Garrett has lived next door to us since he was three. He and Zach grew up together like brothers. Garrett was baptized two years ago and is like a son to me. I dedicate this post to him because he is a Chuck Norris fan.
I'm in the process of transferring about 60 VHS and 8mm home videos to DVD, so I can upload them to some great online site (any suggestions?) for organizing and editing in chronological order. First they were all 8mm, then the were VHS, now they'll pit stop at DVD before being uploaded into the computer (without taking up a ton of space somehow).
Mark fantasizes about heaving electronics out high story windows. He made me chuckle last night during his deep frustration about technology after he had spent his evening trying to get our curse free TV to work, and we were trouble-shooting my project as well. "Maybe once they're loaded into the Internet they'll eventually be put back on DVD, then VHS, then 8mm, then a piece of wood." That's my man.
PS I'm open to any brilliant ideas that make this process less maddening- other than paying $12 per tape to have it done for me.
I have a DVD carosel that holds 400 disks. Rylee's 3rd birthday is tomorrow. So, touching a few buttons on the remote we can look at the 3rd birthday of the other children for comparisons. Also, right now I am scanning old negatives onto a hard disk...
I heard on the Today Show this morning that the Pilgrims served lobster at the first Thanksgiving feast. Score. Now our decision to eat at Todai has suddenly taken on (an artificially) deeper significance. Ya, let's think of it as our own Restoration Movement. So now we're not weird, we're conscientious (ya, right). Seriously, I think I'm looking forward to this Thanksgiving more than I have any other. The common thanksgiving menu has never been that tasty to me- to be honest it's kind of bland in my book- like food you'd get at a retirement center. I know, it's irreverent. It's also sort of normal for me to buy a cooked chicken and serve it with typical Thanksgiving-type side dishes, so it's always been as hard for me to get excited about the menu. We try to do something a little different every year to kind of "mix it up"-some years we go out, other years we have over twenty guests, and everything in between. This year Mark started surfing the web for the options, and found that Todai, an Asian Seafood Buffet (with Prime Rib, etc.) was the best deal, plus his meal will be free since his birthday lands this year on Thanksgiving. Sing on ye joyful Pilgrims, my heart is filled with rapture, my soul is lost in praise.
Whatever floats your boat! My family are big "flavor" people so nothing is ever bland, but I've definitely been to Thanksgiving dinners that are really bland. Blech! I guess I'm spoiled by flavor :)
Friends-
I started a new group today called "Brain Candy". I'm reading such amazingly wonderful things every day that I am bursting out the seams to share with you! I will post one entry per day, and have chosen to make it a commentless site- just because I know many of you are involved in a lot of groups and it will save your precious time--Plus I don't want you to feel obligated to respond. The quotes will be spiritual in nature from great minds such as CS Lewis, John Piper, Andree Seu, and more. Entries will be no more than a short paragraph. My intention is to invite everyone on my friends list, and beyond, but pleonast seems to be blocking me from inviting any more people (perhaps there was a limit?)All are invited. Come one, come all to get your Brain Candy today!
On Sunday afternoon about twenty of us (mostly teens) went to visit Medical Teams International's.Real. Life. Exhibit. and came home to watch The Invisible Children which is about the children in Uganda who are kidnapped into the LRA to fight in a meaningless war begun by a woman who claimed she had "seen a vision" that God would have it so. I'll not burden you with the details-you already know the world is broken, mostly because of the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. You already know the guilty drag the innocent along in their destruction. Every one of the scenes reminded us of these facts, and the truth that every traumatic event is an opportunity for the guilty to seek God, and the godly to honor God yet again with spiritual fruit. Everyone left with a humbled sense of gratitude, knowing we are among the most blessed who have ever lived. As Zach and I were "debriefing" in the kitchen the next morning, I noticed the front page of the Oregonian had an encouraging article about the orphaned children being helped in Zimbabwe. "At the orphanage, the group learned that there were just six potatoes, a pound of salt and a little cooking oil to feed 28 children. The Portlanders brought money for food and gave each child a stuffed animal.
Raglione was struck by the children's reactions. They didn't try to trade or fight over the biggest teddy bear. They simply cradled the one they were given. One boy tied his little bear on his back, the way African women carry their babies.
"It was just the pure joy of having it," Raglione said. "It was remarkable."
that's why the Martineau gift exchange is such a big deal to Brian. Everyone gets one present. And you appreciate what you get so much because it is handmade especially for you. It isn't a free-for-all under the tree with "Is that all I got?" at the very end.
Even a small glimpse into the realities of life that we aren't familiar with are so humbling. I would really like to go to the exhibit. Maybe I need to see if anyone else wants to go with me since many didn't go the other day.
Kind of like an elliptical, except your feet glide in an arc instead of an ellipse. No impact, really improved my flexibility, and I could burn 300 calories in just over 20 minutes (faster than on a treadmill, elliptical, or stair stepper).
I heard on the Today Show this morning that the Pilgrims served lobster at the first Thanksgiving feast. Score. Now our decision to eat at 
