Cheers Y'all!

Scotland Trip & More...

2011-09-24T12:36:00.000-04:00

After a long, LONG wait, I now finally have pictures of Scotland to show you. We had a great trip with Mr. Dwight and Leanne (Joshua's dad). We started our trip in Edinburgh then went on to Stirling and Inverness before finishing up in Glasgow. Our absolute favorite place was Inverness, home of Loch Ness and Nessie. Sadly, we did not see Nessie thanks to Joshua. He's a doubter, tst-tst, shame on him. But our favorite part of the whole trip was just being with Mr. Dwight and Leanne. It was great having family here and hearing people speak normal English for a change! Haha! Here are some pics of our trip:

As many of you now we moved in early August. For the past month and half we have been living in Dr and Mrs' Crisp's home (Dr. Crisp is whom Joshua is studying under) as they have moved to Fuller Seminary in CA. It's been great, such a blessing, but sadly will be ending soon as they have a buyer for their house. Still, we are grateful for the time we will get to be here until the sale is finalized.

Work is going great. I've been pretty swamped the past several weeks as this coming Wednesday night is our big Open Evening. I think it will be good but I always stress about my events before hand: can't sleep and stuff. Ah! Three more days!

Bentley had another cancer tumor removed a few weeks ago. He is recovering well except for a stubborn tendency to scratch his stitches out. So, as they say: desperate times call for desperate measures.

We are both very active in our church. We decided to help out by helping lead the ministry to college students. I am also now responsible for serving and catering at Emmanuel - hey, gotta have that tea after the sermon! And I have recently started meeting up with about 7 lady friends from church to fellowship and read "Created to Be His Helpmeet," or what I call, my wife book. It's really exciting and I'm so grateful to Jessica Moody for introducing me to the book and reading through it with me when I first got married.

Well, I have to go get ready for Game Night at Carolyn's. Should be fun and I made pineapple meatballs and sausages! Hope they turn out.

Love you guys!

Independence Day - British Style

2011-07-05T11:07:00.001-04:00

So, I bet you didn't think they celebrated 4th of July in England! They do! OK, at least we do - and our American friend does and our sweet English friends from church humoured us (OK, made fun of us, or, as they say here, took the mickey out of us). Here are some pics of our Independence Day festivities!

So, they look American, right? Posers! Meet Will and Katie (yep, their real names). Only, their last name is Corrie and not Windsor. Way to get into the spirit of things!

Behold! The REAL Americans. Can you tell the difference? BTW, there are actually 3 Americans in this picture - and I'm not talking about the guy in the mirror! Haha!

Even Rocky got into the celebration. Check out the Star-Spangled beads (wonder who he had to flash to get those?)

We had a real American-style spread with hamburgers and potato salad and the works!

We followed it up by dessert - not puddings as the English call the sweet stuff they eat after the main meal - but dessert! I made peach cobbler, Carolyn made cherry pie and Katie, the honorary American, made the red-white-and-blue cake. It was all delicious!

Speaking of Katie's cake - check it out! Can this girl bake or what?!

Living in the UK has made me realize a few things about the US. It has made me realize that we take much for granted. I have also realized that we are on a slippery slope towards socialism. Socialism, I have discovered (first-hand) is AWFUL, TERRIBLE, there are not enough bad words to describe it and if Dante had known there was such a thing, he would probably have given socialism its own circle in Hell in the Inferno. I love the US and being away from it has made me realize how truly blessed those of us who live in the States truly are - in so many different ways. No matter our problems or our disagreements, we still need to remember to hang on to our liberties and guard against any form of socialism no matter the cost, lest we cease to be the land of the free.

Although we missed being with friends and family in the US, we missed the big fireworks displays and the cookouts and the flags flying everywhere, our English friends made us feel quite at home and celebrated the day with us. Mike and Rosie Sims opened their home for the Independence Day cookout (although he claimed he was celebrating his independence from us - whatever, Mike!). And Mike proved he is a world-class grill master. It was as close to being home as we could be without actually being there. It's funny how you can go far away from home and meet people so different from you and yet realize how alike you really are. It's just the traditions, the trappings that change. At the end of it all when Joshua and I got home to our sweet Bentley I think we were all agreed that it was a great day. Happy Birthday, USA!

Long Overdue

2011-06-27T07:37:00.000-04:00

I know, I know... Where in the world has Jenna been! I have been super, duper busy. Praise the Lord I started a job. I am working as Marketing and Community Engagement Manager for a school. Funny thing is, after CAK I have wanted nothing more than to work at a school again, but now that I am I think God has shown me that my goals in life have changed. New phase in life - new interests, new desires. I guess I no longer desire that career, that rush of accomplishing like I used to.

Anyhooooo, I'm just going to give you loads up pics to catch you up on what we've been doing. 'Cause we all know it's the photos you want to see!

Mark and Carolyn Wilson with Josh at a pub during our day trip to the Cotswolds.

My turn!

A beautiful flowering tree outside the pub. Did I mention the Cotswolds are gorgeous?

A REALLY old church in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Mark reading the plaque on the wall inside the old church.

The guys.

Inside the church again.

Stratford-Upon-Avon.

A cute door all decked out in honor of the Royal Wedding (yep, I'm WAY behind on my posts).

This is part of the building at the Natural History Museum in London. Joshua and I took a trip to visit Dan and Betty Jo Hall and they took us to tour the museum. Definitely worth a trip.

Dinosaurs!

And a life-size blue whale replica - kinda (almost) makes up for a childhood disappointment suffered at the Smithsonian...

Joshua has been studying and working hard on his dissertation. Bentley helps.

They have gotten very close.

I have been cooking more. Here is my most recent achievement: pudim de leite, a Brazilian version of "flan."

