Kickboxing

I think I am physically dyslexic.

I frequently have to stick up both my hands to see which one forms the "L" for left, to remind myself which side is left or right. As long as I'm confessing, I might as well add that I still sing the ABC's to alphabetize things; but that doesn't have anything to do with my physical dyslexia.

I realized my dyslexia issue tonight. At the kickboxing class at the gym. It was my first kickboxing class; I was excited. We started out with the loud music and the instructor hollering out the commands. "March in place." This was easy. He showed us newbies the few punches and kicks that we would encounter. I could do this. "Right jab". So far, so good. "Right jab, left hook." Oh, yeah! "Right, left, left knee." I'm gettin' the rhythm, baby. "Right, left, left knee, right kick; Super Power!" Uh, oh. My knee was kicking when everyone else was jabbing. My left hook was going hard and fast while everyone else is right side-kicking.

I looked like a flailing monkey.

I couldn't keep my right and left straight. I couldn't remember if arms meant legs or legs meant arms.

But I'm going back next week. It was fun despite my appendage entanglement. And I think this class can teach me a thing or two!

MATCH POINT

It’s ping pong with a kiss. The love pong, that is. A great website that Elisabeth and I discovered last year. It’s a fun quirky way to strengthen the communication skills between couples. The concept is very simple. Both of you sign up and then one of you will receive an assignment by email. Each assignment seeks to help improve on how you communicate and/or how to communicate on particular topics. Along the way, you can click on highlighted words that give extra counsel on how to understand the art of communication better. After you’ve completed your assignment, an email will be sent to notify your pooh-bear. And then your sweet-tart will have a chance to respond to what you’ve said. Once your lovey-dovey has had the chance to read and respond to what you‘ve shared, the assignment is complete. You can either move on to the next assignment (which will be emailed to your little pumpkin) or keep the communication going as much as you like on the current subject. This back and forth (like ping pong, thus the name, love pong) is a great way to learn to communicate and have fun at the same time. We highly recommend it.

So, check it out and love pong away. By the way, it’s your serve Elisabeth…my little dandelion.

Guest Post by Chris

Thundersnow

My ears, tired after hearing the downpour of rain for 2 days, strain for the soft sound of snowflakes hitting the windowpane. The clock is ticking in the next room. The blazing fire crackles and pops. I feel a low rumbling. Is that a train? No... "Chris! Is that thunder??"

We are experiencing a rare phenomenon. Thundersnow. At first, I don't believe Chris when he tells me this. Thundersnow? Yeah, like thunderstorm, except that it's snow instead of storm. But I can't deny the weatherological facts. It is snowing. And it is thundering.

Wikipedia, the all-knowing internet encyclopedia, tells me that there really is such a thing as thundersnow:
Thundersnow, also known as a winter thunderstorm or a thunder snowstorm, is a rare thunderstorm with snow falling as the primary precipitation instead of rain. It commonly falls in regions of strong upward motion within the cold sector of extratropical cyclones between autumn and spring when surface temperatures are most likely to be near or below freezing. Variations exist, such as thundersleet, where the precipitation consists of sleet or ice rather than snow.

I am wowed by the creativity of God. Who would have ever thought to mix thunder and snow? It's as if God said, "Ta Da! Announcing snow!" So not only do we have the uncommon appearance of snow, but it has also come in an even more uncommon form. It almost makes the 6-8 inches of accumulation we're supposed to get worth it.

We have bread and milk. We even have hotdogs and lunch meat. We have candles, matches, firewood, and flashlights at the ready. Hot chocolate and marshmallows are calling. The world we live in has shut down and it is just us and the thundersnow.

The heavens are sounding the glory of God; the arch of the sky makes clear the work of his hands. Day after day it sends out its word, and night after night it gives knowledge. There are no words or language; their voice makes no sound. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world (Psalms 19:1-4).

Out To Lunch

Yesterday, I was down in the basement switching the laundry when I overheard two cowboys tramping down the hall.

Cowboy Eli motions to the open basement door with his gun, "There's a woomin down thar."

Cowboy Jake drawls, "She's the cook."

Cowboy Eli pokes his head in the doorway, "Wellll, she's not cookin'."

Brief pause.

