The Christmas Letter Episode

              Dear friends,
The time has come at last: the last installment of Woven Together's  year in the blogsphere. Now, I realize that that statement raises two points, both of which I will address. First, as I have never before explained the name of our blog, I suppose now is as good a time as any. So, the reason for the title is two-fold. First, we are building a family, and weaving together a story that is our life. Second, Heather chose this title as she is a crochet-enthusiast, and we are selling her creations to help fund our adoption. The second major point raised by my first sentence is that this blog is the last for the year. Now, I know that this may cause some panic among our most rabid readers, but rest assured. We will be back early next to post. Heather and I have decided to spend our break as free from internet/smartphones as we possibly can. We are looking forward with great anticipation to being able to relax and enjoy the pleasures of reading in front of a fire while sipping hot cocoa (or tea, in Heather's case). This sounds idyllic, I know, and I am longing for these simple pleasures more than you might imagine. Now that I have decided to embrace the Christmas spirit, I am having, surprisingly, a great deal of fun, and the next two weeks promise to enjoyable and memorable. Having said all of that, Heather suggested that I use this post to stand in for all of the Christmas cards/letters that we won't send (I am terrible about things like that, sorry). And so, let the Christmas letter begin.

          Dear friends,
We hope that our letter finds you well, wrapped in the love of Christ, and enjoying the companionship of family and friends during this, the most special time of year. We have had a very busy year. To start, just over a year ago, we purchased our first home. Just as we had been convinced we would never find a place to call our own, God opened a door for us, and provided a home that was beyond our wildest dreams. After a nightmarish moving process (don't ask- it hurts to remember), we had the house ready for our first Christmas hosting family. For almost a week, family stayed with us, and enjoyed how warm Georgia is in winter (I STILL miss snow).

        Not long after the weather turned, we made the second major change in our lives: we adopted Ringo, from a shelter in Big Canoe (which, if you know anything about it, will know what a truly confusing area it is, and so, will understand why I had such a hard time navigating my way around). Ringo was two, and had lived almost his whole life at the shelter. We were told it might take him some time to get used to us and show us affection. They were right- it took almost two whole minutes before he was licking our faces (what a very standoffish dog). Since then, a good portion of my life has been walking the little prince (no, not THAT little Prince [and no, Ringo does not wear purple {or any color for that matter- I hate dog clothes}]) in the rain, the heat, and if we are lucky, the snow. He and I have discovered many cool places to walk, including a cow pasture, where just the other day, well, I'll let the picture speak for itself: [Writer's note: I spent an hour trying to get some photos to upload from my phone, but alas, they quality was so low that I was unable use any for the blog]. Since that did not work, I'll just tell you. The other day, cows were out in the pasture, and they let Ringo get within ten feet, before they would move away. He was remarkably well-behaved around the cows, which was good, as I didn't feeling like getting Ringo cow-kicked (and for those of you who the song about Mrs. O'Leary, you know what I am talking about). As I write this, Ringo is lying on the floor of the office, bathing in rays of sun  coming through the window [he has such a hard life, poor boy...].

        If those two things weren't major enough, 2012 still had several surprises in store. In August, Heather started teaching violin lessons at a local music store in the evenings. Heather loves teaching so much that she was willing to give up several evenings every week in order to teach violin (in addition to the students she teaches at our house on Saturdays (which explains all of the dog-walking that I do). She has been loving it, and enjoys getting to pass along her gift to others. If you have never heard her play, I suggest you stop by some day- it's worth it, I promise. As Heather begin violin lessons, my cross country teams turned some heads at state- winning the boys' division and taking runner-up in the girls' division. All-in-all, a pretty exciting fall for us. And to top it off- we did something I thought we would never do. We bought a motorcycle. For the past 6.5 years, we have been living with only one vehicle, and that had become so challenging that we gave in and bought the bike (which most of you have seen). It has been a blast! Heather keeps me safe by requiring that I wear all sorts of protective gear when I ride (which on more than one occasion has been the difference between a non-eventful ride and an accident). I am still thankful to Heather for allowing me to get the bike, and her indulgence of my habit of going on rides for no real reason.Ghanima (the bike) has given me a real sense of freedom, and helps me relax after a long day at school.

        The last major event this year has been the reason for the blog: our adoption. I can't begin to thank everyone enough for their support, contributions, and words of encouragement. You are changing our lives, and you may not even be aware of that, so I want you (yes, you. I am talking to YOU) to know that we are both thankful beyong all expression for how loving you have been. Without your help, none of this would have been possible. As we head into a new year, we both take comfort from knowing that you are going along on this journey with us, and are partnering us in this whole process. THANK YOU! From the bottom of my what in most people would be called a heart, thank you!

