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Click here to find out what Mark Lee of the band Third Day had to say about downhere's new album, wide-eyed and mystified.

You can also check out this review (a UK-based website) and this one (USA).

Mickey Mouse and Messin' with me

Grandma & Grandpa went to Disney World and
the boys are enjoying their souvenirs!

Jonah has a new trick to mess with me while I'm trying to take his picture. He poses, but at the last second, he runs toward me. Such is the case for the following two pictures! He thinks it's funny. And I suppose it is. Let's just hope he doesn't pull this trick when we take him to get his two-year portrait done!



Like his Bob the Builder t-shirt? We had a clothing exchange at MOPS and this is what Jonah scored!

Last night when I was trying to get Jonah to go downstairs at bedtime, he took a short detour and watched himself repeatedly run back and forth and do dramatic falls in the large double mirror we have by the front door. Too funny!

wide-eyed and mystified

downhere's new album releases today! It's getting great reviews already -- check out this one and this one. Russ and Matt, whoever you are, wherever you are, I love you.

I have to include my favorite quotation, this one from Matt's review:

If you pass on this one, you're making a big mistake. Not only is this the best yet from downhere, but it's also one of the best records of the year to this point! Downhere fans will be eating this up. Pop-rock fans will be hard pressed to find anything better for their money, and people just looking for a more "artsy" approach at popular Christian music would do well by themselves to not let this one slip through the cracks. This could be the sleeper hit of the year!

You heard him! Don't make a big mistake! Get out there and buy it!

Ambassadors of Hope

Right now touring in my area of Canada are the Soweto Marimba Kidz from South Africa. They are here to increase awareness for the HIV/AIDS pandemic and to raise funds for Cotlands, a non-profit HIV/AIDS care organization with operations throughout South Africa.

The group includes brass instruments, marimbas, steel and djembe drums, some singing, and even dancers. The band features 35 children ages 12-18 from an area referred to as 'Previously Disadvantaged' within the South African historical context; the children themselves are classified as 'Historically Disadvantaged South Africans.' Many of the children involved have been directly affected by HIV/AIDS through the loss of one or more parents, through the loss of a sibling, relative or friend, or in some other way.

This band played at my church on the morning of Mother's Day, but I wasn't able to attend since I was visiting my mother out of town! I heard they were going to be back at my church tonight and managed to get there after putting Jonah in bed and giving my mother-in-law a very short notice babysitting job!

I am SO GLAD I went. It was amazing. I was able to hear stories of the success of these last two weeks for them and to see them perform. They have been overwhelmed by the warmth of Canadians, despite the cold weather. Words can't express the energy level in the packed-out room by the end of the night. Yes, even I was up on my feet dancing and clapping for the last few songs.

If you are in my area of the world, go to this link to find out about your last opportunity to see them. And pray that weather will permit!

According to wikipedia, as of January 2006, it is estimated that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized on December 1, 1981, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in recorded history; and that in 2005 alone, AIDS claimed between an estimated 2.8 and 3.6 billion, of which more than 570,000,000 were children.

What can you do to help?

Richard Scarry

Some of the books that I read to Jonah once belonged to Glenn and his sisters. Sometimes I get a little chuckle from the old stuff, like these too clips from a Richard Scarry book... Did Richard himself chuckle at these? I would like to know.

Yes, that's a butcher pig cutting up meat for his cat customers.

Ummmm, excuse me?

Wow... really reminds me of someone I know...

First grace!

Tonight we (Glenn, Sherri, Jonah, Tracy & Miles) sat down together for supper. I reminded the boys it was time to pray and to fold their hands (‘cause God only hears us when we fold our hands to pray, right?). We all folded hands and before Glenn could begin, Jonah uttered a fairly long sentence that included the words “Thank you” “food” and “Amen”. So, we all just kinda laughed and said “Amen”. Good job, Jonah!! Before we know it, Jonah and Miles will be fighting over who gets to say grace!

As an aside, before bed Jonah always wants to pray for Daddy and Ivy (his beloved stuffed dog). And sometimes for his cousin “de-diah” too!

"A Weight Off Our Shoulders"

Last night I tried the 5-minute routine for massaging your own neck and shoulders. That was a little better... took me only 10-15 minutes!

5-Minute Massage

"5-Minute Massage: Quick & simple exercises to reduce tension & stress."

I picked up this book at the library this week. The book contains 6 segments of 5-minute massage routines for various parts of the body that tend to carry stress and muscle tension. Here are some interesting points that this book makes.

"More and more of us are finding that we are increasingly succcumbing to the two major problems of living in a fast-moving world; loss of flexibility and stress. Although slow in their effect, they can be thought of as silent epidemics, which go largely unrecognized and unchallenged, yet wreak untold damage in people's lives."

"...our bodies are built for movement, and actually require it for optimum performance."

It goes on to talk about how muscles that overlap and glide over eachother begin to 'stick' to eachother as time goes on without use. Eventually, we lose flexibility, and the loss in one area, say the shoulder, influences the suppleness of the whole body. In our culture, we see this slowing down process as inevitable fact of aging, however, in traditional societies, many of the conditions we normally associate with getting older are the exception rather than the norm.

So, anyway, with further reading I was convinced and willing to commit to 30 minutes a day doing self-massage on the areas of the body most prone to stress and tension: the head and face; the neck and shoulders; the arms and hands; the front and back; and the legs and feet.

Last night I decided I would give one of the 5-minute regimens a try. I went with the first one offered in the book - head & face, or as they cleverly put it, "keeping a level head." 5 minutes? Try TWENTY! Yes, it took me twenty minutes to massage my own head & face and during that time my arms got tired! Going through this entire book in one shot could take me... TWO HOURS!! Now, I'm willing to commit some time and effort to my well-being, but I just don't have two hours every day!

I'm hoping that as I begin to learn all the various spots and techniques, things will really speed up! I would like to spend 30 minutes massaging myself most days, if it is really going to help my body and if I'm going to get through it all. I'll let you know how it goes! In the meantime, I'm also trying to keep up with some exercises and stretches the doctor prescribed for the pain I'm having thanks to my right sacroiliac joint. I'm also trying to do more bike riding, and I'm hoping to start up with swimming once or twice a week. Isn't it terrible that something like this has to happen in order for me to wake up and start taking care of myself? I was lost in motherhood... I must emerge!

"Daddy! Mammo!"

There's just something not right when your husband is sending you pictures like this, and chatting with you online about all the exciting sights, smells, and sounds he is experiencing, and all you can respond with is things like, "I need to go change a poopy diaper" and "Jonah only slept for about 10 hours last night" and "No, I don't have any plans for the day" and "One of my toe nails is split and it's kinda painful" and so on!! Oh well, at least I can laugh about it!

Done. Almost there. Probably there.

Done... Last night we finally used the last drop of baby wash / baby bubble bath of the last container of all the soaps that people gave us when Jonah was born. Isn't that crazy?! It has taken us almost TWO YEARS, plus, Glenn and I have used a bunch of it as well. I guess now I'll have to start forking out the cash for cleaning Jonah myself. Still working on the last baby shampoo though. And still have a ton of baby lotion and baby powder. Anyone want the baby powder? We never use the stuff.

Almost there... downhere's new album releases in under three weeks. WOO HOO! If you haven't had a chance yet, be sure to go here to listen to a few of their new tracks. Then go buy the new album on May 23rd AND if you have a local Christian radio station, request their singles (they've released "The More" and "A Better Way") now!

Probably there... I got an email from Glenn shortly after 3am. They were in the airport in Casablanca, Morocco. downhere is probably in Marrakech now for Friendship Fest.