The O'Zee

60 Minutes

2009-01-26T10:43:00.002-05:00

Well, actually it's only 13 minutes, but well worth watching. It kind-of glorifies Livni (who I don't trust as far as I can throw her, and I'm not as strong as I look) but otherwise presents a pretty good, if basic, picture of the situation in the West Bank. It even questions the almighty Two-State Solution, and gives some good interview time to Mustafa Barghouthi, whom I interviewed many times and have great respect for.

I highly recommend watching this - and, if you appreciate it, contacting CBS with your support! (Many of the comments allege reporting bias on the Palestinian side. Please.)

Watch CBS Videos Online

Change for Israel?

2009-01-19T20:15:00.007-05:00

Someone "joked" recently that the only reason a black man is president is because no one else wanted the job. I think it's because he is the best person for the job. But that job is insanely difficult these days. Obama is inheriting the worse world economic mess in generations, a global image as a unilateralist bully, and an unparalleled deficit.

The funny thing is that I have the hope that he spoke about in his remarkable campaign -- at least about most of the challenges facing this country.

But I do not have optimism about an issue very close to my heart: the occupation of the Palestinian people and their land. I have started a dozen blog posts about Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip over the past three weeks. But my words have seemed pithy, insignificant and inadequate for the magnitude of the suffering of 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza.

Obama's silence throughout the onslaught spoke volumes. Behind the excuse -- because that's what it is, an excuse -- that there is only one president at a time, Obama was telling us what his policy will be: continued blind support of Israel. I'm not the first to suggest that Israel's actions in Gaza were (and are) illegal, immoral, and dispicable, nor that its policy of occupation is reminiscent of the deplorable Apartheid regime in South Africa. It is often Israelis that criticize Israel most eloquently and truthfully.

Politicians don't get re-elected if they are even the slightest bit critical of the state of Israel. I'm positive that Obama will not risk challenging this trend during his first term. But maybe his conscience will kick in during his second term. Hey, a girl can dream.

Yes. We. Did.

2009-01-19T20:13:00.003-05:00

New Site!

2008-12-30T21:12:00.005-05:00

It's time the O'Zee go back to political musings and other random ramblings. Ciaran has his own site now! Please check out Ciaran's Adventures (and change your RSS feeds/bookmarks/links) . There are all sorts of photo albums, videos, and even a catalog of my old posts from this site. Enjoy -- and visit (both of these sites) soon!

Footsies!

2008-12-19T16:25:00.002-05:00

Ciaran is quite the goof... not only did he discover his feet, he likes to be tickled with them!

Dad & Son

2008-12-11T22:33:00.001-05:00

Yay for Playtime!

My Big Li'l Guy

2008-12-09T19:03:00.003-05:00

Ciaran had his 4-month pediatrician appointment today. No big surprise: he's one big dude. Weighing in at 18 pounds, 5 ounces, he is 28 inches long -- 90th and 99th percentile, respectively. The nurse said that I must be feeding him Miracle Gro. How did she know?

The Elephant

2008-12-08T14:59:00.016-05:00

Ciaran has fallen in love with his ExerSaucer. (Thanks, Mathews Family!) There are so many toys, and when one squeaks or rattles, it just about blows his little mind.

But the play-time thing can't be all fun and games. Ciaran decided to have a vendetta against Mr. Elephant (who is not to be confused with Herr Elephant on his bouncy seat -- they have a long-standing friendship).

First the stare-down... Then the grab...

Almost there... Gotcha! Ha!

Ciaran - 1, Mr. Elephant - 0.

Stink face

2008-12-08T14:44:00.004-05:00

Seriously,

2008-12-08T14:42:00.002-05:00

How could you NOT fall in love with this little guy?

You talkin' to me?

2008-11-24T23:23:00.003-05:00

Who, me? Nah, I'm just chillin'.

Three Months Old!

2008-11-10T23:35:00.004-05:00

To celebrate Ciaran's 3 month birthday we did a photo shoot -- as nunga punga as his unpredictable sprays would allow. It's his favorite thing to get and be naked; when we change his diaper, but especially when we take off his shirt, he squeals in delight! In fact, it was getting naked that inspired his first giggle.

Who knew we'd have an exhibitionist for a son? Enjoy it while it's still cute, kiddo!

Other than being irresistibly adorable, Ciaran is doing lots of fun things which lead us, as completely neutral observers, to conclude that he is absolutely brilliant. First, he's grasping at objects, and sometimes even pulling them to his mouth. he loves his play mat, with the toys and mirror above him. And he's no match for his swing -- we put him in there, and it's lights out. Speaking of shut-eye, he's sleeping between 4 and 8 hours at night -- obviously still trying to figure out his schedule, and keeping us on our proverbial (and sleepy) toes. He's still figuring out which part of his hand (and, for that matter, which hand!) he likes best to suck on (generally the pacifiers just don't do it for him). It's the cutest when he "finds" his thumb; but his three fingers (leaving the pinky out for effect) is a close second. As you can see, he's getting pudgy, and holding his head pretty steady, and smiling and talking all the time. We have long conversations, mostly about his day but sometimes what he thinks on the issues. (At least that's how it goes in my head.)

After 3 short months, it's hard to imagine life without him: he just belongs. Happy Birthday, Little Mister!

Hey, look what I did!

2008-11-10T10:59:00.006-05:00

It all started like perfectly normal Tummy Time: lots of squirming, that fun baby doing exactly what I'm doing right in front of my face, and those rude attempts to put me on my back again. But then...

all of the sudden I was kind-of tipping in one direction. I figured I'd see what my arms and legs could do about this situation...

...and suddenly I was on my back -- only this time Mommy didn't push me. I did it all by myself! I was a little startled...

...but Mom and Dad kept smiling and clapping, like it was the greatest thing on earth. So I smiled and went along with it, although I'm really not sure what the big deal is. It's not like I was about to do it again!

Atlanta

2008-11-08T14:53:00.025-05:00

Congrats to Tom and Julie, SO'B's brother and now-sister-in-law, who tied the knot on November 1! The festivities were great fun. They got married at Callenwolde, the mansion of one of the Coke founder's sons. Gorgeous.

The rehearsal dinner afforded Ciaran the opportunity to dress up for Halloween (no candy yet, though...except second-hand!).

First: Up, up and away! (Thanks, Julie & Mark!)

Then, the giraffe (he is tall, after all...):

Ciaran loved hanging out with his Mimi...

...who cracked him up endlessly!

All the activity -- and the excitement of being universally adored -- sure did make him sleepy. He actually slept for a continuous 8 hours one night!

Thanks, Mimi & Pop, Dado & Mamo & the whole family for a great weekend.
And thanks to Gabi, Ann & Mary for wonderful pictures!

Dadó & Mamó

2008-11-08T14:32:00.009-05:00

Ciaran met Sean's dad and stepmother for the first time in Atlanta last weekend! They decided their grandparent names would be the Irish names for grandpa and grandma -- only we didn't know what they were... So a quick call to Sean's friend and colleague, who grew up speaking Irish, and John and Connie became Dado and Nano.

Here is Dado:

and Mamo:

and the happy clan (with Uncle Kevin and Aunt Mary):

This kid knows what he wants:

2008-11-04T11:52:00.004-05:00

VOTE...

Ciaran needs a change!

Looking forward to Halloween

2008-10-24T22:59:00.002-05:00

Singing

2008-10-18T13:11:00.004-05:00

Ciaran begin his illustrious musical career:

Conversations with Ciaran

2008-10-15T13:47:00.003-05:00

Our conversations go something like this:
Me: "Hi, Ciaran"
Him: "Ah."
Me: "Oh, really?"
Him: "Ah-i."
Me: "What else?"
Him: "Ah-o."
Me: "You don't say..."
Him: "Ah. Ah-i."

It goes on like this, sometimes for minutes at a time. He's usually smiling the whole time, delighted to be communicating in such a sophisticated manner.

And--this is beyond cute--when I sing to him he sings too, ah-ing right along with me, occasionally even hitting a harmonic note.

They grow up so fast... before I know it he'll be in a garage band.

Smiley O'Brien

2008-10-10T15:16:00.002-05:00

Here's the happy kid on his 2 month birthday! We went to the doctor on Tuesday, and he is 14 pounds, and just over 26 inches long (how about that, 98th percentile)! He's happy and healthy as can be, and we couldn't be more overjoyed.

In addition to being incredibly adorable, Ciaran (or as I have taken to calling him, "Little Mister") is holding his head up and steady like a champ, lifting his head and neck up almost upright while on his tummy, cooing, tracking objects by sound and sight, and making his parents super-proud all the time.

