Ken Ham was at FBC of BA this weekend. I made it to 2 different talks. I'm pretty familiar with his materials (but's it's always good to hear again!), so the only new thing I heard about was a research study he and a behavioral science research group did on the people in their tweens who went to conservative churches through high school and then stopped going in their 20s. I went out on a limb and bought the book summarizing the study without asking Mama with her money. She's ok with it now though.

I got a henna tattoo at the State Fair Saturday when I went with Naomi and Caleb. It's a star of David with a cross in the middle on the inside of my arm just below the elbow. I wanted it up on my forearm, but it was so cold that the lady wouldn't let me take my jacket off, so I had to pick a spot reached by rolling up my sleeves.

I started Hebrew classes Monday night at the Tulsa Jewish Community Center. I was disappointed to find out that the beginner class works only reading and writing Hebrew, no speaking. But, I liked the teacher and the attitude of all the other students. I caught onto this first lesson really fast, but I think that's because I'm already familiar with a vowel-point system from Arabic lessons with Amani.

I need to get somethings printed and ready to mail in the morning, so I'd better wrap this up. I still had 2 other big things to write about, so I shall just have to continue this later.

Bavido Banditos

Bavido Banditos
Originally uploaded by Purple Palindrome

Here ya go, JC! I apologize for taking approx. forever and a day to get this to you!

We took this on August 22nd, right before Dad left.

Back to front, left to right: Samuel, Caleb, BonnieJean, Isaac, Joshua, Naomi, Anna, Mama, Dad, and Ethan.

99 Red Balloons

I've had this song stuck in my head this afternoon. It's such a surreal song.

Speaking of surreal moments--I had one Thursday. I've been job coaching a gal named Lizzie who's volunteering at the boutique store inside Hope Pregnancy Center. We're looking for someone to job coach her permanently, but right now I'm the only staff who has all the training classes she requires. Anyway, the two of us were putting out some baby boy clothes and there was a pair of dark blue cotton shorts with a grey stripe running down each leg. What was surreal was that Isaac and Caleb used to wear that exact style of shorts. I'm sure it was not the same pair. I seem to remember that they wore them into oblivion, but that just made holding an identical pair, that looked like new, even more surreal.

Tomorrow is the "Government Serves the People" Cookout hosted by the Rogers County Republicans. I really hope we make some money off of this!

I am getting over a summer cold and feeling better each day. Praise God!

A bulletin from the couch

where I have pretty much taken up permanent residence. :)

Everyone but Dad and BonnieJean went down to the Bowie tournament over the weekend.  Samuel placed third in black belt weapons after deciding on the spur of the moment to compete.  Dillian Ramey and Crista Bailey took first and second, respectively, so he's hanging with the big dogs, for sure.  He also placed third in the super fight, coming in behind Greg Partridge and Luke Rosebure.  Ethan didn't fight because it was only a week from his black belt test, but he placed first in adult underbelt weapons and adult brown kata.  He got a nine from Mr. Holzbauer on his weapons kata!  Naomi came to help coach and decided suddenly to compete in kata!  She didn't place, but I'm so proud of her!  And after we all saw the flying pigs, she decided to do fight a 13 year old who didn't have anyone else in her division to fight.  Naomi won!  Joshua placed third in kata and second in fighting.  Isaac placed second in kata.  He lost his first fight by one point to the boy who went on to win the whole division.  Irony.  At the last tournament, Caleb forgot his kata and had to make it up.  This time he remembered it perfectly!

  Before the tournament, Scott and Theresa tested for fourth degree and passed.  I'm so excited for them!  I'm kinda disappointed they didn't do any board breaking, but that's just because I so enjoy watching them do it so well!  I can't believe they managed to test and run a tournament in the same day.

  After the tournament, little Alexis hit my right foot while I was standing in the hallway.  When I unwrapped my foot to take a shower Sunday night it was swollen really bad and black all down the right side and top of it with pooled blood under the skin.  It totally freaked me out.  Dad prayed over it right then and we called Orjala first thing Monday morning.  I didn't go to work or karate.  We unwrapped it Monday afternoon out of pure curiousity and it looked tons better.  I don't think a bruise on a normal, active person would go down that quickly.  It was just an answer to prayer!

  While I was home resting Monday night, Caleb passed his yellow belt test, Dad passed his orange belt test, and Isaac did all of his blue belt test with the exception of fighting and board breaking.  He'll do those Monday night.  I'm so excited for all of them!

  In other fantastic-answers-to-prayer news, I found out today that I passed the Comp II test out!  This means I get to graduate this May!  I am so wildly excited!

I should be sleeping

instead of keeping these late hours I've been keeping...sing with me!...I've been tracing and retracing every step of every move...

That's a good song.  It's a tad unrelated, but good for a post at 10 p when you only had 6 hours of sleep last night.  Ha--listen to me!  I have obviously settled into break mode quickly.  6 hours of sleep used to be really good.

  Tomorrow we get family pictures done for the church directory.  I'm so excited.  Our pictures two years ago turned out really nice.

  I really need to jump onto Christmas shopping.  I haven't done any.  Good thing we're celebrating it a week late this year.  Our Christmas tree is up and totally overdone, just the way I like it.

  Last night was Twilight Prayer and Praise.  We almost didn't go since the roads were icey, but I'm glad we went anyway.  I feel full, replenished.  Christian fellowship is such a mystery to me.  Why do we self-destruct by denying it to ourselves?  Why do we see God differently when we're alone than when we're with a group?  Why did God make it where we need both?

  Poor Caleb has a terrible, croupy cough.  There's not much we can do for him. :(  And of course, we're having to practically tie him up to get him to slow down and rest.

  Friday I have a job interview with IBC at 2--please pray!  Friday is my last day at Donna's!  And Chera's going to call me Friday and I get to go to the homeschool band concert!  Oh, but Chera, if your throat is still sore Friday, don't call me.  I don't want your voice to run away like mine did.

  I have turned into quite the ogre while at home this semester.  I'm not quite sure why, but that doesn't really matter, I just need to straighten up.  I think the main thing is I need to praise more than I gripe.

  We had dinner at Mazzio's with the Teagues tonight.  They are so awesome!  Mama, Mrs. Teague and I discussed trends and situations, past and present, of the Christian music industry, economic theories of the advantages and disadvantages of deflation and inflation, psychotic habits of our own and our family's, and other sundry topics.  Stockton let me listen to an awesome Celtic fiddle piece on his mp3--it was beautiful.

  I'm going to go play or read something mindless.  My sinuses are terribly congested and I'm tired, so I don't feel like writing anything original or reading anything beyond a 5th grade level.  Love y'all!

People are so patient with me. I was terribly out of tune this morning, but nobody said a thing. Thankfully, most of the time I couldn't be heard, but I know Mike, David, Craig, and Ashley could hear me and they didn't even blink. If I miss a couple of weeks they ask me why and always act thrilled when I show up. They'll are all so nice.

Dad is making incredible progress on the shed roof. We're at the exhaust vent, drip-edge, and tar paper stage.

Caleb is such a great sound effects technician. He's pretending halo in front of me with a quite impressive variety of sounds.

The Hebrew alphabet is so gorgeous.

Chera called me today. I just love talking to her!

I need to get to bed. I've been working on this blog post almost all evening and it's not even long. I just kept getting distracted.