Dominic creating the "Alessandro" a fantastic coffee concoction of vanilla syrup, toffee nut syrup, steamed milk, frothed milk and espresso. Yum! (Notice the concentration)

Family pic outside our house.

Catching Up

2011-05-04T09:50:00.001-04:00

It has been busy, busy around here: Easter, Royal Weddings... fun, fun! So, I thought I would catch everyone up with a look - in pictures - at what we have been up to the past few weeks.

Some of our Brazilian friends cooking up a traditional Brazilian churrasco.

Joshua enjoying some Brazilian goodness.

Me and some of my Brazilian lady friends at the churrasco. We were rocking the shades.

Here are several of our church friends, enjoying a beer at the pub after service. Awesome.

Here's us, at the beer garden with our friends after church. Still wondering what the English put in their grass to make it so green.

Mark and Carolyn Wilson. This is my American friend. She's American, he's Irish. Funness.

I helped out after church serving tea and coffee one night (after all, there MUST ALWAYS be tea and coffee after church) and really got into the spirit of things and decided to wear my Starbucks apron. Paul, is an aspiring actor studying at the Old Vic. It shows, I think.

This is Joshua and his advisor, Dr. Oliver Crisp. He pointed I that I had not posted this picture of when he presented a paper at the conference so... Ta-Da!!! Here it is, y'all.

Monday was a Bank Holiday (meaning everyone has the day off - kinda like a national holiday in the US). We were invited to a cookout at our friend's house. Here are the guys chilling out in the back yard.

Here are the Three Amigas: Bryony, me and Carolyn.

Here were are again making goofy faces: Bryony, me, Carolyn and Naomi.

As you know unless you live in a cave, the Royal Wedding took place last Friday. I watched the Royal Wedding from Millennium Square in Downtown Bristol. There were masses and masses of people there as you can see.

A traditional English treat called Marzipan - I think. It was yummy! We had a picnic. Although, one of the guys would not let us eat or drink anything during the service, after all, it WAS a service. I think he had a point, even though we were sitting on the floor in the square and not at the Cathedral... still...

I totally got my England on and got in the spirit of things. Even if I thought it was a little funny that they were singing "America" during the wedding. Nope! Turns out that wasn't what they were singing - it was "God Save the Queen." Their National Anthem, same tune, different words.

Right after the wedding ended some happy wedding watchers started a train. I got some of it on film and took the opportunity to interview Bryony on her thoughts and impressions of the Royal Wedding.

Cardiff, Bath and Beyond

2011-04-17T05:33:00.000-04:00

I hope you are all enjoying the new look of the blog. I think it fits better with this new phase of my life. Speaking of this new phase: I have loads and loads to tell you!!

First, Bentley the Boxer had a birthday. On April 1st my baby turned 9 years old. Hard to believe my little one is 9. To celebrate the grand occasion, Joshua, our friend Jordan (another of Dr. Crisp's PhD students), Bentley and I took a trip to Bath. Bath is about 15 minutes from Bristol and is famous for its Roman baths, picturesque gardens and, of course, being the home of Jane Austen.

We ran into some locals who were decked out in full Georgian attire for a ball they were going to attend. I told Joshua we need to go to a ball while we are here.

The beautiful abbey in downtown Bath.

This is a detail on the front of the abbey called Jacob's ladder, notice the angels climbing the ladder.

I don't know anything about this statue, but I thought it was pretty and right in the heart of Bath city centre.

I saw this typical English phone booth and couldn't resist! So the birthday boy and I had our pics taken inside.

Last week I received a special treat. My sweet friends, Dan and Betty Jo Hall were being visited by their daughter, Meredith, and their grandson, Sean. They decided to take Sean and Meredith to see Cardiff and invited me along. It was a wonderful day! Meredith and Sean are super fun!

Cardiff Castle

The keep of Cardiff Castle.

Meredith and I on the grounds of Cardiff Castle.

Inside the keep.

The pier in Cardiff, called Mermaid pier.

This is the carousel right on Mermaid pier.

Meredith and I at night on Mermaid pier.

Life has been fun and interesting. God has been good. I have been making some good friends. Bryony is a cop - she's lots of fun and very interesting. She informed me (once she found out I like futbol - soccer) that I will be a Manchester United fan, as I do not have a team here. Works for me! So, tonight Joshua and I are went over to Bryony and her husband Dave's home (they live right down the street) to watch OUR team, Manchester United take on Manchester City. Sadly, we lost. But we had a fabulous time with Dave and Bryony and enjoyed that staple of English cuisine - Indian take-out.

Just as we met Bryony and Dave at church, we also met Mark and Caroline there. Caroline is - Praise the Lord!!!! - AMERICAN. It's wonderful, amazing - aah.... a breath of fresh air. She's so much fun. Very bubbly and outgoing. She is my age and got married at the same age as me too. She has been here 8 months and - you guessed it - lives down the street. We had tea today and talked about how life here is so different from life back home and how little things (like cooking) are just a little different here.

Given all that, we think we have found our church. Ironically, it's called Emmanuel (for those who don't know, we attended Immanuel Baptist in Louisville). Joshua and I both feel very drawn to the church, the people there and are excited about getting involved and investing in the church family there.

One last thing before I go because I know this is WAY long. I had an informal interview yesterday for a full-time position. They have asked me back for a formal interview and even mentioned a start date of May 1 "or sooner if I am available." It all looks very promising and it is a position I am very excited about as it is work I would find very fulfilling and meaningful. Please keep that in your prayers. We miss you and love you.

Cheerio!

You're Driving On The Wrong Side Of The Road!!

2011-03-03T09:57:00.000-05:00

I drove today for the first time - in England, that is. It was intense!! I was test driving a little Mazda Joshua and I are thinking of buying (really good deal - used cars are very inexpensive here) just to help with things like getting groceries and picking up furniture and get places that are a little too far to walk. So... back to the car driving... first, I walked to the right side of the car - by that I mean I went to the CORRECT side of the car, which for us "yanks" is the left. Oops! No steering wheel over here! So around I go to the other side.

