Esther

Old Spaghetti Factory

One of the family's that Kathee does childcare for on Fridays said that rather than paying that they'd like to watch our kids so we can go out every couple of weeks.  So we went out this past weekend.  As Kathee loves Olive Garden I thought we'd go there.  However, right next door to the OG (almost) is the Old Spaghetti Factory.  When we were in college in Minnesota, and I was able to scrounge up some extra money, we'd eat there.  The night we got engaged we went out to eat there.  So it was cool to find that there is one close to our home.  We had a blast!

Afterward we grabbed a cup of coffee at a local coffeehouse.  Here's my latte.  Tell me that doesn't look cool?

Hanging out with Craig and Melanie

I know these pictures are really fuzzy.  That's because the DeMeester kids and the Terwilleger kids were dancing and moving so fast that my camera couldn't keep up.  The kids came up with a dance show that the parents watched.  It was pretty funny/cute.

Craig and Mel and I all grew up together at Third Presbyterian Church in Dubuque.  They live in St Louis and we all go to church together.  

Fingernails and Toenails

Hope was so excited to have Kathee paint her nails.  She was so excited and kept saying, "Papa, I'm a big girl."  

Pre-supper Shoots and Ladder

Surprise Guests!

Last Wednesday night I got a text from my good friend Sally.  We worked together at FUPC for 12 of my 13 years (she retired before I resigned for seminary)!  Last Wednesday she sent me a text asking how my Thursday looked.  I told her that Thursday is my crazy-busy day (3 classes and then I tutor in the city for a couple hours).  I asked her when she wanted me to call her (assuming that is why she was asking) and said she'd just talk to me when she sees me...on Thursday night.  Wait.  What?  I knew that her son Matt and his family was coming for the weekend on Friday, and we talked about Sally and Bob joining them "one of these times" when Matt's family visits, but that didn't make sense.  They were coming on Friday.  It turned out that Bob and Sally were returning from vacation in Florida and were planning on stopping by to surprise us, but then finding out our crazy schedule, they thought it best to let us know they were going to stop by for a visit!  How awesome?!  So they arrived when I was in my last class for the day.  I stopped home after class, said hello, and then bolted for tutoring with Baraka.  When I was finishing up with B, Kathee texted and said to meet them down at Meskerem (our favorite Ethiopian Restaurant) in South City.  We had a blast...and the food was the best we've had there.  And the company was even better!

So Friday morning I have one class, Commuicating the Scriptures (which is preaching 101).  Since I have the same prof for that as I do for Greek 3, I was able to ask if it would be okay for Bob and Sally to join me for class on Friday.  Doctor Agan was enthusiastic about it, even saying he'd print off more handouts so they could follow along.  

Before class began, Doctor Agan came up, introduced himself to them, and chatted with us for a bit.  As class began, Doctor Agan asked that I stand up and introduce Bob and Sally to the class, which was quite classy.  It was fun having them in class with me, and even though all we spoke about was how to use illustration during sermons.   

Weekend with Willy's

This past weekend our good friends Matt and Laura Williams spent the weekend with us.  We always have such a great time with them.  They normally come down late Friday night (they got her around midnight on Friday) and this time were able to stay until Monday morning.  

This time we thought we'd do a bigger adventure.  Visiting the Gateway Arch.  And to make it better, we'd take the train in.  So off we went, on a day that was colder than Billy Wiz.  We drove a few miles to the train station, paid our fare, and waited for the 15 minutes to load up.  We rode down to the departure stop, and the fun continued.  

Not sure if you knew this, but the entire Arch grounds are under construction.  And so even getting to the Arch is a fiasco.  We walked a couple blocks and followed a bit of a crowd.  After a policeman came speeding up (lights on) and jumped out of the car to tell all of us that we couldn't cross such-and-such a pedestrian bridge, we were turned back. Did I mention it was cold?  So we retraced our steps, back up a block, over a block, down two blocks, which kicked us out onto the Arch grounds.  However, the entrance closest to us was shut down, so we had to walk to the other entrance.  After waiting in line to get to security, we found out the tickets were all sold out (the website doesn't have that information).  So, just to warm up we went inside, sat around a bit, and then walked back to the train station and back home.  Epic fail.  However, the train ride was fun!

Heading to the Arch

Hope loved the train ride.  

Inside the Arch, but not able to go into the Arch.  

Our absolute-must-stop when they visit, Bubble Tea.  Nothing beats a Mango Snow with Boba.  Even Esther agrees!

Saturday morning we drove down to Krispy Kreme... and ran into the VanDyke's, who live just below us on campus!  

Marble Queen

This past Monday they called off school at Covenant due to the snow.  So spent the day studying.  When I came out of our bedroom from studying Kathee had just said something to Hope, who was watching the neighbor kids playing outside.  As Kathee said whatever it was to Hope, apparently it scared Hope.  No problem, right?  That is unless she had a mouth full of marbles. No, literally a mouth full of marbles.  As I walked past the kitchen, I saw Hope's eyes turn into saucers.  HUGE!  Down the hole went one of the marbles, which brought instant tears.  So I rushed her into the bathroom as it looked like she was going to hurl.  She didn't.  But, through tears, said the marble was stuck in the back of her throat.  So, she did a couple of gags, but couldn't get it out (I think the gags caused it to go further down her gullet).  

