Stitched Together

I spent a very fun hour or so at Jo-Ann Fabrics today, with Gracie snuggled in the baby carrier against my chest; Carl and Joy were doing the more mundane shopping (for groceries) at first, but joined us later. I was able to pick out all the fabric I need for the quilt I have been promising (ever since we got married, practically) Carl to make for our bed. It was torture, at first, trying to pick colour choices without anyone there to give me a second opinion ("What do you think of this one?" I would ask Gracie. "Too bright? I agree, let's look for something better."), but I managed to get a few picked out so that when Carl got there he just needed to say yes or no.

(I have to break here to say that my husband is absolutely amazing. Not only did he spend over an hour this morning helping me convert the amount of fabric recommended for a twin bed into how much I would need for a queen, he has an unfailingly good eye for colour combinations in quilts, and now I can never, ever buy fabric for a quilt without having either him or my sister give me the final "go ahead." And have I told you about the time he managed to size down the fabric needed for a wall hanging from a queen pattern, while still in the store, with no calculator except his cell phone, and no paper except the back of an old business card? And then, when we got home, he charted the whole thing out for me on graph paper. All this without complaining—what a guy.)

Anyway. We got the fabric, and I'm washing it now, and hopefully soon I can start cutting it. First, though, I have to finish cutting out the fabric for the lap quilt I'm making for our couch. Then I have to start work on the quilt I'm making for Steve and Joanna's daughter who will hopefully be here from Ethiopia sometime next spring. Then, depending on how many of my friends have babies between now and whenever that gets done, I can start the bedquilt.

I have way, way too many quilt projects planned for someone of my slow speed at completing them: Ethie's quilt, our lap quilt, our bed quilt, a quilt in turquoise and brown for Joy's bed, a quilt for Gracie's bed whenever she moves into one, someday a quilt out of my grandmother's wedding dress and some of the silk leftover from my wedding dress, and plenty of baby quilts because I adore giving them to friends. If my long-lost (but newly befriended through facebook) cousin finds out what she's having, I most definitely am making her baby a quilt, because what better way to say "Welcome to the crazy family you never knew you had"?

I don't need to make all these quilts, but I really do love it. There's something about fitting fabric together to make a pattern, bringing beauty out of nothingness, that satisfies my creative longings. And when I think about people putting their babies to sleep under something I made, or my own children cuddling under something Mamma stitched together for them ... well. It's worth the long hours and agonising choices of "do these fabrics really go well together?"

And goodness knows I wouldn't mind more fabric shopping trips like the one today: Gracie either leaning back in the carrier to look at the ceiling, or resting her head against my chest, occasionally reaching up to pat my face with her hands; Joy (once she and Papa got there) running back and forth looking at all the colours and exclaiming with delight, while Carl discusses my choice with me with all the seriousness he gives to his language or theological studies. Well, aside from when he picks out hideous obviously unsuitable fabric and asks me with his cheeky grin, "Why not this one?"

I love this man. And I love the thought that someday, twenty, thirty years from now, we will still be sleeping under the quilt I made, pattern and fabric chosen by us both, bound together by God and by love as surely as the quilt is bound together with thread.

Blogging the Ladies Free (and other sundries)

(I thought it would be fun to just write as I watch, tonight. Here it is, lots of spoilers; if you haven't watched (Elisabeth this means YOU), please don't read and ruin it for yourself! No editing, just Louise's thoughts as they poured from her mind through her fingers to her blog. Scary, I know. Enjoy.)


Tugba Karademir (Turkey): I get that this is an inspirational story, but the cynical/practical part of me has to wonder if it is really worthwhile a family uprooting everything and everyone just so she can skate at the Olympics? I mean, what value does that really have in the long run, and are two low placements at the Olympic truly worth that kind of massive sacrifice?

At least there aren't any siblings; so I suppose, when it comes down to it, that if the parents want to do that for their daughter, it's not really any of my business to judge.

Cynthia Phaneuf (Canada): I want to like her, but I'm distracted both my baby who is supposed to be asleep and is instead trying to eat my laptop, and her (Phaneuf, not Gracie) rather hideous outfit. What is with those flappy belt tails dangling down her behind?

(Break now for the Canadian national anthem for the women's hockey. Have I mentioned how much I love that EVERYBODY sings the anthem in Canada? You don't get that here in the States, and it's awesome. Go Canada!)