        The final shout-outs of 2012: Mom and Dad, thanks for your love, and support, both with the adoption and in helping us buy the bike. Barb and Ed, thanks again for donating to our adoption, and again, for help with the down-payment on the house. Kim and Jon Kranz, thanks for such a generous donation!! We miss you and Sam a ton! Dr. David Will finished medical school, and is now a doctor working with  (don't hate me if I mess this up) Indiana University health systems! I can't believe it: my little brother is a doctor. I also want to thank my basketball team for continually inspiring me. Girls, I could not have asked for a better team, and I am having more fun than I have in a long, long time. Finally, I want to everyone who, in whatever way, helped make this such a special year for Heather and me. We join together in sending our love-

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and a Happy New Year to all! We will see you again soon!

Much love,

-J&H-

Songs of Christmas Confusion

          Once again,
We find ourselves back in our accustomed places: me here, sitting behind a computer and laboring to complete my thoughts; you there, enjoying my lack of coherence and cogency. Nevertheless, as we are once again met in council, I suppose that I should speak my mind and let you get back to whatever else it is that you have planned for today. Or tonight, if that is the appropriate ToD. Or whenever in the diurnal cycle you are taking up fourth-dimensional space to get to the bottom of this post. We had our annual Christmas Chapel at school yesterday, and not surprisingly, we sang many Christmas songs. Which got me thinking.
         Which is never a good thing. Which led me to decide on a topic for today's post. Which then compelled me to write about that topic for your enjoyment. Or disgust. Or any emotion you feel appropriately describes the sensations you experience while reading. Where was I? Oh, yeah. Christmas songs. The title of the post today describes an issue that bears discussing, but is one that many people are too ashamed admit to: Christmas song lyric confusion.
         Now, I know that none of you will admit to this, so let me be the first. I have been unaware of many correct song lyrics for many years, and so I have a list of songs that I sing incorrectly, even though I now know the right words. See? That admission wasn't so hard. Now, we can cover some of the oldie-but-goodie lyric mistakes that surround Christmas.
         First, when you sing, "Hark, the Herald Angels", it really is Herald (as in a person who announces visitors to a king), and not Harold, some lonely angel we have never heard of before. As a kid, I always thought that Harold was the right lyric, and even today, I can't help but think about it every time I hear the song.
         Another commonly mis-sung lyric comes to us from "Silent Night". The most common mis-singing in this song is from the line, "Round yon virgin, mother and Child." The most common mistake here is that the word "yon" is sung as "young". Don't get me wrong, Mary was certainly young. However, this lyric actually means to sit near (round) the person over there (yon) who is a virgin. So, try not to mess that one up any more if possible. Kthxbai. Just kidding. We aren't done yet (and please, keep your moaning to yourself, as I can hear you all the way over here).
        If you prefer more modern Christmas lyrics and associate mistakes, please consider the song, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." The first line of the song is, "Rockin' around the Christmas tree, at the Christmas party hop." This, of course, is a reference to the sock-hop days of yore. However, in most versions of the songs, the part about the "Christmas party hop" gets so garbled that it usually sounds something like, "Rockin' around the Christmas tree at the Christmas hardy-har." Also from the same song is the charming lyric, "deck the halls with boughs of holly", which comes out sounding like, "deck the halls with balls of holly." Given that holly is a tree, I find it highly unlikely that you can make a ball out of a tree (without extensive carving, which the song DOES NOT imply).
       And finally, at least for today,  I must mention the grandest of all mis-singings of which I am aware. You are most likely familiar with "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", which begins, "You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry..." The mis-singing that I want to mention here stems from a version of the song created by my second cousin Dan T. As a child, he created the following lyric, which I always end up singing, more than a decade after its invention: "You'd better watch out, you'd better say, 'John', cause Johnny won't not coming onnee. Satches won't work, hatches won't work, you never know if matches will work. Santa Claus is coming to the people running through the citeee. You'd better watch out, you'd better say, 'John' cause Johnny won't not comin onnee baw-wao-waom." I have no idea what this rendition of the song means, but boy, was it ever catchy, and just as I am stuck with it, I am fairly certain that at least some of you will also be stuck with it. Well, at least misery loves company. I would love to hear any renditions of any of your favorite mis-sung Christmas songs as well, so let me know. Also, since Heather would like me mention adoption at least once a post, let me do it this way: If you are looking for a way to assuage some holiday-hedonism-guilt, perhaps the best method is to donate to an organization that either helps families adopt a child, or an organization that offers support to mothers who do not want to abort a child, but, for whatever reason, cannot keep it. Given how rampant unexpected (which sounds a lot nicer than unwanted) pregnancy is, even in the US, a few dollars can go a long way toward saving, or at the very least, changing the life of a child. I am not saying this in an effort to raise funds for our adoption (although that would be nice), but rather to make people aware of how much help they can give mothers and children who are in need. Just a little food for thought. The next time you hear from me, I will be a free man: free from school and exams and tests for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!!!!! It goes without saying that my brain will be mush, but at least I will be free, and perhaps will find the time to write a deep, and life-changing post that will bring Christmas (or Hannukah) cheer to all of you faithful readers. In the meantime, I hope that you find the opportunity to show kindness to a stranger or two, which after all, is really much more satisfying than getting a mountain of "stuff" and overeating at the office holiday party. Until then amigos,
Auf wiedersehen!
-J&H-