Ah! OK, so I get in, buckle up and do all that good stuff - did I mention that the car is a manual, standard, stick shift, all of the above? Yep. I'm driving a non-automatic vehicle with the steering wheel in the wrong place on the wrong side of the road. Brilliant. Oh! It gets better! Since it is a manual you have to shift. Well, the gear shift is in the car just as it would be in the US meaning I have to use my left hand to shift. No biggie, but one would think that first would be up and towards me, right? I mean, when the steering wheel is on the other side, you shift with your right hand and first is up and towards the drivers leg/knee. Nope. The shift is EXACTLY as it is in our cars here, so first is still up but it is away from me. Still, I did very well, did not stall once! And, as far as I know I did not run into the other lane of traffic either. As for the other drivers on the road, well, they kinda looked like this...

Trials and Blessings and Harry Potter

2011-03-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

We are in Bristol! Have been for a week now. We moved into our house, the house that I REALLY wanted. It's so cute, so British and it even has a little cupboard under the stairs ala Harry Potter. I have to think of a name for the house now, after all, that's the English thing to do.

But things aren't all great with the house. We had quite a few issues with it, some of which still are not resolved. For starters the place was not clean and they did not get it cleaned for us until this past Wednesday. Of course, I cleaned the main areas so it was at least livable until the heavy duty cleaners came in. The washing machine has serious mold spores in the rubber part and the landlors refuse to replace it. There are broken shelves in the kitchen and when I got home on Tuesday there was a big, black, fat spider on the CEILING of the guest bedroom!!!

Although I have been acting like the Israelites lately, whining and complaining and just plain feeling sorry for myself, I have to admit that God has been so good to us. He has blessed us so much. He has blessed us with friends like Jeff and Marley Wisnoski who gave us a place to stay for 2 WHOLE WEEKS while we looked for a place to live. They took us around London and Windsor and welcomed us into their lives. We are so looking forward to many more adventures and explorations with our new friends. God has also blessed us with Dan and Betty Jo Hall. The Halls are not new to me, having served as missionaries in Brazil with us many years ago. They are now ministering to the Brazilian community here in London. They welcomed us into their home (and served us the most delicious home-made pizza!), took us to see Platform 93/4 (more on that later). The Halls also loaded their car up with ALL of our boxes (about 19 in all) and drove them from London to Bristol for us. They then spent the day with us going around to Ikea and other places helping us find furniture. They were a real blessing to us. We are looking forward to spending more time with them as well.

Another huge way God has blessed us has been with work for me. I have some leads on some full-time positions which I should hear more about within the next several weeks. In the meantime I will stay busy with some temp work. In fact, I already was hired to do some temp work yesterday and today! Ha! How's that for a quick answer to prayer?!

So... the adjustment has been a WHOLE lot harder than I thought it would be. I have been really lonely and down. But I'm sure things will get better when I get into a routine. I'm not exactly sure why I have felt so incredibly sad, melancholy and depressed but I have. England is beautiful, the people have been very nice - except for our landlords - and Bristol is a fascinating place. But it isn't about the place or the people, or even Joshua and Bentley, after all, they seem happy. It's just me. I'm just going through a hard time right now.

On a happier note. Uncle Dan and Aunt Betty Jo went on a fun - dare I say, MAGICAL - excursion with Joshua and me when we were in London. We went.... wait for it... to King's Cross Station and we actually saw it - it DOES EXIST - Platform 9 3/4!!! It was so exciting. We even tried pushing a trolley through - but it didn't work (us being Muggles and all).

We even got to ride a double-decker bus!

And visit the famous Blackwell bookstore. It's funny, there is a Blackwell bookstore and a drugstore/beauty store called "Boots." I think Dad would have liked it here.

I'm going to leave you with a short video of our trip to King's Cross Station. Enjoy!

A Rose, A Globe and Some Major Jet Lag!

2011-02-06T17:49:00.000-05:00

Cheerios, Y'all!

We have all arrived safely in England - with all of our luggage, I might add. That in itself is a minor (ok, MAJOR) miracle. We are staying with our sweet friends Jeff and Marley and having a blast!

We have been able to do quite a bit of sight-seeing in London. Some of the places we have visited are:

Harrod's

Westiminster Abbey

I got to fulfill a dream and visit the reconstructed Globe Theatre! It was amazing! Joshua and I are definitely going to come back and watch a Shakespeare play here. Below are a few more pics of the fabulous Globe.

We also visited the Rose Theatre which was the first theatre built in the backside. It was extremely interesting.

Planting Trees @ CAK

2010-11-12T17:06:00.001-05:00

Two weekends ago my sweet friend Maristela and I took some time and went down to Knoxville for a visit. It was a great time! We talked, we laughed! We were total girls!

It was the first time I had been back to Knoxville since I moved to Louisville in 2008. I was able to reconnect with sweet friends like Julia, Lisa, Barb and Luan. We visited some of my old haunts and enjoy some of my favorite places. We even went out dancing (shocking!). It was a blast.

One of the highlights of the trip was our visit to CAK (Christian Academy of Knoxville). I worked there for almost 3 years. My co-workers as well as the families who have students at CAK have had a profound impact on my life. CAK blessed me beyond words. It gave me direction, a sense of purpose, a sense of family and connection.

As I walked the familiar halls and saw all the growth and the changes I was so proud. And sad too. I no longer wanted to go to England. I wanted to stay here. And I realized something, something very special. When asked, "where are you from," I've always answered, "I'm from Brazil, but my parents are from Baton Rouge, Louisiana." Mostly because I did not feel there was a place here in the U.S. that I had lived long enough or that I had enough connections to really call "home." That is not true, after all. Knoxville is home for me here in the U.S. That is because of CAK and the special, special people God brought together there.