It's almost 9:30. I'm tired. We can get back to skating, any time! (Anything to postpone taking care of supper leftovers—I made all the food, I really don't feel like taking care of it all, too!)

Gracie is enthralled by the aerials. She's crawled over to the entertainment center and, I think, is trying to climb into the television to get at the skiers. This morning, Joy sat in my lap and hummed along to all the music for watching the ladies short program online, giggling every time someone landed a jump. I have a couple winter athletes on my hands! (See above: I am not planning on sacrificing one's future so the other can compete at a world level. This is all me being silly. Just in case you missed that.)

Cheltzie Lee (Australia): I got back from taking care of the aforementioned leftovers in time to see her fall. I like her - my sister and I call her "the little Australian," affectionately - but I'm not sure why NBC chooses to show her over some of the other lower-level skaters. Did I miss something while I was in the kitchen?

Fed the baby and put her back to bed. We'll see if she sleeps tonight. Wouldn't that be nice?

These sappy P&G "thank you, Mom" commercials are really getting to me. I get all choked up, because of course I think of my girls (the one where all the mothers are singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" is the worst), and then I think of Joannie Rochette, and then I just get mad at their emotional manipulation, and mad at myself for succumbing to it even though I know it's emotional manipulation. And then the next one comes on, and I go through the whole process all over again. I hate commercials.

(Gracie's back up. I also hate teeth. She has never slept through the night since she was born, and of late has been waking up several times in the night, and refusing both to go back to sleep and to rest comfortably on my chest. At least tonight the skating is one, so I'm letting her crawl around the living room and hopefully tire herself out, so she will maybe? sleep from midnight until 5. I'm hoping.)

Finally! Skating's back. They make such a huge deal over the "uninterrupted coverage" of the final flight, but they skipped over half the other skaters. I would write a strongly-worded letter of complaint if I thought it would do any good.

Elene Gedevanishvili (Georgia): Not the Olympic skate she was hoping for, I'm sure. Poor girl. What a horrible Olympics this must have been for anyone from Georgia.

(Baby's back in bed. We'll see if it sticks this time.)

(It doesn't seem likely.)

(It didn't.)

Rachael Flatt (USA): I love Rachael; I so want her to do well! OH HURRAY!!!!! This is the best I've ever seen her skate, better than Nationals. Jumps clean, line pure, a little stiff at first, but loosened up and really sparkled after that final triple. Yay Rachael!

Miki Ando (Japan): Not a huge fan of these heavy-technical skaters; it would not break my heart at all to see Rachael pull ahead of her. Plus I dislike these fake-y Egyptian routines in general. (I'm having to type everything very awkwardly because Gracie is cuddled right up to me, but I don't seem to mind.) Honestly, I was utterly bored by this program. She'll probably stay ahead of Rachael, because she's good, but I definitely preferred Rachael! She did, and well hmph. That's that.

Kim Yu-Na (Republic of Korea): *drumroll, please!* (By the way, in case you're curious, Kim is her surname, Yu-Na her given name. That gets confusing for we Westerners, occasionally.) Oh. My. Word. This is history, right here. That was ... unbelievable. Perfect. Oh, look at Brian Orser! [her coach] He's done an amazing job for her, and they both deserve this gold medal. Sandra just called this "magic." Yes.  I feel bad for Mao, even though I'm not a huge fan.

Mao Asada (Japan): Don't fall apart, is all I'm thinking as she starts! (She just landed a triple axel and another, in combination. I guess she's not falling apart.) !!! Oh, oh, and now she's stumbling. Poor girl. There was no way she could live up to Kim. There's just no life in her program at all, despite the fact that she just made history as the first woman ever to land two triple axels in a long program, and three triple axels in one competition. She's disappointed now, but she should be proud of that, at least.

Joannie Rochette (Canada): Where are my tissues? Where's my cuddly baby? I'm not going to make it through this without both. No words. I have just ... no words. Her heart, her courage, her love ... scores don't matter here. A bronze medal for Canada would be an amazing cap to this story, though.

Mirai Nagasu (USA): I love Mirai. I want to hug her every time I watch her. I want her to do well. She has an enormous task ahead of her. Bring down the house, Mirai! Yes, yes!!! Oh, I can't believe this! To do this well, after everyone else has skated, to overcome the nerves - incredible! And her score! Fourth for her is almost as much of a triumph as Kim's gold.