That Time of Year, Again

         Hello again, friends. I apologize for the tardiness of this latest installment to our blog, and I am sorry that so many of you were kept in such suspense for such a long time. But, as the title of the post suggests, it's that time of year, again. You know, the one where you have multiple basketball games each week, and you are desperately trying to create exams for classes while simultaneously continuing to teach those same classes in order to get them ready for said exams? Oh, wait. That's me, not you. Sorry for the mistake. When I put my head down and get to work, I tend to forget that not all people are teachers, and so most of you probably have no idea what I am talking about. That's ok. And no, I don't need sympathy. Why? Because, it's that time of year, again.
           That's right, it's that time of year when I am almost on Christmas vacation, and the world seems so bright and full of promise (figuratively, of course, as December has the shortest, darkest day of the year). Also, it's that time of year, again, when students begin bringing in treats to share, and the neighborhood is lit with all of the bright lights I remember from childhood. An amazing thing has been happening to me this year, and it's something I have never experienced before. For many years now, I have been known as a grinch to my students and friends around this time of year (and yes, the lectern in my room does has a picture of the Grinch taped to it). For many years, I have been exhausted by all of the lights, cookies, caroling, decorating, etc, as I have found these activies trite and repetitive. But now that it's that  time of year, again, I am seeing things in a different light (ha ha). Even though we are still a long way from completing our adoptive journey, I have begun viewing the Christmas (and or Kwanza and or Hannukah) season through the eyes of a potential child. I am being reminded that that time of year, again, isn't something to dread, but something to embrace. I am in the process of remembering the joy of the little things, like baking cookies, or sitting watching a fire on a cold night. I am remembering the innocence and excitement that all children seem to have during the festive season. I am also beginning to visualize what it will be like to finally have a little one of my own to pass on Christmas traditions to, and watch as he or she (hopefully not it, as I don't want to adopt a Hooloovoo [see the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for an explanation]) gets to experience all of the joy that being part of a loving family at Christmas time can bring.
              And finally, it's that time of year, again. The time when we begin to look ahead to the next year, and we begin to make promises to ourselves about the changes will make in our lives. I want to propose a change to that tradition. I propose that instead of using the end of the year to ve overly indulgent, and then promise we will do "better" next year, we should spend the days between now and the end of the year being extravangantly king and loving to one another, so that when the year ends, we will look back and be confident that our actions had a lasting impact on OTHERS, and that we will forget about the commercialism, hedonism, and general insanity spurred by the various toy and diamond companies. Let us make that time of year, again, into "that time of year again!!!!!!!" Friends, be good one another.

        Until the next time,
-John and Heather-

1/2 way there!!

Hi everyone!  I know you all have been anxiously awaiting what John is going to write about next, but he is very busy this week so you will be hearing from me.

Our exciting news from this week is that we are now ½ way to our waiting family goal and 1/3 of the way to our total fundraising goal.  We are so excited and can’t thank all of you enough.  John and I have put this adoption in God’s hands and He is definitely taking care of us.  It is absolutely amazing to me that it was just over a month ago that we announced we were adopting.

 I remember the first time John and I considered adopting.  It was almost 2 years ago.  We started to research agencies and what was involved in the adoption process.  At that point, we saw the $30,000 price tag and thought that adoption would not be an option for us for a very long time. But, the pull to adopt never went away. This past October I couldn’t shake the feeling that we needed to adopt.  The pull was so strong that I knew I needed to talk to John about it and I would trust that if it was the right decision for us God would open doors.  I sent John a Facebook message telling him what I had been thinking about and asking him to think and pray and we could talk more about it at home.  Very quickly John responded that he was on board with me.  For the next couple weeks, I did TONS of research.  I read up on agencies, called agencies, read adoption blogs, and bookmarked all the adoption information I could. I also had to do my best to keep my mouth shut.  For those who know me well you know how hard that is for me.  I was so excited when we got accepted by ANLC and could finally share our news with everyone.

Now we are on our way to becoming a waiting family and eventaully parents.  We couldn’t be more excited.  We know there are a lot of hoops to jump through and lots more waiting to come but for right now we are focusing on our blessings and enjoying our time together.

The Thanksgiving Episode

           Dear Fans,
Since this is Thanksgiving Day, I will keep the post short, and to the point (if that is even possible for someone like me). Let me begin with my list of "thankful fors".

