I'm grateful for

• My sensitive, loving, and oft wild, 22-month-old daughter
• My funny, loyal husband, Jake, who loves me unconditionally (even with all my eccentricities, many of which I am told are very annoying)
• A healthy family who are present and supportive to one another
• Wonderful in-laws, Steve & Liz, who are so giving of their time and love
• Birth parents whose selflessness created our family
• My mom, Holly, beating cancer and gaining the last 6 years with us, many more to come (order another dumpster!)
• Moms & dads, brothers & sisters, aunts & uncles, grandparents, cousins and pets!
• Lifelong friends who invite us in to their lives for the journey
• A home that is 2/3 warm
• A flexible job that provides me opportunities for intellectual growth, professional development and sufficient Facebook time
• Proximity to the YMCA
• More than enough food to eat…and eat…eat
• A sense of humor and willingness to tolerate the absurd
• Cuddly babies and energetic little kids! (and sullen teenagers, busy adults, and wise old people, too)
• World's smelliest yet most mellow dog, Dorothy, who will be getting a bath tonight
• Opportunities to travel the world and experience new cultures
• Feet that walk with minimal pain and MBT shoes, clunky as they may be
• DV-R and television series on DVD
• Our new church and the cool community we are building there
• The years I got to spend with my Grandmas Dorothy, Barb & Audrey and my Uncles Jim & Rick
• Technology (blogs, digital cameras, email, food processors, and caller ID)
• Avocados, apples with caramel dip, coffee with cream, dark chocolate, and fruit
• Spellcheck, and the needs to be invented, Wordskip
• Hope, peace, love, forgiveness, generosity, and the promise of wholeness on the other side
  

Happy Thanksgiving my friends and family! Thanks to you for reading my musings and supporting me throughout it all! What are you thankful for? Do tell!

Feedback needed!

If you were going to New Zealand and had 3 or so days to travel on your own, all by yourself, no companion in site, where would you go? Please name specific cities and why. Here, please do some research first: http://www.newzealand.com/travel/northamerica/

Then, leave your Christmas list because I am doing all my Christmas shopping on Wednesday during my lunch hourS due to great sales.

Weekend review

I taught Nori to say, "Ooh la la, Daddy! You a hunk!"

I am becoming one of those once-a-week bloggers. Seems like student registration crises are using up all of my good wrist time leaving none for SoS. So, if you would just donate to my retirement fund, I can quit my job and update twice a week. Deal? (actually I have gotten to do some really cool "work" things lately like visit the new TCF Bank stadium including the President's suite, tour the dental sim lab & the medical school's sim lab, and plan my trip to NZ).

Every single meal begins like this...

A perfect weekend was had by us as Jake had Friday off so we went swimming, took naps, cooked, had a pre-Mexico fiesta with our friends and travel buddies, Bloomed, and I even exercised around all of my injures ( don't get me started on how impossible it is to work out with sore wrists, arms, feet and knees...what is left to flex?). I am a fragile delicate flower, an orchid perhaps.

Off to church!

Happy early Thanksgiving! What are you doing this year? Is your bird ready to go?

3 little monkeys

Hollywood bound

Abigail Jane Anderson,before she was famous

Oh, Abby! With all her talent and star power, how can she ever hope to be a normal, boring Hengel ever again? Abby flawlessly performed the lead role in her school's production of Urinetown as Hope Cladwell, the beautiful heroine! Must be rough being the starlet while all the other cast members are in muddy rags waiting in line to pee and you are twirled above the hunky hero's head and even make out with him on stage while your grandfather watches. And approves (really, it was probably his idea). Kinda reminds me of my high school years minus the fancy dresses, choreographed dance numbers, making out with hunks, and general adoration. I have been exposed to so much culture lately...not only have I seen 3 high school musicals this year, plus Legally Blond, but I have tickets to Sesame Street Live in January. I hope I don't become too refined!

Big girl underwear not worn this weekend due to lazy mother

Our weekend was, well wait...odds are you were probably at my house? I mean, we had a few people stop by to see Norelle since greatness skips a generation. Visitors included Gramsie Holly, Harley the dog, Jill, Tracy, Papa Michael, Casey, Jana, and Ellen. We almost got to see Grandma Liz & Grandpa Steve on their way back from boating in Florida but there was a bedtime conflict. Jake & I even squeezed in a date to Nami but now he is in Charlotte for work.

Actual Nori quote, ripped off from Elmo.. . "La la la, la la la, Tootie's World"

Speaking of newfound fame, Nori is doing alright for herself. Not only did her name appear on the wall at the YMCA daycare (yes, the YMCA) and her photo in the new Bloom slideshow, but she was recognized at Target by some kid I had never met! Imagine my shock as some boy and his mom debated whether or not the fruit of my loins was indeed "Nori" of "Nori & Dorothy from the park". Fa-reaky.

Praying for...

Stellan's heart is still sick and once again he is on my mind. All sick kids and sad parents are in my prayers, sometimes life is so very hard!

On that prayerful note, we really love our new church, Bloom. If you want to hear a sermon for yourself, listen to a podcast (click here). And while I am thinking of it, if you want to come church with us sometime, consider yourself invited! The current series is called Woven Together, and is all about relationships. It is a happy and joyful time of our Sundays, unlike the usual church grind (yeah, I said it).

Second Bloom series

First Bloom series

You've missed so much

you'll never catch up. I feel bad for you. Yes, I still have crapal tunnel (typo and it stays, ode to Michael K) but I am braced and ibrupofened up so that helps. Speaking of crapal, it has been brought to my attention by myself that it should be caramel not carmel, I should have listened to spell check.

Today was a stellar potty training day, Nor now knows how to sit, pee, and then gets on with life. She is enjoying lots of dry underwear time but is nowhere near telling us when she has to go or really caring about staying dry but we'll get there. Much of the day is spent on the potty reading Shel Silverstein and awaiting 3 M&M's per whiz (or wiz? not sure). I know what you are thinking, "Megan! That is an extrinsic reward and she should be developing intrinsic motivation to stay dry!" but would you just shut up, okay? She is hilarious and says so many adorable, hysterical things I can't even remember them all. She is my little sweetie and I am addicted to her! And caramel.

What else? Work, cleaning, working out, laundry, cooking, repeat. Oh, I have new, much shorter hair, look for it on the cover of next week's US Weekly (on newsstands every Wednesday). And I had a mini shopping-spree for some new work clothes since I not only an amazing mother, devoted wife, best friend, former community volunteer, and award winning blogger with a bad foot and now bum arms, but I also work like a mofo 4 days a week, in case you forgot.

Lots of other stuff but I must rest the tunnels. Hugs!