This was the most incredible Olympic free skate I can ever remember seeing. Everyone in the top six stepped up to the challenge. They all skated their best, and they're all where they should be in the end. I am so glad I stayed up for this, even if it's going to take me another hour to calm down enough to fall asleep!

Hope you enjoyed my stream-of-consciousness reporting. I am putting the baby to bed yet again (it's nearly midnight; surely she must fall asleep now, since she's been up since 8:30?!), watching the medal ceremony, and going to bed. The Olympics have a few more days left to them, and I will watch, but nothing, nothing can beat this night.

Eclectic

I was just glancing over my quotes journal, and I had to laugh. The two most recent entries:

"Since all the world is but a story, it were well for thee to buy the more enduring story rather than the story that is less enduring." (The Judgment of St Colum Cille)

"If your mind goes blank, don't forget to turn off the sound." (Red Green)

I'm either very well-rounded, or just plain crazy.

Joannie Rochette

By now, just about everyone has heard about Joannie's story - how on the eve of her Olympic dream, her mother unexpectedly died of a massive heart attack, and how she courageously decided to stay in the competition in her mother's honor. Below is the link to her tremendous short program:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/assetid=c7605327-2d06-47f3-996a-22ae5bc51bbf.html

Be warned: don't watch without tissues at hand.

Not Well

Just a note to say I'm on a bit of a hiatus until Gracie and I get over this nasty sickness that has laid us low and I have a brain again.

Oh, and I'm bitterly disappointed for Belbin & Agosto. Honestly, I can't even talk about it right now. It's just ... so wrong that they didn't make the podium. So, so wrong.

Hope you all are staying well and healthy!

Skating's Triumph, Not Just Lysacek's

I rarely post twice in one day. Especially not twice in one morning. And with my sister-in-law arriving this afternoon, I have other things I ought to be doing while the girls are resting.

However.

I am so bothered by reading all these articles and editorials and opinions on how Evan Lysacek's victory was a step back for figure skating, and how Plushenko really ought to have won because he did the quad and Lysacek didn't, that I have to get this out, and I have to do it now or my day is going to be spoiled.

Let me state it here, loud and triumphantly and decisively: this was a huge step forward for figure skating. It did not "set skating back by a decade" as some have suggested. It has not turned skating into an art show instead of sport, as certain bitter former skaters have gibed.

You see, for far too long, technical difficulty has been associated with jumping. Everything else was considered window dressing.

But that, my friends, simply is not so. Both as a former skater (admittedly, a poor one), and as one who has studied the sport for most of my life, I can say that with great certainty. Spinning is technically incredibly difficult. For me, as for many, spinning was harder than jumping (okay, so I was lousy at both. I was more lousy at spinning than at jumping). For many years, though, superior spins were dismissed as not as technical. Just ask Todd Eldredge, who never quite mastered the quad, but had some of the best spins in the business, and was punished for it.

Footwork is another area that's commonly dismissed as more presentation than technical. Again, not true. The skill, the athleticism, the technique required to master those precise, small, quick moves is mind-blowing. Did you know that Patrick Chan does his footwork in the opposite direction that he jumps? That's like a right-handed person writing an epic out with his left hand. Incredible! That is not just putting on a show, that's phenomenal athleticism.

Jumping is one part of a complete technical package. The quad is one jump, in one part. Last night, Lysacek had that complete package. He had the jumps and the spins and the footwork. And yes, he had the presentation, as well. Plushenko? He had the quad. One jump. One tiny aspect of a much larger picture.

Last night was a triumph for figure skating. It proved that finally, the judging system, for all its flaws (and they are legion), recognized and rewarded the superior technical skate. And the superior presentation.

Last night? The judges got it right. Finally.

And that makes it a great day, not just for Evan Lysacek or the US, but for figure skating all around the world.

Triumph

So, I taped the Men's Free last night and went to bed at 10:00, like a good tired mamma. Then Gracie woke up at 1:00, and didn't really get back to sleep until 2:30 or so. Around 1:30, I figured, "Since I'm awake, I might as well turn on my computer and check to see who won."

(Don't read any further if you are not aware of the results of last night's skate, and don't want to know. I can't imagine why you wouldn't, but some people prefer not to know until they can watch it for themselves. I, obviously, am not one of them.)


Still here?


You've been forewarned!


