Articles and pictures

I read this article by Ann Voskamp and thought that you should, too:
After Steubenville: 25 Things Our Sons need to know about Manhood

On a different topic, this article by John Piper is good, too:

Seven Things to Pray for Your Children

Today is Palm Sunday!  Here are some pictures from Easter, seven years ago, in Jerusalem.  Click the pictures for a better view, especially the picture of the Greek Orthodox procession. :)

Awwwww, a young Jennica and a furry Amos
The Garden Tomb (not the actual place of Jesus' burial and resurrection)

Amos, Colin, and Nate; Brittany, Megan, Jennica, and Ryan
Outside the Garden Tomb

Even though it was Easter, to the Greek Orthodox it was Palm Sunday
Courtyard of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

It was also a Jewish day of blessing
The Western Wall Plaza

He Who Must Not Be Named

Our little, white Toyota died two weeks ago.  I dropped off Amos at work, took two right turns and a left, and heard a sickening, grinding crunch.  Our car was dead.  Goodbye, little transmission!
Our friend Megan immediately hopped in her car and took me to work, where I told my woes to my instructional assistant, Linda.  Linda gave me a ride down the hill and around the corner to Enterprise, where I rented a car for a really good price.  Later that day John and Cami lent us their Taurus, allowing us to return the rental car (good riddance; did not like that rental car).  Thus began the two-week trial of test driving cars, listening to salesmen's spiels, getting financing, and finding a car within our price range.  We finally found one at a little used car lot staffed by a very friendly and helpful manager, Brian.  Amos let me drive the new car home last night, which was great and really fun, in spite of a long, freeway detour on surface streets.  Even that wouldn't have been that bad if I hadn't imbibed so much water, tea, and Gatorade yesterday, haha!
Now we have our little car, and here are some pictures!  The journey isn't over quite yet, though.  Amos just called to say that our loan didn't work out the way we expected, so we have to do more paperwork to correct that (it's okay, it will just take a little longer to get everything squared away; always read the fine print!).
A few of our friends have named their cars (weird).  Cami's Taurus is named Dory after the forgetful fish on "Finding Nemo."  Courtney named her hybrid Prius Priscilla.  Luke's green Honda is called Elliot after "Pete's Dragon," and Danielle's Corolla is named Ebenezer, because God worked in a miraculous way to provide that car at just the right time.  Mom is the only one in my family who ever called a car by a name and then only sporadically.  She would encourage one of our cars or vans to chug up hills by saying, "Come on, Bessie!!!"
Amos and I do not name our cars.  However, I told Amos that we should call our car He Who Must Not Be Named*, just to be funny and snarky.  Haha!  We'll see if it actually sticks.

Our little 2007 Hyundai Elantra, manual transmission, 82,000 miles: 

He Who Must Not Be Named

Just waiting on the "I kill my own SPIDERS" bumper sticker

Wow, it looks so nice!

*He Who Must Not Be Named is another title for Voldemort, the villain in the Harry Potter books

Thrift Store Finds: January 29-March 9th

Assistance League finds

The Assistance League Thrift store is right down the street from Amos and me.  I went there with only one dollar (on purpose), but had to come back home to get a few more!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J.K. Rowling, with dust jacket
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, with dust jacket
The Trumpet of the Swan, E.B. White, with dust jacket (I love this one!)
The Handmade Alphabet, Laura Rankin, with dust jacket (for my friend Becky, who is a sign language interpreter at the local junior college; she and her husband Mike have a little boy, so I figured they'd like this one)

Four books for $4.36!

Public library finds, right down the street

Berenstains' Baby Book, Stanley and Janice Berenstain

The Berenstains' B Book, Stanley and Janice Berenstain

Two books for $1.50!

Local church library find

Barrier Free Friendships: Bridging the Distance between You and Friends with Disabilities, Joni Eareckson Tada and Steve Jensen

Free!

Canyon Country Goodwill finds

Adventures of Amelia Bedelia,  Peggy Parish (three stories in one)

The Big Honey Hunt, Stanley and Janice Berenstain

The Polar Express, Chris Van Allsburg

Three books for $5.00!