Following Jesus ... and the Huskers

Before I begin this story, I have to explain that Jay owns a Nebraska Cornhuskers hat shaped like a giant ear of corn. It looks just like this, although Jay never looks this painfully serious when he's wearing it:




Now for the story. The theme at WCK's Sunday School class this week was "Following Jesus." They had a little worksheet showing pictures of various people who were following Jesus. There was Martin Luther King, Jr., Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American to be declared blessed by the Catholic church, and Archbishop Oscar Romero, the martyred bishop of El Salvador. (Note: I am copying these descriptions right off of the worksheet, because the only one of these people I've ever heard of is Martin Luther King, Jr.)

In the fourth space, the kids were to draw their own picture of someone following Jesus. WCK drew a little person with a big, pointy head. Was it the pope? An angel? Her own rendering of the martyred bishop of El Salvador?

"It's Daddy wearing his corn hat," she explained.

WE WILL ROCK YOU

We all know that my husband is an amazing genius, but until this weekend, I had no idea that he's also an amazing genius at (wait for it) .... decorating handmade coasters.

It's true. The other day, Jay was going through some boxes in the basement, and he came across some coasters that he handcrafted himself in Industrial Arts class in 1989. This first sample, while perfectly lovely, only earned him a C+. We know this because the grade was still written on the back of the coaster.



I know! You're thinking, "C+? Really? But I would enjoy setting my Diet Coke can on top of a baby deer, or possibly a baby deer skeleton!" Well, obviously his Industrial Arts teacher knew that Jay was capable of more. That teacher knew that the deer-skeleton coaster, while useful for Diet Coke cans, lacked heart and vision and emotion. You can see that Jay poured all of that and more into the next coaster that he made, which earned him a robust B+.




AW, YEAH!!! I look at that, and I truly believe that I'm going to be rocked, possibly by some tiny, barefoot people!

It's the final coaster, however, that brought me to my knees. This next one also earned a B+, but I think it should have earned an A++++, or possibly higher. You won't believe this coaster, people.

Wait for it ....




YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! Jay claims he doesn't remember making the coasters, so he can't quite explain what a frog has to do with Bon Jovi. I think the frog is demonstrating that everyone can enjoy a good Bon Jovi song, even the amphibious.


I have to add that a) I love Jay b) I warned him that I was going to put the coasters on my blog, and he gave his approval, and c) someday I'll find all of the dorky art projects I made in eighth grade, but, unlike Jay, I'm too lazy to even think about cleaning out boxes in the basement.

At least she knows how to write

Tonight we cooked a dinner that WCK was particularly unhappy with. (You'll recall the picky eating.) She ran and got her window markers, and she wrote "NO NO NO NO NO NO" all over the windows.

Jay and I had to do that parenting thing where you pretend like you're upset with your child, when really you're thinking that they're incredibly hilarious.

The best of both worlds

We brought our goose indoors on Christmas Eve so that the goose-sized Santa outfit wouldn't get buried in snow during the big Christmas blizzard. I realized that I liked having the goose inside with us, so we've left it right inside the front door. Not only is he/she protected from potential goose thieves, there are more opportunities to dress him/her up every day. Just this morning, I walked past the goose, only to discover the goose had become Hannah Montana. Who did this? I'm not sure.

Who hasn't felt this way?

On the way home from preschool today, WCK told me there was a little boy she'd wanted to play with at school, but he said he didn't want to play with her.

"When he said that, he made my heart feel droopy," she said.

Never need a reason, never need a rhyme

Tonight, WCK watched Mary Poppins for the first time. This was one of the first movies I ever saw in the movie theater, and it's still one of my favorite movies of all time. WCK absolutely loved it, especially the "Spoonful of Sugar" part where the toys put themselves away. She did run from the room during the chimney sweep dance, claiming it was "scary". For some reason, she can't bear to watch people get mud/dirt/fake soot on them. I refused to fast-forward because, dang it, the chimney sweep dance is the best part of the entire movie. Am I right?

After I put WCK to bed, I kept hearing loud crashes from upstairs. I discovered she was "playing Mary Poppins" by jumping off her bed with an umbrella. At least it made an impression.

Remember the part where Dick Van Dyke plays the cranky old guy who runs the bank? WCK said, "Wow, he's really old. I think he's 35."

Sweatin' with the oldies

I take strength-training classes at a local fitness center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays when WCK is in preschool. The Monday class is a normal exercise class, taught by a young woman with zero-percent body fat who likes to yell at us to "hustle". I can never quite bring myself to the "hustle" level, but I also don't lie down on the floor and die, which is what I feel like doing, so that must count for something.

She also plays really loud music that makes no sense and goes "thumpa thumpa thumpa."

The class on Wednesdays and Fridays, however, is filled with people who are at least 30 years older than I am. Maybe 40. Even the instructor is getting up there. She's often saying things like, "Somebody turn on a fan; I'm having a hot flash!" She likes to tell us how working our biceps will help us with important activities around the house, such as lifting our grandchildren. We do exercises that are supposed to keep us from breaking a hip.

Please don't think I'm mocking this class. I came to the horrible discovery that this class is much more my speed. I don't feel like dying at the end; I feel highly successful that I made it through a workout. And some of these older ladies are much stronger than I am. I know the instructor could kick my butt, hot flashes and all. Plus, she plays greatest hits of the '80s, which I enjoy. I can feel the St. Elmo's fire burnin' in me.

Stable: It's not just for horses anymore

M-spike = 2.7

This is exactly what it was in early December. Also, my beta-2 microglobulin is hanging in there at a nice, low 1.2. Hurrah!