Sign of the Times

I was reading in my Bible the other day a passage that I have read many times before, but never quite caught on to it.  I always kind of chuckle when I read it because it's clear that the disciples didn't get it either when Jesus first talked to them about it.  Silly disciples. :-)

In Matthew 16, Jesus had just ended a conversation with the Pharisees who were trying to test Him, to ask Him for a sign from Heaven.  When Jesus is later talking with His disciples, He tells them to beware of the "yeast of the Pharisees," a comment that prompted the disciples to assume that He was referring to their forgetfulness in bringing any bread on their trip.  You can't really blame them.  First of all, if you forgot to bring bread in the middle of a long day's trip, it's probably all you can really think about.  "What are we going to eat today?!?"  And secondly, referring to something as a "yeast of the Pharisees" is just plain weird.

It was Jesus' response that really struck me this time.  He reminded them of the time He fed the 5,000, and how many basketfuls of bread they collected at the end of the day.  And then there was the time He fed the 4,000 and all the basketfuls they had at the end of that day.  And through this explanation, the disciples realized that Jesus wasn't referring to food, but to a much more subversive and subtle danger, the teaching of the Pharisees.

I suppose it struck me because I suddenly saw a lot of relevance to the whole conversation.  Nationwide, it's an incredibly precarious time, with every day bringing new headlines of bankruptcies, recession, and billions of dollars of bail outs.  In our city, especially, you can't open a newspaper or listen to the news for more than 5 minutes without hearing some story of new job losses representing thousands of Detroiters who are now out of work.  

With all of these stories surrounding us, it's pretty hard to not think about taking care of the basic necessities of life . . . what will happen to our house?  Will we be able to pay the bills?  What will we eat this week?  Will I still have a job next week?  I've realized that many times, the anxiety and tension are so pervasive through our culture right now, that it's really easy for them to invade my thinking without even noticing.  And they don't only invade my thinking.  They consume my thinking.  They become all I can think about and can very quickly turn into a down-spiral of depression or despair.

That's where Jesus' response comes in.  Just like He reminded the disciples when all they could think about was their next meal, He reminds me of all the miracles He has done in my own life, all the times He has provided exceedingly and abundantly beyond all my needs.  And He reminds me to be on the lookout of something much more important than worrying about my next meal.  

I need to be aware of fighting against this spirit of trying to test God, of begging Him for some kind of sign, some kind of huge proof of who He is rather than acknowledging what is right there in front of my face.  And this kind of thinking behaves exactly like Jesus explained when He called it a "yeast."  It starts off tiny and small, almost imperceptible, but given time in a dark and cool place, it quickly grows and pervades the whole batch of "dough."  That Jesus . . . He's one smart man, isn't He? :-)

I'm praying for the wisdom to be proactive in fighting against this mindset, for courage and an increase of faith for God to take care of our needs, and to have opportunities to speak life and hope into the desperate situations that are all around us.  

Grandma

Monday morning I got one of those phone calls that no one ever wants to get.  My dad told me that my Grandma (mom's mom) had passed away suddenly early that morning.  Brad, Samantha, and I came into Pittsburgh late Tuesday night for the viewing yesterday and the funeral today.  It's certainly been an intense few days, but ones that have been full of grace and the full gamut of emotions.  I thought it might help to sort some of them out by sharing my thoughts of my Grandma with the blogosphere.

One of my initial reactions was how sad I was that Grandma and Gabriella would never get to meet, at least not in this lifetime.  I spent yesterday morning writing a letter to our little girl, telling her about her great-grandma and the special pieces of her legacy that I hope she inherits . . . her strength and her faithfulness to name a few.

For example, one of the most touching testimonies of her life over these past few days has been the numerous members of the Eat 'n Park wait staff that have come to pay their respects.  My Grandma has eaten at the SAME restaurant EVERY DAY since 1994.  (Brad is still trying to process this concept.)  Every day, she would eat lunch at this Eat 'n Park with my uncle and throughout the years, the servers and management just become family.  They brought a bouquet of green smiley-face cookies, an Eat 'n Park specialty (my Grandma's favorite . . . she really only liked the green ones).  Brad commented that it was an illustration of the lives that can be touched simply by living a life of consistency over a long period of time.  