Thank you CAK staff, faculty, parents and students for being such a special chapter in my life. I love you SO, SO much. I am closing this post with a song - a song by Andrew Peterson. I was listening to it on my ipod the other day and it reminded me of CAK and what happens on that campus every single day.

A Very Special Easter

2010-04-09T14:39:00.002-04:00

So, this past week and a half has been a whirlwind! Bentley had a birthday. He is now 8 years old! I admit that while I am happy and grateful, that happiness is tinged with a little fear in knowing that the average lifespan of a boxer is only 10 years. I know I need to live in the present and enjoy every day with my sweet boy, lest my days be tarnished by worrying over tomorrow. Most of the time I can, but more and more I find myself faced with the fact that my beloved Bentley, the one person (for he is endowed with more personhood - at least in my eyes - than many people, say.... people like those occupying the White House at the moment, for instance) who has been a constant in my life for 8 years. Goodness gracious Bentley has been my longest relationship!!! Ever!!! He truly has been my life's companion and I love him beyond what I am capable of expressing.

Of course, now I also have a new companion for my life and a new love, Joshua. He does not replace Bentley or minimize the love I have for Bentley. Joshua has his own place in my life and in my affections. I have been thinking a lot lately about my relationship with Joshua and our marriage. It's natural, I suppose as very soon (6 weeks!) we will celebrate our 1 year anniversary. We started out kinda rough. That first month was H-A-R-D! But every month after has just gotten better and better.

I think every relationship has its breakthrough moments, though. Those moments when you finally break through all that has gone before, all the imperfections in yourself and your partner and the relationship and you just accept each other and love each other unconditionally. That is where the real "one-flesh" development starts to happen I think. For us that breakthrough moment happened this past Sunday - Easter Sunday - at church. We had a slightly stressful Saturday and, even before Saturday I had (off and on) been plagued by doubts as to Joshua’s feelings for me. I have had those doubts ever since the day we married actually.

Sunday sitting in church right after Pastor Ryan finished preaching is when it happened. It was a very powerful sermon (although some of it was a little beyond my grasp, I confess) and made a huge impact on Joshua. He sat silent, in prayer I suppose, for several moments while others went down for the Lord’s Supper. Finally, with tears in his eyes, he turned to me and apologized for some things and confessed some guilt he had been feeling about some feelings he had been having. He told me he really loved me and was ashamed of how he had been feeling lately. I started crying too and immediately forgave him.

We have grown closer and our bond stronger since Sunday. There is more trust and more openness between us. I hope this will continue to grow and develop and that we will always remember Easter 2010 as a very special day. Easter…. Resurrection Day… a day of rebirth and new beginnings. Lord thank you for ours and thank you for sending Your Son!

Movies, Maple Syrup and Tomahawk Throwing

2010-03-24T13:09:00.001-04:00

I'm falling behind again! Agh!!! Well, just to update you. We had a blast watching "Alice in Wonderland." For those of you expecting a live version of the Disney animated movie just be aware that it doesn't follow the story exactly. Rather, it draws heavily from the obscure and often over-looked poems and songs with which Lewis Carroll peppered his fantastical tale. The Mad Hatter, who was only one of a myriad of fanciful characters in the original story, is now the hero of the tale - or anti-hero may be a better description.

Maristela and I having fun with our 3-D glasses.

If you really like Alice in Wonderland and can't get enough of the story I would also recommend to you the Sci-Fi Channel's "Alice." It contained many of the more traditional elements of the story - but with a Sci-Fi twist. I thought it was very insightful and thought-provoking. More so than the Tim Burton version, it hit on some of the topics Carroll's masterpiece seeks to address such as the tyranny of government, the willingness of the people to be led so long as they get what they want, the fickleness of society and their love of fads and fashions. Somehow it seems so fitting, so appropriate to the times in which we live.

We had a great group with us there to watch the movie: Daniel and Maristela Spiegel, Ben Montoya, Toby Jennings, Aaron Murphy, Beverly and Frank Lozano and Joshua and I. Much fun was had by all.

That same weekend Joshua and I accompanied our care group to the annual Maple Syrup festival in Indiana. It was a blast! We learned how maple syrup is made and even got to try some. Yummy! Joshua also challenged Robert Nettles to a game of tomahawk throwing. Here is how it works: each person gets three tries at throwing a tomahawk at the pieces of wood. The objective is to get your tomahawks to stick to the piece of wood. Both Robert and Joshua struck out. I wanted to give it a shot and, voilá, I succeeded on my very first throw!

Off with their heads!

Wonderland, In-laws and Tea Parties

2010-03-04T16:26:00.003-05:00

Well, as you may have guessed from the new look of my little home on the web I am very, trés, muito, beaucoup excited about this weekend's premier of Alice in Wonderland. In fact, if you live in Louisville consider yourself invited to join us this Saturday night as we check it out in IMAX 3-D!!!!!!

Another really neat thing going on this weekend is a last-minute, semi-surprise visit from Joshua's mom, Mrs. Beverly, and her husband Frank. They will be arriving sometime tomorrow night. That means that tonight I will get chez Joshua, Jenna and Bentley in order. But never fear - I will get a little down-time too. I have to, you see, because I received from Netflix this week a Disney film which Mr. Farris refuses to watch with me: Princess Protection Program. So, as he is teaching tonight, Bentley and I will watch it. We will watch it, and thoroughly enjoy its family-friendly, Disney fun-ness (yes, fun-ness is a word).