I am thankful for:
-you, the fans
-Heather
-turkey
-an interwebs that allows me the room to rant, rave, prognosticate, and blather
-the Chicago Bears (although I don't know why anymore)
-fall weather
-turkey
-the movie Elf (which you need to see if you have not already)
- space exploration
-the adoption process (see, I told you I would always find a way to mention it)
-dogs (but most certainly NOT cats)
-turkey
-Wall E (one of the best movies of all time)
-fire
-quirky friends
-an enthusiastic basketball team (and girls, if you are reading this, go run 3 miles)
-Lake Owen (if you don't know, you should go find out [or ask me sometime])
-turkey

Ok. That is out of the way. On to business. Well, we would go on to business, if there were business that needed attending. But let's face it: it's Thanksgiving, and I am so fixated on the impending turkey that I can't focus on much else. Oh, on a side note: Heather fed me bacon for breakfast this morning. That means that in one glorious day, I will consume every single one of my favorite foods. Which is excellent, but sets the bar awfully high for food on the other 364 days of the year. Despite that, I will survive, and once today is over, I will soldier on until next Thanksgiving. After we demolish the turkey (and yes, when my brother and I are in the same room, food gets demolished, not eaten), we will spend the afternoon and evening playing a wide variety of games, including the ever popular Solar Quest (if you are unaware of this magnificent game, I highly recommend that you find a copy and play it [although currently on eBay, the game is going for around $200. This is a ripoff, given that when it was  purchased for my birthday many years ago, it was less than $30]).

I know that many people are using the interwebs to post lists of deep and meaningful things that they are thankful for, but it bothers me that people only do this around Thanksgiving. I mean, shouldn't people be grateful year-round, and express that gratitude likewise? I hope that all of you fans will do better than this, and be thankful for everything you have, but on a daily basis. If you are, I believe you will lead much more satisfying lives. However, today is a great day for letting people know that you are thankful to and for them, so I encourage all of you to say "thanks" to at least one person today. I want to say a big "thank you!!!!" to all of our faithful readers and donors, who are helping us reach our goal of pre-funding our adoption. Also, a big thanks goes out to my folks who are hosting this wonderful day of fun and feasting. Finally, a big thanks to all of you out there who have been a part of my life this past year-without you, I would literally be all alone, which would have been boring, so I am deeply grateful that you filled what would have otherwise been a very empty calendar with many joyous events, shin-digs, hoe-downs, and hootenannies, and all of the other various experiences we have shared this year, all of which have made this past year what it was, which is a truism, I know, but sometimes, when you are focused on turkey, truisms are the only way you can express yourself clearly in what is obviously a ridiculous run-on that is created to draw your attention to said run-on, and to keep people guessing as to when the run on will end, without ever giving away the ending, or even attempting to make meaning as the end of the sentence draws nigh, which it does, but not quite yet, as it is quite enjoyable to write run-ons like this one, and I hope you all enjoy reading the run-on, and that you enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving Day! Until we meet again, my friends. I am off to a date I have with some turkey.

-J&H-

The Baby Convergence

     ::knock:: ::knock:: Yes, hello? You're looking for whom? Oh, the verbose yet taciturn gentlemen with no hair? Follow me, he's right over there by the window. Let me warn you, be careful when speaking to him, as he is startled by loud noises, and you don't want to see him startled. Why? It's just not pretty. Ok, here we are. Just remember what I told you about him.

     Y-yes? Who are you? Go away. I want to take a nap. Oh, you're one of my readers. That's ok, then. Sit down, rest a spell. You want me to tell another strory? Ok, I suppose since you've come all this way, that you should get something for your time. Let me think. Hmmm, what story to tell you? Oh, I know. This story is called the Baby Convergence. It begins, "Once upon a time..."

