Life Unexpected

2008-08-15T08:22:00.002-04:00

3 nights in a row of an adorable 5 week old waking only once?!? Say what?!?

GLORY TO GOD! We've been praying hard.

I never realized how precious sleep was to me. Ben and I found ourselves nearly drooling during a Sleep Number mattress commercial the other day...you know, the ones with all those happy people lounging on their fancy mattresses and sleeping all night. Jerks. :)

God has truly humbled us through parenthood. Basically what everyone has been telling us is true. It ain't easy. I hope I don't have to re-learn this lesson anytime soon. Nonetheless, God has been so faithful to not give us more than we can handle in one day. Grace, grace, grace....

Please continue to pray for us as we attempt to figure out parenthood. By the grace of God, we will make it with both us and Baby Gray unscathed.

Crying aside, Gray has been thriving...She was 8 lbs. 4 oz. at birth and a week ago at her 1 month appointment, she weighed at whopping 10 lbs. 7 oz! Go Gray go! She is in the 90th percentile for both height and weight. Gray's #1 favorite activity: breastfeeding. She's also beginning to smile some...and her gummy smile is terribly cute! I'll post pictures soon.

I'm amazed at how much I have needed to hear of other women's stories (or battles) with motherhood during the newborn period. Just hearing, "It does get better" has been like medicine to my soul. Please leave comments...

2008-07-25T09:30:00.003-04:00

Introducing Grayson Lan Gatling...we are calling her Gray. Lan is a family name from Taiwan (pronounced with a long "a" sound).

Our tremendous blessing, Baby Gray, was born on Saturday, July 12 at 2:01 pm after 14 hours of labor. (Not too bad for a first baby.) She was 8 lbs. 4 oz. (just like her mom when she was born) and 21 inches long. All I have to say is that labor is not for the faint of heart. Men, if you are fathers, go kiss your wives and thank them for delivering your baby. :)

Her pediatrician used a great euphemism when Gray was screaming her head off at her first appointment..."My she's opinionated!" Ha! I can see her father in her already. Just yesterday Ben was carrying her around the house and reading her the New Yorker. She was wide awake and taking in all the details of world politics at only 11 days old.

Gray is staying busy keeping mommy and daddy awake at night, and pretty much throughout the day. I currently have her in a sling--works wonders by the way--and she's sleeping soundly...ahhhh....I should probably be sleeping myself.

Please pray for us during this time of great transition. I know sleep will eventually come, but I'm feeling like I've been hit by a train.

In the meantime, we are enjoying our beautiful little girl. We are excited to see how God is going to use her in this world. We are praying for big things.

2008-06-29T13:21:00.004-04:00

Sweets?!? What sweets? :)

This picture of me at 37 weeks made me laugh out loud. What an awesome profile...I call it my torpedo angle.

PS...Like our rabbit ears? We're so high tech.

I anticipate this little girl making her entrance into the world sometime this week. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I just have this feeling...

Oh I nearly forgot to mention that Ben graduated on June 8th!

Here's the graduate showing off his M.A. in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures. Congratulations, Ben!

2008-06-26T11:05:00.003-04:00

I am floored at how much this little girl is draining my energy right here at the end of pregnancy. It's way more than anything that happened in my first trimester.

Since stopping work, my mornings have typically gone something like this:

Wake up a little after 6 am when Ben gets up for work. I make us breakfast. Once he leaves, I try to check email, the news, etc. but usually end up back in bed by 9. I sleep until 10:30 or so, get up, make an enormous snack (fruit, yogurt, and granola is my current fetish) because every morning at this time I feel as though I haven't eaten in weeks. Then the rest of my day consists of some form of not resting. Even if I'm not doing anything productive, I still find myself pacing. By 3 or 4 pm, I'm done for the day. My legs feel like lead and I'm eyeing my bed again.