I am still working on my knitting projects and hope to complete them soon so I will have some pictures to show you. Other than that I have a slight headache and a scratchy throat. I hope I am not getting sick! Joshua complains that I always get sick just in time for the weekends. I think I will have some tea tonight while I clean and relax. Tea and cake.... uhm... very appropriate.... just the thing to get me in the mood for this weekend.

Playing Catch Up

2010-02-23T14:30:00.002-05:00

Oh my goodness! I can't believe I am so far behind. Well, I have a lot of catching up to do.

December was a whirlwind. It started with my sweet Joshua graduating from Southern Seminary with his M.Div. I have a few pictures to document the event.

Jenna, Joshua, Mrs. Beverly and Mr. Frank

Jenna, Joshua, Maristela and the always adorable Sophia

Aw! The cute couple!

Joshua and Dr. Mohler

We had a wonderful time with our families at Christmas. It was a whirlwind, though! Even Bentley got into the act opening presents...

I have been busy knitting a new project which I will update you on next time. But I will leave you with a family picture (or two).

Collisions

2009-12-07T11:07:00.001-05:00

Sorry I haven't written in a while. Things got really hectic at home and at work and then we went to St. Louis for Thanksgiving to visit Joshua's mom and sister. It was a fun time although we were disappointed his sister stood us up. As St. Louis University is one of Joshua's top choices as far as places he would like to do his PhD, it was great getting to see more of the city and do some fun things there. I found out that there are 3 Brazilian restaurants there! Yea!

Another reason I haven't written in a while is that I have been kinda down lately... ok, for more than a month now. I know, I know, I really don't have reason to be down. Work is great, I have a terrific family and a sweet, wonderful husband. But, things aren't exactly as I expected. And there's the rub. Marriage has been a HUGE and, often difficult adjustment for me. I remember once, many years ago, I told a good friend that I would probably never fall in love and never marry because the reality of love, the reality of the loved one, of marriage could never live up to the dream. I was proven wrong on both counts, btw, I have fallen in love and gotten married.

But, that's where I have found myself this past month... at the collision between reality and expectation. The reality of this flesh and blood man whom I love who at times fails to meet my expectations. Then again, to be fair, there are times he surpasses my expectations. Then there is marriage itself. It is nothing as I expected. The reality has fallen far short of my expectations. Still, there are those glimpses of the dream - moments that make me catch my breath and stay perfectly still, as if by staying so I could capture the moment and make it last a little longer.

So, I have been sad and disappointed with my lot in life of late - a lot I chose for myself. Yet I know that if I had to do it all over again I would do just as I have done. I also know that every collision, though loud and fearful in its impact, eventually subsides. I think I may be reaching that point... gradually. Every day I need to prayerfully commit my thoughts to God, ask Him to help me consider Joshua first and myself last. To cultivate a grateful, cheerful spirit. I have always felt there is much value in introspection: the art of self-examination. Taken too far, however, it can lead to self-centeredness and selfishness... of which I fear I already have in abundance.

With that I will cease my introspective musings for the day and return later this week with a more cheerful update. At that time I will tell you all about my progress in knitting (yes, progress HAS been made!) and Christmas plans!

Knit, Purl, Knit, Ouch!

2009-11-06T10:04:00.000-05:00

Let's start with the good news, shall we. The Harry Potter party was a success! Everyone had so much fun. Daniel's pumpkin pasties were so delicious as were Joshua's hamburgers. The butterbeer was a hit and Sophia and Carson found each other fascinating - much more so than the Harry Potter movies.

The highlight of the day came when I got I call on my cell phone and saw that the call was identified as none other than Harry Potter!!! No kidding! My eyes got huge and I answered with a rather breathless and tentative, "Hello" and heard Joshua's voice on the other end of the line asking for Ginny Weasley (cad!). He had changed his name in my phone and put "Harry Potter" instead. But he went farther than that, he added "England" as the country and "Magician" as his profession (of course, it should be "Wizard" but it was still really sweet). When he got back he teased me about thinking it was really Harry Potter calling and thinking Harry Potter is real. I mean, duh! The books ARE biographies!

Now to the not so fortunate news: knitting class. My first class was Tuesday. It started off well enough. I was the first to find my starter string and the first to get my slip knot going. All very promising, right? Well, it was all down hill after that. I had a hard time getting the casting on down, although once I figured out what I was doing wrong I was fine. Then we learned the actual stitches: knitting and purling. I can do the stitches ok. My biggest problem is one of manual coordination. I can barely hang on to the needles and thread!! I get one stitch done and then I practically drop everything or come close to putting my eye out. I really need to take out liability or accident insurance or something because this knitting thing is quite hazardous.

I still have three more classes. Maybe I will improve. I sure hope so! I guess I will keep practicing my knitting this weekend during the LSU/Bama game. Then again... that could be extremely dangerous....

Halloween Weekend Fun

2009-10-30T16:23:00.000-04:00

I am so excited about this weekend! It is going to be so much fun!

This week has been really amazing. It started off with a wonderful Sunday. Joshua and I had a very worshipful time together at church which was followed up by lunch and fellowship with Ryan and Lizzie Kirk. Lizzie is a friend from Knoxville who has recently moved to Louisville so Ryan can attend Southern Seminary. Ryan and Joshua have really hit it off (they even went running together this morning!) so it's pretty terrific.

Monday I was up bright and early to attend a boot camp-style workout at the Seminary's health and recreation center before putting in a full day of work and class. It was awesome! I need to talk Maristela and Lizzie into doing it with me. The rest of the week was uneventful but fun and productive. Last night Maristela and I got together while Joshua was teaching his class. We went to a step aerobics class together and worked up a sweat! I typically run and do a weight routine, but it's fun to mix it up and keep my body guessing a little bit too.