     Once upon a time, Heather and I started making a plan to adopt a child (sorry to keep harping on this, but as that is the purpose of this blog, I need to keep mentioning it).Once we did that, we began to notice something strange. Many of our friends, acquaintances, FB followers, etc., were all getting pregnant just as we were learning that it might take us two years to adopt. Everywhere I look, I see couples who are pregnant, and proudly displaying the sonogram photos for everyone's enjoyment. I am afraid to look behind me, for fear that a large group of pregnant ladies will be chasing me (I realize this sounds like a paranoid delusion, but it is really a hyperbolic statement of satire). There is even a name for this condition of seeing relevant data in irrelevant places. It is officially known as Blue Car Syndrome, but given that my interest is not in blue cars (nor do I own said car), I think that calling it the Baby Convergence is much more effective. And enjoyable. And humorous. And.
     Although the Baby Convergence is an intriguing way to approach the study of human observation, what is more meaningful to me is how much the Baby Convergence is teaching me about myself. Specifically, how impatient I am. Now, I realize that most of you already know how impatient I am, but this discovery is new to me. I always had some inkling that I was not the most patient person by nature (shocking, I know), but was totally unaware of the depth of my own impatience. Before this experience, I assumed that I was fairly level-headed, and able to keep perspective on things. I now know that I am not level-headed when I can't get what I want, when I want it (and to you readers who are Shewamegonites, I am sure this comes as no surprise). And so, I am beginning the very arduous, and irritating, process of becoming more patient. Every day, I need to remind my self that there is an endgame in play, and that I just need to hang on long enough to see it. Or, pull out my hair trying. Oh, wait...
     Anyway, it occurs to me that perhaps this waiting period can be used as a test. I am told that parents need patience more than just about anything else except for sleep. Perhaps then, this waiting period should be viewed as a test. I have long advocated the idea that if possible, people should be forced to take a parenting exam prior to having or adopting a child. Perhaps, just perhaps, this is my version of that test. If I can't be patient over the course of a year or two, how can I possibly be patient over the course of 20+ years of a child trying to give me a heart-attack via their foolish actions. And once we do adopt, there are no do-overs, or take-backsies, so I guess I need to learn now, not later. For those of you who know me well, I hope you can view these few years with a sense of comic-relief (and yes, you can have a sense like that [to my ravenous grammar and English teacher friends, I know that this is not TECHNICALLY correct, and so although my syntax is not perfect here, my sense of the language shines through]). If you are ever having a bad day, just picture me trying to be patient, and I think you will laugh hard enough to make your bad day turn good. See? This blog IS good for something.
     Another interesting note about the Baby Convergence is how much it has opened my eyes to the subculture of adoption. Prior to starting this endeavor, I was only aware of a few people who had tried to, or sucessfully completed, the adoption process. Now, however, I am meeting more and more people who are in the same boat as I am. And I am learning, to my great relief, that many of these people are as impatient as I am. I realize that this is textbook schadenfreude (look it up people), but it makes me feel better about my own lack of patience. Or, is it really normal, and I am not impatient after all? No, that doesn't sound at all right. I suppose I should revise that idea. Ok, I am impatient, but at least I am in good company. If a group of impatient people who are trying to be patient can be seen as good company. I suppose it could equally be viewed as a powder keg about to explode. Which, for those not involved, has the potential to be quite funny. I highly recommend that you all send words of encouragement to Heather, as she is living next to the powder keg. She needs all the help she can get. Maybe you, Dear Reader, can take turns with her, as she guards me on my quest for patience. Either that, or send her a plane ticket for Hawaii, so she can relax after dealing with me all the time. That poor, poor girl.

     "...and they lived happily ever after." Did you like the story? I hope so. My story-telling isn't what it used to be. All I do is talk to the walls, and stare out the window, so I'm not that great at relating stories any more. I do hope you'll come back; it gets lonely around here at this time of year. Ahh, here is the orderly. No doubt, he is here to take you back to the front desk. Thanks again for the visit.

     So, how was he? Oh, that's good. He doesn't talk much anymore, so I'm glad he opened up to you. You didn't startle him, did you? Good. Any chance we can talk you into coming back again? We think that if he talks enough, he may function well enough to one day get out of here. We hope you enjoyed your time, and will be willing to volunteer here more often. Oh, really? He told you THAT story? I can see why you don't want to return. Well, hopefully you will change your mind. Have a nice afternoon.

