Goodbye, Apartment

This is our last night in the apartment. I only thought it fitting that I include a list of things I'll miss (and some I won't miss) about our little apartment on Mud Island...

-Kitchen Island...big time

-Being able to see the TV while sitting on the toilet. Necessary?

-THREE flights of stairs

-Open floor concept...being able to see all rooms at the same time, ha!

-Walking on the river. Probably biggest thing I'll miss

-High counters in the bathroom

-Good closet space

-Crappy carpet

-All the "first" memories...first home together, first meal cooked as a Mrs., where we first brought little Jack home, etc.

-Kitchen storage

-Our dryer that mysteriously stains things with a tiny rust-colored spot

-No windows in the kitchen

-Dishwasher that takes for.ev.er.

-Walking down the street to the mailbox

-Parking woes...not finding a spot...getting your friend towed when visiting, etc.

-Fitness center and tennis courts

-Recluse-type neighbors (until I got a dog)

-Dental school friends close by

-Track lighting...bleh

-Front gate

-The hole in the base boards in the kitchen that Jack retreats to in storms

Top two would have to be the kitchen island and walking along the river. At least one of those two can be added to our new home if needed!

Binghampton

I wanted to share with you all some pictures and a video of the family we have come to love. My earlier post about moving into Binghampton seems as though it was written forever ago, but it is finally here...well, really close...it will be moving day come Saturday morning. Our apartment looks like a bomb went off as we pack up all our boxes and try to keep Jack and Henry from getting into everything. On top of everything, I have a head cold...not fun.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the pictures courtesy of a talented Janine Noble, who will be moving into the neighborhood soon herself. The video is of our house church a few Sunday mornings ago thanks to John David, who will be leaving this week with three others to do some medical work in Afghanistan for ten days.

One of the homes on our street.

This church is almost directly across from us.

A community center and restaurant, Caritas Village, does artwork and service projects for the neighborhood, and I can't wait to find out how I can get involved in the art projects.
This is the Sedekia family who moved to Memphis from Burundi, Africa about four years ago. They came here from a refugee camp and are our Christian brothers and sisters who sing beautiful worship at our house church. Yes, these are all their children...8 daughters and 2 sons. All 8 girls were born first, then they finally got 2 sons. They are amazing.
This park has become a place where competitive soccer games are a must. Sometimes the teams are pretty even, but sometimes they play Americans vs. Africans and I hear the score is pretty favorable for the Africans.

Just this summer, they have started a farming project called Urban Farms. They are growing immensely and are soon opening a Farmer's Market. The idea (and what received a federal grant) is to provide healthy food for poorer, urban areas that usually end up at fast food or small grocery stores due to proximity and price. They have vegetables, fruit, and also fresh tilipia. Yum!
Our house church...not your usual extravagant church building.
One of my favorites, Nani Kama Wewe Bwana, which translated means, "Who is like you, Lord?"

Growing So Fast!

Just because I have the time, I will share with you how much Henry has GROWN over the past several weeks. I already packed the scale, so I don't know how much he weighs, but he is averaging an inch in height each week! He is starting to get too big to fit through little knocks and crannies in the house (which I love), and doesn't realize just how much bigger he is than Jack! Here are the latest pics...He knows how to shake. In the picture below, he thought he might try to shake with me and get a treat. He's a smart one.
His growth spurt has caused him to outgrow the crate below...
...and upgrade to this giant of a crate (both on loan courtesy of good friends)!
I basically tell him to get "down" five hundred times a day. I'm not giving up either...if he can understand "sit" and "shake", he can understand "down". Right?!
Indecent exposure, Henry. He chases his tail like a cat.
Here is his most "big boy" shot. He is so grown up!

End of Summer and Back to School

What better way to spend the last weekend of summer than a surprise birthday? Add a 12 lb. hamburger eating challenge and bowling and it makes for a great "send-off" to summer. Friday night we went to Kooky Canuck for Matt's surprise 25th birthday party...he was surprised about the party, and surprised that him and Josh were about to tackle the 12 lb. Kookamunga burger challenge. It gave all of us some pretty fun entertainment.

As the waitor/manager/whoever he was brought out the massive burger, he explained the rules. The two boys had one full hour to eat the entire thing...all bread, meat, and vegetables. Then the hour began...
Took a quick minute to take a picture with the Kookamunga...notice the two giant pickles on top!
At the thirty minute mark, I would say more than half of the burger was eaten. Unfortunately, that is also where they hit a brick wall. Kookamunga won the battle, but this is how well they did...
We still got cake and after dinner went out bowling. Below is Matt and his fiancee, Kari. Matt is holding a handmade fly swatter...don't ask.
Our group at bowling...I scored a whopping 45.
Saturday and Sunday were filled with lots and lots of nerves and excitement. I finally am in the field I want...why was I suddenly nervous? The "uncertainty" of a new school is what was getting to me. Would I be nice enough? Too nice? What if a student cries? Well, Monday morning came and I had a big, giant smile on my face as I was walking out the door with my giant beach ball. The beach ball was for an ice breaker game where I could get to know my students. Randy was so happy about my positive attitude that he took a picture. I look like a 10 year old. Oh well, little kids don't care.
The first two days have been amazing. It is such a happy, positive environment. Some of the challenges, however, include trying to "redirect" conversations so you don't get 22 kid stories of their pets, or why cleaning up messes is important. And also to be prepared for any answer, even if it is a kid telling you his dad hopped on a plane this summer and never came back. (I checked up on that one, he was just telling a "tall tale") I also realized that getting students attention takes a lot more with elementary school, I have to use things like, "I'm looking for the best monkey face", or "1, 2..." (and wait for kids to say "Eyes on you"). Big difference from middle schoolers.

