Keeping this going

The traffic to my blog near doubled in August, which is pretty sweet. Writing on a somewhat consistent basis will help with that I guess. Trying to create and maintain a groove here. It's helpful for me, and hopefully at least one or two are also encouraged along the way. 

Looking back over things in August, these were the most read posts:

1. Critiquing Criticism: a lesson from The Smurfs movie
2. Me & N.T. Wright
3. Heidi Montag & Spencer Pratt's search for the myth
4. Is anyone else as cheap as I am?
5. "The 1st day of school" or "Why blinking sucks"

At the top of the page is the link for "Get emailed when I updated." If you don't use an RSS reader (or know what that is), an email in your box is the easiest way to get the latest meanderings.

"The 1st day of school" or "Why blinking sucks"

Yesterday she was...

And then I blinked, and today she is...

I get to live here!

This was the view from my window last week when flying to Connecticut:

Over the last year I've traveled all over, 

visited many of our country's major cities. 

Have met all kinds of different people, 

seen all kinds of different places, 

and eaten all kinds of different foods.

No skyline is more beautiful than this skyline.

No streets more exciting to explore than these streets.

No city more incredible than this city.

And I get to live here!

Week in Review #8

School has started, summer is ending, life is busy but awesome. Didn't get to do a "week in review" last weekend, so this is a double reflection:

Remember that you'll be dead soon

Quote I read this morning from Steve Jobs. 

It pretty much speaks for itself: 

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. ... Stay hungry. Stay foolish."

-- Stanford University commencement address, June 2005.

Learning from a hectic travel schedule

This has been the busiest, craziest summers of my entire life. Lots of work, lots of travel. I'm always on the move with my job, but mid-June through the beginning of August was abnormally intense. We knew going in it would be as such. Jeannette and I talked beforehand and agreed the sacrifice of time this summer would be worth it in the longrun. The experiences would help us with some of our moving expenses, plus it would allow me to get Companion Statues on Southwest so that she can travel with me. August 6th marked the end of the marathon, and things are finally going back to some type of normal. Whatever that is.

So here's a rundown of my summer marathon:

12 Years of God's Grace

12 years ago today my life changed. 

Standing upon a little hill on the Myer's castle grounds, I remember Jeannette walking into view with her dad. My jaw dropped. The family and friends present ceased to be. In that moment the realization was overwhelming: this beautiful woman walking toward me was going to be my wife. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with my friend.

What I didn't know in that moment was everything over the last 12 years that she would be in the midst of everything we would walk through:

Week in Review #7

An entire week back in the city with no traveling! Huge wow!!!

Heidi Montag & Spencer Pratt's search for the myth

Last week, there was a headline on the Huffington Post Entertainment page that I couldn't resist clicking: "How Heidi and Spencer Squandered All Their Money"

If you've stood in line at a grocery store at any time over past this year, you've probably at least once seen their names on a magazine cover. A headline about her numerous plastic surgeries. One about their supposed divorce.

Here is the summary, with the main points: How Heidi and Spencer Squandered All Their Money. Here is the full article: When Reality-TV Fame Runs Dry 

My opinion: EVERYONE should read this article and really think it through.  Why?

Revisited: I Lost My iPhone!

I've been blogging and processing life on this site for a few years now. According to the "stats" for the site, this post has been viewed more than double than any other post I've done:  "I lost my iPhone!"

Apparently a lot of people could relate and were feeling the pain.   =)

Since it was originally posted a year ago today, I'm sharing the story again: CLICK HERE

Moments when they made me laugh

My children are as entertaining as they are adorable. From our time in NY, here is proof:

Happy Birthday Nana!

Today is my grandma's birthday. She is one of the most amazing people on the planet and of the most important people in my life. I can't begin to communicate with words how thankful I am for her. 

If I wrote one memory a day of all the stories I have with her, it would take the rest of my life to get them all down. Reading to me before bed, taking us to the park, speeding to get us to school on time, always having something for us to do, singing silly songs, taking us with her to the preschool she taught at, putting up with my loud music, and not just telling us about Jesus but showing us Him...I could never have asked for a better grandma. 