I have learned some new things about her, too.  When my Grandma and Pop Pop moved to Moon Township (where they lived their entire lives), the area was largely undeveloped and rural.  They were charter members at the now large, Catholic church that is near their house.  I looked at Brad when I found out and said, "Wow!  Grandma was a church planter!"  My dad smiled and pointed out that it's in my genes.

Our baby girl has quite a legacy of great-grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles and so many other loved ones on both sides of the family who have given her such a strong spiritual heritage.  Brad's mom and I prayed on Monday and she gave me such a cool picture that right now Grandma and Pop Pop could be meeting Grandma and Grandpa Palmer (her mom and dad).  Our family kept saying yesterday that while it was a sad day for us, it was a great day for Grandma.  What a day it will be when we are all reunited once again!

I'm including a few pics that I found from the last few Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays.  You can see where Ashley got her red hair, and how much Grandma and I liked to catch a post-holiday meal nap. :-) 

The New Slate

I remember when we took a trip to Williamsburg when I was younger and we bought these little slates at one of their gift shops, as an example of what colonial kids used to use when they went to school.  I was always a little bothered that they didn't erase completely and I was thankful for an era when we get to enjoy erasers and markerboards.

I read a few articles the other day that opened my eyes to the "slates" of the 21st century.  I'm sure that this will continue to bring some controversy to the education realm over the next few years, but it was interesting to consider.

• This article from the British publication, Telegraph, showed that in a recent study, more than a 1/3 of children surveyed owned their own cell phone by the age of 8.  3/4 of children aged seven to fifteen owned "at least" one mobile.  Clearly there are lots of implications with this statistic, one being that children are becoming financially aware at a much earlier age, offering to do extra chores for ringtones and using the internet (and their parents' credit cards) to purchase various items online.  While my first instinct is, "What in the world does an 8 year old need with a cell phone?" the closer I get to actually becoming a parent, the more I start to try and think about all aspects involved (both positive and negative) with making these kinds of decisions for your child.  
• Shortly after reading this article, I found another article that showed me exactly what an 8 year old could do with their cell phone.  Project K-Nect placed mobile cell phones in the hands of at-risk 9th grade students in 4 different schools in North Carolina.  They were given access through the phones to special math programs that were to be used in conjunction with the teacher's regular lesson plans.  Students did show some improvement in their math lessons when they took the state Algebra exam.  Again, there are many issues involved with making this decision (i.e. students texting during class, playing games on their phones, etc.), but it does provide an incredibly more cost-effective way of using technology in the classroom verses having a computer for each child.  Again, definitely something to keep thinking about in the future.

It truly is a whole new world for this next generation, and I feel really old when I think that I got my first cell phone my senior year in high school.  As Brad and I have stepped into working with the student ministry at our church, it's also good to keep up on these different trends and issues as we look at the best way to communicate with today's students.  Any thoughts on some things that have worked for you?

Three Thilly Thisthers

My sister Ashley had the chance to visit Detroit last weekend while her husband was out of town, so we got to enjoy a delightful Sister Weekend!  Brad got a healthy dose of life with girls throughout the weekend and he may, at this point, be a little worried. :-) 

Here are a few pics from our lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe.  It's a restaurant where we've loved going while we're on vacation, so it made it seem like a mini-vacation to go there together. :-) (In the one picture, Ashley and I are making our best frog faces . . . I think hers is better.) I hope Gabriella gets to enjoy sisters like mine someday! :-)

6 Months!!

For those of you who wanted to keep up with baby progress and pictures (Jen A.) :-) . . . Here you go! (I wore the same outfit so you could compare.)

• I forgot to post that we picked a name.  (Sorry!!!)  We ruled out Robin, Ima, and Ura (say them all with our last name) and instead selected the name Gabriella Faith.  Gabriella means "God is my Strength" and it's been a great starting point for a lot of my specific prayers for her.  I'm praying that she would be a woman of faith who finds her strength in God.  The nicknames are numerous and I'm sure we'll use Gabby, Brie, Ella, and/or Bella.
  