The artwork is quite different as well. When passing a boy drawing an alligator/monster creature on two legs, he informed me that it was "my mom as a crocodile". I'm sure she is thrilled! The best part about elementary school is that at the end of the day, instead of slamming their lockers shut and untucking their shirt in a rebellious way, they rush up to me to give me a hug goodbye. And that hug makes all the difference.

The pictures below are of my art room, mostly for my mom and sister to see. The teacher before me left 31 years of "belongings" in the room, and I had quite a task weeding through it all. So many of the teachers that came in yesterday and today said things like, "I never knew this room had carpet", and "Wow! I can see the walls!"
And if you liked the story about the crocodile/mom, don't worry....there will be plenty, plenty more. I've only taught two days, and only taught actual art to two classes!

12 Weeks

This post is going to be mostly pictures, because I am in a lazy mood. Little Henry is growing up...he weighs 19.8 pounds to be exact! Here are the latest pics, with a surprise at the bottom...

Loves belly rubs...

Loves the ladder bookshelf (since I've packed up the stuff that is normally on it) with Jack...

Loves the creepy orange glove...

...and I LOVE that face!

With all the other things changing in my life, I thought... "why not chop off my hair?!" I've always wanted to do it, I just finally got the courage. Since I'm starting a new job and busier than ever, it seemed like a good time. Didn't Amber do a fabulous job!? Here is a pic (not the best pic of me, but you get the idea)...

And here is Jack and Henry, take 2

Animal House

Henry has now been a part of the family for 9 days! That means I have spent 9 days with little sleep, lots of stair climbing, and constant patrolling to check for accidents. Between packing up boxes, working on lesson plans, and keeping up with a puppy, my life could be a hit reality show at the moment! Randy continues to be equally thrilled and terrified of our new "animal house". It gets worse, though...

As I took Henry out this morning to do his thing, up comes a HUGE black lab running and hopping towards us. Henry's excitement of a potential playmate turned to a nervous panic when he saw just how hyper this gal was. No matter what we did, this dog would not leave us alone (did I mention she was not on a leash?) Anyways, I browse for an owner but see none, and decide to take Henry upstairs. The lab ran up ahead of us and wouldn't leave our front door. She had a collar with name and phone number, and although we left a message at the given number, the hyper giant stayed out on our tiny porch for the next SIX hours of our Saturday.

Did I mention this was all before 9 am on a Saturday morning?

Or that Jack carried wet paint all over his paws onto my computer this morning?

Or that Henry peed in the house not once, but twice?

What has my life come to?!

Here are some of the latest pics:

Notice giant black lab.

Puppy Patrol

Wow, it is starting to set in just how difficult this whole puppy thing is going to be. To get you thinking in puppy terms, think about how many times you go to the bathroom a day. I highly doubt your answer is 12, but if you are Henry and you're a 10 week old puppy, 12 is the magic number. I actually got it down to 11 yesterday, and Randy thinks I am pyscho-obsessed with taking him out every couple of hours, but I just want him to know that outside is THE only place to pee. He is doing better at night, but we are still having middle of the night potty breaks. All have been fine except for saturday night at 3 am when we had to deal not only with the sprinklers on every inch of grass, but also the low-flying helicopter with spotlight followed by an old man walking in the middle of the night....esschh.

Although I am the "primary" caretaker, Randy has been doing a lot as well....I think he feels a little "neglected" based on the following quote he gave his dental school friends, "The first morning we have a puppy, and this is the first morning I had to make my own sandwich!" Ha!

So the question is, who is more spoiled? Jack? Randy? Henry? Or me, because I am surrounded with three males 24/7?

LOVES to chew on bones.

This happens once Randy wakes up and he can puppy patrol. Little did I know that Henry was sleeping at the same time!

Look at that body language.

Henry doesn't really know how to properly eat yet. After two bites, he picked up the bowl in his mouth and took it over to Jack's scratchy mat. Notice Jack is leaving the scene as if to say, "it wasn't me".

Jack showing dominance...

He DOES sleep in his little doggy bed that my good friend, Donna, handed down. However, he also likes to chew on it. I thought this was cute, but Randy reminded me that while it might be cute to lightly chew on a doggy bed, it won't be cute in a few months when he is tearing a hole in the couch.

I promise I won't post puppy info too often, it's just that it is consuming every minute of my life right now so I thought I would let you in on the craziness.