Thursday
Even though I lack the time, energy, and good faith to complete this week's installment of the Thursday Three, I figured I probably ought to check in. Work's still going at break-neck speed, but I'm planning on taking tomorrow off to spend with Mom, Dad, sis, and younger brother, who are here to babysit me in week two of hubby's absence. Cleanin' Christina filled that role during week one, and a few folks have called to check up on me. It is abundantly clear that noone loves me ;)

If I didn't have two reports to get out yet today, I might go off on democrats for y'all, but no can do. Please keep Paul & his team in your prayers. English camp runs through tomorrow or Saturday, and they're flying to Vienna Sunday (I think), where they'll spend a couple of days and fly back into NC Weds about dinnertime (Lord willing!)

- posted by Lenise @ 1:33 PM |

 
Love[,] the Thursday Three
1) Who was your first sweetheart? (Names may be changed to protect the innocent, although we do want to know all the other details.)
 
I suppose it would have to be that boy John who asked me to rollerskate when we were in 2nd grade. Being shy, I turned him down, and we moved away shortly thereafter.  That's all I remember, except swinging on the swingset at school and making up a quiet little song with the monolyric "John".

2) Of the person you love the very most, which of their character traits of do you find most appealing?
 
I have to pick ONE? If so, it'd probably have to be Paul's  sense of humor, even though sometimes it's irritating (like when he thinks it's funny to ignore the question I just asked him or make some smart-aleck answer up).  Maybe I'd better stop there, since [sniff] he just left for [little sob] TWO WEEKS on a trip to a [sob] foreign country WAAHHH an ocean away!

3) Of all the inanimate objects in your possession, are there any for which you have--if not love--then at least a powerful affection?
 
A decade ago, it would have been my car, but that was my 1979 SS Graber Bash-Our-Way-to-Glory-Battle-Tank T-Bird. I'm very thankful for my nice 1992 Taurus, but it's not Da Bird. I really like our house, especially the cheerful nursery. Of course, I'd like it a lot more if we had water upstairs.  If I had to say what non-human earthly thing I love the most, it'd have to be my sweet purry Kostya cat, but he's often animate, so I guess he doesn't count.


- posted by Lenise @ 12:23 PM |

 
Back alive
Ate too much & had trouble getting to sleep. Also trouble staying in bed for more than 3 hours at a time. Kids!
 
All in all, though, a good trip. I got to know some of the sales staff a bit better. Since many of us were boarders, we had some down time together.
 
Just the same, it's great to be home!

- posted by Lenise @ 9:40 PM |

 
Or maybe I'm just nervous about Paul's trip. You never know what is going on even in your own mind!
- posted by Lenise @ 1:16 PM |

 
Things that make you think
So I had a dream last night that I took on death. I knew he couldn't defeat me because Christ conquered him for me. I was holding dogs down to the ground by their upper jaws and I don't know what all. So then I woke up with a full bladder, went downstairs to the bathroom somewhat proud (if I remember correctly) for the way I had handled the whole macabre confrontation. Sometime later I started to get scared (probably my second potty break of the night) that maybe God was warning me of something.

Today I'm going on a business trip to Charlotte. My boss (whose carefulness on the road has been questioned by a co-worker) will be driving, and, I come to find out, we may run into some very messy weather on the way. Anyway, please pray for us! And enjoy the Thursday Three for me :) We'll return on Friday, Lord willing!
- posted by Lenise @ 10:46 AM |

 
Newest Iraqi immigrant
Don't let John Derbyshire know. Besides his stance on immigration, he's also got a bone to pick with the above, and others like him...
- posted by Lenise @ 1:32 PM |

 
Thursday Three
This week's Thursday Three is brought to you by a little aardvark who never hurt anyone (TM).
1. Describe the BEST vacation you've ever taken, either as a child or as an adult, and tell us WHY it was so splendiferous.

My best vacation ever was our honeymoon :) We stayed at the mountain cabin of a fellow CGS member in mid-October and celebrated my 25th birthday with a sunrise drive to the Biltmore House. The BH itself was somewhat disappointing, as it was largely decked out with cardboard boxes, but the Blue Ridge Parkway in western NC is indescribably beautiful that time of year, and we had fun exploring Boone, putting together puzzles, and reading. We also saw a movie (What Dreams May Come, I believe- not a highlight for me), and Paul took me to a Macado's (just like Spanky's in Lexington- ahh, nostalgia!!).

2. Describe the WORST vacation you've even taken, either as a child or as an adult, and tell us WHY it stunk like a funky drunk monkey.

I'm stumped. I really can't remember any truly bad vacation. I did have an interesting (aka scary) drive back to Chapel Hill after a Fancy Dress Ball weekend in Lexington.

3. Describe the vacation you've always WISHED you could take, but for some reason, never have.

I'd love to take my parents to Germany, but we can't afford to take ourselves, so...
- posted by Lenise @ 11:42 AM |

 
Americans in Ukraine
Check out the above link for a good story (this means YOU, Christina!!)
- posted by Lenise @ 3:28 PM |

 
Long after the fact
A week or two ago, the "wages of sin is death" text appeared in my verse-of-the-day sidebar. It reminded me of an incident my freshman year at Washington and Lee. It must have been STD-awareness week or something, because someone posted a flyer in our bathroom listing the costs of treatment for various STDs, the cost of an abortion, and the consequences of AIDS (death). In my smug 18-yr-old manner, I looked up the citation to that verse so I could write the verse, properly cited, onto the poster. I don't think anyone said anything to me, though I doubt anyone was wondering who had added to the message. This was a case of speaking the truth, surely, but not in love (though I was favorably disposed to all but one or two of my hallmates). I just wonder whether God used it to start some wheels turning in somebody's head.
- posted by Lenise @ 12:23 PM |

 
Phew!
Another break-neck-speed work week last week. Some of my teammates and I spent two days leading a training session, and most of us were also involved with a different training project for an additional half day.

So, Saturday noonish, Paul and I went paint shopping. We had no idea what we were doing, but I found colors I was happy with (I let Paul pick out the white, since I didn't have any idea how to pick one!), and we bought some painter's tape and rags to go with our paint. Late that afternoon, I sent out an evite to lots of friends soliciting painting help either Monday or Saturday, and we had five very kind friends volunteer their services yesterday, as you may have guessed from the photo below :)

The room looks great, and now we can start settling things in! Thank you, kind friends!!
- posted by Lenise @ 9:58 AM |

 

Nursery corner
Posted by Hello
- posted by Lenise @ 8:19 AM |