seeds or other foreign objects on top, and any kind of flavor is out of the question. Its incredible how fresh and tasty the rolls can look in the package, and then when you try them they are tastless, tough, or stale. Needless to say, I've learned by trial and error. Though Andy has been more than gracious, I always feel a little guilty packing his lunch with a sandwich I know he isn't really going to like. I usually have a flashback of my first-grade self, trying to swallow the lump of white bread and Bologna in my mouth.
All of this is a backdrop for the events that unfolded tonight. After Andy and I ate dinner tonight, I left to go grocery shopping. Among the items on my list for this week were "Good sandwich Rolls." I wrote it like this so I would remember to really look and find the PERFECT roll. I write this every week. Except that tonight, I actually found it! A new grocery store opened down the road just recently, and their selection is superb. So tonight, I found the perfect fresh, doughy, plain sandwich roll; I was ecstatic!
As I put the groceries away, I set aside the things I needed to make lunches for tomorrow. I could just imagine Andy coming home after work and raving over the sandwich perfection. (a little much perhaps, but you'd be surprised how excited he gets about good food) I was just finishing putting the groceries away when Andy came into the kitchen. We started talking about something, and it took a moment before I noticed that he was holding something in his hand. And he was squishing it. And it was the rolls! My perfect, Andy-approved, my-search-is-over sandwich rolls! My face must have conveyed my horror, because Andy simultaneously stopped talking and smashing the rolls into an unrecognizable mass of dough.
ME: "What are you doing??"
ANDY: "Uhhhhh...."
ME: "Those are for your lunches!"
ANDY: "I thought they were moldy!"
ME: "So you wanted to smash them?"
ANDY: "I was going to give them to the birds."
By this time, Andy looked so crestfallen that I couldn't help but laugh. You may be wondering, as I was and actually still am, why you would want to pulverize the bread before you would give it to the birds. You may also be wondering, as I was, why it was assumed that the bread was moldy. However, I feel it is best not to pursue the answers to these questions. I do know that next time, I'm getting two packages; one for Andy to eat, and the other for him to play with.
The food I want to focus on today is bread. Not so much a loaf of bread, (because he doesn't really eat that), but sandwich rolls. I am gradually learning what makes a good (and bad) sandwich roll. The bread must be soft and a little doughy, with no type of seeds or other foreign objects on top, and any kind of flavor is out of the question. Its incredible how fresh and tasty the rolls can look in the package, and then when you try them they are tastless, tough, or stale. Needless to say, I've learned by trial and error. Though Andy has been more than gracious, I always feel a little guilty packing his lunch with a sandwich I know he isn't really going to like. I usually have a flashback of my first-grade self, trying to swallow the lump of white bread and Bologna in my mouth.
All of this is a backdrop for the events that unfolded tonight. After Andy and I ate dinner tonight, I left to go grocery shopping. Among the items on my list for this week were "Good sandwich Rolls." I wrote it like this so I would remember to really look and find the PERFECT roll. I write this every week. Except that tonight, I actually found it! A new grocery store opened down the road just recently, and their selection is superb. So tonight, I found the perfect fresh, doughy, plain sandwich roll; I was ecstatic!
As I put the groceries away, I set aside the things I needed to make lunches for tomorrow. I could just imagine Andy coming home after work and raving over the sandwich perfection. (a little much perhaps, but you'd be surprised how excited he gets about good food) I was just finishing putting the groceries away when Andy came into the kitchen. We started talking about something, and it took a moment before I noticed that he was holding something in his hand. And he was squishing it. And it was the rolls! My perfect, Andy-approved, my-search-is-over sandwich rolls! My face must have conveyed my horror, because Andy simultaneously stopped talking and smashing the rolls into an unrecognizable mass of dough.
ME: "What are you doing??"
ANDY: "Uhhhhh...."
ME: "Those are for your lunches!"
ANDY: "I thought they were moldy!"
ME: "So you wanted to smash them?"
ANDY: "I was going to give them to the birds."