• I feel like sometime shortly after the 5 month mark I became "suddenly pregnant."  My head knew that I was pregnant, but it was like my body suddenly caught up with the fact.  I swear that I triple in size each day (at least it feels like that).  Sometimes I'll come down in the morning and brush my teeth and start to talk to Gabby insisting that she was not that big when I went to bed the night before.  Just to confirm my suspicions, one day at school one of my girls came up to me and said, "I saw you yesterday and you were not that big yesterday."  Another boy told me that I was getting kind of plump.  I wanted to go into a lengthy explanation of why he should never use that adjective when talking to a girl, but instead I politely smiled and lamented about it later to my husband.
• My girl is an acrobat!  She is VERY active, finding points throughout the day (usually right before I want to go to sleep) when I'm pretty sure she's working on a routine for the 2024 Olympics.  It's pretty cool to realize she's in there and still a little surreal to think that I have 2 little feet inside of me.

That's the latest on the baby front for those of you who wanted to know. :-) Thanks for all your prayers throughout this entire season!

Mrs. Leach

My teaching schedule has finally calmed down a bit almost to the entire other extreme.  I've gone from working about 35 hours a week to about 10.  As a result I've discovered:

• I think I'm finally getting used to being called Mrs. Leach.  One of my coordinating teachers had a last name that sounded suspiciously like Miss Edwards, so I found that I would respond when they called her name as well.  Overall, though, I'm not looking for my mother-in-law as much when people call out, "Mrs. Leach!"
• I realized again that I do love to teach.  Granted these were some pretty ideal teaching conditions in that I didn't have to take home papers to grade, keep up with lesson plans, etc.  I just got to teach, which was pretty fun.  Sure, there were days when getting up at 5:30 got pretty old and my back was hurting from standing, but it was a great experience and I'm so thankful for the opportunity.
• During my student teaching I had experiences in rural, suburban, and urban settings.  It was good to get a taste of each, as my own experience in school was definitely more suburban.  After these past 2 months, I got a much bigger taste of life in an urban school, one which was very "Tale of Two Cities" (i.e. "The best of times . . . the worst of times.").  At certain points my heart would break as I would catch glimpses of the many things these kids are dealing with and the choices that they were making that had some major impacts on their lives.  At other points, I found myself laughing with delight and thrilled to see the progress they would make as well as new perspectives from an entirely different point of view.  It's something I'll continue thinking about for a while, I'm sure.
• I have a whole new respect for women who are pregnant and working full-time.  You are my heroes. :-)

Beautiful Baby!

I forgot to post the latest pics of Baby Girl.  I usually can't see anything but blobs on these ultrasounds, but this last time, I really could make out her little body.  I'm including a pretty profile shot as well as a picture of her cute little feet. :-)

In Spite of Myself

I changed my major 3 times in the first 6 months of college.  There was almost one more time during my junior year when I was going to switch out of elementary education into a broader communications major.  My reasoning?  The more I got into my education classes, the more I realized I didn't want to be a teacher, at least in the traditional sense of the word.  If I asked people about it, they were pretty quick to agree with me.  After all, if there's one major that you're supposed to know what you're going to do when you graduate, it's education.

The only thing that I couldn't shake was that when I prayed about it, I really felt like God was telling me to stay in education.  This meant that I would have to complete student teaching, go through the certification tests and everything else that came with it, all the while knowing that I didn't want to teach.  Even though it seemed like a crazy decision, I chose to obey the best that I could, trusting that God would work something out through the madness.

In the years since, I've been amazed at how God has used that training as a background to prepare me for so many opportunities that I couldn't have imagined.  I went into Student Ministry for 3 years, and used my training to write curriculum, teach lessons, and get some kind of preparation to understand the middle school psyche (although I don't know that you can ever be fully prepared for that).  The 3 years that I spent in Kidz Ministry further expanded my background, especially in understanding the "Early Childhood" realm of things.

And over these past few months, God's added another layer to "Aren't You Glad I Had You Major in El Ed?" as I've been working in a couple of the Detroit Public Schools through my job with Kaplan.  I'm helping to prepare high school juniors to take a state-wide test, the MME, in about a month, which includes taking the ACT (the college prep test that most mid-westerners use).  Initially, my greatest challenge was to try and remember geometric and trigonometry formulas, but in the months since, I've been stretched in an entirely new way.