I love you Nana! Hope you have a great day!!

Week in Review #6

I'm sitting in LaGuardia airport, waiting to catch the flight back home with the fam. 10 days in NY was amazing, but we're ready for being back in sweet home Chicago. Just the same, here's the past week:

What books would you read again and again?

While perusing books at a conference yesterday, I overheard a gentleman say, "That's 42." I had no context as to why he gave the number, but his colleague smiled and said, "Ah, the answer to everything."  

Seeing as we're at a theology conference, the initial man's response, "What are you talking about?" included a look of "you're completely bonkers." 

His friend looked perplexed, "You've never read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?" I couldn't help but smile. 

For the remainder of the day I was remembering how funny Hitchhiker is. By the end of the night I'd made up my mind it was for a reread. Realizing I've read it already three or four times got me thinking of other books like that. Books so good you've read them numerous times, and would read them again. Or those when as soon as the final page is turned you want to just open to the beginning and start over.

I started making a list last night of the books I can read over and over and over. It's good that I'm away from my shelves, because that this is coming straight from memory is further evidence of a love and appreciation for these stories. How important is something if you have to be reminded of it? Here's my list of books read and reread (I'm already thinking when I can start some of them again):

Critiquing Criticism: a lesson from The Smurfs movie

Transformers. G.I Joe. He-Man. Mask (come on - who remembers Mask? It was a-maze-a-zing!). Thundercats. Voltron. These were my favorite cartoons while growing up. But I must be honest, I must confess: I also watched the Smurfs. Yes, yes I did. Papa Smurf, Jokey Smurf, & Hefty Smurf were my favorites. Smurfette was dumb and annoying (young guy's perspective). Yes...I am a closet Smurf fan.

The idea then of a live Smurf movie was a mixed bag for me. It could be cool or it could be horrible, there didn't seem to be a lot of room in-between. But, having a 4yr-old and a 2yr-old that can be taken advantage of to see kid's movies without losing my mancard, I was willing to give it a chance.

And then the early reviews came out.

Me & N.T. Wright

Yesterday I was fortunate to have met N.T. Wright. For those who have never heard of him, he is one of the top Biblical scholars in the world, a prolific author, and great speaker. For me, this interaction was the equivalence of a junior high girl meeting Justin Bieber. Except I didn't scream like one.

When you see a leader like this from afar you wonder what they will be like in person. He was incredibly kind and engaging. We were able to chat for about 10min, talking about when he came to the Theological Lectureship at Wheaton, a little about Logos, and also his current work. Yeah, pretty awesome.

Is anyone else as cheap as I am?

Last night we traveled two hours north of New York City to Bard College in Annandale, NY. This was our first venture out of the five boroughs, so we were in need of gas.  Making it through the Lincoln Tunnel into New Jersey, after the skyline was behind us, I started looking for a gas station. 

The first couple stations were passed by because they didn't look to have much of a food/beverage selection. Finally seeing one that seemed to have plenty of coffee, I pulled in. Upon stopping, a guy came up to the car and asked, "How much?"

"Oh, I can do it myself. Thank you though." 

His look let me know how dumb he thought I was. "It's full service. You can't pump it."

Holding hands with Jaxon

The Moss fam walked around Times Square Saturday night. Baylee & I had gone the night before, but for this time around it was the whole clan. The kids loved the lights, all the people, and didn't want to leave the M&M store. Or McDonalds. Or the Disney store. 

We were walking back to our hotel when Jaxon wanted to be released from the stroller. We had him in because of the crowds, but he had enough of riding and was ready for some walking. Well, running. All over the place. 

A couple blocks away from our hotel Jaxon stopped, came back to me, and reached his hand up to take mine. And that was it. He just wanted to hold my hand and walk. He pointed at cars, and the big bus, and jumped a couple cracks. But through all of it he didn't let go of my hand. I was eating up every minute.