By this time, Andy looked so crestfallen that I couldn't help but laugh. You may be wondering, as I was and actually still am, why you would want to pulverize the bread before you would give it to the birds. You may also be wondering, as I was, why it was assumed that the bread was moldy. However, I feel it is best not to pursue the answers to these questions. I do know that next time, I'm getting two packages; one for Andy to eat, and the other for him to play with.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Accident
I saw an accident happen last night. It was like the dream where you want so badly to talk, or more likely scream, but for some reason you find yourself in slow motion, and though your brain is furiously ordering your mouth to form the words, no sound escapes your lips.
We were sitting in traffic on an entrance ramp, waiting to get on the highway, and everything was backed up because there was a toll about 1/4 mile down from our ramp. It was late, and I had just gone to an outdoor picnic/concert with a few of my friends, so we were just sitting, all of us tired and ready to go home, waiting for our turn to merge. I was just staring at the parked cars already on the highway, not thinking about anything in particular, when I suddenly saw streaking brake lights, then something black flying in the air. And then there were two bodies on the ground, and the black object became visible as a motorcycle, which had been sitting at the end of the line of cars. It had flown up in the air and crashed against the car in front of it, and both people on it were now lying on their backs, not moving.
Then I could speak. Though I was too far away, and obviously couldn't have acted quickly enough, it seemed as though my brain had been trying for hours to yell out a warning, but my lips just wouldn't move. Now they would not stop moving, but even as I spoke I felt the uselessness of my words. Immediately there were people everywhere, standing in circles around the two on the ground, some kneeling, others fanning them and trying to wake them up, several on their cell phones. And all I could do was watch; it seemed disrespectul to turn my eyes away. Within minutes a policeman arrived, and slowly we merged into traffic and drove away, leaving everything behind us. Much of the remaining ride was spent in silence. Words seemed too casual and weak to express what had happened. We prayed, and I cried. And then we were quiet again.
I've checked every local police blotter I can find online today, but have discovered nothing yet. It is sobering, but not in a "well now we've all learned our lesson and we can move on" way. I feel as if my life has been irrevocably changed. I may never know who was in that accident last night or what caused the driver of that car not to stop, but I saw lives change in unfathomable ways right before my eyes, and I can't imagine I will ever forget it.
We were sitting in traffic on an entrance ramp, waiting to get on the highway, and everything was backed up because there was a toll about 1/4 mile down from our ramp. It was late, and I had just gone to an outdoor picnic/concert with a few of my friends, so we were just sitting, all of us tired and ready to go home, waiting for our turn to merge. I was just staring at the parked cars already on the highway, not thinking about anything in particular, when I suddenly saw streaking brake lights, then something black flying in the air. And then there were two bodies on the ground, and the black object became visible as a motorcycle, which had been sitting at the end of the line of cars. It had flown up in the air and crashed against the car in front of it, and both people on it were now lying on their backs, not moving.
Then I could speak. Though I was too far away, and obviously couldn't have acted quickly enough, it seemed as though my brain had been trying for hours to yell out a warning, but my lips just wouldn't move. Now they would not stop moving, but even as I spoke I felt the uselessness of my words. Immediately there were people everywhere, standing in circles around the two on the ground, some kneeling, others fanning them and trying to wake them up, several on their cell phones. And all I could do was watch; it seemed disrespectul to turn my eyes away. Within minutes a policeman arrived, and slowly we merged into traffic and drove away, leaving everything behind us. Much of the remaining ride was spent in silence. Words seemed too casual and weak to express what had happened. We prayed, and I cried. And then we were quiet again.
I've checked every local police blotter I can find online today, but have discovered nothing yet. It is sobering, but not in a "well now we've all learned our lesson and we can move on" way. I feel as if my life has been irrevocably changed. I may never know who was in that accident last night or what caused the driver of that car not to stop, but I saw lives change in unfathomable ways right before my eyes, and I can't imagine I will ever forget it.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
What a sweet, sweet day
Well, today was the final day of school (with children) for this year. It is a wonderful feeling to know that I don't "have" to get up for anything inparticular for 3 months. :) Now, the reality is I'll still be getting up and working. It's just nice to know I don't have to.
To say my class was a challenge this year would be an understatement. There were days when I thought I'd go crazy. There were days I really enjoyed too. The toughest thing was the lack of impact I feel I had on the kids. I spent so much time disciplining that I wasn't able to really connect with many kids. It was a very frustrating feeling, especially when so many kids need that.