Yes, my life is thrilling, I know. :)

It's amazing what pregnancy does to you. What I'm wondering is how on earth women get through a second pregnancy with a toddler running around!

2008-06-19T11:26:00.002-04:00

I'm 50% effaced! What does that mean? Well, I asked my doctor the same thing. She said that that tells her that my body has begun to make changes in preparation for labor and that I will probably not go past my July 14 due date. In fact, she guesses I will go into labor even a little earlier than my due date. And that is GREAT by me! I'm dying to meet this little lady.

Oh and she is definitely head down, praise God!

2008-06-02T10:54:00.007-04:00

My friend, Jenelle threw a shower for me on Saturday. It was too much fun and I left feeling so blessed by these lovely ladies. Thanks, girls!

Oh, and here are a few pictures that I never posted from May 6, our 2nd anniversary.

And finally, a belly shot for Mom. Keep in mind that this was taken almost a month ago, so I have done some more...expanding.

By the way...yes, same shirt, different day. I'm truly getting the wear out of my maternity clothes. Who wants to spend lots of money of clothes you wear for a few months? I for one am SO EXCITED to get back into normal jeans. Lord willing. :)

2008-05-27T20:48:00.003-04:00

Summer, I'm so glad you are here! I made sweet tea today in celebration of your appearance here in Central Ohio.

Our doctor informed us today that Baby Gatling is head down! There is still a chance that she could turn, but things are getting a little crowded in there and she just can't manage her graceful flips anymore. Usually babies that are head down at this point (33 weeks) stay that way until the end. Woo hoo! All those sweet little bumps that I have felt for the past months have become intense pushes. Lately she has taken to pressing against the top of my pelvis and my rib cage at the same time. It feels so incredibly strange.

We have been crazy busy lately, mainly with moving into a house. We are really excited about having a place of our own where we are not sharing walls with our neighbors (who by the way were INSANE--quite literally--at our last place. Ah, the beauty of thin walls). The house has an awesome fenced in backyard and we definitely anticipate lots of barbeques this summer. We also have plans to plant a big garden soon. Bring on the homegrown tomatoes! Mmmm....

This week is my last official week of work. Next week I'll still be in the office, but I'm training the new guy taking my place. It shouldn't be TOO MUCH of a hassle considering the new guy is...Ben! That's right, Ben applied for my job as the Director of Volunteer Coordination (at an awesome non-profit that works with OSU international students called International Friendships) and got it. This job coincides so perfectly with his classes and teaching schedule next year. We could not have asked for a better situation. I was planning on still volunteering with International Friendships and now I can do just that AND see Ben during his work day. The fact that our office is nice and kid (or baby) friendly doesn't hurt either. Again, God is an amazing provider.

2008-05-14T14:37:00.003-04:00

I am truly sick of hearing ignorant, blatantly racist, Obama jokes.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/05/14/bojorquez.obama.tshirt.controversy.wsb

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/12/AR2008051203014_pf.html

People are disappointing, that's for sure.

2008-05-08T12:30:00.002-04:00

I miss sleep...

And eating a meal without feeling miserable afterwards...

And unihibited breathing...

Man, oh man, am I feeling pregnant.

2008-05-05T12:14:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, Ben turned 26 years old! Without a doubt, this is going to be a big year considering all the changes coming up in his life. At 26 years of age, he will graduate with his M.A. in Persian (that's on June 8th), he will meet his first child (sometime around July 14th) and he will begin the Ph.D. program in Persian at Ohio State University (in September). He's going to be a busy man, but without a doubt he will handle it all with grace. I have so much confidence in the man I married. He's pretty darn wonderful and I love him. You should too. :)

Birthday breakfast...homemade cinnamon rolls. Mmmmm...

...Enjoying the best gifts that he could ever receive...books, of course.

...He wanted a Boston Cream Cake. He got it.

Happy Birthday, Ben!

