ThanksWHAT?!?!

Ok, so I had a revelation this morning when I was sitting up to get out of bed. I started to think about how today was thanksgiving, and then tomorrow... well... tomorrow is the biggest shopping day of the year. Then I realized how stupid that sounded.
We are supposed to have a day to celebrate with loved ones and revel over the years events and then be thankful for all the good and maybe even the trials too. It's all happy and nice. Then we go out the next day and spend all of our money, and probably money we don't have taking our wealth, security, and stuff we already have for granted!! What the crap?? I feel as if that is kinda canceling out the lovely thankfulness we had the day before.
And it goes so much deeper than that. I really dislike the winter holidays. I don't like what they have been turned into. I don't like that I have been a part of it all my life... the presents, Santa, capitalism, spending hundreds of dollars to decorate the house and pay for the electric bill afterward. And what are most people celebrating anyway?? Are they celebrating the birth of Jesus or the coming of an imaginary character with flying mammals pulling his huge butt around the world?? Can we be celebrating both? Are we just doing it because "that's just how it is"? Oh, I am just getting more upset as I talk.
I am sorry to those of you who love the holidays and especially those who celebrate them modestly.
I love buying and receiving presents, I love eating delicious food, I love seeing people I love and spending time with them, and I love twinkling lights... I just want to keep myself in check to make sure I am celebrating for the right reasons and in a way that is not contradictory to the way I live the rest of my life.
I am in Michigan for Thanksgiving: dinner with Dad today and The Nolls tomorrow. Then I will be returning to Palatine probably Sunday. I was with the kids all day yesterday which was lovely. Maria and I had a blast and because it was nice out we got to go outside and play. We sang songs and played on the swings and I tried to teach her to ride her bike. It was great! I am very much looking forward to the fried turkey that we are having today! I love that stuff!! I think my favorite part of a turkey is the skin... sick but true!!

My Babies and more

So, Charlie is 6 months old now! Isn't he darling??

Sandy, John, Maria and Charlie... what a good looking family.

Here also is Maria trying to get Charlie to look at the camera... what a helper! heh...

Here are the kids with their grandparents and of course mom and dad!

Whoa Mamma!

Made ya look!!! I really don't have much to say that really constitutes a "Whoa Mamma", but I just thought I'd try it out! The past few days have been pleasantly exciting and full of new people and me actually doing something other than sitting around all day. I definitely still sat around, but the sitting was much less that usual! Tuesday I went to Axis at Willow Creek and it was great! I met some new people and I really feel like it's the place for me! The topic of discussion and teaching was "community". I love the idea of a thriving community based on God's/the first church's model of living. If you are not familiar with this model I will refer you to a passage in the Bible- Acts 2: 42. In there it talks about eating together, being devoted to following God's teaching, miracles happening, daily meeting together, giving up everything and then redistributing possessions as people had needs, and all sorts of other gushy and lovely utopian ideas! I realize of course that these things do not happen today very often and I think that's why I like it so much. I have seen good community and dreamed about it even more. I want to be part of something like that! With InterVarsity I had community. As disfunctional as it was sometimes, it was still a place I grew, learned, made friends, got filled up, and served. When I came to Chicago I was already starving for a group of people I could do those things with after pouring out my everything during my second internship and being away from IV for 3 months. I was determined that the first thing I was to do here was to get involved somewhere I could be used and be given back to. My friends, I think I've found it. Axis is a new group that is just building itself back up so I am jumping in at a good time! I met the leader and the intern there and we were all pumped for the coming weeks. Next week is Vision week which I am very excited for! I can't wait to hear what John (the leader) has to say about the future and misson statement of Axis. I've been thinking about it since I left the church on Tuesday. And since I've been going on about it for a few paragraphs you can probably tell I am excited! So, moving on...Wed. was good, library time and church. Thursday was better, library time and a good night with Sarah. We went for a run and then hung out on the couch until bedtime. Friday was better yet, slept in, went over to the Wiltse's for the afternoon and the kids had a good day; no major problems and absolutely no fighting, it was amazing. Friday night I took a bath and did about an hour and a half of journaling! Now today is Saturday and I am back at the library. I am going to borrow a few movies, and go get cream of chicken soup from down the road. What I really want is some pie... maybe I'll get that too... I shouldn't... :) Ok, so now that you know all the details I will let you stop reading, unless you already did stop... Thanks for hanging in there if you didn't get bored!!

Another Week

So... It's the beginning of another week. There really isn't too much to note.

I guess I can talk about last week... Last week I worked Friday and Saturday and Saturday evening with kids. Fri. was with the Perlman's and Sat. was with Sarah's family The Wiltse's. Sat. night I was back at the Perlman's for a few hours. I really enjoyed my days and evenings witht the kids. It was nice to have something to do that lasted longer than a couple of hours!! Plus I am really enjoying getting to know the Perlman kids. They are great!

That pretty much sums up last week... heh...

This week I have a few things to look forward to. Tonight: Church with the 18-20 somethings for my first time. I am hoping to get plugged in quickly and make new friends! Tomorrow: Church again WOOT! Thursday: Roomate Date Night!!!! WOOT WOOT!! And then comes the weekend which I will probably be spending alone aside from a few hours of babysitting on sunday afternoon and a dinner with Willow folks in the evening.

I've decided that I really just need to get plugged in somewhere before I dry up and die. I feel so alone during the days, not having anything of real significance to do. I need to serve, or lead, or SOMETHING!! AHHH!!!

I've also decided that I want to die before every step I take results in me farting loudly in public places.

Another Week

So... It's the beginning of another week. There really isn't too much to note.

I guess I can talk about last week... Last week I worked Friday and Saturday and Saturday evening with kids. Fri. was with the Perlman's and Sat. was with Sarah's family The Wiltse's. Sat. night I was back at the Perlman's for a few hours. I really enjoyed my days and evenings witht the kids. It was nice to have something to do that lasted longer than a couple of hours!! Plus I am really enjoying getting to know the Perlman kids. They are great!

That pretty much sums up last week... heh...

This week I have a few things to look forward to. Tonight: Church with the 18-20 somethings for my first time. I am hoping to get plugged in quickly and make new friends! Tomorrow: Church again WOOT! Thursday: Roomate Date Night!!!! WOOT WOOT!! And then comes the weekend which I will probably be spending alone aside from a few hours of babysitting on sunday afternoon and a dinner with Willow folks in the evening.

I've decided that I really just need to get plugged in somewhere before I dry up and die. I feel so alone during the days, not having anything of real significance to do. I need to serve, or lead, or SOMETHING!! AHHH!!!

I've also decided that I want to die before every step I take results in me farting loudly in public places.