Mommy's gonna try for her first "run" today, too! I can't wait to hit the great outdoors.

Lookalike

2008-09-13T22:04:00.003-05:00

Like father, like son. This is Sean as a baby:

Little Irishman

2008-09-13T16:56:00.003-05:00

Notre Dame has a new die hard fan!
He's smiling at the 3rd touchdown by the Irish in the first quarter against Michigan...

(Shout-out to cousins Chuck and Ann -- thanks for the adorable burp cloths!)

Reusable Diapers -- They're Easier Than You Think!

2008-09-13T16:19:00.004-05:00

They may look a little goofy, but they're great!

Bum Genius diapers, washable and reusable one-size all-in-one diapers, are so cute (if a little bulky on a newborn). While Pampers leaked all the time, these hardly ever do -- and if they do it's because we put them on too loosely. They're also really soft -- softer than disposables -- and keep Ciaran dry enough with the microfiber absorbent inserts and the wicking fabric against his skin. The outer part, built into the diaper (so no plastic pants needed), are also soft -- but waterproof too.

They're easy to wash (cold wash, followed by a hot wash with an extra rinse), and they use very little detergent. Dry for a cycle in the dryer and we're all set -- only one load per day! Breast milk poop is water soluble, so there's no rinsing or soaking required. When this is no longer the case, we have a diaper sprayer (like a sink sprayer) that attaches to the toilet, so rinsing will be easy.

They're a hefty investment (running about $18 each), but it's still far less expensive than disposals, which run between $2000 and $3000 during the diapering life of the average baby. (If you have more than one kid, these really start to save you some serious cashola.) They're even better when you consider the environmental costs and the presence of toxins in disposables. Sure they're slightly less convenient than disposables, but not enough to make the other costs worth while. Oh -- and we use cotton reusable wipes, too! They stay moist and comfy with a diaper warmer, which has an anti-microbal insert. We just throw them with the diapers in a regular waste basket lined with a waterproof liner (which goes in the wash right with the diapers).

Some people say that reusable diapers are just as bad environmentally as disposables, and they have a point: the washing uses a lot of water and energy. But we have a front-loading Energy Star washer which cuts both water and energy use by quite a bit. And imagine thousands of diapers in a landfill for 500 years! And that's just for ONE baby! Nothing is perfect, everything has costs and benefits. But these are really great, and that'll have to be good enough for now.

More Family!

2008-09-13T16:12:00.005-05:00

Last Sunday my sister, Renee, brought her kids down to see Ciaran. (Seth didn't come, though, because he's "not that into babies." His words.) There was lots of lovin', and even a walk to the park. Grandma and Grandpa also made an appearance. So much fun! Thanks, Renee!

Family!

2008-08-30T21:15:00.007-05:00

Ciaran got to meet his Dershem cousins today! As you can see, he took it all in stride...

It all tired him out (even though he slept through it), so Mimi obliged him with a happy nap:

Ah, a day in the life of a newborn.

Forgive me, I've been busy.

2008-08-30T20:53:00.004-05:00

It's amazing how much time changing poopie diapers takes.

Ciaran is 3 weeks old now, and growing so fast! I can hardly believe there was life before this little guy made his grand entrance.

And what an entrance it was ... After 48 hours of labor, he was born by emergency C-Section at 9:11 on Sunday, August 10, 2008. He was a great big kid -- 9 pounds 6 ounces and 22 1/2 inches long!

I'll post a few pics here, but there are lots more at our growing gallery of Ciaran pictures at the link on the right.

And you can consider this my return to the blogging world, now that the fog of newborn-mommyhood is slowly wearing off...

41 Weeks, 1 Day

2008-08-07T19:02:00.003-05:00

Seriously, this has gotta end.

Induction is scheduled for Friday night/Saturday morning.

Unless my uterus blessed me be squeezing out this kid sooner. Oh, the happy thought.

Hot, Humid and Overdue = Impossibly Cranky Pregnant Lady

2008-08-05T16:06:00.002-05:00

Six days overdue now, and though I had a lot of encouraging contractions last night, they petered out when I went to bed. We've scheduled an induction for Friday night, but we really hope this kid will find his way out before then. We'll see how the spicy Indian curry work this evening.

Paranoia Strikes Deep

2008-08-03T20:58:00.003-05:00

Yet another trip to the hospital, and home again. This time it was because Ciaran was just so still for so long, I started to get worried. Spurred on by our doctor's insistence that there's no such thing as crying wolf too much at this stage, Sean and I decided to call the doctor, who recommended we go in to the hospital for a non-stress test.

After a few words with the intake guy in the ER, who was (a) lackadaisical (at best) and (b) seemingly incompetent (looking me up twice to no avail, and failing to take down our insurance information despite the insurance card we handed him), we headed up to the Labor and Delivery unit. The non-stress test consists of two monitors on my belly, one measuring contractions and the other measuring the baby's movement and heart rate. Just about as soon as I was hooked up Ciaran started boogying, which was great. And I had several (weak) contractions, pretty regular, but not strong or regular enough to stick around.

Who knows, maybe I'll be back sooner rather than later. What was great to know is that the nurses were fantastic and made me feel like we did the right thing coming in.

Curious

2008-07-31T11:18:00.002-05:00

I was wondering what our little BO'B widget would do when I passed my due date... now we're counting up, apparently.

Note

2008-07-30T11:54:00.000-05:00

Due date feels like any other day.

Awaiting Arrival

2008-07-29T20:25:00.003-05:00

Due date is tomorrow, yet we still have no sign of labor. We are now visiting the doctor twice a week and he may induce next Tuesday if the little one still refuses to show himself.

In the meantime here are some stolen moments from the ultrasound. Zee says he looks like me. I hope he favors his mother.

Zee has gathered a lot of suggestions for how to encourage our son--many of which seem to involve baked goods. She experienced a number of strong contractions whilst shopping at Value City this afternoon, so perhaps further adventures in egregious frugality will expedite this process.

Fingers crossed.

Still No Kid

2008-07-25T10:26:00.003-05:00

You'll notice the widget to your right says "5 days." Well, at our last appointment the doctor made me feel like I'm actually going backwards! Still 50% effaced, but the kid apparently isn't yet "engaged" in my pelvis. And there's nothing else going on that might indicate impending birth. He's just happy as a clam in there. A friend whose due date was 1 day before mine already has her precious little girl, and I am nothing short of insanely envious. My sister tells me that she had no signs of impending delivery until she went into labor. A friend was dilated to 1 cm for 3 weeks. Yet another friend's delivery seemed far-off until her water suddenly broke.

All I can say is that these last weeks feel ETERNAL. Any suggestions how to coax this kid out???

Ordeal

2008-07-17T20:20:00.003-05:00

During an otherwise lovely visit to Grand Rapids, where all of my siblings and my dad and step-mom had the very rare and wonderful opportunity to hang out together, I had a little scare. As I tried to go to sleep, my heart started to skip beats, beat very quickly and/or very slowly, and sometimes pound, sometimes barely beat at all. It was all over the place. I waited about 2 hours, hoping the trick my uncle taught me (he's a doctor) would work. Nope. So I called my OB and she said that I needed to go to the hospital. Right about the time we left for the hospital my heart rate regularized, but was still beating pretty fast. So Jeanne took me to the nearest ER.

Thankfully, having a giant pregnant belly gets one treated pretty quickly in the ER. We heard Ciaran's heartbeat -- strong and healthy (whew!), then geared up for some tests. They thought there was a possibility I had a blood clot, apparently not uncommon (but still dangerous) during pregnancy. So I was hooked up to a heart monitor, and then had an EKG. There were two potential abnormalities, so they ordered a chest X-ray and a nuclear test where they (gulp) injected radioactive material into my blood and took pictures of my blood flow between my heart and lungs.

As a very important side-note, all of these procedures were safe for the baby, especially as I am considered full-term. The radiation I had was less than a CAT Scan, and they halved the dose to make it even safer. And the ER doctor consulted my OB, so I felt okay about getting this all done -- well, as okay as I could.

The good news is all the tests came back normal. The bad news is they still don't know what the heck caused the irregularities in the first place. Hopefully it won't come back... I don't have to know what it was as long as I don't have to go through that again!

So I pulled an all-nighter, slept until lunch, and plan on a good night sleep tonight.

Nursery

2008-07-11T17:22:00.001-05:00

For any of you curious enough to get a video tour of the nursery... here it is! (Along with a great clip of Chris Thile music.)