A Gracious Gift

       Hello again, friends. I see you have returned for the fourth installment of the story that is our journey towards adoption. I am glad you have all found the time to return once again to this strange, if whimsical blog again. Heather has asked that I get some business taken care of before I begin rambling, and so, I will. First, Heather informs me that our Etsy website has been updated, with lots of new goodies for you crafty to buy and enjoy. I don't really know much about Etsy, but I do know that our house is filling up with crafts, knick-knacks, and ephemera, so please, do ME a favor, and at least check out the site. If you don't, I may be forced to add another storey to our house, which means I would need ALL of you to come over and help, and since I know that most of you lack the carpentry skills necessary, I think your best bet is to go to our Etsy site, and see what is there. Second piece of business: many of you have asked about the "chip-in" button on the right side of our blog. Specifically, many of you want to know where your donations go. So, for better or worse, I'll let you in on that secret. Any donations received go to us, via PayPal. We are operating this way so that we protect ourselves, and our (and your) investment. If donations went directly to an adoption agency, we would run the risk of losing the money, and having to start all over again (and yes, it does happen to some people). Ok, business complete. On to the rambling.
       The title of this post was chosen very carefully to reflect the main thrust of this week's post- suprise, suprise, a title that is relevant to the topic chosen [can you tell that I teach English?]. The gift in question is noteworthy not for its monetary value (although I do not want to denigrate the gift by dismissing its value, which, in our situation is never small), but the sentiment behind it. One of my students (whose name and gender will remain anonymous- there are too many of you faithful readers who know my students to allow me to give you any clues- but I will give you all a hint- this person is in some way related to the state of Indiana, and so I will call this person Indiana for the rest of the post), approached me two weeks ago to offer a donation to Heather's and my cause. Indiana had recently starting working an afterschool (and weekend) job, and wanted to give us a gift. Indiana then proceeded to tell me that he/she/it (in case my student is actually a hyper-intelligent starfish) had decided to give Heather and me a portion of each paycheck they received from work.
       Near tears (and for those of you who know me well, know what a remarkable feat THAT is), I told the student that I appreciated the gesture, but that he/she/it (again, just in case, as you never want to offend hyper-intelligent starfish [the plural of which I am hereby unilaterally deciding will be starfishen]) had already done more than we could have dreamed, and so did not need to make such a selfless commitment. However, Indiana informed me that in his/her/its view, our cause was worth the sacrifice, and that his/her/its belief was that he/she/it was investing in a child. That phrase caught me off guard. Investing in a child. I had never precisely thought about it that way, but yes, that is exactly what we, and you, Dear Reader, are doing. The ROI (look it up- as a former Econ teacher, I want to use this moment to spread some investing knowledge) will be a very low dollar amount, but will be huge in life equity.
       Anyway, back to Indiana. I was stunned by the generosity of the student, especially given that we had not always operated together under the ideal teacher/student paradigm. My view of this student was that Indiana had lots of talent and ability, and (in my view) a deep desire to not use them. How wrong I was. In that moment, faced with unexpected generosity, I was forced to confront my own limited view of Indiana, and forced to integrate my new insight into my view of this student. I began to see clearly that I had held Indiana to a standard that I would not hold other students, and that by doing so, I had pigeon-holed Indiana into a unrealistic expectation. Looking with new eyes, I saw what I had missed before: a kind, caring student, who took life seriously, but enjoyed not having to be serious at all times. I want to use this blog to issue a public apology to Indiana, for so wrongly judging him/her/it. I am not doing this because of the donation, but because the donation forced me to see how wrong I had been for a long time. I don't know if Indiana will ever read this, but I hope so, so that he/she/it will know that I have recanted, and that I hope we can move forward in a more productive (on my end) fashion.
       Why am I telling this story? Is it for penance? To raise money? To shamelessly get some of you to cry while reading this? The answer is: D) None of the above. I am relating this story because I believe that in our society, generosity is overlooked, and indeed, is sometimes seen as foolish sentiment and weakness. I am writing this because I believe that generosity is not weak, and that when someone does good in secret, they deserve to be praised publicly by others. I believe that in general, kindness is no longer seen as one of the paramount virtues of society, and I believe that we need to change this perception. So, yes, Heather and I would appreciate any donation you may care to make, but no, we don't want anyone to feel guilty or unhappy if you choose to not donate. We understand how difficult giving money can be in this less-than-desireable economy. If you feel donating is not an option, given what I have said earlier, then instead, we urge that you consider doing three random acts of kindness after reading this post. I would like to think that in some small way, if we all act together, we can begin to restore the civic virtue of kindness to its rightful place. Thanks again for coming along on this journey, and I challenge all of you to become an Indiana to someone in your life. We'll be back with more- same time, same place. Until then Dear Reader, adieu.
                                                              -Heather and John-

A (Mock) Tragic Tale

         Dear Reader,
I have very sad news to relate. LucasFilm Limited is being purchased by Disney, Inc. I realize that many of you don't know much about George Lucas, or LucasFilm, and I further realize that many of you who do know about LFL don't care much about the aforementioned purchase, but for the tiny minority of you who do care, read on.
         To begin, let's review Lucas's legacy in the film world. American Graffiti was an interesting take on a nostalgic world that never really existed. But herein lies the rub: it was the perfect run-up to perhaps the most influential movie franchise in history. And then came The Trilogy. In all ways, one of the best movie series in history, as well as one of the most loved. Beyond the iconic characters, the franchise became an archetype for all future movie makers and viewers alike. The Trilogy changed not only how we see movies, but also changed our expectations in regards to story telling. I must admit, the New Trilogy pales in comparison to the Original, but having said that, I still find the New to be far beyond the capacity of most story-tellers. Add to this resume the Indiana Jones quadrilogy, and the smashing success of ILM and Skywalker Sound, and you have one of the most important film empires (yes, the pun is intended) in film history.
         Enter Walt Disney. Another apotheotic name in the film world. I have read much press that indicates how wonderful this merger will be for all involved. But here is the problem as I see it. Disney tends to spin its purchased assets into mirror-versions of itself. I am afraid that Disney will make Star Wars look like Mickey with a lightsaber. I feel that Disney is unable to distance itself from its magic money-making formula in order to embrace the individuality of the asset in question. It makes me quake to contemplate the loss of identity that Star Wars will undergo to fit in with the other Disney "kids". My brother-in-law asserts that Disney will only reimagine the SW universe a bit, and will leave intact the central heart of the franchise. But how can that be so? Can Disney afford to promote a style of film, and film-making, that is so antithetical its own success? I hope so, but don't believe it will happen. Anyway, I welcome your thoughts and condolences as I mourn the loss of such a cherished franchise.
          Oh, and if you and wondering about our road to adoption, I will liken it to the road Lucas had to take to get A New Hope created- very long, very winding, but ultimately supremely worthwhile. See you next week, Dear Reader.