Here's to the summer though. Hopefully, I'll be recharged and ready to go next year again.
To say my class was a challenge this year would be an understatement. There were days when I thought I'd go crazy. There were days I really enjoyed too. The toughest thing was the lack of impact I feel I had on the kids. I spent so much time disciplining that I wasn't able to really connect with many kids. It was a very frustrating feeling, especially when so many kids need that.
Here's to the summer though. Hopefully, I'll be recharged and ready to go next year again.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Janell's First Pearl Jam Show...Andy's 7th :)
Here is a picture from Janell's first Pearl Jam show Wednesday night. I'm pleased to say she enjoyed herself, and has given me permission to see all of their shows within a 12 hour driving distance. I really appreciate it. So, I've got 2 Milwaukee shows, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, 2 St. Paul shows, and 2 Denver shows. I also appreciate her willingness to take up a 2nd job to help fund my travel/ticket expenses. She's quite the trooper. So, if it seems like you never get to talk to Janell, it's because she'll be cleaning toilets on the night crew at Wal-Mart. She's a very giving person.
Here are 2 pictures from the Tuesday night show I went to. Thought you might enjoy them. Janell's not too excited about my decorating our house with Pearl Jam memorabilia. What do you all think??
Saturday, May 13, 2006
I love getting rid of stuff...
Yes, that's right. The McCanns are having our first annual yard sale. Now, you may already be wondering how we could possible have an annual yard sale. "Who has enough superfluous, unnecessary clutter to host a yard sale every year?"
That would be us.
We know we are materialistic. We know we are packrats. And we know as soon as we make some money on all of our junk, we will immediately go out and spend it on the makings of next years yard sale.
All joking aside, we spent most of the day going through our clothes, books, and other odds and ends. It makes me hope I will be much more careful the next time I buy something just because its on sale, or because I think it may be useful.
But then again, I guess our yard sale would be sadly lacking next year if I did that. So here's to being wildly consumeristic...
That would be us.
We know we are materialistic. We know we are packrats. And we know as soon as we make some money on all of our junk, we will immediately go out and spend it on the makings of next years yard sale.
All joking aside, we spent most of the day going through our clothes, books, and other odds and ends. It makes me hope I will be much more careful the next time I buy something just because its on sale, or because I think it may be useful.
But then again, I guess our yard sale would be sadly lacking next year if I did that. So here's to being wildly consumeristic...
Friday, May 12, 2006
Here's to hoping...
Well, what can I say. I'm casually browsing blogs with my wife by my side, and she directs me to her sister's blog. We look at the comments, and Janell tells me to click on Lisa's best friend's picture to view her blog. I do, and I am greeted by these photos.
I am left to ponder, "Is this what MY children may look like?", "Is THAT possibly going to enter into the McCann's gene pool?", and "My WIFE is related to her?!?!". Hopefully I won't lose too much sleep over the issue, but it is a concern. Alas, there is not much I can do about it now, but pray (and look into gene therapy of some sort). That is all.
I am left to ponder, "Is this what MY children may look like?", "Is THAT possibly going to enter into the McCann's gene pool?", and "My WIFE is related to her?!?!". Hopefully I won't lose too much sleep over the issue, but it is a concern. Alas, there is not much I can do about it now, but pray (and look into gene therapy of some sort). That is all.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Maybe I should be a teacher...
It doesn't seem right that summer is around the corner, and I have no extended vacation in sight. I guess even though I've worked through every summer since I was 16, I'm still not used to the fact that I'm not done with SOMETHING (like school) when summer begins. Maybe I could quit my job for a few months and have a summer job - I could mow lawns! Or perhaps be a dog walker. Maybe even work at an icecream stand. I'm sure my boss would understand. I'll be back in the fall, when I'm ready to be a responsible adult again.
I was, in fact, informed last night by an expert (i.e. an eight year old girl) that you aren't a "real adult" until you're thirty. However, when pressed, she admitted I was no longer a teenager. She finally decided I was neither teen nor adult, which meant I could do whatever I wanted until I had to grow up.
I'll take it.
