Three Highlights / Thirteen Lessons

to nobody in particular:

...it has been a busy couple of weeks -- always something to do...

...in tonight's blog, three items...

...the other day, a bunch of us were chatting about some crazy people, and Sarah mentioned how one's parents go crazy over pregnancy, especially as they are those type of people who are always "biting at the chomp"...

...pretty funny...

...can't remember if i wrote this one yet -- i asked Travis if he pooped and, after getting off the potty when he didn't do anything, he answered, "no, poop not ready yet"...

...also funny...

...and an extra-special mention of something i learned recently: Merv Hughes, and Australian cricketer, who i remember watching play cricket when we lived in New Zealand, actually had his gloriously beautiful moustache insured for $38,000 US...


...and why not?...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

twelve days ago, i learned: Merv Hughes insured his moustache (see above)...

eleven days ago, i learned: if both kids are gonna be sick in the same week, just have them be sick and throwing up in the same night! -- better to get it all done at once...

ten days ago, i learned: The Sting (1973) -- still got it after all these years...

nine days ago, i learned: the number 7 is the number most often picked when asked to choose a number between 1 and 10...

eight days ago, i learned: some kids just don't listen -- Travis included!...

seven days ago, i learned: was Arnold Dorsey such a bad name that he changed it to Engelbert Humperdinck?...

six days ago, i learned: don't brave it -- embrace the sickness and get better quicker...

five days ago, i learned: some things that you think will only take a couple of days can take about five or more...

four days ago, i learned: i have the power!...

three days ago, i learned: for the most part, the BBC News "breaking news" e-mail makes it to my inbox before the USA Today "breaking news" e-mail, but in the case of both Farrah Fawcett's and Michael Jackson's deaths, USA Today won by a few minutes...

two days ago, i learned: saturdays are never a complete day off...

yesterday, i learned: i'm not the only one who thinks that...

today, i learned: the Berlin Zoo Aquarium sometimes has to feed the jellyfish either by hand or with tweezers...

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recently watched: The Sting

Vacation Pictures / Sex, Church, and Rock & Roll

to nobody in particular:

these are my "top five" favorite pictures from vacation...






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..."you learn something new every day"...

six days ago, i learned: sexuality is a rarely discussed topic in the church-world (not sex or sexual morality, but sexuality in general)...

five days ago, i learned: not all Germans scrub...

four days ago, i learned: photography is my favorite medium...

three days ago, i learned: check and double-check the lyrics before you print them out...

two days ago, i learned: there is a place for the song "Tired of Sex" in church...

yesterday, i learned: "look, see, it's waterfall"...

today, i learned: be ready!...

Post #100 / So What?

to nobody in particular:

...vacation was great -- we relaxed and relaxed a lot...

...swimming, walking, sleeping, reading, playing, laughing, eating, enjoying, watching, resting, sandcastling...

...that's about it -- relaxing...

...exactly what we needed...

...one of the things that was impressed upon me was "faith like a child" and "fear like a child" -- i saw moments when my kids were stress-free, care-free and totally relying on us for all their needs and desires; and yet i saw moments in which, in situations of clear uncertainty, they were overcome with fear, forgetting about their faithful, trustworthy and loving parents...

...i could expand, but i won't...

...and i don't think i need to spell the connection out in our daily lives -- it preached to me clearly, and i think the recognition of truth can be grasped...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

fourteen days ago, i learned: 2:26am to wake up for a flight to vacation in Mallorca is worth it...

thirteen days ago, i learned: yes, there are many Europeans who hang out at the beach topless...

twelve days ago, i learned: neither of the kids have any fear of a fifth floor balcony...

eleven days ago, i learned: Mallorca has a pretty sweet aquarium...

ten days ago, i learned: we booked a hotel on the quieter part of the beach -- thankfully, not on the party end of the beach (as a young family, we would've REALLY stuck out, even more than we already were)...

nine days ago, i learned: Travis doesn't like the ocean, maybe, but he likes the swimming pool...

eight days ago, i learned: more than half over? vacation goes by quickly!...

seven days ago, i learned: push the limits!...

six days ago, i learned: Sarah and i organize and prepare, more than enough in advance, for most things...

five days ago, i learned: the Mallorca airport is nice, but please, clean the men's bathrooms more often!...

four days ago, i learned: i got the gnome!...

three days ago, i learned: booooooo...

two days ago, i learned: God makes sure we come into contact with the right people...

yesterday, i learned: goals are good, and sometimes hard to reach, but just try it anyway...

today, i learned: my family -- parents, siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews -- are astoundingly awesome (of course, this was more of a refreshing reminder, not newly learned)...

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recently watched: 12 Angry Men


...cinematically simple, philosophically complex -- love it...