OK, here it comes:


YEAH EVAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I have been wanting this for Evan ever since the Turin Olympics, when he skated so abysmally in the short, due to undiagnosed flu and dehydration, and then fought back in the long to earn fourth place. I've been watching him and cheering for him for four years, and to read that not only did he win, but he won with the two best performances of his entire life ... well, that's what the Olympics ought to be all about. Not about who does the quad (it's one jump, Elvis Stojko; that's all), not about who is the favourite going in: it's about who skates the best.

And that?

Was Evan Lysacek.

I am so happy.

I thought to myself, after watching his short program, that he reminded me strongly of Brian Boitano at the '88 Olympics, when everyone thought Brian Orser was going to win, and then Boitano just skated his heart out and took the gold (Stojko still doesn't think that was fair, either. Get over yourself, Elvis!). The determination in Evan's eyes was the exact same look Boitano had before his long program. I didn't say anything, didn't even allow myself to think about it too long, because I didn't want to get my hopes up, but ...

He won. He won!

And now, on to my favourite part of my favourite sport: ice dance. I'm one of those rare people who even loves the compulsories, so I'm pleased NBC is showing all three parts, even if it is at bad times. Tanith & Ben, Meryl & Charlie ... what will happen next?

This Olympics is turning out to be one of the most memorable in a long time.

Yay Vancouver!

Olympics: An Update

The Men's Free Skate is on tonight, and I'm so nervous and excited I can hardly stand it. I've been going to bed a little early these last few nights and watching the final performances online the next day, but I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight without knowing who won. (Please, please, let it be Evan ... though even if Daisuke Takahashi wins I'll be okay, as long as it's not Plushenko!)

Aside from the figure skating, what I've enjoyed watching the most thus far has been, surprisingly enough, the moguls. Like I mentioned in my previous post, Jonny Moseley is a terrific commentator - loads of enthusiasm and personality and knowledge, all delivered in a very West Coast-accent that seems it ought to have a "duuude" on the end of every sentence. Besides that, though, it's just been exciting. I felt so bad for Jenn Heil, but so happy for Hannah Kearney. And Alexandre Bilodeau in the men - oh my, oh my. Carl and I were so thrilled when he won. I watched the medal ceremony and bawled like a baby.

Speed skating is always great, and I am a huge Apolo Ohno fan, so I like watching any race with him in it - although I'm usually chewing my nails, begging him to "go faster, increase your lead, come on, come on!"

I've been frustrated with NBC's poor coverage. I really do not think it necessary to show the Oprah Winfrey Show and Days of Our Lives every day, when they could be showing recaps of some of the events that took place in the wee hours of the morning our time, or events that they just didn't get to show live. Today was the first of the Skeleton heats, and I was really hoping to follow that, but did they show it? No. Showed all four of the luge heats, but not the Skeleton.

If I had discovered Skeleton earlier in my life, I might have taken up that as a sport instead of skating. That is how much I like it. I want to see all the heats, NBC!!!!!

Quite frankly, I have no interest in snowboarding. When that's on, I just turn the volume down on the television and do something else until I see that something more interesting has come back. I'm not sure why NBC is making such a huge deal over it, but you'd think snowboarding was the main event at the Olympics, based on their coverage.

Oh, and Cris Collinsworth? Looks like a used car salesman.

Finally, I would like to say that I love Dick Button, I don't care what anyone says, I think he's brilliant and spot-on with all his assessments regarding the skaters, and yes he uses the wackiest analogies and metaphors, but doggone it, with his track record and at his age, he's earned the right to be a little weird.

That's all.

Go Evan!!!!

Black and White Wednesday: Snowfall

I almost don't want to write another post, because I've been so blessed by the comments left on my most recent post. On the other hand, I have many, many thoughts flying around my brain, and they need some outlet. Plus, it's Black and White Wednesday again, and I have some fun pictures. So a-blogging I will go. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get some more Olympic-related thoughts up here (like how very much I would love to see Jonny Moseley and Scott Hamilton doing commentary together, on both skiing and skating - "Oh, big air!" Moseley will crow, followed by Scott's satisfied "Nicely landed." "Footwork a little sloppy," Scott will critique, with Jonny chiming in with "Too many breaks!" It'd be great.)

But back to pictures.

Yesterday we finally, finally had a snowstorm. And nobody plowed our parking lot until late afternoon, so for a little while, we had the perfect wintery playground. Dad had advised me, after I called him on Monday and asked him to be praying for me, to try to get out with the girls every day, just for a little while, so we all could get some fresh air. That's not easy in the winter around here, but it is important, so we're trying. Yesterday was the perfect opportunity, especially since Carl came home early from work and was able to come out and play with us for a bit, and then take Gracie in so Joy and I could stay out and explore and play without worrying about the baby getting cold and tired.