My school assignments are very urban schools, in 2 different areas of the city.  For a girl who has spent most of her life in a very non-diverse, suburban neighborhood, it was a challenge that I wanted to do in theory, but when it came down to my first trip to the schools, I found myself nervous, scared, and terribly intimidated.  

After 2 months, I can honestly say again that this is yet another experience where I am truly thankful to see how God has blessed me in spite of myself.  I truly look forward to these times and have a genuine love for the kids and desire to see them succeed beyond their expectations.  My prayer has been that God would use it as an opportunity to speak life into their lives and show them gifts that they have that they may have never even known about.

I can't even begin to imagine how God will continue to use all the events of my past, but the older I get, the more I find that I am completely amazed at His masterful handiwork, often using a circuitous road to craft a wonderful journey.

Still Recovering

I'm pretty sure that my baby must've thought her world was collapsing in on itself last night.  I could feel my heart beating throughout the 4 hours of the game and I don't think the tension ever let up.  At the end of it all, though, it was definitely worth it as we got to witness one of the greatest Super Bowls ever!!!

Today I was definitely dragging (and I was terribly jealous of all the Pittsburgh schools who got 2 hour delays today), but whenever I thought of the lovely victory, I couldn't help but be happy.  And I'm pretty sure the baby was happy, too.  Even Brad wore a Polamalu jersey for the occasion.  Now if that isn't a picture of love . . .

Hope you're enjoying the happy times as much as we are!

Over the Hump!!!!

I distinctly remember when I was little and my mom would come to wake us up for school (alarm clocks never seemed to work so well), she would try and give us specific motivation for getting up on a particular day.  Wednesdays were "Over the Hump Day."  We were 1/2 way through the week.  We could soon sleep in during the weekend (except somehow it was never difficult to get up early for cartoons on Saturday).

Yesterday marked "Over the Hump Day" for this pregnancy!  Baby Girl Leach turned minus five months.  (I figure if she's zero when she's born, she would be in negative numbers now.  I keep trying to explain this to her.  It's never too early to learn about integers, I always say.) :-) In some ways it feels like, "I can't believe that I'm already 5 months pregnant!"  And, in a lot of ways it feels like, "I can't believe that I'm only 5 months pregnant!"  

Regardless, I'm really trying to enjoy this season for what it's worth instead of just wanting it to be over.  I certainly have my moments (and the more people bless me with Little Girl clothes the more I want her to be here right now!) but I really do appreciate this season that Brad and I have to pray for our little girl, dream about her, and prepare for the special day when she will join us.  

AND . . . for those of you back in Pittsburgh who have been asking for pictures of the tummy, I finally broke down and took some.  Looks like it was a literal "Over the Hump Day" as well. :-)

Whew!!!!

What a week!  It's hard to even comprehend all the amazing gifts that God's blessed me with this week.  A quick recap:

• 1 Year Anniversary - Brad planned a surprise getaway to Chicago right after church on Sunday.  He planned out all the little details (i.e. staying in a Hyatt b/c that's where we stayed on our honeymoon), fun presents, and made sure that we left in enough time so that we could still watch the Steeler game on Sunday night.  I felt so loved, honored, special and undeserving of the man God has given to me as my husband.  I would have found it hard to imagine how I could love him more now than I did on January 19, 2008, but somehow, it's true!
• One For the Other Thumb? - The Steelers won.  Do I even need to say more?  Somehow, though, it seems like people in Detroit think that it's more important to cover a new President's inauguration rather than pre-Superbowl coverage.  Crazy Detroiters.
  
• New Teaching Position - I have the opportunity through my job as an instructor with Kaplan, to work in one of the Detroit Public High Schools through the end of February to help prepare their students to take the ACT.  I didn't realize until this week that it would be 8 hrs. a day, 3 days a week, so it's been somewhat of a mind-shift to get back into that schedule in addition to the other teaching jobs I've been doing.  I really enjoy the challenge and opportunity, but find myself exhausted (and obviously behind on my blogging).  And, after the first day, I remembered why teachers don't often wear heels to school. :-)
• Boppli's a SHE!!! - Early Thursday morning, Brad and I got to go and see some of the most recent pictures of little Boppli.  What an incredible experience and what an incredible surprise when we discovered she's a girl!!!!  For some reason, we were both pretty certain that Boppli was a boy.  The last few days have been filled with such delight as I imagine holding our baby girl in a few months and I even got our first little baby girl clothes last night.  So cute!  You can read Brad's thoughts here.
• So rich . . . - Last night, we ended our exciting week with such a special and memorable time of celebration.  Brad had planned a night to bring back the members of our wedding party and ask them for wisdom, advice, and accountability as we journey into Year 2 of our marriage and larger family. :-) We enjoyed a time of prayer, worship, and beautiful insights as each person had something unique and special to share that God had given to them.  I truly felt so rich as I sat there last night surrounded by such tangible examples of God's faithfulness.  It's almost too much to comprehend.

