Happy Valentine's Day

. . . from our house to yours.

Senior Pix

This past weekend, I took some pictures for the son of a friend of a friend at their home. Joe is a really nice kid who is going to U of M this fall to study medicine and I felt it was an honor to photograph him. We had fun as he changed clothes/sweaters/ties about 10 times - all his grandfather's old clothes! I also took pictures of the rest of the family and friends - we soon had a roomful of 10 people. His older brother was leaving for the Peace Corp so we did some fun group shots.

Speaking of Seniors, we just ordered Edward's cap & gown - yikes!

Netherlands Nuesday 16

Mar doing Amsterdam "hardcore", September 2007

Homecoming

Marie, Abby, Maria, February 2008

This past weekend I was honored to be asked by Maria to take pictures of her with her friends getting ready for the Homecoming dance. It was a good time.

Memories of a Favorite Professor

Yesterday, John & I went to Calvin College for a luncheon to see Don Wilson receive the Faith and Learning Award. This award is presented to a former Calvin professor for excellence in teaching, spiritual impact, concern for students and lasting influence. I can think of no one more deserving of this award. Don was an anthropology professor and my freshman year at Calvin, he became my advisor even though I was a math major. I visited him often in his office where a 10 foot snake skin hung from the ceiling and the African masks, drums and other artifacts decorated the shelves and walls. He always had the best stories and I could talk to him forever. Because of him, I acquired a love for learning about other cultures. He eventually performed our wedding, so now John & I both have a lasting tie to him.

Today, he sends out over 6000 postcards a year, so every year on each of our family member's birthdays, we hear from him. We still see him from time to time, and he always has a story to tell. Read this article about him which shows what a unique person he is.

B.F.O.T.I.

Pearlie, 2008

As I approach the 2nd year anniversary of this blog later this month, I wanted to post this picture of a dear blogger friend on the opposite side of the world who has been here almost from the very beginning. We found each other's blogs randomly and soon recognized our love of the Bible, grammar, books, learning, and blogging. I loved this picture of how she blogs over there in Malaysia where she is 12 hours ahead of me each day. Every day! She is posed appropriately in front of her books, but I was surprised to see her in jeans. I don't know why, I guess I naively thought jeans were American while there on the humid equator region where she lives, she would be wearing something cooler. Anyway, thanks Pearlie for your blogging friendship. Someday, we'll meet for sure.

Flash Back Friday 55

The Queen Mother, 1950's

Ice Chunks on the Grand

Right now, it's hard to believe all this ice on the Grand River will melt.

Leo Says

You wrote about the wrong kind of animal, Bridget.

Today, at the Family Institute, in the midst of pelting snow outside, we hosted Dan Seaborn of Winning at Home at a luncheon. He talked about the Necessary Nine from his new book. Ok, this is starting to sound like the e-newletter I do at work, but anyway, it was good. One of the things he said was to remember that your spouse is a treasure. He held up a treasure box and said that you should continue always to discover what is in there. As I was leaving, I felt treasured indeed when I walked out to the snow & ice-covered van and remembered how John had made sure I had a snow scraper in the morning.

Netherlands Nuesday 15

The Queen Mother in the Palace Het Loo Restrooms

I'm not sure why I took this one - maybe I wanted to remember that eager anticipation that you feel each time you enter a bathroom in Europe. As anyone who has traveled there knows, there are 101 ways to flush a toilet and each time is a learning experience. It's weird how I remember almost every potty break as a big event.

Go Sailors!

Maria getting ready for school this morning.

This is Homecoming week at Edward & Maria's school this week so they will be showing their school spirit. Today it was Clash Day, hence Maria clashed a bit this morning.

What Living Free in NH Looks Like

Is it Art, Social Commentary, or Photo Essay? I think he's trying to tell us that life in New Hamphire is more dream-worthy than that in California because for one, you have ice fishing. But what do I know? Or that song comes to mind, "One of these things is not like the other, one of these things, doesn't belong..." Or did you notice that there are three different species of fish? This photo is such a conversation piece! I could frame it and put it on my wall next to the sad little blue man.

Note: These fish were all caught from under the ice and eaten and not photoshopped onto the above picture. And yes, Uncle Alan is taking credit for the catch.

More Adventures at the Grocery Store

Awhile back, I bought some re-usable bags at the grocery store where I shop. My kids will roll their eyes when I say this, but I will anyway: They are Winners! I love my blue bags for many reasons, not least of which is cutting down on waste. They hold so, so much, they have long handles, and they are blue. Most of the cashiers love them and can pack them nice and tight. The guy I had yesterday though, packed one with only 3 cereal boxes. What was that all about? He finished up with those dreadful plastic bags while I was trying to pack them tighter and leave the plastic bags behind. They haven't caught on in a big way where I shop, but I wish they would.

So on my way out to the car, it was snowing so bad that my front foot slipped forward on the ice while my back leg with the bad knee had nowhere to go but bend inward leaving me to do the splits for the first time since I was 10 years old. All the way down, which lasted an eternity in my head, I was going, this is going to be a bad one. I lay there on the ground waiting for the sirens, but then I got up and wondered what it felt like if you step on a broken leg. It was fine after 2 steps. Some guy drove up behind me and asked if I was all right, and, with surprise in my voice, I told him it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Flash Back Friday 54

Opa & Bridget, September, 1997