So I married a professor. Yes folks, it's true. Someone who didn't exactly adore going to random classes and completing random assignments all to attain a random degree (namely, a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology) so that after my fine college education I could work as a nanny. Yet, I married a professor and next quarter he will begin teaching young, impressionable, undergraduate minds at Ohio State University. Persian 370--that is, Persian Mythology and Folklore. Yes, such courses do exist.

Benjamin, I'm so proud of you. You excel at everything that you do. You are going to be an extraordinary professor.

Okay, since I am the one who updates this site, allow me to update you on Ben. He's quite the brilliant young man (a handsome one at that). He just finished his second quarter of graduate school at OSU. He received straight A's and a generous amount of praise from his professors; particularly his professor who recently taught at that pitiful little university--maybe you've heard of Harvard? Yes, well to say the least, Ben has soared in his studies.

Frequently, when lost in the depths of Persian literature, Ben will suddenly start speaking to me in Farsi...to which I reply in Mandarin. I now see how dual language households function. We both are beginnning to understand one another and it usually makes us laugh. Okay, so maybe our "understanding" goes half a millimeter deep, but we generally get an idea of what the other is spouting off. We sometimes try our hand at the other's language, and that's REALLY funny. Oh how our children will have to be patient with their odd parents. You know what though? They will likely be a little odd themselves. Let's face it. :)

Seeing our family, and all the Bay Leaf ladies (Shonica, thanks for making it happen!)...blue grass music on the radio...warm weather...being bewildered at all the people who have their car windows rolled up with the AC blaring on a nice, 70 degree day...walking our dogs through parks...sweet tea...Bojangles cajun fries...IHOP...

North Carolina is a great place. We had a wonderful visit. You know though, we felt like we were "those people" from the "North" with our Ohio plates on our car. Let's face it. Raleigh roads are rough places when you have out-of-state plates. We sensed that one driver was shaking his fists at us mumbling something along the lines of, "Dang Yankees!" :)

Teesa has asked for more pictures. They're coming soon!

After the worst snowstorm Ohio has seen in over 30 years, the snow is finally gone! Well, I take that back, it did flurry a little last night, but the sun came out today and melted it. Last month was brutal. Even native Ohioans agreed. There was this wonderful mix of a few inches of snow, followed by an inch or two of ice, and then finished off with several more inches of snow. That combination makes for some crazy driving conditions, but Ohio didn't slow down much. North Carolinians would still be hiding in their homes worrying if they had enough bread, milk, and eggs to survive. :)

Our first Valentine's Day as husband and wife was wonderful. Ben gave me a beautiful diamond necklace and I gave him some fancy chocolate and hot cocoa from Vosges Haut-Chocolat. Mmmm...do order some. That evening, we went to an awesome restaurant called Alana's. Before Alana opened her own restaurant, she was a chef at Emeril's in New Orleans--yeah, she know's food and we had a great time. I adore my husband. He cares about details and making things special.

It's Sunday afternoon and we are lounging around our home wearing UNC gear and watching the UNC/DUKE game. "Tarheel born and Tarheel bred, when I die I'll be Tarheel dead..."