And here I am at 30 weeks...getting rounder (EVERYWHERE) everyday. This pregnancy has been such a blessing. I was never really sick and I'm still feeling great and staying active. Just yesterday, we went on a 3 mile hike with our dog. Honestly, at this point it feels better to move rather than sit still. When I sit or lay down, it requires about a million strategically placed pillows and it's still just plain uncomfortable.

We're in the final stretch of this pregnancy and are staying busy preparing for our daughter's entrance into this world. We just hired a doula to help during labor. Her name is Amanda and she's great. You see, I really want to have an unmedicated labor and delivery. Unfortunately that's pretty difficult to do in a hospital setting where birth has been hyper-medicalized and it doesn't necessarily need to be. Don't get me wrong, we are very fortunate to have access to medical care and our obstetrician's very capable hands if a need should arise. I just don't want to assume that the birth of our baby is a high-risk emergency waiting to happen. With all that said, doulas are people trained to help women and their spouses during labor, particularly those who want to avoid medicated births. We are very excited to have found Amanda.

In addition to hiring a doula, we're going on a maternity tour of the hospital at the end of the month, and we're also going to be looking for a pediatrician soon. How wild does that sound??? I feel way to young for the word "pediatrician" to even come out of my mouth. Ha!

And before I leave, allow me to remind you that tomorrow's a big day for two reasons...

First, it's our 2 year anniversary. Yay! Second, it's the NC primary.

BE SURE TO VOTE!

2008-03-28T10:51:00.002-04:00

Please watch this. It will greatly improve your mood. Promise!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR4PQ30VkBk

2008-03-09T11:00:00.002-04:00

We'd like to think that our little girl is already cheering for Carolina. Last night, we were laying in bed watching the Carolina/Duke game on our laptop between us. Suddenly the baby started rhythmically, at rather frequent intervals, thumping the inside of my stomach. Perhaps she was saying, "U.....N.....C.....U-N-C!" Ben has never been prouder.

2008-03-08T15:00:00.002-05:00

16 inches of snow on the ground and counting.

Today, central Ohio is experiencing a little something called a blizzard. Our dog disappeared in the snow when we tried to walk her. We ended up having to plow a trail with our legs for Dakota to be able to walk.

I've never seen anything quite like this.

On the bright side, it is really pretty. I'll try to post some pictures soon.

2008-03-04T18:23:00.004-05:00

We were so excited about voting today...and hooray for living in a state where our vote matters! :) All eyes are on Ohio this evening. Bring it.

Be sure to vote in your state's primary! For all you North Carolinians, that's May 6th. Nice that it happens to be on our anniversary.

Go ahead. You can do it.

2008-02-27T14:18:00.004-05:00

Ben and I, and our parents all were predicting a boy. Surprise, surprise!

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She is healthy, active, and adorable, of course. Oh man, motherhood is so real right now! I think Ben kind of loves that he is going to be surrounded by girls once July rolls around.

The grandmothers' immediate responses were something along the lines of, "I'm going to go broke buying for this little girl!"

2008-02-26T18:30:00.005-05:00

It's snowing. AGAIN. Our weather man is calling for temperatures in the teens. AGAIN. I will put long johns on under my clothes tomorrow. AGAIN.

Ohio.

I just realized that I haven't communicated our future plans to many of you. After much time spent seeking God, we have sensed Him telling us to stay here in Ohio a bit longer. Ben will finish his Master's in Persian this spring and has been admitted into OSU's Ph.D. program in Persian for the fall. We were both really looking forward to getting back to NC pretty soon, so this all came as a bit of a surprise to us. However, we truly do believe we are following God. Now we are waiting for all the pieces to come together. Ben has been looking for a job for months now and honestly it has been a frustrating season. So much of our life together has been so easy and charmed. We know that lives lived out in faith are not purposed to be easy and fun. You know it's kind of funny, but we both agree that we feel like spoiled children finally be told to wait and obey. We are definitely experiencing the growing pains of being stretched in our faith, but we know God is going to bring glory to Himself in the midst of it all. And for that we are excited. We have been and still are truly blessed children.