Cowboy Jake's voice drifts down the steps, "Yeah, well, really, she's just the housekeeper."

Really, it's time for me to go out to lunch!!

A Little Sumpin' Sumpin

* Autumn has her first tooth. It came through on Valentine's Day.

* Savannah lost her first tooth. It came out a little over a week ago.

* Eli went to the ER Sunday night. But he's fine now. He had an allergic reaction (we think to peanuts - by breathing them). He swoll up with hives. But he's fine now. And he's taking meds for a week that make him hyper. Joy.

* Jacob wants me to post something about him, too. Ummm... Oh, yeah, last week at his basketball game, he got 2 steals and almost made a basket.

* And I might as well say something about Seth. So he won't feel left out. That is, if he could read. We bought him some strawberry heart peeps, and he doesn't like them. Crazy kid.

* Oh, and Chris has officially shaved off his goatee for good. He is still a very handsome man!

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry

So, even though they don't have to transition until June, many of the television networks will be going digital today. One of our local public channels even has a countdown going on... at 11:59 and 30 seconds pm anyone who has a TV with an analog signal (rabbit ears) will forever not be able to watch their programming. Only those who have "transitioned" to digital - either by purchasing a new TV, subscribing to cable, or buying a converter box - will be able to watch TV. So, are you ready? Or are you going to be left in the dark... (doom, doom...doom, doom)

We use rabbit ears to get our TV channels. Since we live in a large city, we are able to receive all of the major networks, 2 different public stations, and a handful of other channels. And we are "not ready" for the switch. At least, according to the media. Over the last few months, as the news anchors and sponsored commercials have been counting down the days until my screen turns to snow, I've actually laughed. It's just kinda funny to me to think that life might be over if I actually have to experience even one day without a TV signal. Maybe I won't even be able to breathe... AAAGGHHH!!

I'm sure at some point we'll get a converter. But we're not jumping just 'cause the government says to jump. We'll get it when we're ready to. And when our TV signal turns off, we might just actually start being intentional about what we watch. We might go to the library and check out movies we've been wanting to see but just haven't found the time for yet because we've been zoning out in front of whatever happens to be on. We might try some of those free RedBox codes. And please don't even tell me we won't know what's going on in this world. As if all of the news we hear is from the TV! Um, hello, everyone knows there's other ways to know what's going on... And to tell the truth, we haven't actually watched the news on TV in the last week anyway. Plus, now many sporting events are streamed live over the internet - and the ones that aren't, well, that's just a good excuse to go on a date to Smokey Bones (hint, hint). I've always wanted my kids to watch the good ol' cartoons like Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Road Runner, Superman, Popeye - and now on Saturday mornings, they can because they won't be busy watching My Friend Rabbit. And when we eventually do transition, in our own time, they can go back to watching Jane and the Dragon and be the richer for it.

A Coco-Nut Shell

The Bahamas was truly a place of rest for us. Chris and I have never been to the beach together without our children or a youth group. It was almost weird to not have to constantly be on the lookout for wandering kids! We went on the nature trail on the island of Coco Cay in the Bahamas; we saw native wildlife such as lizards and chickens. We fell asleep while sunning on the white beach. We saw striped blue and green fish darting around the coral in the turqoise blue water. We spotted large crabs walking sideways on the beach rocks. In Nassau, we bargained for souvenirs in the straw market. We saw the pink police building, the pink court buildings, the pink ministry of health building, the pink restaurants, the pink hotels. (I get the impression Bahamians like pink.) On the cruise ship, we ate "rich people" food - escargots, filet mignon, cherries jubilee, mahi mahi, almond souffle with orange sauce, chilled pear soup. We explored all 12 floors of the ship - which included a huge entertainment theater, 2 swimming pools and 2 jacuzzis, a climbing wall, a sports deck (basketball, ping pong, weight room), spa, a huge conference room full of art for the art auction, casino, 2 large dining rooms, numerous other restaurants and bars, library, business center, plus several levels of outdoor decks. The comedy shows were funny, the love & marriage game show was unforgettable :), the song and dance show was entertaining, and the SuperBowl atmosphere was great!

So that, in a coco-nutshell, is how the cruise went! We took lots of pictures and have wonderful memories. These are my 2 favorite pictures from the weekend.