So sorry for the delayed post to those of you who have been waiting to hear the Boppli news.  I'm going to try and scan some of her pictures and get them up soon!  She's beautiful. :-)

Sophomore Year

I've been catching up on a lot of blogs and have found so many great insights as January seems to be the natural time for reflection on the previous year and dreaming about the next.  I confess that I have been doing a lot of the same.

One of the somewhat obvious realities that I acknowledged was just how much much life changed in the short timeframe of about 12-18 months.  I had realized this before, certainly, but what I didn't take time to recognize were some of the more subtle changes that have occurred.

Clearly external things like my schedule, my job, my name, my city, my church, my home, and my family have changed, and what wonderful changes they were!  What I realized, however, were the effects of these changes that influenced even some of my very simple "likes" and "dislikes."  Things like my choice of reading material (used to be 95% non-fiction and this year has been almost 100% fiction), my desire to write (even journaling has felt more like a chore over this past year), and other preferences have evolved without me quite understanding why.  (A post-graduate burn-out, perhaps?)

I suppose God gave me some perspective during my prayer times, looking back on other seasons of transition . . . going to high school, college, coming out of college, starting grad school.  Each time, that first year was a roller coaster of emotions and physical, mental, and spiritual changes.  I began to see this year as entering a "sophomore year" of sorts, and praying about how God would continue to meld both new and old dreams as I settle into this season of "new normal."

And yes, I realize that I'll be entering an entirely new "freshman year" in a few months when little Boppli decides to grace us with his/her presence, but in the meantime, I really want to press into all that God has for me in this season and enjoy new discoveries as a sophomore.

Homesick

I love my new home.  Really.  Detroit is a great place and I have enjoyed getting acquainted with my new city.  But there are a few moments when I find myself longing for some time in my city of old, and this is definitely one of those seasons.

I confess that when I was living in Pittsburgh, even I could get weary of the constant Steelers-mania that would pervade every aspect of life.  It would take a few weeks, but even I realized that it was a sickness at a certain point.

But living here, would you believe that when they have their news broadcasts, that they don't take 17  out of 26 minutes to talk about the Steelers?!? They talk about things like Auto Shows and Presidential Inaugurations and other incidental world events that may be happening around the Steeler play-off.  They never even mention stories like this one about Pittsburgh's Mayor, Luke Ravenstahl, which really captures the full sickness of Steelers mania in one brilliant story.

I suppose it's healthy to recognize that there's more important things in the world than Steeler football, but it would be nice to indulge in the sickness just a little bit more. :-)

Baby Steeler!

You know that passage in Luke that talks about John the Baptist leaping in Elizabeth's womb when Mary came into her house?  

I'm pretty sure that's what was happening last night during the Steelers game.

No, I didn't officially feel my baby yet, but I know my baby and I know that Boppli was leaping and cheering for the Steelers.

Brad says that I'm exploiting an unfair advantage over this child and to be quite honest, I won't try and argue that point.  I'm trying to persuade Boppli, however, that this child can cheer for both teams.  They only play each other maybe once every 3 years or so, and cheering for both teams will really help Boppli to be well-rounded, learning what it's like to be a good winner and what it might feel like if another team perhaps loses every once in a while.

If ever there was a hope for a Lions fan, it's gotta be the Arizona Cardinals.  And, I'd also like to claim Steelers victory for that team thanks to the leadership of Ken Wisenhut.  It always comes back to the Steelers. :-)

Good Things Come in Small Packages

Brad sent me this video in an e-mail a few weeks ago and I continue to think it is one of the most astounding things I've ever seen.  I can't imagine what kind of mind, patience, and personality that you have to be able to pursue this line of art as your life's work.  I still chuckle just about every time I hear him talk about Alice in Wonderland.