Along with the plethora of pictures I took of Joy (and Gracie, while she was out with us), I also managed to get some nature shots. Ansel Adams I am not, but I think nothing is as striking as trees in black and white. Especially with snow on them.

This picture actually looked no different in colour as it does in black and white. I like it with the edges blurred, makes the bush stand out more.

I like the close-up here.

Contrast, I'm all about contrast!

This one looked much better in my head than it does in reality. Oh well. It's still neat.

This next shot I want to show in the original colour, and then in the black and white. In colour, it's just a nice close-up of Joy's face, but in black and white, it's breathtaking (I think, anyway. I might be biased. She is my kid, after all.).

That's all for this week's edition of Black and White Wednesday! Thank you all again for your concern and prayers; God is good, and my heart has been eased this week.

Hope That Does Not Fail

"Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
   yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
   God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer's;
he makes me tread on my high places."
-Habakkuk 3:17-19


Last night, I reached the end of my strength. The baby had yet another night of not sleeping, while the toddler kept waking up the minute the baby was quiet for as much as five minutes. When I had just settled back into the couch again (sleeping downstairs to give Carl a chance to get a decent night's sleep so he could shake this cold), and Gracie started to fuss again, I lost it. I couldn't even make it up the stairs to get her, but just sat on the couch with my face in my hands and sobbed. It wasn't even so much the lack of sleep (although after over a year of never getting an unbroken night's rest, I am amazed I am still on my feet) as it was the sense that God just wasn't listening.


I ask for strength - no strength is given.
I ask for grace - grace is withheld
I ask for patience - my frayed tether snaps
I ask for comfort - I am met with emptiness.


It has felt, for a long time now, like "always winter and never Christmas." I try not to ask God for the physical things, like "help Gracie sleep" or "help Joy to be more obedient." Well, sometimes I still ask for those, but not often, because the answer is always "no." 


But when I simply ask for help to get through the day (and night), and the answer is still "no" ...


Well, it starts to feel like God isn't listening. That I am abandoned. And while I know it's not true, and my faith in the Good God is not based on feelings, it still makes it hard to get through another day.


The Habakkuk passage came to mind this morning, and brought a measure of comfort. A phone call to my father to ask for him to pray for me brought more. A story by a friend, written for me and touching on some of my distress, increased it.


By the time I read Holy Experience's post this morning, which seemed to have been written just for my dilemma, the tears were streaming down my face again. This time, though, they were tears of healing, not of despair.


God is still there. He is still listening. And he does still love me.


I cried out to him - and he answered.


How else to respond to his gift of love but with a heart of thanks? More of the Endless Gift list from this past week, shared with you all (in no particular order) this morning:

• "Jammies Day" with my girls
• A father who always has comfort for me, no matter how old I get or how far away I am
• Whole-hearted enthusiasm for Canada's triumph
• Being able to share the Olympics with my family through the internet, despite being in three different locations
• A story written just for me, sweet encouragement from a friend
• Breakfast (and laptop) brought to me in bed by my husband, expression of love
• Baby snuggling against my chest before her nap, finally tired enough to sleep
• Smiles and giggles in the bath
• Blog posts that speak to my need, in the moment I feel abandoned by God
• Hair finally getting long enough to pull back (with the judicious use of bobby pins)
• Long skirts, getting dressed up for no reason but to feel pretty
• Scripture that speaks promise, a hope that is true

True Love

"Hosea's marriage pictures sin not as disobedience to the demands of an austere God, but as an affront to love. It is ingratitude to God, who has loved us in our unloveliness and who has delivered us from the sordidness of life without him." -Thomas McComiskey, "An Exegetical and Expository Commentary, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1" (Hosea, Joel, and Amos)

I didn't actually intend this as a "Valentine's Day" note, only as a way to share something that struck me in my studies today, but realised after I wrote it out that it could be read that way. So much for being anti-Valentine's!

Proud of ALL our athletes

Watching the Olympic Opening Ceremony last night (which, by the way, has rocketed to the top of my "favorite opening ceremony ever" list, torch error and all), it occurred to me, once again, that NBC is missing a prime opportunity here.

Yes, we all know that snowboarders are fun and wild and all that jazz. And yes, we all know how you feel about Lindsey Vonn. But seriously, there are other US athletes as these Olympics, and some of them would make great stories.

