May Photos May 31, 2006
I’m ashamed to say it’s been almost a month since we last put up photos of Sara Ellen! 
I just spent the last hour putting up *nine* new albums!!
Big Eden/ Dear Cousins May 28, 2006
I just watched “Big Eden”. My mom describes it as “Brokeback Mountain”, the way it should have been.
Brokeback is very dramatic. I felt it was very well done but I didn’t enjoy watching it. It hurt to see the struggles and persecution the men faced and were afraid of. I think because of these struggles, they were so desperate for intimacy and I had a hard time watching it because it was so aggressive. The aggression was not only between the men, but also with women.
Eden is really idyllic. It was a world without bigotry, where friends just want to see you happy. The main character, Henry, is not at ease with himself and when he returns home when his grandfather is hospitalized, discovers his high school friend has also returned and they attempt unsuccessfully to [re]build a relationship. Another man is also fond of Henry and just does what he can, in secret to make his life easier. What’s amazing is the love that is shown to all three men from the community. Maybe you realized before me that it’s Eden, it’s supposed to be idyllic. I just now caught that.
We all want to love and be loved in return, we really don’t choose whom or how. The facets of this truth are slowly revealing themselves to me. God made us to share His love in hopes that we would return it to Him.
Today’s sermon was on how there is truly no room for racism or bigotry as scientists are discovering that all mankind is linked by our DNA to Mitochondial Eve. Therefore we are all members of one very large family. The ideal family loves and cares for eachother, uplifting each person to their individual best. Will we ever live in a world like this, where mothers and daughters, fathers and sons do not bicker against one another? I am waiting for that day.
Shopping May 26, 2006
YAY!!! Momma *finally* got some brand new clothes! It’s nearly summer and all my shirts, until today, are 3/4 or long sleeve. Last night we bought a wonderful new bed (spiffy mattress and nice headboard to be delivered Monday) but it’s king size aka kiddie friendly and as all our linens are for a queen, I needed to go shopping. Our queen comforter may work but it’s too hot to try it out so I wanted to get a quilt for summer. Tim, Michael and I combined out efforts.
Tim took his Mac to the Apple Store at the mall and I got shopping. That was around 2:45. Tim picked up Michael (his last school day) and they went to see X-Men 3 at 4ish. I hit some department stores and clothing stores and finally found some goodies. Shirts and pants at Ny & Co. and a quilt and blanket at Sears. Sara Ellen did pretty well. I held her when she seemed tired of the stroller for a bit and fed her in a couple different places and she took a nap for a while. NY & Co. was our last clothing store and she was getting pretty bored I think but once I got my stuff I got food and ate in the less crowded part of the food court, we got some peace and quiet. We hit Sears afterwards then waited for just a bit before Tim and Michael were ready. Very successful. Until now I haven’t done much shopping, at least not by myself for this long and wasn’t sure how it would go, but it was fine. I love my little girl.
Pretty soon we’re off again to visit Tim’s mom in Richmond. Drive down tonight and back tomorrow night in order to go to church Sunday.
On This Day In - May 18, 2006
2003 - I graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College
1998 - United States v. Microsoft: The United States Department of Justice and 20 U.S. states file an antitrust case against Microsoft.
1917- My mother’s mother, Marion Bryden was born. She would be 89 this year.
1910 - The Earth passes through the tail of Comet Halley.
1897 - Dracula, a novel by Irish author Bram Stoker is published.
1876 - Wyatt Earp starts work in Dodge City, Kansas under Marshal Larry Deger.
1804 - Napoleon Bonaparte is proclaimed Emperor of France by the French Senate.
1652 - Rhode Island passes the first law in North America making slavery illegal.
Constitution Day May 17, 2006
Gratulerer med Dagen. Happy Birthday Norway.
One hundred and one years ago, Norway finally became free from rule of the other Scandinavian (Denmark & Sweden) countries. It had gone back and forth but this time they actually made their own Constitution. The friendly, lovely country has a Parliament (Storting) and Royal (Kongelig) family.
We were there last year, and I hope we’ll see photos from this year. It is a fancy affair. Norwegians wear their bunad, traditional regional costumes, or dress up. It’s really a day for children. School Marching Bands come up Karl Johans Gate and around in front of the Palace. This is quite different from American Independance Day festivities which are often less formal, include military (or local services) parade, cookouts and fireworks. Fireworks would probably be included on May 17th but though spring is still chilly, the evening sky is still too light.
Gilmore Girls May 16, 2006
This wonderful show aired in October 2000. I didn’t watch it from the beginning, but became a regular viewer. I don’t have a fanatic website but have kept track of other work Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel have done. For a while it actually bugged me, I mean, who talks that fast?! Aside from just being the way Amy Sherman-Palladino writes them, you could say it’s a coping device for the family drama. That used to be the main drama, between Lorelai and her mother Emily. Despite all the times we’re told they never fight, there is also mother-daughter drama between Lorelai and Rory. In the beginning it was funnier, not just the dialogue, but the events. Over it’s run, the show has grown increasingly dramatic. This last, sixth season, seemed to be all drama (often leaving me a bit depressed), sometimes only the incredible dialogue brought laughs. I’ll hand it to Sookie and Jackson though, when a ton of marijuana is accidentally grown, their attempts to keep is secret is great.
Sad news, however, causes some to wonder if the next season, whether it end the series or not, will be the same. Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino, the creators and writers are leaving because of disagreements with the WB. AS-P wanted a two-year guarantee which wasn’t accepted because so far the actors are only contracted for one more year. One of the shows producers will take over, a man who has been around a while and if he can’t keep it going for a while longer, will hopefully keep it together at least long enough to end season seven well. We at least need to see Rory finished from Yale and hopefully Lorelai happy and settled.
Here is lots about the show on Wikipedia.
Article on tvguide.com
Life Update May 12, 2006
We’ve been home a little more than two months now and another step of our transition here has occured - our personal belongings were delivered. All of our things are now pretty much in one place (except for boxes in the attic). It’s great but actually a little bittersweet as we close another door of sorts to the very nice place that is Norge. I’ve been in touch with friends we met there, think back to it, and look forward to visiting a foreign but familiar place.
“21 Mantra’s” Email May 8, 2006
I just got this email from a school friend. Some are pretty cool, others, well, I’ve got an opinion.;-)
ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their
conversational skills will be as important as any other.
THREE. Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
FOUR. When you say, “I love you,” mean it
FIVE. When you say, “I’m sorry,” look the person in the eye.
(more…)
Giving an infant medicine May 2, 2006
When we had to start giving Sara Ellen her antibiotic, I wasn’t sure of the best way to do so. I checked out askdrsears.com and thought the best suggestion was to angle her so I could get the plastic syringe/dropper in her cheek. We tried this for a while but she just hated taking the medicine. She didn’t spit up the amoxicillin but she hated the process, this hard foreign object forced in her mouth. I think she actually recognized it and would become unhappy even before I started. We tried different positions, I did it all myself at times. Other times, one person held her while the other gave the medicine. One time my mom held her and a couple times had me put the medicine on her finger and then stick that in her mouth. It worked a little better I guess but Sara Ellen still didn’t like it. She could cough, scream, cry and we’d have to wait a bit between tries.
Yesterday, I tried something new. I hid the dropper behind a paper towel, put a drop on my own finger and stuck that in her mouth while she sat on Mom’s lap. It was like she had no idea what I was doing and the she suddenly seemed to enjoy if not just tolerate the flavor. She smiled and continued sucking on the finger currently in her mouth. Yay!