Tonight Joshua and I have a Halloween party to attend. I cannot decide whether or not to dress up. If I do dress up, what will I go as? Still, we won't stay very long because I need to get ready for TOMORROW! Tomorrow is our big Harry Potter party! I am so excited! I am making treacle fudge and butterbeer. In addition I will have pulled pork sandwiches, spinach and artichoke dip and chips, peach cobler and assorted beverages. Daniel and Maristela are bringing pumpkin pasties. Lizzie and Ryan are bringing something too but I am not sure what.

It is supposed to be raining and cold - the perfect day for staying in, hanging out with friends and having a Harry Potter marrathon. If you are around you should stop in!

This and That and Dr. Cutrer's Sex Talk Too

2009-10-23T12:44:00.000-04:00

So, it has been more than a week since I posted last. I didn't mean to be gone so long but this past week has been a hectic one. Busy, busy, busy! My weekend was kinda - ok, TOTALLY - ruined by my period. Joshua really doesn't understand what a tremendous sacrifice getting off birth control is. I went from 1 period a year to having one every three weeks. And he just doesn't understand why I am so pale and tired, in so much pain and unable to do much. I always want to say: "Well, let's take a few pints of your blood, give you some good, gut-wrenching cramps, lower back pain and migraines and see how much you feel like doing, honey." But I don't. Because I'm sweet.

By Monday things were much better. We had our Marriage Enrichment class with Dr. Cutrer. The class had finally reached the section Joshua has been waiting for (panting for) all semester: Physical Intimacy, or, as I like to call it, the Sex Talk. It was pretty interesting. I do not think Joshua got all the information he was hoping he would get but Dr. Cutrer handed out note cards to everyone and asked that we all write down - anonymously - any questions we have. Next Monday he will read these questions and answer them. Needless to say, Joshua was in a very... ahem... loving mood when we got home that night. Thank you, Dr. Cutrer!

Aside from the fact that I was a little under the weather the past few days, it has been pretty routine. Except for one thing: I have decided to take a knitting class! I am very excited about it. I am an avid crosstitcher and have always wanted to learn how to knit (I did, in fact, teach myself how to do the basic knit and purl several years ago but couldn't get beyond that so I had about 20 feet of... well, yarn that was knitted and purled). I am leaving in a few minutes to go OFFICIALLY sign up for the knitting class and get the materials I will need. The class will start in a week and a half and our first project will be to make a hat. I will have to keep you updated on my progress. I'm sure it will be amazing! And Bentley, my boxer, is sure to be infinitely fascinated by the needles and the yarn. He is always very interested in everything I do - it is one of his most endearing qualities. I will have to knit him a new LSU sweater... BUT that's for later. I have to learn how to do all the basics first.

If you are a knitter and have any tips or hints for me I would love to hear them so please share! Or if you live in the Louisville area and have, like me, always wanted to learn how to knit, send me a message and I will give you the details on what I found out about knitting classes and groups in the Louisville area.

What Kind of Football Fan Are You?

2009-10-12T15:59:00.000-04:00

Something has happened. You can see it as you walk along the streets: leaves are turning beautiful hues of red and orange. It is felt in the air - a fresh crispness, a smell of spices and firewood. People are wearing sweaters and jackets as they bundle up to head over to the pumpkin patch or out for a hayride. All these things add up to an undeniable truth: Fall is here!

I love fall! I love the feel of it, the sights and smells... all of it. I especially love it because it means that, once again, it is football season. It's a funny thing about football; there are different kinds of football fans. Have you ever noticed that? Everyone has their own little traditions when it comes to watching the big game. These little football quirks, while amusing to some (irritating to others), actually say quite a lot about a person.

1. Legalist Larry: this is the guy who has the football rulebook memorized. He likes a clean game, by the book. He knows keeps a close eye on all the players from both teams and especially on the referees to make sure they make the right calls. Any mistake, however small, will have Larry up in arms, red in the face and screaming at the TV, his wife, the dog or anyone he thinks might possibly be responsible for the error. And if you happen to be a fan of the opposing team.... look out! Legalist Larry is not a very forgiving guy. An ill-timed joke about his team can start a football feud that will last decades with Larry. When his team wins, Larry is one happy guy, but when they lose he can sulk about it for days.

2. Hedonist Harry: is every bit as into the game as Legalist Larry, but derives most of his enjoyment from the entire experience. While he loves the game and his team, most of the pleasure he gets from football games actually comes from sharing the experience with friends and family. Sure, he wants them to win, big and often, but his biggest rush is from having his loved ones around him enjoying snacks and burgers and soft drinks as they laugh and holler throughout the event. Like Larry, he loves it when his team wins, but he does not sulk or pout for days on end when they lose. "If they lose, oh well," says Harry, "they will do better next week. Who's up for another party?"

3. Silent Stan: as his name indicates, does not say much. Stan likes to sit back in his favorite recliner with his snack and soft drink of choice and relax as he watches the game. He will not scream or holler at the TV; at most he might grunt every now and again. Stan might even take a nap during the game (something which would cause Legalist Larry to nearly have a stroke). Although he can watch the game with others, football for Stan is usually (and preferably) a solo affair. So... as we are not really sure if he even watches the whole game, no one really knows how he feels about his team's winning or losing.

4. Chatty Kathy: does not care about football at all! The most irritating of all the football personalities (in my opinion), is almost always a girl, a member of a singles group who is trying to find a guy. Kathy will attend any and every football party she gets invited to and even feign an interest in the sport in the hopes of meeting and attracting available single men. She will not watch the game unless the object of her interest happens to be watching the game, rather, she will snack and flirt and talk the entire time.

What kind of football fan are you? Do you see yourself in any of the above individuals? I am very much a Hedonist Harry. I LOVE my LSU Tigers, but I REALLY LOVE getting friends (even non-LSU fan friends) together to watch the game and hang out. Of course, I DO like it when they win too...