37 Weeks

2008-07-09T20:30:00.003-05:00

This is what 37 weeks pregnant looks like -- at least on me.

I'm also standing in Ciaran's nursery which, incidentally, is DONE!

You'll also notice that my hair is also nearly gone, which feels oh-so-good in the hot weather, and takes about 2.2 seconds to "do."

We went to the doctor, and Ciaran is still head-down, but not engaged (meaning that his head still float when the doctor checks my cervix). And there's absolutely no indication whatsoever that he wants to come out of my uterus any time soon. Being that I'm officially "full term," this is a little disconcerting for me, as I get more unwieldy and uncomfortable by the day. But as long as he's happy, I'm happy (with the possible exception of last night, when he was happily kicking me in the ribs while I was trying to get to sleep!).

Ah, the joys of pregnancy.

My Little Acrobat

2008-07-03T13:36:00.003-05:00

Well, it's happened again... Ciaran flipped back to head-down! We're very relieved, and pleased with the apparent acrobatic ability of our son. Today during the ultrasound he grabbed his foot, as if to show it off to the camera -- very cute. And we got good head shots for the first time too!

According to the measurements (which are notoriously off, but still...) he is 6 pounds 12 ounces and is measuring a week ahead. If he makes it to term, we're looking at a solid 8-9 pound kid. Yikes. And, being that there is no dilation as of yet, it looks like making it to term is a decent bet!

In other good, but completely unrelated, news: we got our first fresh-from-the-farm produce delivery today! Tons of strawberries, a pint each of bing cherries and blackberries, some pickling cucumbers, and a bunch of zucchini and summer squash... yum. If you see me in the next two days, my hands and all around my face will likely be stained a beautiful, bright red.

A Wrench in the Works

2008-06-25T12:28:00.002-05:00

Another week, another appointment with the doctor. This time the news wasn't so good: Ciaran went transverse -- his feet are down, and his butt and head are horizontal (and pretty high) in my belly. At least his latest position explains why I've been more uncomfortable the past few days. So there is a chance that he'll go back head-down, but there's also a chance he won't. So we're back to the uncertainty of what kind of delivery we'll have.

I have to admit, I got my hopes up that we could have a normal delivery -- we were getting well-versed on pain management techniques and childbirth options. Now I don't know what to do -- except wait. We have another scan in a week or so, and we'll know more then.

The good news: he looks very healthy and well, and that is, of course, the most important thing!

The Number 1 Thing You Didn't Know About Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-06-16T23:55:00.003-05:00

They are, in fact, younger than presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain. For more on this topic, see thingsyoungerthanmccain.com. No, I'm not kidding.

The Woes of Nursery Furniture

2008-06-13T12:32:00.003-05:00

I was so hoping for a finished nursery this week. We have everything we need -- diapers, clothes, toys, books, even furniture. No -- scratch that last one. Yesterday I opened the box and took out the crib components, only to find that two of the pieces were damaged. It took the wind out of my sails, and I left the nursery alone. Today SO'B and I boldly opened the changing table box. This time there were three damaged parts.

So, we're waiting for new pieces to arrive for the crib (end of next week) and for a whole new changing table -- which is out of stock. It "should" come in by the end of next week, and there are no extra charges, but the nursery remains in chaos for another week... at least. Do you know what that does to a nesting mom-to-be???

Head-Down

2008-06-02T20:59:00.004-05:00

Me at 31 1/2 weeks:

This just in: I have one smart, acrobatic kid living in my belly: Ciaran turned head-down! That means, despite my uterine anomalies (which I get to read on my file each and every visit), I will likely have a normal delivery! YAY!

It also means that I have to pee more, but that's a small price to pay for not getting cut open.

Now, let mental preparations (and Kegels) for a vaginal delivery commence. The pain won't be so bad, right?

Oatmeal Bars

2008-05-12T14:28:00.002-05:00

I've been coerced by my good friend, Grimsaburger, into sharing my Oatmeal Bar recipe with "the internets." Actually, to avoid reprimand by my sister, I should say that this is a recipe that she developed and we perfected together. But I'm the one that come up with fruity variations, which you will see below.

As Grims notes, they're not filled with butter, but they have lots of sugar (which you can cut back on, particularly in the fruity variety).

Preheat the oven to 375.

Spray a 9/13 baking dish (glass and metal both work fine) with non-stick spray.

Mix the following in a large bowl with a big spoon:

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk (or a bit less, if you're adding fruit)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Add:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Fold in:

4 cups oats (I prefer the old fashioned variety to the quick oats)

1/2 bag chocolate chips*

Press into baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes; they should be gooey.

You can also add 1/2 to 1 cup peanut butter to the recipe above (yummy).

Or you can experiment with different fruits. I've added some peeled chopped apples (with some cinnamon and nutmeg to taste) and peeled, chopped peaches. Both are excellent. But lots of fruit would work. Just add less milk if you use fresh fruit, or otherwise you'll have to add more flour and they'll be cakey rather than chewy, and they're much better chewy.

Let cool for about 10 minutes, particularly with the fruity ones. Cut into the size you want and enjoy.

28 Weeks

2008-05-07T22:55:00.002-05:00

This is what 12-weeks-to-go looks like...

As for what it feels like, well, let's just say that I feel larger than I look. My lungs and stomach are getting squished from below, and my bladder is getting squished from above.

But I'm sure glad that this gets to last a little longer. I had a little scare this morning -- The Kid had been really quiet for a day or so, and my heart was racing at 130 b/m for about an hour. I called the doctor and they fit me in to the schedule. Of course, by the time I got there, my heart rate was normal again, and in the waiting room The Kid was doing the jive in my belly. They hooked me up to a fetal heart monitor just in case, and his little heart was beating strong as ever, which was great to hear.

As for the heart racing thing, that's a bit more complicated. I'm going to try having more protein for breakfast (hello, boca sausage) and have a snack an hour or so after I eat. My body is apparently a little too good at getting my blood sugar down after eating breakfast, according to my glucose test. That should do the trick. But if it doesn't, we can either pursue an EKG and think about meds, or chalk it up to a pregnancy symptom (which it very likely is) and let it be.

Either way, we're both okay! Yay for 28 weeks!

Possession

2008-05-02T07:49:00.002-05:00

Painting and hardware and tools, oh my!

We got possession of our house last night, and went over straight-away to take a look around. The sellers were great -- leaving us clearly labeled paint cans, little house tips, and even their new phone number, should we have any questions. We're not moving in just yet -- first comes the Big Trip To Lowe's, then the Grand Paint-Off on Sunday -- thanks to Grimsaburger & Spouse, El Ranchero & Sap, and friends J & M for their help! In addition to the paint (non-toxic, low-VOC, and prego-friendly!), we'll be stripping wallpaper, pulling up carpet, tearing off fake-wood panelling, sealing floors, hanging blinds, getting new countertops, hanging new hardware, installing a bathroom fan and a new stove hood, spot-tarring the roof, caulking the bathtub, replacing the shower head, moving the downspouts around, upgrading the electricity, and, if all goes well, finishing the basement. All by the end of May. No, really -- it'll happen. I think.

Being a homeowner sure is busy!

(Pics coming soon...)

Jon Troast

2008-04-21T08:36:00.002-05:00

This guy is fantastic. He's a singer/songwriter from Lake Geneva, WI. But he's also an alum of my alma mater. What's super-cool is that his big tour this year involves people's living rooms! He is on a $100 tour, where people invite him into their homes to play for groups of friends and family. My sister, who heard him first on A Prairie Home Companion, set up a tour stop in her living room last night. Jon is warm, fun, and uber-talented.

This video is for her kids' favorite song -- Knock-Down Stupid. Gee, ya wonder why the 2-year-old likes it? He loves telling us that "Jon Tost sing 'knock-down toopid,' like dat. He good."

Check out his stuff. You'll be glad you did.

25 weeks, 5 days

2008-04-21T07:51:00.005-05:00

Geez, I look pregnant. What a difference between now and a few weeks ago. But people continue to tell me I am "tiny." Tell that to my too-tight pants!

Last night The Kid kept me up for an hour, kicking away. He was absolutely still all day long, and then at 11:30 he decides its time for a work-out.

Not that I'm complaining (well, maybe a little...). But it's really, really fun - and a little weird - to see little bulges pop out of my belly. It's like Alien, but for Real. And not as creepy.

Aren't they lovely?

