Sick Day

This almost feels like skipping school. I'm home legitimately today. Aidan is sick for the second day in a row. He has that croupy seal-bark cough. If you're a mom, you've heard it. If you're going to be a mom, prepare yourself for it. It can be very disconcerting in the middle of the night. Anyway, Ryan is teaching today so I stayed home with Aidan. And now I'm updating the blog. A shout out to our friend, Kerry Anderson, for introducing me to the wonderful world of blog backgrounds. This one was an impulse move, but they're free, so maybe I'll change it up later.

So, I'm thinking about friends today. How I have lots of them, scattered all over. And how I'm getting reacquainted with the "long-lost" variety, courtesy of Facebook. And how I'm so glad that there is email and blogs and Facebook, so I can feel not quite so distant from all of them. How I need my good ones desperately now. And how we've been here for 6 months and don't really have any. :( I'm not sure how to remedy this. It's been hard for my kids as well. And that breaks a mother's heart more than anything that could ever happen to me personally. We're no longer in an Air Force community, where people are used to lots of coming and going and everyone is generally welcoming. That's not to say that people here haven't been welcoming - but it's different. Everyone pretty much has an established social circle and they're not out looking for new recruits. The church that we've chosen is in our community, which we feel is important, but because it's both an Anglican church, and in a small town, that means virtually no one our age (or our kids' ages). Lots of people would say to that, "find a different church." But, for us, it's not that easy. We feel a strong conviction to worship with our neighbors and try to impact our local community, rather than travel across town to find the group that looks most like us. So, where to find friends? I'm thinking - just thinking - about trying to start a book club. I've never "started" anything in my life - unless you count the lame "detective" club in 5th grade. There's not a lot of detective work in the average elementary school. So, I'm thinking about this. And praying for God to give me some insight into our situation, and my kids' situation. Maybe we're meant to embrace our suffering for a while. Ryan wants to invite the across-the-street neighbors over for dinner. But since he's chatted with the neighbor guy only once or twice, while shovelling snow, and I've never talked to them at all, this feels weird to me. Do people do things like that? Will they think we're stalkers, or worse yet, desperate? :)

Eating Mercifully

Some friends (thanks Chad and Kacy) put me onto this DVD from the Humane Society (USA). You can request it free at this link: http://www.hsus.org/forms/eating_mercifully_dvd_request.html

Although I've only seen the preview, C&K say that it explores issues surrounding factory farming and animal cruelty, from a Christian perspective. The Humane Society has an "All Creatures Great and Small" campaign that is designed to provoke thinking and dialogue among Christians about the intersection of their faith and the lifestyle choices they make. (Here is my official disclaimer: "The views expressed in the DVD are that of the Humane Society and the DVD participants...") I don't think it's necessary for Christians to be vegetarians, but you'd be surprised how many people think that our food comes from farms where the animals are frolicking around until the moment of death, ala "Old MacDonald."

To my Canadian friends and neighbors: I've been unable to locate a similar campaign or DVD offer on the Humane Society Canada's webpage. But, at least if you're an expatriate, like me, you've probably mastered the art of sending things to your parents, siblings, and friends, and having them forward the stuff on to you!

Softball George Lives!

Allow me to tell you a story: About 6 years ago, Ryan and I and the kids moved to England for Ryan to do his PhD. We were fortunate to have our time there overlap by a year with my sister Stacy's Air Force assignment to England. Stacy has a friend named Janet. Janet dated a guy named George. George liked to talk about his softball team. A lot. So, my sister and her friends privately nicknamed him "Softball George." George gave Janet a plant. My sister and Janet privately named the plant, "Softball George." Janet moved away and gave Softball George (the plant, now, rather than the boyfriend, who was long gone at this time) to Stacy. Stacy moved away from England and gave Softball George to us. Keep in mind, at this point, that I have never been able to keep a plant alive (I will cite the examples of my husband Ryan's childhood cactus - given to him when he was 10 -- dead, soon after Ryan and I got married; and Wade Dumond's African violets - placed into my care when Wade went to Malawi as a missionary - soon, dead (the violets, not Wade, who, as I understand, is alive and happy) ) Nevertheless, we cared for Softball George and he thrived. We left England and gave Softball George to Josh and Bryonie, who not only cared for him in England, but also took him with them when they moved to Scotland. Josh finished his PhD and left Scotland for the USA. And I hadn't thought about Softball George for a long time. This week, Josh and Bryonie visited us in Ontario for an academic conference at Redeemer. At our table at lunch today, Ryan and I met Aaron, a friend of theirs from St. Andrews. Upon being introduced to us, Aaron exclaimed, "Oh - these are the people whose plant you gave us!" Softball George lives! Aaron and his family no longer live in Scotland, but they assured me that not only was Softball George still alive, that he was strong, healthy, quite tall, and living with another family. Who knows how far his legacy may stretch.

From the streets of London...

Adventures in Academic Advising

Most people reading this blog know that my out-of-the-house job is that of the Academic Advisor. It may not sound like the world's most amusing profession, but often, 18-22 year olds will give you a lot to laugh about (or roll your eyes, or make statements that start with "when I was in school...") There are the students who desperately try to get out of a 9AM class because "that's just so early." Really? If I just had to make it to work by 9AM every morning, I would feel like I'd been given a gift. Wait until they have children (statement not meant to frighten the friends mentioned in my previous post who are awaiting the birth of their firstborn). One student, a few weeks ago, used this method to try to pick a class: "Which classes don't have final exams?" His parents must be proud. Today, I had a very earnest, sincere student who asked me what he could do with a degree in Social Studies. Hmm. Tough one. While it is completely true that employers highly value a broad liberal arts education, and that, rather than qualifying you for a specific profession, Social Studies allows you to do all kinds of things, the student looked at me as if he interpreted my response as "not much." Two days ago, a student told me that she didn't want to take any classes where she had to learn "a lot of facts." Truth be told, though, for each funny story, I have at least a couple experiences where students are excited about the possibilities of the future, are creative in their pursuits, seeking God's voice in their decisions, and are thinking globally. Just don't ask them to do it before 11AM.

Thank You, Anonymous Friend

Here's a shout out to whichever of my dear friends (or family members) decide to surprise me with a copy of the "Discourses of Brigham Young". You must have known that I have had my eye on it at thriftbooks.com for a while now. Now if only I had a rainy day.... :)

Christmas at the O'Dowds