So we called the doctor to see what they thought.  Their concern was that it mighht get stuck in her esophagus, so in we went to get an xray.  As we were leaving the apartment, Hope lost control.  Through tears she told us that she didn't want to die.  More tears started when she thought she was going to die by nightfall and she wouldn't have the opportunity to tell her sister Esther goodbye.  After we got that all worked through, she and I loaded up in the van and headed over to her doctor, who is in the hospital kitty-corner from campus.   

She saw her primary care physician, who is very nice.  He sent her down to the xray department at the hospital and off we went.  She was all smiles until we went into the xray room.  

That's when the stress got the best of her and she started to cry again.  However, she did well, the xray showed that it was past her stomach (by this point) and heading into the intestines.  We returned upstairs to meet with the doctor, who gave her a couple of stickers, and off we went to head back home.  

International Families

Just one more post for today and then I'll be done.  So we have done quite well about having one family over to our home a week (a friend of mine jokingly asked if our goal is to have everyone who lives on campus over to our home).  This past week we had Prakash and Rebekah and their two children over for a meal.  Prakash worked his tail off helping to move us in last summer.  When he was having significant troubles finding partners for our Covenant Theology final I went to bat for him with the faculty secretary and one of the professors.  His wife, also a student, works at the Log Cabin, which is a building that provides childcare for students during certain classes, as well as, one day a week so Kathee can do other things (and it's free).  We love their kids and enjoy all of them seperately.  So we wanted to have them over for a meal.  His story of finding Covenant is jaw-dropping in my book.  We had a blast with them and they asked if we'd be willing to come to their home and eat with them... WE ARE IN!!!!

(This is an South-Indian dessert that they brought)

Tonight we are having our Korean friends over (she is bringingg bulgogi-- which is becoming some of my favorite food on the planet).  Their daughters are here already, and they will be over in 15 minutes.  Gotta go!  

SuperBowl at the T's

So our next door neighbors don't have a tv.  And they are from Washington state.  And they are huge Seattle Seahawks fans.  So this year we have been inviting them over to watch every game that the Seahawks play on tv here (which seems to be about every week).  Their two teenage sons LOVE the Seahawks just about as much as their dad (who played some college football at Idaho). The downstairs neighbors are from North Carolina and are big Caronlina Panthers fans!  So after the Hawks beat the Panthers, the neighbors downstairs asked if we are hosting a SuperBowl party (as Jody and his son Noah came up to watch that game, too).  I said that we are hosting the party and that I'd make a bunch of wings.  

So everyone settled here for the big game (that, if I'm honest, I didn't really care about, though I was pulling for Seattle since I've been watching them all season).  We invited the Cecil's (from next door).  They have 7 in their family.  We invited the VanDyke's from downstairs (5 in their family), and we invited the St Marten's (a family of 4, who don't care about football/sports but came to hang out).  A few hours before the game, Robert, I teenager I talk to a lot and who lives in the basement asked if he could come up and watch with us.  His two sisters,who are around Hope's age wanted to come, so Hope invited them.  Then Robert and the two girls' other sister came up to watch.  Oh yeah, the Cecil's grandmother was in town, too, so she came.  During half-time, I noticed that Robert's entire family, except for their parents were up at our place, so I sent him down to invite them up, too.  So they came up and watched some of the last part of the game with us.  I'm not even sure how many people were here, but it was a blast however many people were here!  

Thanks to my brother Zachary sending two pages of questions about the game, a lot of people who would have gotten bored with the game quickly stayed interested.  Here John St Marten and his eldest daughter fill out their questions.  

Grazing during the game!

Those having zero interest put a puzzle together.  

The girls were able to go into the girls room and play house and school and dress up!

I broiled over 100 wings on Saturday and then BBQ'd and crock-potted those babies on Sunday.  There were SO good!  

Although Ken is celebrating now, the game, as you know, didn't turn out iin his favor.  

After it was all over Kathee asked me if I enjoyed it.  I said I did in that I wasn't in charge of anything, or anyone.  I didn't have to entertain, police, or head count.  I was able to hang out, serve people, and then clean up with Kathee afterwards (after the kids were in bed and the people were gone).  It was a blast!  And just FYI, Kathee agreed!

Baraka and the Email

This is Baraka.  He's the little boy I tutor each Thursday afternoon.  

This past week this picture showed up in the newsletter for Firm Foundations Tutoring.  I thoroughly enjoy tutoring him and think this year with him has FLOWN by!  He and I have a blast together and I lok forward to spending time with him each week (although over the last couple of weeks I have been asked to tutor a couple children at a time because of lack of tutors).  

One of my favorite things over the past couple of weeks is the enormous contrast I have on Thursdays.  I have the class God and Humanity: Foundations of Christian Counseling.  So far, the class has been very deep.  Lots of talk of epistemology, ontology, sovereignty vs immanence, essence vs revelation, and all other kinds of deep theological concepts that are very tiring, and although important, very far outside of the general interest of those sitting in the pew.  So from there, after 2 straight hours of lecture (where the lead professor essentially reads his notes in manuscript form), I drive the 20-25 minutes into the city and spend time helping a 5-year-old boy learn how to read, count by fives, and spend time with him (leading him in a devotion, prayer, and check in).  So though both activities on Thursday are important and eternal (I also have 2 other classes that meet on Thursdays, too (Covenant Theology 2 and Greek 3), I find that I am enjoying, and look forward to, the contrast I have each week.  

The Girls