2008-04-21T07:29:00.009-05:00

It's been a great, fun weekend in Grand Rapids with my nieces and nephews.

This morning Anton (age 5) told me that he only has 4 fingers on one hand, and proceeded to count - beginning with zero - from his thumb to his pinky. We have a future Enron accountant on our hands.

Then there's Hannah, a precocious and precious little girl. Besides thoroughly enjoying bossing her little brothers around, she also loves music, art, dance -- anything artistic, really. She and Anton did a sign version of the Lord's Prayer with their "signing choir" at church, and Hannah did all the motions with grace and feeling.

And this little guy, Christian (pictured here with Lallow Caw) looked at me yesterday afternoon and said, with a big grin on his face, "Auntie Naw, you make me happy." I just about smothered the poor kid with kisses right then and there!

Preparations

2008-04-09T08:58:00.003-05:00

I'm 24 weeks pregnant today, and I'm pleased to say that everything is going really well! The kid is regularly practicing his Tae Bo in my belly, all the tests have come out just fine, and I'm feeling great.

Whenever I see this oh-so-cute little hat (Thanks, Mimi!) I think about what our son (our son!) will be like. Will he have a big smile and quick wit like his daddy? Will he easily surpass his mommy in musical talent? I have so many questions and worries, hopes and dreams. And I realize with a (joyful) start that I get to keep on hoping and dreaming along with this kid for the rest of our lives! What a blessing, and what a responsibility, to be chosen to watch over him as he grows.

Most of all, when I look at this little hat, I can't wait to meet the little guy and see him in it! It was knit by his grandma with so much care and love. And I know that more than anything else, this kid will be loved deeply and unconditionally. Indeed, he already is!

Dr. SO'B

2008-04-09T08:47:00.003-05:00

Congrats to SO'B on his very successful dissertation defense! His committee (pictured below) gave the New Doctor the respect of asking very difficult questions, which he handled with intelligence and grace. I'm so proud!

C'mon, be a man.

2008-04-05T22:09:00.001-05:00

Hyperbole is of the Nature of Prevarication, Mrs. Clinton.

2008-03-25T08:38:00.003-05:00

Here's what Hillary said about a trip to Bosnia during her tenure as First Lady:

I certainly do remember that trip to Bosnia... I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.

And this is what really happened:

CBS News showed footage of her walking calmly across the tarmac with her daughter, Chelsea, and being greeted by dignitaries and a child.

...

Maj. Gen. William Nash, who has since retired but was then the commander of United States troops in Bosnia and was at the Tuzla airport that day, said in an interview that there was no threat of sniper fire at the airport during Mrs. Clinton's visit... "She never had her head down... There was no sniper fire that I know of."

Ah, Mrs. Clinton, the situation in Bosnia was horrific enough; exaggerating your experience to the point of a downright lie is insulting to the true victims of that vicious conflict.

Oh -- and this is just one more reason why Hillary is most definitely not who I want to answer that middle-of-the-night phone call.

Impossible

2008-03-25T08:20:00.002-05:00

I fancy myself an active pregnant person -- at least since I've been feeling better. But there is a hitch: apparently pregnant people aren't supposed to be comfortable whilst being active. I have searched for pregnancy yoga wear, and despite the 3 million prenatal yoga DVDs on the market, I can't find an appropriate tank top anywhere. They're all super low-cut (which borders on the obscene during a good downward dog) or $60 (hey, I like yoga, but I'm still cheap). T-shirts are okay, but clump after a nice sun salutation, requiring constant adjustment (a real downer during a relaxing practice). What is a poor pregnant yogi to do?

Morning Sun

2008-03-23T11:12:00.004-05:00

Today is Easter, and my sister just helped me relive a childhood memory (okay, it extends way into adulthood, but the memory is still good, so I'm going to share). We used to put on this great song by a little-known (albeit very talented) Presbyterian musician, James Ward, every Easter morning and dance and dance, while my mom, burdened by her M.S., sat in her chair and laughed with us, singing along. It is still, by far, my favorite Easter song. And when I just played it, BO'B danced, too! Happy Easter, everyone.

Hey!

2008-03-17T18:36:00.001-05:00

Our baby has BOY parts! Back to the name-choosing drawing board...

Funny

2008-03-13T11:21:00.002-05:00

Scott Simon, the host of Saturday Morning Edition on NPR, was on Diane Rehm this morning, and, when referring to my favorite presidential candidate, said "President Obama. Gosh, I wonder why I said that?"

Vaginas are spiritually harmful

2008-03-13T10:31:00.003-05:00

Okay, so that isn't exactly what Bishop D'Arcy (Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend) said. But it's close.

First, to Father Jenkins. He decided to allow the Vagaina Monologues to be performed on campus (albeit without fundraising for local charities that help battered women and children) this year. The performances will occur in an academic classroom, with an academic panel in which the Catholic viewpoint is represented afterward. Here's what he said:

My decision in this matter arises form a conviction that it i an indispensable part of the mission of a Catholic university to provide a forum in which multiple viewpoints are debated in reasoned and respectful exchange -- always in dialogue with faith and the Catholic tradition -- even around highly controversial topics. Notre Dame's policy on controversial events rests on the conviction that truth will emerge from reasoned consideration of issues in dialogue with faith, and that we will educate Catholic leaders not by insulating our students from controversial views, but by engaging these views energetically, in light of Catholic teachings.

I'm not Catholic, but I'm also not unfamiliar with controversies on religious campuses. I went to Calvin College (a Christian Reformed college), and while I was there the Student Activities Board invited the Indigo Girls to perform on campus (which made me so excited I nearly peed my pants). But all kinds of people were out of sorts because Amy Ray and Emily Saliers happen to be attracted to other women, and homosexuality is against Christian teaching. Of course, they allowed the Dave Matthews Band and Hootie and the Blowfish to perform on campus (and one of the Hooties went on to have, um, "relations" with several -- that's right, several -- Calvin students. I guess the fact that the students were of the opposite sex, even though it is still unclear whether the sex was consensual, is okay). Neither band happens to be known for their piety or chastity. This is to point out the hypocrisy inherent opposing certain (but not all) "controversial events" on religious campuses.

Anyway, back to Notre Dame. Here's what Bishop D'Arcy said:

I am convinced that permitting performances of The Vagina Monologues is not consistent with the identity of a Catholic university... [t]he difference between the works of authors such as Nietzsche, Gibbon, Luther, and Joyce, and The Vagina Monologues is a difference not of degree, but of kind. The former have written serious philosophical, theological and literary works, which have influenced Western thought. As such, their work has academic merit ands worthy of serious discussion and critique in a classroom setting Father Jenkins believes that Eve Ensler's play was written to shock and offend. How can one put such a play, which many consider pornographic, on the level of serious works such as the writing of Gibbon and Luther?

...
In allowing performances of the play on campus again this year, whether or not they are officially considered part of the V-Day campaign, Notre dame continues to cooperate in advancing the campaign's agenda, an agenda which...is directly opposed to the dignity of the human person and is antithetical to Catholic teaching

...
The play is little more than a propaganda piece for the sexual revolution andsecular feminism. While claiming to deplore violence against women, the play at the same time violates the standards of decency and morality that safeguard a woman's dignity and protect her, body and soul, from sexual predators. The human community has generally refrained from exposing and discussing the hidden parts of a woman's body, preferring to consider tehm private and even sacred.

...
The play depicts, exalts, and endorses female masturbation, which is a sin ... and the implication is that the historic, positive understanding of heterosexual marriage as the norm is what we must recover from.

...
The play is an affront to human dignity, as Catholic teaching understands it. If it is performed, it should be denounced, Otherwise, the University appears to endorse it as in some way good and the impression is given that Catholic teaching is one option competing among many.

Oh, there are so many things to say. The idea that an international campaign that aims to end violence against women is an affront to human dignity is as ludicrous as it is deeply insulting. My private parts may or may not be sacred, but they are MINE, and I'll say their name out loud if I damn well please. Whatever happened to the human body being a beautiful creation of Go? Or does that only go for penises? If the Bishop will recall, Eve only had to cover up in the Garden of Eden after sin entered the world. Isn't the need to cover up, to make shameful, our sexual organs, then, a consequence of sin?

Also, what exactly is D'Arcy's opposition to V-Day? Perhaps it is that "V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM) and sexual slavery." Or maybe he opposes "hard-won funding that helped open the first shelters for women in Egypt and Iraq." I know, it's that he doesn't share V-Day's vision, "a world where women live safely and freely."