-John and Heather-

The next go-around

     Well folks,

     It looks like you're back, and it looks like I'm back, so I suppose we can get down to business. Despite my comments last week about whether Batman could foil the Joker's plot, given that I am neither a cartoonist, nor a screenwriter, I guess Batman's ultimate fate will be determined at the box office (which, if history is any indicator, means that Batman will have more money than Bruce Wayne by the end of the decade. Oh, wait...)

     Now that we have reached our second entry, I would like to give everyone the opportunity to applaud yourselves for being such ravenous fans of this blog. Go ahead, take thirty seconds to pat yourselves on the back. I'll wait. See, don't you feel better now? It has been your passionate responses to our news that have encouraged us to foray once again into that mystifying realm known as the blog-sphere (to whomever made up the term "blog-sphere": I am quite displeased with this word, and believe that you should be forced to read the OED [look it up people, I can't give away all of my secrets] from end to end until you realize that you have sadly mangled the English language). Heather and I have decided that one post per week will be more than sufficient, and I will try to shoot for Thursdays so that you will always have a sense of when the next post will be added, without being overwhelmed by my ponderous ramblings. I wanted to try a Friday spot, but the networks had given those away to the highest bidder (I guess my Nielson numbers aren't where they need to be this month), so Thursday AM was the only time I could negotiate (yes, I really did just play out a fictional pitch to TV networks). This week's theme: a recap of last week.

     After our announcement last Thursday, our world was turned upside down. The outpouring of love and support from our families and friends has been unbelievable. In the past week alone, people donated almost $1,500 to our adoption fund. Although we will not name names in order to preserve privacy, I do want to mention that your generosity has been beyond anything we could have hoped for. Heather and I are both grateful beyond words, and even though "Thank you!!!!!!" could never be enough, it will have to suffice until I can find more germane and descriptive methods of conveying our gratitude to you. Two days after our announcement, my cross-country teams competed at the state meet, and even more rewarding than their successes (winning the boys' race and taking 2nd in the girls' race), was the fact that in just two days, the team raised almost $200 dollars for our efforts. A special thanks to all of my runners and their parents for being so very selfless. Beyond the donations, all of your emails, phone calls, and FB posts have made the past week one of the happiest in our lives. I know we have a long way to go before we have a child, but, we are thankful to have such a wonderful support system place.

     I feel that ending a post on a maudlin note may make some of you unhappy, and so, with that in mind, I'd like to give you thoughts to ponder until our next meeting. The first is this: how can so many different super-heroes live in New York City? I mean, Superman, Batman, Robin, Batgirl, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Fantastic Four, Spiderman, the X-men(well at least in NY state), Captain America and the Hulk all have residence in the city. How much protection does one city really need? Are the bad guys there really so tough? Or is it all of the sewer rats? Second: was the revision to Star Wars IV, where Greedo was made to shoot first, a good idea? Doesn't that fundamentally alter the character of Han Solo? Third: why is football (American) called football? This game uses feet only very rarely, and yet, still claims the same name as a game where feet are the only method of moving a ball (excluding goalies). Finally: why are tropical storms that are not yet full tropical storms called tropical depressions? Does the movement of wet air cause sadness among people in the tropics? Does the movement of wet air cause the atmosphere itself to become depressed? And if so, is there a therapist large enough to deal with the atmosphere as a whole? And if so, would that therapist ask the atmosphere about its childhood? I don't know. In fact, I don't have the answers to any of these questions, and would like answers. So, please, take some time, consider these things, and let me know. The best answers will make it into next week's post. Thanks for indulging me and playing along.


'Til next time, sports fans-

John and Heather

A New Hope

       First things first: I need to apologize to George Lucas for such a shameless use of such a magnificent movie title. Or perhaps he should pay me an advertising fee for plugging his hexilogy. Either way, I digress.