I am thinking, specifically, of Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu; also of the pairs teams. Look, I'm sure Sasha Cohen not making the Olympic team was a terrible blow, but that doesn't mean you should ignore the ladies who did make it.

If I were at the Olympics as an official blogger, I would be interviewing Rachael and Mirai before anyone else. These girls are young, enthusiastic, at their very first Olympics, with no pressure on them to medal. What better way to experience the Olympics for the first time? I'd be asking them what the Opening Ceremony was like (or even if they were there, since the NBC cameras thought it more important to show Shaun White over and over and over again than any other athletes); what they have seen or done since arriving, and how they feel about the upcoming competition. I'd buy them hot chocolate just because they seem like such fun people and hang out with them for a few hours, trying to see the Olympics through their eyes.

The same with the pairs - they're young and excited and fun. So they might not be favourites to medal? So what? They're Olympians - let's show them how proud we are that they are representing us!

After all, who better to represent the USA than athletes who are young, are enthusiastic, have great promise and hope for the future, who love life? Isn't that kind of what being an American is all about?

There are other great stories here, too: one I know for certain is that of the US flag-bearer, Mark Grimmette, five-time Olympian and two-time medalist in the luge. Or Ashley Caldwell, who thought she was preparing for the 2014 Olympics after switching from gymnastics to aerials, only to find she's made this team. There have to be others that I just haven't found yet.

And maybe NBC will feature more of these athletes as the Games progress. Maybe they only focused on a few they thought were the biggest stories for the Opening Ceremony. Maybe I'm being too hard on them. But really? It seems to me that the Opening Ceremony is the time to focus all the team, not just the big names.

So, in case NBC doesn't get around to letting you all know how proud those of us at home are of all of you, let me say it here, in my little corner of the internet: I think you're all amazing, whether you have a chance at a medal or not, and I'll be sitting here at home, cheering wildly for you.

Dancin' and singin' in the rain ...

It's been a frustrating week here, despite my excitement over the Olympics. Gracie is still having teething problems, which have led to not wanting to eat any solids, which in turn has led to waking up every two to three hours at night to nurse. Joy also has been cranky, and I think all of us are going stir-crazy from being trapped inside most of the winter.

Today, Joy started crying and whining as soon as she got up. My patience, already worn thin, came this close to snapping. I finally caved after Gracie went down for her morning nap, and did what I once said I would never do: I popped in a movie to distract the toddler and give me a chance to regain my sanity.

Since Joy's love is for music, all things music, I decided on a musical. "Singin' in the Rain" has got some awesome songs, not to mention I think Gene Kelly is one of the best dancers ever, so we started watching that.

Both of us cheered up immensely, and Joy relieved my mind by ignoring it completely unless it was a song-and-dance routine, so I didn't have to feel guilty about numbing her brain with television. We cuddled for a bit, read several stories, played with letter and number blocks, and when the title number came on, Joy stood up and, with the biggest grin on her face, danced right along with Gene Kelly.

This may turn out to be a good day, after all.

Let the Games Begin

Have I mentioned that the Olympics start tonight?

Yes?

Once or twice?

Well, in case you missed it:

THE OLYMPICS START TONIGHT!!!!!!

Here's a few people whom I will be watching (I'm sure the list will increase as the Games continue, but these are the ones about whom I'm already excited):

Figure Skating:
For the men, Evan Lysacek, Jeremy Abbott, Patrick Chan, and Daisuke Takahashi. I would be perfectly happy if these men ended up as the top four. With Evgeny Plushenko, Brian Joubert, and Stephane Lambiel all competing, that's not terribly likely, but I can dream. At any rate, I am cheering, cheering, cheering for Evan to win gold.

For the ladies, it's all about Kim Yu-Na. My hope for Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu is that they make it into the top ten. If either of them makes it into the top five, I will be thrilled.

For the dance, I never thought I'd see myself cheering for a team besides Belbin and Agosto to win gold, but I am so hoping for Meryl Davis and Charlie White to become the new champions. What I'd really like to see is a North American sweep of the medals: White and Davis, Belbin and Agosto, and the Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. And I hope Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates make it into the top ten.

I'm not so interested in the pairs this time around. The Chinese will probably win, but I'm cheering for the Canadians.

Bobsled, Luge, Skeleton:
USA all the way!

Hockey:
Go Canada!