Also, I'd be surprised if Nietzsche's writings weren't meant to shock and offend the culture of the time, institutionalized "belief" in God. But yet Nietzsche's claims that God is dead is less offensive to Catholic teaching than bringing to light the oppression of women -- in all their constituent parts -- in our culture?

I applaud Father Jenkin's decision to allow this play to be performed on campus. I do not agree with his attitude about it, and hope that Margeret's House gets lots of donations even if an official fundraiser isn't allowed. But at least young women at Notre Dame will be a little more enlightened, a little more empowered, after seeing their colleagues bravely perform The Monologues. You, too, can see them: performances will take place on campus March 26, 27 and 28. Of course, the place and time are not on the ND Events Calendar. But word will be out and about, if you're interested.

20 Weeks

2008-03-12T12:03:00.000-05:00

I'm half-way there! Woohoo!

Travels, Part 2: Atlanta & Savannah

2008-03-12T11:28:00.014-05:00

Oh what fun to go someplace warm and sunny (at least theoretically) in March! First stop: Starfire Drive, where the O'McReeds live. Despite the fact that half of the house is torn up and being renovated, we had a lovely time. A few dinners out (Indian and Mexican -- I'm truly feeling better!) were lovely, and a wonderful chance to catch up with T & J, who have set a date for their wedding: November 1. Yet another great time to visit someplace warm and sunny! My mother-in-law made it her personal mission to outfit me with maternity clothes for the length of my pregnancy, and I ended up with a much fuller bag than I started out with! We also found some absolutely adorable wall decorations for the kid's room, with beautiful pictures and alliterative alphabetical poetry.

I also decided it was time to start the Belly Project: Here I am at 19 weeks. As my friend Ximena said, I still look like I'm just eating too much, but I'll get there. Sooner rather than later would be nice. I feel pregnant, so I'd like to look pregnant, thanks. I have been wonderfully surprised by the fluttering little kicks and punches that I've been feeling sometimes. BO'B really likes to become active when I'm just relaxing. That doesn't bode well...

After a few days of family bliss, we went to Savannah for Barmecide's ACIS conference. Day 1 was lovely! We walked around, scoping out places to eat (always a must for a new city -- FOOD!) and meeting up with Gavin & Jen for the evening. Day 2, the three of those smarty-pants gave their papers, which were all wonderfully entertaining, even for a lawyer like me. Good job, all!

We spent the rest of the weekend exploring and eating and exploring some more. What a gorgeous city! Even there, however, my camera spent too much time in my bag... but here are some shots -- we saw FLOWERS! In MARCH! I think that was the best part... I also love the Spanish moss-laden oaks filling the picturesque squares throughout the city, and especially in Forsythe Park.

Some moss growing on the front steps of an Old Savannah House:

Those majestic oaks:

Barmecide did a little good ol' fashioned southern drinking, too -- here is one particularly special drink, which had more ingredients than I care to list here. Instead, I'll just show you the placemat, which details just how to make this, um, concoction:

Yay for fun in Savannah!

A Visit!

2008-03-12T11:15:00.005-05:00

I don't have lots of pictures of this one, but the first weekend of March my sister came down to visit with her three kids. It was, to say the least, a full house over here! First, I had to get rid of all peanut and egg products, due to life-threatening allergies on the part of my dear nephews... here's to clean cupboards (it had to be done eventually). Among the highlights was the fruit of a request from Anton, a Notre Dame Sports-obsessed 5-year old. He had it in his head to shoot baskets at Notre Dame's basketball court. All seemed hopeless at first, when the young man (read: pimply-faced kid) told us that it was "impossible" for us to even view the court. Barmecide, being the great uncle and smart guy that he is, simply walked us around to another door. We walked by the walls of ND paraphanelia with Anton, who could barely contain his excitement, saying, "LOOK! Notre Dame SOCCER! LOOK! Notre Dame SWIMMING! OOOOOOOOOH, Notre Dame Football! Football! FOOTball! LaCROSS! What's that? Oh, FENCING!" Then we made our way to the court, doubtful we'd be able to do more than catch a glimpse. While we were up in the stands, though, a very nice young woman (read: very nice young woman) asked if the kids would like to shoot baskets! She gave them foam hats and made one kid's dream come true.

The kids also went to the Studebaker Museum, which bored the socks off the older two kids, but which was like a wonderland to Christian, aged 2. He is, shall we say, "into" cars. he kept running around screaming, "COW! WED COW! BOO COW! GO COW!" (that means: Car! Red car! Blue car! Gold car!) if he didn't have a diaper on, he would've left little puddles all over the place, he was so excited.

Along with some rare TV time, the kids all-in-all had a great time. So did we: hosting family, it turns out, is really fun! Thanks for the visit, Dershems!

Travels, Part 1: Tacoma

2008-03-12T11:01:00.008-05:00

Over Barmecide's birthday weekend, we went to visit his brother and sister-in-law in Tacoma. It was so much fun to be able to see where they live and work, meet some of their friends, and (for me) finally eat something besides a burrito for dinner! Here are just a few of my favorite shots -- one is Mount Rainier, the other of rocks along the beach. (Unfortunately, as usual, my picture-taking was limited because I kept forgetting I had a camera in my bag.)

We also went to Pike Street Market, where Barmecide at his fair share of seafood...

and we went to a fantastic local Seattle bookstore, where I set to looking for the perfect baby name (no decisions yet!) and buying a Will Shortz Word Game Calendar. I truly am a geek.

We watched the Oscars (my favorite song won Best Original Song!) with some of their friends, ate a lot, saw a movie, ate a lot, chatted about politics (Obama supporters! Yay!), and ate a lot. A great long weekend!

Thanks, K & M, for all the fun.

Compliments of my Mother-In-Law

2008-03-12T09:59:00.002-05:00

The George W. Bush Presidential Library is now in the planning stages.

The library will include:

The Hurricane Katrina Room, which is still under construction
The Alberto Gonzales Room, where you can't remember anything
The Texas Air National Guard Room, where you don't have to show up
The Walter Reed Hospital Room, where they don't let you in
The Guantanamo Bay Room, where they don't let you out
The Weapons of Mass Destruction Room, which no one has been able to find
The Iraq War Room. After you complete your first tour, they make you go back for a second, third, fourth, and sometimes fifth tour
The Dick Cheney Room, in an undisclosed location, complete with shooting gallery
The K-Street Project Gift Shop -- where you can buy (or just steal) an election
The Airport Men's Room, where you can meet some of your favorite Republican Senators
Last, but not least, there will be an entire floor devoted to a 7/8 scale model of the President's ego.
To highlight the President's accomplishments, the museum will have an electron microscope to help you locate them.

When asked, President Bush said that he didn't care so much about the individual exhibits, as long as his museum was better than his father's.

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

2008-02-06T14:17:00.001-05:00

Today my beautiful niece, Hannah, turns 9! Happy birthday, Sweet Girl.

Yes, We Can

2008-02-06T14:04:00.001-05:00

I'll admit it, I was glued to the TV last night, with several of my closest Obama-supporting friends, watching the Super Tuesday results trickle in. Everyone in the punditry world is saying that while Obama won the state count, Clinton won the delegate count. True, analysts. But there's some kind of power in charisma with real substance behind it, and that's what I see in Obama. He has the unifying power that means he can win in the deep south, where African Americans poured into the polling sites in record numbers, as well as in northern nearly all-white states like Utah and Kansas, by a margin as high as 3 to 1.

I'll also admit that I am incredibly moved by this remix of one of my favorite Obama speeches. It's worth watching. And watching again. And again.

Another Political Post (and Yay Salon.com!)

2008-01-29T00:05:00.001-05:00

Read this if you're interested in a respected news and analysis source telling the truth.

Side note:

I've been doing enough political posts lately that Sean and I have been mulling over starting a spin-off blog called "The Pregnant Pundit." But our readership isn't even enough to sustain this blog much less another one. (By the way, thanks to family and friends who occasionally stop by.)

What They're Up Against

2008-01-24T09:27:00.001-05:00

The generally left-leaning Ha'aretz newspaper (the same one that Amira Hass works for), published this today:

In the war of versions between us and them - regarding the truth about the situation in the Gaza Strip - the balance is tipped this time in favor of the Israeli version. It is simply more reasonable and logical, so it should be adopted unless proven otherwise.

After all, Arabs in general and Palestinians in particular are by nature experts at displays of suffering; the only thing they do all their lives is demonstrate their distress. This time, in the past week, they outdid themselves. The production was truly perfect and succeeded in deceiving the entire world: the way they turned out the lights at one precise moment and sent the children to cry bitterly in front of the cameras, the way they organized long lines for bread and water - miraculous timing and orchestration.