As astounded as I am thinking about a Charlie Chaplain sculpture on the end of an eyelash, however, I have found myself even more astounded recently learning about the life and growth of little Boppli. 

Today is Friday and every Friday I receive an e-mail from Babycenter.com and they tell me what is happening with our little baby and how big Boppli is each week.  Last week, (Boppli's minus 6 month birthday (calculating back from age zero when the baby is born)) Boppli was the size of an avocado and was growing toenails (which ordinarily I would find repulsive, but I can't help but think they're kind of cute).  I'm still waiting on what week 17 will bring.

It's interesting to me to read each week that the baby is growing lungs or fingers or kidneys and yes even toenails, but somehow, my head pictures it all happening like it looks on a newborn baby, when they are 7-9 pounds and a good 18-20 inches long.  When I stop and realize all this is happening when the baby is the size of a shrimp or olive or even a little poppyseed (way back at the beginning), I have an entirely new appreciation for the greatest Artist I have ever known.  God's creativity and genius is simply beyond comprehension and I find myself "pondering all these things in my heart" even more often now.

I thank God for this little masterpiece that He has taken the time to uniquely create and pray that somehow the awe of it all remains even when "new normal" has become "normal."  

The Disney World Phenomenon

I love Disney World.  I grew up in a family that loves Disney World.  And one of the most compelling reasons why, is because it literally is a world within a world.  They so effectively create a land of 7-foot characters and princess castles and $10 chicken fingers that when you are there, it doesn't take long to forget that another world exists, one that has some decisions slightly bigger than, "At which park are we going to eat tonight?" or "Where do you want to use our Fast Pass next?"  

The only problem with doing that so effectively, is that in forgetting that there is another world out there, sometimes, in the midst of the trip, I can forget to truly appreciate the joy of Disney World.  I become so busy in thinking about the next ride, the next meal, the next day, that I miss truly enjoying the thrills of the Rockin' Rollercoaster or the simple nostalgia of walking down a Main Street from long ago.  I forget to do so at least until I get home and remember that Disney World was a pretty special treat, and think, "Why didn't I appreciate that more?" as I wake up and prepare for the normal tasks of everyday living.

And so why could I possibly be writing about Disney World before dawn on this glorious Christmas morning?  On the drive back to Pittsburgh last night, I was struck with the realization that all too often, I am living in the fog of this "Disney World Phenomenon," going through the steps of each day without really stopping to realize the beauty in each moment.  

I'm preparing for the next meal, the next program, the next major life-event coming up, and if I'm not careful, the ride goes on and on and I forget that this is the ride.  I forget that this is a greater joy, a most incredible opportunity that we've been given by our Heavenly Father to enjoy the gifts of this world for such a brief moment, and to actually be able to be used to make a significant life-impact for other people by His grace alone.  And while life on this Earth, I'm sure, cannot hold a candle to eternity with Him, it's still a pretty amazing place to be.

I know.  Heavy thoughts to think about at 6 AM on Christmas morning.  Maybe it's the fact that I came back home last night, back to the Christmas decorations that have been here since I was a kid, the duck gravy bowl that signified that a fancy dinner was coming.  My dad even made chocolates just like we used to have at the old candy factory.  I actually started to tear up when I ate one.  Maybe it's the fact that this is my last official Christmas as a "kid," as a new kid will be with me enjoying Christmas next year.  Maybe it's the fact that Boppli is already waking me up before dawn on Christmas morning even though I can't see him/her yet.

Whatever the reason, I'm kind of glad for the little splash of cold water on my face.  Glad for the opportunity to soak in the joys of the next few days.  To soak up the delights of childhood memories and family and friends and to be truly thankful for the new things that God has done and is doing in my life.  To thank God for a husband and new family that is a dream come true and realize that this ride is a Good one, all of it, even the twists and turns that sometimes make me wish I could somehow get off.  