I was, in fact, informed last night by an expert (i.e. an eight year old girl) that you aren't a "real adult" until you're thirty. However, when pressed, she admitted I was no longer a teenager. She finally decided I was neither teen nor adult, which meant I could do whatever I wanted until I had to grow up.
I'll take it.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Men's Retreat
| Fun in Lake Geneva I went to Lake Geneva with a couple of the guys I work with for a Men's retreat. We had a blast (including some fun with this rope swing) and we got to praise God together, which was awesome. We went with Willow Creek Church (which is a HUGE church in Barrington, IL). I really enjoyed hearing Mike Breaux, one of the pastors from Willow Creek, speak. | |
 For some reason the swing was lower for me... |  Tony, with a goofy look on his face |
 Tony had several excuses for not being able to pull Tom back... |  Was it wrong that I was hoping he fell in? |
Monday, April 24, 2006
We're counting you...
I'm wondering if anyone actually reads our blog, so I decided to add a counter. We'll be keeping an eye out for you. Howeverm it is invisible in case only like 5 people look at our blog, they don't know how unpopular we are.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Goodbye grackles, hello goldfinches
Actually posted by Andy, not Janell:
Well, I solved the "Curse of the Grackle" recently. We have a bird feeder in front of our house which was being savaged by the common grackle. They were scaring off all of the other, nicer looking, birds. So, I did a little research and found that the grackle despises safflower seed. So, I replaced our wild bird seed with safflower seed and haven't seen a grackle since then. Suckers.
I also purchased a goldfinch feeder. Apparently, goldfinches are the only birds that feed upside down, so this feeder is designed only for them. This is somewhat humorous when other finches attempt to eat from the feeder. The have to resign themselves to picking up the scraps leftover on the ground. I might end up getting them their own feeder though. I feel for their plight.
One interesting phenomenon I have observed with the goldfinch feeder is that they seem to be very territorial. There has been 1 female, and 2 males at the feeder quite often. As you can see from this photo though, only one male eats at a time. There is space for 6 birds on the feeder, but as soon as the other male tries to feed, the one currently feeding scares him away. It's very interesting to watch.
A final observation about birds. I appreciate the fact that male birds are much better looking than their female counterparts. I made the comment to Janell that this is much like humans. She didn't seem to appreciate it though...As I like to say, it's a good thing we have a comfortable couch.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Lobster Anyone?
| Here's a lesson for all you kids out there. Even though it's cool outside, and it's not sunny in the morning, that DOES NOT mean that you can go to a baseball game without sunscreen. Some might think of this as an easy way to get a couple days off work, but I will assure you that it IS NOT WORTH IT. Some might assume I was trying to do my best Clawful impersonation, but he WAS NOT my favorite He-Man character. In case you haven't heard of it, when your sunburn oozes puss, it's called "weeping". It's quite enjoyable...Ok,not really. It's actually very disgusting. Probably not as disgusting as the HUGE blister on what used to be my right ear lobe. I'm hopeful for partial recovery of the lobe. Just to clarify, the substance on my wounds is not puss, but rather the medicine my doctor prescribed. | |
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Sunday, April 16, 2006
Andy's Gift List
To All Interested Parties:
Here is a link to Andy's new and improved gift list.
http://www.andy-mccann.com/gifts.htm
Enjoy perusing it at your leisure. You can feel free to purchase any item whenever you would like, as I like to think of my birthday being a year round event.
Substitutions may be made for most items, although I would recommend having them pre-approved by the appropriate authorities (i.e. Andy).
Thanks you for your time.
Andy
Here is a link to Andy's new and improved gift list.
http://www.andy-mccann.com/gifts.htm
Enjoy perusing it at your leisure. You can feel free to purchase any item whenever you would like, as I like to think of my birthday being a year round event.
Substitutions may be made for most items, although I would recommend having them pre-approved by the appropriate authorities (i.e. Andy).
Thanks you for your time.
Andy
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
It's Curtains for the McCann's
| That's right,everyone will be happy to know that the curtains are finished for our living room. We are one step closer to actually having a home. I will be posting some other updates to the house in the near future. Janell did a wonderful job with her first sewing project. I'm sure the neighbors appreciate not having to see brown paper taped up in our windows too. :) | |
 | Before curtains... |
 | After curtains! |
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