Skiing:
In aerials, I'm watching young Ashley Caldwell. In downhill events, I'm cheering for Iran's Marjan Kalhor. I am not cheering for Lindsey Vonn in anything.

Speed Skating:
Apolo Ohno. Oh yeah.

Who interests you this Olympics?

The Unsung Heroes

I don't know about you, but when I think about the Olympics, I think about the athletes, the sports, all the glitter and dazzle.

There's a whole lot more involved at the Olympics, though, and after volunteering for several years at various sporting events in Lake Placid, I can appreciate slightly the enormous amount of effort put in behind the scenes to make everything work smoothly. From parking lot attendants to security guards to greeters and ushers to the people who clean off the bottom of the sledders' shoes ... these are the people who make it all happen.

The head of North Country Ministries, the volunteer organisation I worked with, is in Vancouver right now, serving as chaplain for the athletes. Did you know that the IOC provides ministers of various faiths so the competitors can have a place to go to worship or seek guidance? I didn't, but Derek is serving at the Multi-Faith Centre, meeting athletes from all over the world, as well as pastors, rabbis, priests, and other religious leaders/teachers.

So today, let's hear it for the unsung heroes, those who don't go to the Olympics for medals, but for a chance to serve.

(OK, some of them are in it for the volunteer package. But still. It takes more than a travel mug and jacket or vest to be willing to risk frostbite and lose sleep for two weeks and do the jobs nobody else will. Trust me. I've done it!)

If you're interested in learning more about what Derek is doing and his adventures, check out his blog: All for God's Glory.

Black and White Wednesday: Sunporch

I had to skip last week's Black-and-White Wednesday because I had no pictures and no time and I was more amused by posting pictures of dead celebrities because my brain was mush. This week, apparently, I am making a thing of run-on sentences ...

Anyway.

We had a couple of beautiful days last week, warm and sunny enough that I was able to open our kitchen door to the sunporch and get some fresh air inside, and give the girls a chance to play out on the porch. The porch gets scorching hot in the summertime, but it is nice to be able to take advantage of the weaker winter sun occasionally. Since we don't have a yard, or even a safe place to walk in winter (when snow and debris covers the sidewalks), this is the closest we get to playing outside.

Of course, I like it for another reason, because the combination of sun and shadows makes for some stunning pictures ...

Head over to The Long Road to China for more black and white photography

Multitudes Monday

We had great fun at our Anti-Superbowl party. We never got around to watching any movies - just talked and played Settlers of Catan (my first time playing!), and Carl and I learned a little bit more about balancing hosting with parenting. It's not just an easy, natural thing; it requires some work. Overall, and aside from the heat deciding to go on the fritz toward the end of the evening, it was a fun time. Even I, the legendary game-hater, wouldn't mind playing Settlers again. Especially now that I have a better grasp of how it works and might not make so many errors.

(I had to pause for a moment here to rescue Gracie - she was doing inadvertent splits underneath the table.)

This is definitely becoming an annual event, open to anyone in our acquaintance who is in the area and does not care about football. Next year I'm doing either a "favourite period" or "favourite movie" theme. I have a Regency era dress I made for a costume party several years ago and have only worn once; I would like to get more use out of it!

This weekend was also notable for Gracie's second tooth breaking through (Friday), and her finally starting to crawl (Saturday morning).

I have been doing better (again) at keeping up with my gratitude journal, so it is with great gladness I can once again join the community in sharing thanks, this bright Monday morning:

• Birdsong in February
• Words flowing together to make a story
• A quiet house, a few moments of peace and rest; time for reflection
• Ability to capture moments in time with a camera
• Hand-knit sweaters, pink love from Oma
• Good friends, enjoying time in our home
• Clean kitchen and smell of good foods cooking
• Wrinkles in baby's forehead, map of her thought process
• Artisan bread, lightly toasted, and sweet red wine
• Shared learning experiences with my toddler

(Olympics start this Friday, my friends!)

Non-Superbowl Sunday

I am hosting my first ever non-Superbowl party on Sunday. If it goes well, I might make it a yearly tradition. We're having other friends out who also could care less about the Superbowl, and we'll watch something period - maybe an episode of Foyle's War, or possibly Wives & Daughters, play games (Carl will finally have an excuse to pull out some of his nice chess sets!), eat snacks, and generally have a grand, non-football-y time.

