Saving for sister/China update

I cleaned out a bunch of pennies that had fallen behind the bookcase in the home office. Waking up early (with the hopes of playing Mario), Nathan comes into the computer room and asks what all of the pennies are for. I told him he could have them for his piggy bank, and he said there were too many for him to carry However, he said he would take them "three at a time." Okay, I said. On the way back to his room, he kept trying to tell me what he wanted to buy with this new found wealth. I kept encouraging him that the piggy bank was for saving, but he should also think about giving some to the church. Then, on his own, he told me that he wanted to save up to buy something for his baby sister. How sweet, I said.

Since the wait for China has gotten astronomically long now, it has been very discouraging for us. It has definitely tested our faith. This, plus the logistics (and financial burdens of the upcoming move) has really dampened our spirits a bit. In fact, we have toyed with the idea of being open to domestic situations, should they happen to arise over the next year. The current timetable for China doesn't have us even having a referral now until late 2009.

It is moments, though, like the one with Nathan this morning that keep us going, despite the every so often "Why China?" comment from someone who doesn't understand our heart or history. It also makes me proud of my son.

I guess I have too many CDs...

Today was the culmination (or close to it) of a project I embarked on to get rid of all of the jewel cases for all of my CDs, consolidating them into a single binder (that fits about 250). Well, I filled that one up and still have about 50 plus left over. In fact, even with some blank spots left in for some late additions in certain categories, I was barely able to zip it up. Therefore, I may have to go back and take out the paper inserts I kept with each CD just to make it thinner. After all was done, here was the mountain I created, which I thought would make an interesting picture.


P.S. There is a cat well camoflauged in this picture. Can you find her?

Bite the Bullet

A few weeks back our roof over the sunroom was replaced, and some other touch-up roof work was done too. Somewhere over the main house, one of the roofers found an interesting shingle. One with a hole in it. Well, that's not that unusual. What caused the hole was indeed unusual - a bullet. Scary, right? I just now got around to taking a picture of it, as it's obviously an interesting souvenir of our house. It seems to have happened a long time ago. most likely when someone in the neighborhood perhaps shot up in the air. And after all, even bullets have to come down somewhere. Glad it wasn't my head!

In the "pits"

A friend of mine who works as a gas man for a Craftsman Truck Series Nascar team hooked me up with a Pit Pass for the race at Martinsville last weekend. It was a surreal experience to say the least. In addition to being in the pits with th 11 Red Horse Racing Team, I was able to catch glimpses of some famous drivers, and see beginning to end what goes on behind the scenes at a race. It was great! Here are some pics.

Goodbye to Joe

My friend Shawn and I from the time we were kids, were notorious Transformers and GI JOE traders. I was always more of the Transformers guy, and he - GI JOE. Recently, I discovered I still had the GI JOE Skystriker Jet and Bridge Builder. When I disclosed this to Shawn, he made a proposition I couldn't refuse - a trade for the 25th Anniversary Optimus Prime and Masterpiece Starscream. Aside for a few small things still in the attic, I said goodbye to the final larger items in my GI JOE collection. Nathan had fun with the GI JOE toys before the deal went down, as these pics will attest.

Living at Two Places/Easter Goings-on

It's been a while since the last post, as we continue to get used to our new church and the commuting situation we're in. Sharon commented this week that it was if we're "living in two places." For all of you readers out there (all 2.5 of you), please continue to pray for the quick sale of our house so we can get more firmly planted in our new community.

Here are a few pictures from our Easter Weekend. We had an egg hunt at the church, and also spent some time with Sharon's family.

Berry Messy

We ate at K & W tonight in Cornelius, and Nathan ordered the strawberry pie. Delicious, yet extremely messy. Here are the "fruits" of his labor.