Cyndi posted this on her blog, but just in case you forgot (like me), Cyndi's mission team is leaving updates on their South Korea trip here.

Jordan's a Fish

Monday, Jordan and I went to the Dallas Aquatic Center.



We went to a pool with a diving board, because Jordan wanted to learn how to dive. But this center is a series of pools: one with a diving board, rope swing, super slide; another with a river ride and system splashy-spraying fountain things; others with regular swimming areas, lap lanes, kiddy stuff; and a spa (jetted hot tub) in the middle so the parents can sit and watch the kids go nuts.


I didn't tell her it was anything more than a pool with a diving board, so she was really excited when she finally saw everything.




We spent a lot of time just playing in the water.




After a while we decided to try diving off the wall together a few times. We started just by falling in head first. Then I recruited 2 slightly older girls (who I observed diving off the edge with more bounce), to join in with us. In no time, Jordan was keeping up with the young teens. We got bored with that after a while, and went down the slide a few times. About an hour later, Jordan came prancing over to me, enthusiastically telling me what she had accomplished:



I had not prompted her (not even mentioned) to try diving off the diving board. I was oblivious that she had it on her mind to try. So I was thrilled, and she said, "No one told me it was this much fun to dive!" I bet her mom will be awfully proud.

P.S. - She also can swim to the bottom of the deep end (12 feet) and touch bottom with her hands.

It's not easy being green

Nor is it easy to rent an apartment with a dog over 10 lbs. Maybe this will help.

Back to work

I started my second week of work at Jet Reports today. I'm working as a software developer. Currently I am learning about the product. Next week I'll start working on support and a few weeks later I'll actually start doing some programming. So far I enjoy it very much except the 45+ min commute. It's pretty hard getting used to working full time after taking more than a year off from full time work. Will post more as time permits...

New Socks

I wore a pair of new socks today. Boy, is it nice to wear new socks. It's funny how much pleasure I get out of a little thing like that.

Andrew started his new job this week! He even got to drive his motorcycle today. I'm not used to him being gone all day, but Oliver, Molly, Baby Brother, Marsha, Herm, and Ellie are good buddies too.

How much do you value your life?

For most women (myself included), the moment they find out they're pregnant, they begin analyzing everything detail of their health: everything they eat, how much they eat, how much and how hard they work out, stress levels, quality of relationships, spirituality... everything. Every little choice is made because the health and quality of life of this little baby is so very important.

I have a friend *cough* (you know who you are) *cough* who stopped smoking cold turkey the moment she found out she was pregnant, and began smoking days after she delivered. It's true, the new baby's health is much more fragile than our own. For example, I could probably survive on only lemonade and peanut butter for a few months without too many longterm effects. However, I'm guessing that would cause some serious problems for my developing baby. And I applaud and admire my friend who stopped smoking for her baby. She saved a life, and it was incredibly difficult, more than she admits. :o)

But we do more than the minimum, we scrutinize every little decision. I suddenly began monitoring my protein intake, and limiting my ice cream and cookie intake. I don't feel the least bit guilty for spending $12 on an hour long exercise class (I would have pre-pregnancy). Most women take extremely better care of themselves during pregnancy and breastfeeding. We do and should place this extremely high value on the life of our babies.

But here's the point I want to make: When did our own lives become devalued? At one time, our own mothers and fathers obsessed over what we babies ate, and monitored each ounce and inch we grew. Most of us remember a time when we weren't allowed sugar cereals, fruits, vegetables, 3 well-rounded meals (with milk) were required, and there was a strict limit on the number of cookies permitted after dinner. We got locked out of the house for fresh air if we watched too much TV. Our parents taught us how to have healthy lives. Who are we to devalue ourselves? Become lazy with eating and exercise habits? Put ourselves in unnecessarily stressful situations? They took great care of us, taught us well, and gave us the freedom and responsibility to take care of ourselves. How did we do with that responsibility? Do we put enough thought and effort into our eating and exercise choices? Are our minds and relationships as they should be? Do we love ourselves as much as our parents loved us?

How will I feel when my baby neglects him/herself one day?

Zoo

Megan, my mom, my nieces Jordan and Maya, and my sister Cyndi all went to the Portland Zoo on Tuesday. Nothing really exciting to write about though. One observation I made was that there seems to be a lot of people that wander from animal to animal only stopping long enough to take a picture. If all you want is a picture of an animal go on the Internet and find one taken by a professional.

We're currently living with my parents and sometimes it feels like we're living in a zoo. My parents have a collie/blue heeler mutt and also a large cat lives here. The dog's name is Molly and the cat's name is Baby Brother. And of course Oliver is here too. Molly is a very good dog but she can be very territorial. If we forget to close the cupboard or closet that is holding the bag(s) of dog food she'll lay by it very calmly until Oliver wants to walk by at which point she'll nip and growl at him. Oliver hasn't really figured out why Molly is doing this so he is cautious about walking past her whenever it's a tight space like a hallway even when their is no food that is being guarded.

Besides that Oliver and Molly get along great. They frequently play together and have been found napping by one another. We sometimes refer to them as MOliver.

Baby Brother also gets along great with both of them. Sometimes he'll join in when they are playing. Molly gets scared of the cat if the claws come out but Oliver just takes it the next level and plays harder.

Here is Baby Brother...


Here is MOliver...


Oliver has gotten used to the "cold" weather here in Oregon. He finds sun whenever he can...


Here is a video I made (The audio from our camera isn't very good so I added some circus music)...

Don't Kid Yourself,...

love is death! I love my wife. I am very happy to be married and am excited at the prospect of becoming a father but love is death to the individual self.

It's a wise groom who has to be dragged to the alter. He knows what love is. It's death! If the lovers don't know this, they're headed for trouble. Never will you have your way again. You can't be happy if the other person isn't. No matter who wins the argument, you lose. Always. The sooner you learn this, the better off you'll be.
     Love is an exercise in frustration. You leave the window up when you want it down. You watch someone else's favorite television program. You kiss when you have a headache. You turn the music down when you like it loud. You learn to be patient without sighing or sulking.
     Love is doing things for the other person. In marriage two become one. But the one isn't you. It's the other person. You love this person more than you love yourself. This means that you love this person as he or she is. We should ask ourselves frankly what that impulse is that makes us want to redesign the other person. It isn't love. We want the other person to be normal like us! But is that loving the other person or ourselves?
     Love brings out the best in people. They can be themselves without artificiality. People who know they're loved glow with beauty and charm. Let this person talk. Create the assurance that any idea, an suggestion, any feeling can be expressed and will be respected. Allow the other person to star once in a while. A wife's joke doesn't have to be topped. Don't correct your husband in the middle of his story. Cultivate kind ways of speaking. It can be as simple as asking them instead of telling them what to do.
     Don't take yourself too seriously. Married life is full of crazy mirrors to see ourselves - how stubborn, how immature we really are. You may be waiting for you wife to finish because you never lifted a finger to help her.
     Love is funny. Its growth doesn't depend on what someone does for you. It's in proportion to what you do for him or her. The country is swarming with people who have never learned this. So are divorce courts.

- Michael P. Horban