Yossi Sarid actually claims that the suffering induced among Palestinians by the Israeli blockade in Gaza is a charade? It is not only an insult that someone could think such a thing, but even more that it was printed in a respectable Israeli publication.

The military forces are refusing to permit anything -- anything! -- from getting in. This includes fuel of all sorts -- the kind that keeps hospital generators running, the kind allows ambulances to ambulate, the kind that keeps electricity in schools running, and the kind that heats homes. (FYI, it gets down into the 40s, and sometimes colder, at night in Gaza). It also includes bread (and its ingredients), oil, eggs, milk, medical supplies, and all other basic necessities for survival. The UN has already said that without the humanitarian supplies stopped at the border, they cannot continue to support the nearly 1.4 million Gazans that rely on them for food aid. The UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) will run out of plastic bags (for rations) and fuel today, as it has been sharing their supply with hospitals. and the World Food Programme said that its supplies will run out by the end of the week. The medical consequences are staggering: many patients, including premature babies, are completely reliant on machines run by electricity to preserve their lives; but electricity has been cut, and generator fuel is almost gone.

The Egyptians recognized the humanitarian crisis, allowing tens of thousands of Palestinians to cross freely through its border with Gaza, blown open with explosives, to obtain necessities. And they said the border won't close until the Palestinians have completed their emergency shopping, despite Israeli pressure on Cairo to close the border.

It is difficult to imagine all of this being staged. Rather, what is "logical," is that a humanitarian crisis -- complete with crying children and long lines for bread -- will result when a blockade is imposed, preventing any and all goods from crossing into a territory that cannot possibly sustain itself.

Amira Hass

2008-01-06T13:20:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't know, Amira Hass is a descendant of Holocaust survivors who works as a journalist of the Israeli daily Ha'aretz (published in both English and Hebrew). She lives in Ramallah, my former "home town" in the West Bank, and writes extensively about Palestinians' lives under occupation. In this piece she goes for the root of the problems that exist in Israel/Palestine: The Occupation. Well worth the read!

Our violent presence

By Amira Hass
Ha'aretz -- Thursday - January 3, 2008

There is no Israeli whose presence in the West Bank is neutral. Civilian or armed, soldier or woman settler, resident of a quality-of-life settlement or a nearby outpost, MahsomWatch activist or guest at a settlement, Bezek worker or client at a Palestinian garage. All of them, all of us, are in this Palestinian territory, in the West Bank, because our state occupied it in 1967.

The presence of every Israeli in the West Bank is based on a regime of privilege that developed out of that primary act of occupation. We have the privilege of hiking in Palestinian areas to our heart's content, of buying subsidized housing for Jews only on the lands of Bethlehem, of raising cherries and grapes in the wadis of Hebron, of quarrying on the mountain slopes, of driving on roads whose land was expropriated from the indigenous inhabitants for public use.

The Palestinians, in contrast to us, not only are not allowed to move from Hebron to Tel Aviv, because they like the sea, for example; they are not even allowed to visit the lands and homes their family owned before 1948, nor are they allowed to tour Galilee and visit relatives. The regime of travel permits that has been in place since 1991 deprives all Palestinians of the right to freedom of movement in Israel while the system of roadblocks limits their movement in their own territories.

The right to travel the land is a basic human right, and like any right, when it is not universal, it is a mutilated right, that is, it becomes a privilege. That is a fact, even if most Israelis repress or ignore it. Our presence in the Palestinian territories, which is based on military and political superiority, is therefore violent and arrogant by its very nature, even when it is expressed in pleasant ways, like cultivating gardens in settlements or taking a pre-Shabbat hike.

How do the Palestinians deal with this violence and arrogance? Some take up arms and hope to kill Israelis. However, most choose other ways, civilian and not military, to deal with our non-neutral presence, with the daily violence that is at the basis of every occupying regime. But let us not fool ourselves: most understand those who take up arms.

Therefore when the prime minister of the Ramallah government, Salam Fayyad, expressed his sorrow over the killing of two young armed hikers from Kiryat Arba last Friday, he managed to anger his public. "Any death is unnecessary" he was quoted in Haaretz as saying. These are wise and humane words. If those who are angry at him listened carefully, they would have heard him teaching the Israelis that the death of every Palestinian is also unnecessary. It is not his responsibility that Prime Minster Ehud Olmert did not express sorrow that Israeli soldiers killed Khaldiya Hamdan, a 51-year-old Gaza woman returning from Mecca via the Erez crossing.

But Fayyad did not make do with an expression of regret. According to the Palestinian daily Al Quds he said, "the military action was carried out on Palestinian land" and that the authority must "meet its security obligations." Haaretz reported that Fayyad said the authority had already arrested suspects and was cooperating with the Israeli security forces. Now the Shin Bet claims that the two individuals in custody (who gave themselves up) are connected to the Palestinian security services (which the Palestinians deny).

Fayyad suited his response to Israeli and American expectations from the Palestinian Authority. Despite the fact that the Israel Defense Forces is the sole sovereign over the West Bank, the PA is expected to protect Israeli citizens; that is, to act as a sub-contractor for the IDF and the Shin Bet. But Fayyad cannot meet these expectations, because they completely contradict the harshness of the basic experience of every Palestinian he is said to represent - which is the violence of our presence.

Over the Rhine

2007-12-10T00:09:00.001-05:00

Tonight, SO'B and I went to see Over The Rhine at the Goshen Theater. I've seen them several times before, but I have to say that tonight was (dare I say it?) my favorite performance. Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist are supremely talented musical artists. Karin's voice is haunting and beautiful, and Linford's piano is soulful and melodic.

They are on a Christmas tour, but were also promoting their new album, The Trumpet Child. Usually they tend towards the philosophical and spiritual in their songwriting, but they have ventured toward the slightly political in "If a Song Could Be President." It includes shout-outs to some musical legends, and actually manages to be humorous rather than just depressing -- a true musically political feat. Listen here, and enjoy!

She doesn't even know where NORWAY is.

2007-12-04T21:47:00.001-05:00

Just watch. For real.

New Verb

2007-11-29T17:42:00.000-05:00

To Annapolize: to create great fanfare over absolutely nothing.

Seriously, after seven years in office and nary a serious look at the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, did President bush actually think that one day in Annapolis can change the face of the Middle East?

In spite of [Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's] many visits to the region over the past year, her sole tangible offering has been to introduce the term "political horizon" into the lexicon of a conflict already inundated with banal phrases and euphemisms. However, she has never defined the parameters of that "horizon." Indeed, Rice explained to representatives of American Jewish organizations in February that the US would not offer any suggestions on the "political horizon" once negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians commenced, nor would it pressure Israel. Thus begging the question, what will the Bush Administration do to ensure the success of these negotiations it has initiated? As the Bush presidency nears its end and an American election year begins, the answer is, very little.
(Electronic Intifada)

Now, I want peace in the Middle East as much as the next person. And poo-pooing efforts at peacemaking is not exactly how I like to spend my time. But after nearly two weeks of negotiations between then-Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, following months of painstaking preparations between both sides' negotiating teams, the two sides were at an impasse. A few short months later, all hell broke loose. Does the Bush Administration seriously think that one day -- one day! -- in Annapolis will drain all the bad blood that has been spilled?

Abbas and Olmert have agreed to negotiate. Great. New Palestinian State by the end of 2008? I'm not holding my breath.

NO! Fie Tut Cay!

2007-11-27T14:22:00.000-05:00

For those of you not familiar with Christian's very own two-year-old dialect, that means, NO! Fire Truck Cake!

My sister is a fantastic baker -- especially considering her constraints: Her 5-year-old is deathly allergic to peanuts and her 2-year-old is deathly allergic to eggs, as well as lactose intolerant. A cake without any of that would seem pretty gross... but not when Marie is on the job.

Not only does she make a great nut-free vegan cake, she also makes them fun. Worried about too much red frosting, we tried to encourage her 2-year-old to want a school bus cake (or Soo Buth Cay). Nothin' doin'. This kid knows what he wants.

And, as you can see, he was pleased with the result!

Check out some of her other brilliant creations here, here and here.

Wedding Pictures!

2007-11-23T23:49:00.001-05:00

If you want to see our wedding photos -- the professional ones, plus the ones taken by wonderful family and friends, click here.

There are some really lovely ones -- so enjoy!

Daniel is travelin' tonight on a plane...