We've only ever had a group of people over once or twice before. Once for a game night with our small group from church made up of mostly college students. I'm sure we've had other occasions, but I can't remember any of them. Obviously, none were resounding successes. This time, though, armed with our delightful New Year's experience with my parents and Carl's mom, and knowing the guests we have coming (old friends with whom I, at least, have shared many wild and crazy adventures), I think this will be loads of fun.

Much better than most Superbowl Sundays, at any rate, when I sit and grumble that there's no skating on, and Carl goes upstairs to study!

7 days until the Olympics start, and counting. One week!

Writing and Research Fun

Last night, as I was sequestered upstairs during Carl's weekly Bible Study (still feeling out of it, so decided to call it a night when the littles did), I started reading "What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew." Well, that, and I also fiddled around more with the celebrity look-alike site and chatted about the results with Mom and Lis on facebook. And shared outrage with Andrea on the attempted Haiti kidnappings. It was a very well-rounded evening.

(By the way, one of the commenters on xanga thought I looked like Myrna Loy. Agree or disagree? And should Carl grow a pencil moustache to look like William Powell? And should we get a dog named Asta?)

Anyway. I have been interested in this book ever since first reading Michael A Stackpole's "Eyes of Silver," back in the late 1990s. He credited much of his fantasy world-building to that book, and as a JA fan, I thought the title alone quite intriguing. I kind of forgot about it, though, until I started writing JA fanfiction, and realised I needed much more research material than Wikipedia. So I picked it up during one of Carl's and my purchases from Amazon, and promptly put it on my shelves and forgot about it in favour of all the fiction books I'd purchased.

I was burnt out on fiction this week - been trying to expand my repertoire, and can now tell you many authors I don't like - so last night, I saw that and grabbed it on my way upstairs.

I'm only a few chapters in, but I'm already kicking myself for not reading it sooner. Not only is it informative and helpful, it's fun. And it's already given me the idea for another Jane Austen sequel, this one about Emma and Mr. Knightley's daughter. I've fallen in love with the epistletory style, having started that with the Mansfield Park fic, and now I just need a writing partner to serve as Kate Knightley's correspondent. Any takers? It could be fun - just think of the Sorcery and Cecilia books!

I know I have a million other writing projects on hand, not to mention a knitting project, Joy's one-year scrapbook, a quilt for Steve and Jo's coming-soon baby ... and history, language, and Bible studies I've been shamefully neglecting because of mushy brain ... but hey. This sounds like fun. It could be my relaxation when all my other projects get frustrating.

In other news, I absolutely love hearing birds outside my windows again. It may be cold out, we may still have snow on the ground, but spring is coming - the birds have declared it!

And only eight days until the Olympics!

ETA: In thinking it over, I'm not even certain it would have to be a fanfiction - it would probably make a positively delightful original story! Kate Knightley could become ... Kate Smith, or some other innocuous name, and the story would develop just as well without JA's characters as with them!

Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, we are not

If I were going to pick a celebrity I wished I looked like, it would be her:

Much better than Liv Tyler or Kate Winslet, and most definitely better than Shirley Temple!

(I wouldn't mind it if Carl looked like this, either):

Wouldn't we make an adorable couple?

Or, you know, this:

Yes, I am alive, and still random

You all might have noticed that I didn't post anything the last couple of days.

I'm still alive. I haven't forgotten how to blog. No earth-shattering news has temporarily made me speechless (Carl would probably say such a thing is impossible, anyway).

No, my body (again, as Carl so delicately put it) has simply been remembering how to function in its non-pregnant state. And it's taken me temporarily down for the count. Hopefully this will get easier as the months pass!

And that's all I'm going to say on that.

Hey, did you all know that Olympics start in nine days?

Hopefully my current state of nauseous, dizzying exhaustion will have passed before then.

In fact, while I don't have my hopes up for today, I'm thinking it would be nice if tomorrow brought some sort of return to normalcy.

And then maybe I can write an interesting blog post.

Unlike today.

(In a completely unrelated topic, are you all aware of the furor that has taken over facebook this past week for changing your profile pic to a celebrity you resemble? I refuse to do those sorts of things, but out of curiosity, I went to the website which supposedly matches your face to a celebrity's, and it totally blew it with me. I submitted three pictures of myself, all taken within the last six months, all close-ups of my face, and each time it spit out a slew of completely different celebrities. First I was told Liv Tyler was my closest match. The next, Kate Winslet. The next, it was Shirley Temple. ?????)

Do you see any resemblance between those three to each other? Or to me?

I don't either.