What is your favorite football team? How are they doing this season? E-mail me and let me know...

Twilight

2009-10-07T10:24:00.002-04:00

Last night Joshua and I hosted our friend Brent. We had not seen Brent since our wedding. I can't believe we went that long without seeing him. He needed a place to stay for the night so he stayed with us. Btw, ladies, he is single!!

He joined us for dinner and then we watched a movie. Joshua and Brent went to Redbox and picked out the movie. You won't believe what they picked out. Twilight! Funny, huh? Well, we settled in to watch it: lights out and peach cobbler in hand... It was actually good. I enjoyed it. However, it was totally unrealistic. I thought the most realistic thing about the movie was the whole vampire angle. I mean, honestly, a 17-year-old finds her eternal, true love? What do 17 year-olds know about love? Nada, rien, zip!

Harry Potter is much more realistic. Still, Twilight was entertaining, but not enough to such you in like Harry Potter does. Which brings me to another point: I'm kinda sad thinking that we have two HP movies left and then.... what? No more Harry Potter ANYTHING! Argh!!! That will be a tragedy of Greek proportions. Joshua doesn't really get it, but I know some of you do and share my pain.

This October, in the spirit of keeping the magic alive as long as possible, we will not have a typical Halloween party - we are going to have a Harry Potter theme party. I found recipes online for some of the treats they eat and drink at Hogwarts such as Butter Beer, Pumpkin Juice, Treacle Tarts, and so on. There will be a Hogwarts-themed meal and a Harry Potter movie marathon and someone is bringing Scene It - the Harry Potter edition. If that sounds like fun you should join us! Now, I just need to figure out what to wear... email me if you have any suggestions. Tchau for now!

Home Sweet Home... Sort of

2009-10-01T11:51:00.000-04:00

"In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony." Eva Burrows

It has been a while since I have updated you on what has been going on in my little world. The reason for that is something quite wonderful - a trip! Joshua and I went on a very, very quick trip to Louisiana to visit Mom and Joe. We left last Thursday and spent the night in Birmingham with my birth mother, Becky. It was a fun night. Becky, Brad (my brother) and Ashley (my sister) and Joshua and I all had dinner at a historic Birmingham restaurant called the Bright Star, the purpose of which was to meet Ashley's new boyfriend, Matt. Although he is a Catholic and, worse, an Alabama fan, he seems like a very nice young man and he passed the first round of inspections with flying colors.

On Friday Joshua and I left Bentley behind for some spoiling with Becky while we went on to Louisiana. It was a 9-hour drive! We took our time and enjoyed talking with each other and listening to C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce on CD as we drove. We arrived in DeRidder, Louisiana, around 7:00 p.m. local time to find Mom and Joe and my sister Jodi waiting for us with some fresh Louisiana style fried fish, hush puppies and barbecue baked beans! It was wonderful!! It was a lively dinner as Joe and I immediately launched into a discussion of the day's politics. But, as tired as everyone was it was soon off to bed as we had a long, busy day on Saturday.

Saturday dawned all too soon. I got up and walked outside to find Mom in the backyard. We sat on the deck swing and talked for a while, enjoying the outdoors and each other. It was a special time. In the constant business of life I find that I so rarely have time to just sit down face-to-face and really talk to people in a leisurely fashion anymore - especially the people that mean the most to me like my mother or my siblings. So, I have to say that was my favorite moment of the entire weekend and worth the 30 hours in the car. Absolutely. But, it was over all too quickly and soon we were all rushing off to shower and primp and get ready for the day ahead.

Our first order of business, at least for the girls, was to attend a shower which some of the kind ladies at New Life Baptist Church (Mom and Joe's church) threw for me. It was so much fun! The food was really delicious. They had sausage balls, mini-quiche, fruit salad, fresh fruit, muffins with orange butter, and cake. There was also a wonderful frozen mocha punch which was incredible! I was so excited that Aunt Pam and Ashley, Aunt Becky and Mrs. Jeannette got to come. That just made my day to get to see them and spend some time with them. We got some really sweet and special gifts. It was really so special. Now I need to get busy with my thank you notes!

When we got home poor Joshua got a taste of what football season means in the south. He probably thought we were all a bunch of lunatics yelling at the TV - but LSU DID come pretty close to giving the game away at the end. Still, it was loads of fun and it was the first LSU game I have gotten to watch this season. Yea!

That night Joshua and I got a real treat! Mom was the main speaker at a large women's event, appropriately named The Big Event, at a nearby town. He got to experience a women's event for the first time! The southern cookin', the southern music, and even a Southern Baptist-style fashion show! It was also neat that he got to hear Mom's testimony and learn more about her life and our family's life from a perspective different from mine. She and Joe also sang a duet together before Mom closed out the night with a really nice Medley. She really did a great job!

We had another long 15-hour drive back. But it was a great time spent with family, friends and loved ones. We are truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives.

Home Improvement Part II

2009-09-22T16:24:00.000-04:00

"To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." Winston Churchill
I joked yesterday about how greatly Joshua's life has improved since his marriage to me. In reality, it is Joshua who has helped me to improve. Even before we were married he was always concerned with helping me be my very best. He continues to encourage me to strive to improve and to better myself daily.