2007-11-21T12:08:00.000-05:00

I can see the red tail lights headed for ... IRAQ?!?!?!

Daniel, pictured here at our wedding -- where he served as one of Sean's groomsmen -- also serves in the Navy Reserves. And he has finally been called up. After this weekend -- his last with his wife and baby daughter before he leaves -- he's headed to training camp for 3 weeks then to Iraq for a six-month deployment. He'll be stationed about 60 miles south of Baghdad.

When the war hits home, it makes me all the more angry that we're even there at all. I'm not asking you to blindly "support the troops," but I am asking you to pray for him (or, if you don't pray, at least think good thoughts or send positive energy) until he returns.

Insha' Allah.

Ha. And ha again. Many levels of ha.

2007-11-10T00:24:00.000-05:00

A Love Story

2007-11-08T13:01:00.000-05:00

No, not our love story (although pictures and anecdotes from our very fun wedding are forthcoming), but a love story that I heard on NPR's Day to Day this afternoon. In the last 10 minutes of the show, there was this lovely, jarring story about Rose, a cancer patient, who was lonely and wanted someone to share her life with, whatever was left of it. But she didn't want someone who expected a movie-perfect romance, where her cancer made her mate a stronger, better, and utterly transformed person. Instead, she made her internet profile a little harsh: contact me only if you can handle it, she says; I have cancer, not the ability to redeem you. Heather, an executive, found her profile refreshing and called. After a six hour dinner together, daily phone calls ensued. Rose found herself happier than she could remember. Four months later, they went to Toronto and got married -- and have been married for two years. Listen here if you want to be pleasantly surprised, get a little teary, and love NPR just a little more.

17 days, and counting

2007-09-18T23:08:00.001-05:00

The wedding is coming -- and fast. People keep asking me whether future in-laws are starting to make unreasonable requests, and whether my own family is sticking their nose in. Nope and nope. I lucked out immensely with my future in-laws, who are only incredibly helpful and loving and welcoming. And my own family is just so stinkin' glad that I'm getting married - and to such a wonderful man - that they're being only supportive and doing everything they can to help out. Apparently I'm supposed to be going crazy, seizing up, running around like a chicken with my head cut off, and generally moving my way out of sanity and into the bridezilla realm. But everything seems to just be falling into place. Here's to 17 more days of sanity and things going just right!

What is war?

2007-09-13T12:27:00.000-05:00

This age-old question is getting a new look at the conference this weekend at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at Notre Dame. Co-sponsored by the Law School, the conference gives you the opportunity to hear from ethicists, military historians, peace-studies scholars, generals, political scientists, lawyers and journalists about what they think war really is -- what it means, and its implications.

With a docket including General William L. Nash (see also some of his statements on the War in Iraq), Pam Constable and our very own Professors Mary Ellen O'Connell, Peter Wallensteen and George Lopez, this promises to be a really, really interesting couple of days. You can find the agenda here, and the speaker list with biographies here. I promise, you won't be disappointed.

Showered

2007-09-12T21:02:00.000-05:00

Wow. My sister, a baker extraordinairre (just wait for the truffles at my wedding reception!) made me a bride cake at my shower this past Saturday -- vegan, no less. Gorgeous -- and everyone said it looked just like me. (Thanks.)

My friends and family came through with some incredible gifts - some elegant stemless wine glasses from Grimsaburger (who also moonlights as Grimsabaker), a gorgeous pottery berry bowl from J-Bru, a paper shredder (confetti-maker? Who knows...), and lots of other sundries from loving people. I aced the quiz on SO'B and got some wonderful marital advice, including a quote from The Mexican. All in all, a wonderful day -- topped off by jewelry-making for my bridal party. I hope you like it!

However, there was a downside to an otherwise wonderful weekend: the next day, after a wonderful jewelry-making evening, she went for a bike ride -- and got hit by a car. A girl (17 or 18) believed she could turn right at an intersection before my sister crossed her path. Of course, my sister was almost directly next to her, and didn't even have time to hit the brakes before crashing into the car, being thrown from her bike, and landing directly on her tail bone. I ended up back up in Grand Rapids just 12 hours later, and stayed for 3 days until my replacement could come. Here's to bad drivers and good insurance, and my trooper of a sister.

Dancing Queen

2007-08-28T11:07:00.000-05:00

Do you love music? Do you love dancing? Then this is the mission for you! In preparation for SO'B and my impending nuptuals, Grimsaburger is hosting a forum for musical suggestions. What kind of music really makes you get down? What song calls you to the dance floor so fiercely that you are powerless to resist? All suggestions will be accepted, but careful what you wish for...

Gone-zales

2007-08-27T13:45:00.000-05:00

Is it wrong of me to be so gleeful that the Bush Administration continues to fall apart? On Talk of the Nation, Daniel Metcalfe said that Gonzales did more damage to the Department of Justice than any other Attorney General in recent history - including during the Watergate scandal. There are also currently more vacancies in the DOJ - both in general and in the leadership positions than there were during Watergate.

Now that's bad.

This is, like, SOOOO important.

2007-08-25T21:55:00.001-05:00

There are intelligent, well-spoken girls that enter the Miss USA pageant. They're just not featured in this video.

SO'B's Big Surprise

2007-08-21T08:25:00.001-05:00

This happened to me last night. He spent the evening watching what turned out to be one of the worst movies ever made last night with Grimsaburger's Spouse. Now they often have hairbrained ideas while they hang out -- and last night was no exception. But it seemed tame enough - they discussed, at length, the kind(s) of sugar cereal they would buy and eat while enjoying SO'B's male-centered celebratory weekend commemorating his impeding nuptuals (read: bachelor party weekend). One preferred Honeycomb (a personal favorite of your's truly); the other liked some of the more traditional varieties: Froot Loops and the like. Anyway, I thought I had endured enough for the evening and, yawningly, slipped under the covers and took to Ian McEwan's Atonement (which is being made into a movie). In swaggers SO'B looking like, well, someone named Hank. It's all off as of this morning -- one of my requests before we swear fidelity for eternity was that I'd be able to see him clean-shaven -- but he swears that his goatee will make a comeback within the week. So: enjoy it now!

The MacBook Saga

2007-08-18T16:58:00.000-05:00

This may seem like a perfectly unremarkable picture of a computer (although the MacBook is an absolutely marvelous machine). But this picture speaks a thousand words - many of them of the four-letter variety. You see, last Tuesday I spilled half of my mug of piping hot, creamed-and-sugared coffee all over the poor thing, dousing the keyboard and seeping into all parts of the computer. It shut off by itself -- never a good sign. (Cue four-letter words.)

So I managed to swab up the keyboard, remove the computer from the puddle, and take out the battery. Then I remembered Sean's (working, un-spilled on) computer upstairs, and typed into the Google box these words: coffee spill macbook. Some unlucky soul had a similar experience and found these instructions very helpful. I took apart the computer -- and I mean TOOK APART the computer, swabbed out the rough patches on the motherboard with a Q-tip, wiped clean the hard drive and memory chips, and rinsed off the keyboard under hot water (can you believe you can do that?). Done. I let it dry for a few days, and put it back together. Ta-da! The tell-tale chord announcing that a Mac is coming to life rang true, and my background picture showed up like nothing ever happened. The track-pad worked wonderfully, but all letters but the q and the tab seemed to be dead. Well, something had to give. So I ordered a new keyboard (overnight, because I'm an inherently impatient person) and, once again, took the computer apart, piece by piece, until the old keyboard came off and the new one was successfully installed.

So: here I am with my computer back, having lost nothing from my files and preferences, with a new keyboard to boot. I can hardly believe my luck.

Oh- and I found out some helpful information from State Farm after they politely but firmly told me that my renter's insurance did not cover spills (and why didn't I keep the coffee away from my new computer anyway?). They offer a policy that covers any machine -- such as, say, a computer -- from klutziness of any degree: spilling, dropping, stepping (don't laugh--I'm sure it has happened to someone somewhere). $35 per year: that's how much peace of mind costs. After this incident, I'm finding peace of mind pretty inexpensive.

Here's to Apple and its magnificent MacBook!

The North Country

2007-08-09T10:26:00.000-05:00

Some people might suggest that we've been lazy in our blogging; and they'd be right. But the laziness was by design, not neglect: we were on a luxurious, much-needed vacation in the Adirondacks of Upstate New York. The first week was spent with SO'B's maternal extended family -- cousins, aunts and all -- at Fourth Lake. The giant, pest-friendly maze-of-a-house was interesting, but the company was fantastic. One of the little ones and I became puzzle-buddies -- and she had a great time imagining being a flower girl in "princess" Zee's wedding. And I taught another of the little ones to exclaim "woohoo!" at all of the fun we had.