      Now that that's done, I can move on. I would like to welcome all of you: friends, family, and (hopefully) devoted followers to our blog. If you are wondering why you are looking at this blog, I suppose I should start in the middle, work backwards to the beginning, reference the middle again, before proceeding to the end. If this seems a bit confusing to you, I would suggest that you consider the Schroedinger paradigm, as I suspect that his ideas will influence time travel and allow my thought-processes to make sense in a time-shifted universe. (Disclaimer: whenever John blogs, you will read lots of nerdy science-related ideas, so be prepared to rehash Star Wars and string theory. Whenever Heather blogs, you will find posts that make sense, are easy to read, and are generally to the point. I mention this so that you will always know whose post you are reading.)
        On to the middle of this story. After seven years of being married, we decided that despite being quite happy with our lives, we needed to begin giving back. And so, we have begun the long (very, very, very) process of adopting a child. Some of you may be asking yourself, "Them? Parents?" Let me assure you, we had to ask ourselves the same question before we began this process. After a long period of thinking and praying, we decided that, "Yes, us." After teaching and being married for a full six years, we believe that we finally have the wherewithal to be parents. Now, back to the beginning.
        Heather and I have always known that we wanted to be parents, but we also knew that having kids the first year in a new job would be a risky move. So we waited. For two long years, we waited. And then, we decided to have a child. And we tried. And tried. And tried. And tried. Some of you may be wondering, "Why didn't they get a clue early on?" The answer is that we didn't really want to face the facts. But eventually, we saw a fertility specialist, who gave us a few ideas, but little hope. And so, we went through a period of unhappiness (sorry to those of you affected by said period). Thankfully, that period ended. And then, Heather posed an idea that had never really crossed my mind: adoption. I don't know why I never thought about it, I mean, it's not like I was unaware that adoption existed, but it was almost as if adoption sat squarely in a blind-spot in my mind. I had more or less made up my mind that I would never have the chance to be a parent, and then, Heather broached this idea. Now, I have to admit, at first I was hesitant. I wasn't sure if this was something I wanted to tackle. Heather, however was absolutely on fire with the thought of finally being able to be a parent. After Heather spent untold hours doing research, she finally changed my mind and got me excited about the idea. Scared? More than you know, but excited nonetheless. So, why I am starting off our blog and not Heather, when it was her idea? Well, in truth, given that my degree is in English (which I know a lot of people think is a useless degree), we decided that I might be better suited to the task of kicking off a blog that will be a record of our triumphs and tragedies as we travel down the road of becoming parents. Now back to the mdidle of the story.
       Heather, as I said, did a lot of research, before finding the agency that we hope will be the right match for us, and will enable us to become parents. The agency is the Adoption Network Law Center, an organization that focuses solely on domestic adoptions. We have chosen this agency for three reasons. 1) This is a Christian organization that helps provide support to women who have the courage to not choose abortion. 2) As a law center, this organization specializes in smoothing out some of the tricky legal issues surrounding abortion. 3) Since this agency specializes in domestic adoption, we are  increasing our chances of being selected to be parents, and are providing an option for one of the many, many people in need in our own country. I know that many people opt for foreign adoption, but we believe that there are enough people in need right here at home that need to be taken care of, and we believe in acting on a local level whenever possible. I realize that this makes us sound a bit provincial, and I suppose it makes us so, but need is need, and we feel that it is easiest to act when in close proximity to that need. And so, you will be hearing a great deal about ANLC on this blog, and if you are part of a select few, ANLC may contact you to give references for us. Thanks in advance for that, by the way. Ok, so finally, on to the end, as I promised at the beginning. Or was that really the middle? Or was it a trans-positional statement back-narrated to fit the flow of the post? I have no idea. But it is fun to consider. Anyway, on to the end.
      One of the greatest challenges facing all people considering adoption is the cost. On average, a family who adopts will spend somewhere between $30,000 and $50,000. This is all money that is spent before a child ever is carried through the front door of your home. This cost is scary. This cost can be prohibitive. Yes, there are grants, and yes, there are subsidized loans, but in the end, a great deal of money is still required to adopt a child. And so, we are going to shamelessly ask for help. Over the next several months, both Heather and I will be posting links to websites that we are creating to help raise funds that will help us adopt a child. Right at the outset, let me say this: if you cannot support us financially, we understand completely, and bear you no ill will whatsoever. Also, if you feel that supporting a family who is adopting is somehow a bad idea, we also understand, and won't be upset. However, we hope that as we take this journey, you will come along for the ride, and will help out in whatever ways you see fit. The very first website for fundraising is already on the web, and I promised Heather I would plug it in our very first blog entry. So here it is: justlovecoffee.com/woventogether . My understanding is that you go to the site, buy coffee, and part of the proceeds goes toward our adoption fund. Hopefully, many of you love coffee. :-) If the link doesn't work, let us know. Also, if you have a hard time figuring out what to do while at the site, let us know and we can blog a more detailed set of instructions. For now, let me thank you again for coming along on this journey with us, and we will continue to update the blog on a regular basis.
             So now, in the words of the incomparable Stan Lee, "Excelsior!" And in the words of both Captain Kirk, and Captain Picard, "Engage!" And finally, in the words of Luke Skywalker, "I [we] am [are] a Jedi, like my [our] father[s] before me [us]!" Tune in next week to see if Batman can foil the Joker's evil plot.