My love is concerned about my physical well being. He always encourages me to eat better: less fast-food and more organic. We started working out and exercising together. Joshua even turned me on to running. We now run together several times a week.
Joshua is interested in my mental development. He is very much a believer in the "garbage in-garbage out" theory of mental development. It has been his mission to make sure that there be as little "garbage in" as possible, where my mind is concerned. To that end he has encouraged me to read thoughtful books designed to get me thinking more deeply on edifying and Christ-centered topics. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8
He longs to know my heart. Joshua craves to spend hours in deep, meaningful conversation with me. This has pushed me to open my heart and learn how to share my deepest thoughts and feelings. It has challenged me to strive to become a better communicator. We engage in deep conversations on a regular basis. As I become more accustomed to this kind of deep sharing, I foresee this happening more and more frequently, with the conversations lasting for hours. That he so longs to delve into the depths of my heart is a testimony to his love for me and I love him for it.
Joshua cares about my walk with the Lord. He wants to know that I am growing in my knowledge, understanding and reliance on God. It matters to him that I am able to have time alone with God daily. It is also a priority that we share times of worship, prayer and talking about spiritual things together. Through Joshua's spiritual leadership I have grown in my faith and knowledge of God. When we can pray about something together it strengthens our bond and brings us closer. It is a way of teaching me trust: in him, and most importantly, in God.

So, for all the little trifles I may have added to his life, Joshua has added things of infinitely more value to mine. Things such as memories, wisdom and love. Thanks, baby!

Home Improvement

2009-09-21T17:09:00.002-04:00

It is a wonderful and humbling thing to witness positive changes in the life of another and know that one has had a hand in bringing them about. Take Joshua, for instance. There have been many positive changes in his life since we got married. For starters I have opened him up to the worlds of Lost, Psych and Harry Potter (he actually went and saw the Half-Blood Prince in the theatre with me TWICE!). He is also learning Portuguese. Granted his vocabulary is currently limited to words and phrases such as chato (aggravating), bum-bum (butt), linda (beautiful), querida (sweet), and so on, but he is learning.

Lest you think I only impart frivolous knowledge to my husband, let me assure you that his theology and logic are also much improved since we've been married. For example: this weekend we met a young man, a very, very Southern Baptist young man - at least in Joshua's assessment of him. Some time after we had parted company with the gentleman Joshua made the observation that he was very much a Southern Baptist and it was very obvious. How so?, I wanted to know. Well, said Joshua, it was obvious he was well fed in that fried-chicken, fried-catfish-eating kinda way. When I pointed out to Joshua that he was well-fed too he brushed that aside saying it was different, he wasn't that well-fed. I pointed out that it sounded a little bit, just a tad, as if he were passing judgment on the young man. Without missing a beat he replied:

"I'm not passing judgment. I'm stereotyping. It's different."

See, I learned in Seminary that that is what you call the doctrine of justification. And, yes, my kind of logic is rubbing off on him a bit. (Good one, honey!)

He is also catching on to my sense of adventure. Two weeks ago Southern Seminary had their annual Fall Festival on the great lawn. Thisone was extra special in celebration of the Seminary's 150th anniversary. They had a rock-climbing wall, bmx riders (which I kept calling motorcross - I mean, how different are they, really?), jousing, burgers, candy, and .... - a mechanical bull!!! So, guess what yours truly decided she wanted to do? You got it! Ride the mechanical bull! Joshua did not want to at first, but once I rode he decided to give it a go. So we rode and I got a bruised elbow, a very badly banged up knee and some whip-lash to show for my pains and Joshua got a cut hand. But it was worth it!

Tune in later this week to find out how I have improved since marrying Joshua - after all, marriage is a two-way street. For now, enjoy the pics of our now infamous mechanical bull ride!

All Talked Out

2009-09-18T15:48:00.001-04:00

I can't believe Joshua and I have been married for 4 months now! It has been wonderful and hard and amazing and sanctifying all at once. And boy is marriage tiring. I think I have figured out why a century ago people got married when they were teenagers. Teenagers actually have the energy and stamina it takes to be married! As for me, at 32, uhm.... - not so much.

Why am I so tired, you ask. I will be happy to tell you. I work every day and then come home to an apartment that (unlike my apartment when I was single) has changed! It has morphed during my absence. Things are no longer where I left them. Even Bentley, the dog (although, we do not call him that in his presence for fear of giving offense), is not where I left him. Because I now have a husband occupying my life and home, I will leave and return to find things not where they should be. Men's shoes are not in the bedroom closet but in the living room under the end table, coffee mugs find their way into every room of the house and books and pens lay scattered on the floor of every room. Keeping up with it all is very tiring for someone who, I confess, can be a little particular.

And then, there's the talking. Joshua can out-talk Oprah if he puts his mind to it. Sometimes it's like being married to a woman because he wants to talk, and talk, and talk! I get home after work so looking forward to my quiet little home with just me and Bentley, as God intended. Right? Wrong! Now I walk through the door and I'm met with, "Honey, how was your day? Look at this book I got, you should read it too. I'm hungry. Wanna go for a walk? Wanna have people over tonight?..."My eyes just glaze over and roll back into my head. Did he not get the memo about women talking twice as much as men? So why does he want to talk twice as much as I do?

I have been learning to appreciate this trait in Joshua over the past four months. He, in turn, has learned that I need some Jenna time - especially right after a long day. Still, this past Monday as we sat in Dr. Cutrer's Marriage Enrichment class I was more than a little gratified when a big PowerPoint screen flashed up on the wall with a big caption that said:

WE ARE DIFFERENT

Women 20,000 Men 7,000

Dr. Cutrer went on to explain that the caption showed the number of meaningful words used in a day by men and women. I couldn't help smiling real big at Joshua who just smiled back cluelessly. See, I was thinking, there it is for God and the world to see that it just isn't normal for a man to want to talk that much. However, I realize he wants to truly know me and learn my heart. And is not that our heart's true desire, deep down - to be deeply, truly known and to be loved and accepted by one who truly knows us? It is much the same way that God knows our very hearts and loves us still. In marriage we have the one earthly relationship in which we are free to be vulnerable and free - yet wholly loved.

Parabéns to Summers! It's her birthday so here is a pic of my beautiful girl on her special day. I love you Summers and I hope today is wonderful for you. You are so special and I can't believe Paxton is already a month old! (more pics!!)