The weather -- oh, the weather -- was fantastic. 80 and sunny every day, no joke. Here's an example of one particularly spectacular evening:

Of course, there is a rather funny (and, in my opinion, a little scary) story coming out of this fantastic time. I saw one of these. That's right: a big, fully grown black bear crossed the road right in front of me as I was heading home from a (very fun) trail run on the first day there. Here's the pickle: it crossed into the woods adjacent to the camp where we were staying, so I had to pass it at least two more times to get home. I saw Grizzly Man, but realized I had forgotten any useful information on how to become unattractive to a bear. I hid behind a stone post on the neighbor's driveway, trying to think of what the heck to do. So I turned off my shuffle, on which I was contentedly listening to Jim Dale's rendition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and sneaked past the woods where the bear had just entered. I turned into the camp, and kept my eyes on the woods. About 100 yards from the house, I saw it -- staring at me -- and I ran. I ran like the wind, hoping it didn't care about me and, if it did, I could outrun it. Of course, this was probably the stupidest thing I could have done, but it turns out that it didn't care about me. Whew. The next times I went running, I wore keys attached to my shoes in an effort to scare off wayward bears before any potential run-ins.

There were a few special occasions to celebrate, and celebrate we did. We threw Mariluwho a birthday party -- for the 21st anniversary of her 39th birthday -- at a local restaurant. Notice her tiara?

It was a magical place, where 14 ounce steaks turned into 24 ounces between the kitchen and the table and bears jumped out of dumpsters.

Happy birthday, future mother-in-law!

They also threw SO'B and myself a surprise wedding shower (pics to follow). Fun, fun.

After a week of good times we headed with K & M to the O'B family homestead at Lake Ozonia.

Hans the Dog showed us around the lake -- a gorgeous, spring-fed lake, the water of which was said to have miraculous healing properties.

K & M enjoyed the views -- and the incredibly beautiful day -- on Uncle T's boat.

And, when the day was done, we all enjoyed looking at old family photos and playing plenty of cards. Here we are (SO'B and me) on the only rainy day, just after a rousing game of Pitch.

What a fantastic vacation!

And what a way to return home - to "Double-J" -- who were staying at our house in our absence. Having just returned from a year with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, they stopped by the 'Bend en route to their new jobs with World Vision in Cyprus, to work with 14 countries in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, 9 of which are currently in conflict or having just emerged from conflict. Obviously, they're up for the challenge. Can you say "honeymoon?"

SiCKO

2007-07-20T23:42:00.000-05:00

I believe my friend, Grimsaburger, put it quite well when she says, "you must, Must, MUST see this movie."

It is devastating, interesting, important, and educational. It is done in Michael Moore's classic style - without the in-your-face confrontation of those he is (rightfully) attacking.

Go here to watch the trailer for a sneak peak. Then go see the movie, and let Che Guevara's daughter (a pediatrician in Cuba) ask you why her country can afford full health care for everyone, and ours - one of the riches in the world - doesn't even try. Take a tour, Moore-style, of British and French hospitals, and marvel as people stare blankly or just start laughing when he asks how much they are paying for their stay.

I hope you get mad, and I hope you do something - vote, perhaps, for a candidate that advocates for universal health care. If you'd prefer, this one thinks it's a good idea, too.

I want to love my country, I promise; but films like this one make it hard. Not to mention that endless war. But that's for another time.

Ninety-Five ...

2007-07-15T22:10:00.004-05:00

That's how old my grandmother is today. But, in my opinion, she doesn't look a day over 75! She has had an amazingly eventful, interesting and inspiring life, and the family sat with her on a flawless Lake Michigan afternoon remembering all the ways in which she touched our lives. There were dripping eyes, drifting songs, and -- as you can see -- lots of laughs!

Here's to my gramma, her unconditional love, and her beauty and strength of character. Happy Birthday!

Home!

2007-07-15T22:10:00.003-05:00

SO'B has arrived home safely, to my great relief and happiness. Let the wedding planning resume!

Cornucopia

2007-07-12T12:35:00.000-05:00

Yay! Our first shipment of Layman Farm's "To-Your-Door" produce has arrived:

Don't the berries look fantastic? Thanks, El Ranchero & AH, for telling us about the opportunity in Northern Indiana/Southern Michigan to support a local farm.

Almost there!

2007-07-10T15:08:00.000-05:00

The tomatoes are truly out of control -- in the best possible. way. I have at least 25 Roma Grapes on the vine, 2 of which are turning a beautiful and promising orange color. The Better Boys are coming along, almost catching up to their neighbors, the Mr. Stripeys. Each have about 10 on the vine, some just about ready to ripen.

On the less successful side of the garden, I transplanted our herbs (all of which are exceedingly pathetic) out of the pots and into the ground. I hope that helps. Then I watered the heck out of them in hopes they'll finally "take." Maybe I'll just have to call them lost and try again next year.

A happier topic: Happy Birthday, Grimsaburger! I hope dinner at The Vine is all you hoped (and I'd go for the Asiago dip if I were you).

Family Fun

2007-07-08T19:05:00.001-05:00

This is the greatest part of the summer: Family Vacation! With my seven nieces and nephews, siblings and parents, we had a couple of full houses -- full of people, but also full of fun, love and laughs.

My favorite day: a lovely rafting trip down the Sturgeon River -- the fastest in lower Michigan, they say. It was great fun to work together with the kids, steering the boat and getting through the "rapids" (read: water going slightly more quickly over logs and rocks).

We stopped at a little swimming hole and the kids took the brave plunge into the VERY cold water -- and had a blast doing it! Here is "Little Anton," the quickest dive in.

Sophia was a little more shy about it, but still had a great time.

The older girls, meanwhile, got right into the fun!

While Seth went stone-searching,

Christian practiced for future rafting trips!

After hours of friendly poker games and runs around the lake, glasses of wine and wonderfully satisfying food, it was all a Family Vacation should be: FUN!

Beautiful

2007-06-29T23:32:00.000-05:00

My step-mother, Jeanne Logan, does the most amazing work. She starts with white silk and creates masterpieces by dying, stitching and beading them. In her show at the Old Bag Factory in Goshen, Jeanne displayed some of the most beautiful fiber art I have ever seen. For her tremendous efforts, she sold several pieces - some even before her opening! I tried to capture her genius with my little digital camera, but the best I could come up with is this:

and this:
These pictures don't do her work justice, unfortunately, but I was so excited that I needed to share with you her beautiful work. Keep your eye on her web site
for updates (and better pictures) of her work!

Tomatoes

2007-06-28T16:50:00.001-05:00

This spring, with the generous help of my future in-laws, we planted tomatoes. When they're all small in those little pots, they seem rather frail and pathetic, so we planted a LOT of them. And, much to our surprise, they are all doing pretty well. Our one Mr. Stripy tomato (isn't that a fun name?) seems to be doing fine, although he's a bit lonely.

On the other hand, our Roma Grapes are going nuts! Can't wait until they're ripe enough to eat:

Maybe by time time I get back from vacation with the fam, they'll be ready... Yum!

Of roofing and trucks in front yards

2007-06-14T12:33:00.000-05:00

If I had my camera, I'd show you the interesting tarp job and makeshift garden-protecting ramp our non-professional roofers have crafted while they replace the roof on our front porch. It is truly a sight. Especially the 1960s era yellow rusty truck parked precariously on our sloped front lawn. At least we'll stop getting droopy, soggy issues of The Week.

Addendum: The garden-saving ramp thingie didn't work, and our cilantro and curly parsley look dangerously wilty. Now I have to go pick up all those pieces of paint/roofing materials that somehow made their way into our tomato section.

Posting This Very Moment

2007-06-07T22:19:00.000-05:00

At this very moment, I am contributing to our new blog (translated from the belgico-hibernian* as "Of the Sea"**). I look forward to sharing our various travels and wedding plans this summer.

*If el ranchero wants to correct my Latin, he is welcome.

**Actually, I think it would be "Son of the Sea," but that translation doesn't exactly fit with the key half of the equation.

And here, it begins.

2007-06-06T13:29:00.000-05:00

This is my new blog. It will chronicle the O'Zee's marriage preparations, discuss issues of all kinds, remark on life in general, and hopefully occassionally contain something interesting and/or helpful to those who choose to read it.