Everyone will be up soon.  Okay, maybe not too soon.  We seem to not be as early-risers as our younger years.  Regardless, may you soak in this Christmas and ALL the gifts that God has placed under your tree, both tangible and intangible.  May you live in the joys of the dreams He has already given to you and with the hope of the ones not yet realized.  And may you enjoy the ride, remembering the past hills and thrills and relishing each and every moment of the ride right now.  Merry Christmas!

Official Detroiter

I think I have mentioned before that I grew up in a family that was in the chocolate business.  I know.  Too bad I didn't truly realize how cool that was until I was older.  Anyway, I distinctly remember going to help out at the retail stores during the Christmas or Easter holidays, and even as a little girl, my dad taught me proper rules and etiquette of customer service.  Treat the customer with respect.  Welcome them, but don't hover about them.  Help them without pestering them.  Greet them with a smile.  Basic things, but simple things that can make a big difference.

Perhaps it was from these early lessons, but in the years since, I have become a customer service junkie.  Whenever I meet a company or business or associate that shows exemplary skills, I will be their biggest cheerleader and tell everyone I can about it.  Thanks to an AT&T associate named, Quiana, I am now a raving fan of AT&T's service.

On Monday, she spent about an hour with me, helping me activate an iPhone for Brad and gave me a temporary number for it so I could give it to him for Christmas.  I think she was almost as excited as me. 

Monday night, I lost my phone.  When I realized it wasn't coming back, I went back on Wednesday, and she immediately remembered my name, situation, and was concerned something happened with the surprise.  When I told her about the phone, she spent about another 45 minutes with me helping me look at possible plans and phone options.

I gave Brad his phone last night (I think I have a better idea of what a cute little boy he must've been when he received "Snake Eyes" for Christmas.  The man has a new toy and he is happy) and we went back to the store where Quiana again spent 1.5 hours with us (even staying after the store closed) to make sure we were completely set up and pleased with our choices.  We are even Facebook friends now.

All that to say, I am now a very happy AT&T customer, with a new phone (an LG Vu - I'm thinking of calling it Barbara after another "View" star) and a new Detroit phone number.  I guess it's now official that I am a Detroiter.

The Best of Times . . . The Worst of Times

Ok, so maybe the "worst of times" is a bit hyperbolic, but anyone who has misplaced their cell phone knows how "worst of times" it can really be.  Seriously, if I try really hard, I can remember a time without cell phones, but I don't know how we functioned!  I continue to pray that it will show up, but I fear that my dear Samsung Alias may be lost forever.

On the best of times side of things . . . this morning, Brad and I got to hear little Boppli's heartbeat!  It was pretty amazing (no hyperbole used) . . . a really fast "swoosh swoosh" rather than the traditional "lub dub" that fully grown hearts seem to beat.  Doctor said that everything sounded great so we continue to thank Jesus for the gift of little Boppli and trust him/her in His care.

AND . . . as if the day couldn't get better after the heartbeat, I went to my e-mail and saw that what I thought to be my impossible dream has come true.  One of my all-time favorite stores, Bed, Bath, and Beyond (see prior post here), has indeed branched out to baby land and is opening a store not too far from me!  BuyBuy Baby is coming to Canton, MI, right by another Top 10 store, Ikea!  How happy is Leah.  And Boppli too.  Boppli told me so.

Never Too Early

So my friend, Kim, sent Brad and I a very helpful e-mail yesterday that she read on another friend's blog.  It's some very helpful reminders about how to best care for Baby when little Boppli comes along.  I've read it several times and it never ceases to make me giggle.  You can never start preparing for these things too early!

Not Hijacked

A few weeks ago, my blog was hijacked by my oh-so-funny husband when he announced to the world that I was pregnant and what a great husband he was.  

I just wanted to start off by saying that this post is not hijacked, but I do want to reiterate again what an amazing husband I have. :-)  

My man has been serving this family like crazy, unpacking all of our luggage, helping with the Christmas decorations, cleaning the house and dishes, and even came home on Saturday with one of the first e-mails I sent him over 2 years ago with a recipe for Cranberry Chicken on it that he was going to make me for dinner (and then he even allowed the menu to be changed when he saw that it really wasn't sitting well with my stomach).  All of this in the middle of catching up from vacation and the busy weekend at church with a kick-off to the Christmas season!  What a guy.

Thanks, Brad, for being such a picture of Jesus to me.  I love you, Baby!