If you think about it, please pray that we would patiently wait on God to provide a job for Ben.

Last fall, I began a program that equips missionaries to become childbirth educators, doulas, and midwives. What a joy it has been to learn more about childbirth as I am preparing to experience it myself! I'm thrilled to someday use these skills with women both in the US and abroad.

Tomorrow's the big day! Boy or girl?!? Any guesses? Waiting for our appointment tomorrow is like waiting for Christmas morning to arrive when you are five.

Another belly shot. Unfortunately, my baggy shirt doesn't show too much in this picture, but when we were at church on Sunday, the day this was taken, I had many a tummy pat followed by, "You're showing!" I, of course, loved it.

Thanks for all the advice about sleeping. Yesterday I finally bought a body pillow and slept pretty soundly most of the night. Poor Ben gets crowded out of bed with that monster of a pillow.

2008-02-15T18:21:00.004-05:00

Yesterday Ben woke me up to a cupcake from my favorite bakery, some tasty chocolates, and a gift certificate to get a facial. Woo hoo!

I gave Ben a very Ben-like book. He loved it and proceeded to read me page after page of poetry. You see, it's a win-win situation.

For dinner we went to a restaurant called The Burgundy Room. There we had delicious tapas in a very cool part of town. We had a lovely Valentine's day. I hope you did too!

We are thinking the baby is going through a major growth spurt. My belly has popped out, seemingly overnight. I'm not joking here. People are beginning to notice that I'm pregnant. It's a little nerve-wracking when I'm talking to someone and their eyes drift down to my stomach. And then I wonder if they're thinking, "Too much Valentine chocolate for that girl!" I want to blurt out, "No, no...I'm pregnant."

I'm not sleeping much anymore and it stinks. I just can't manage to get comfortable sleeping on my side. I'm normally a back sleeper, but everything I'm reading says that's not a good idea during pregnancy. Something about it inhibiting circulation. Any pregnant or formerly pregnant women out there with any suggestions?

2008-02-11T20:37:00.000-05:00

At 17 weeks, it not much of a belly, but it's something! We figured we had better get accustomed to taking pictures. We'll find out if we're having a boy or a girl on February 27th. Unless, that is, we have a modest baby that decides to cross his/her legs during the ultrasound.

She has been throughout the US and Canada and now she will retire...in Mexico. She was just dying to say that she had seen all of North America.

We recently sold my old Jetta, Annie to a couple that will be sending her to Mexico for their family members' use. It's truly the end of an era.

Goodbye, Annie. I can't believe that after all of our travels (ah RT04, the memories...Kate My Mate I hope you haven't forgotten!) you are no longer with us. You will be missed. You served us well.

2008-01-29T19:37:00.000-05:00

Okay, for the two of you who still read our blog... :)

We're still here.

There are a lot of things that I'd love to write about and pictures that I'd like to post from our Christmas both in Raleigh and in Belize, but for now, I only have time to tell you about one of my new favorite things. (And no, I do not think that I'm Oprah.)

Like most Americans, you receive tons of catalogs and junk mail daily. It's wasteful and if you're like us, (and I do hope that you recycle) it all goes from your mailbox to your recycle bin. (Except for the Pottery Barn catalog which I dreamily browse through. But seriously, who can really afford anything from that store?) So what does one do to rid their mailbox of excess? One goes to http://www.catalogchoice.org/

It will make all your dreams come true.

2007-12-09T20:42:00.000-05:00

We received the baby's first gift from our dear friend, Jenelle! It was such a great surprise. Dakota thought the rattle was hers. Oh how her world is going to come crashing down in 7 months! Ben appeased her by getting her a bone from the grocery store today. She promptly ate it on our bed.

We went to Wild Lights at the Columbus Zoo last night. It was really incredible how many lights they put up. Everything is covered. I wish they showed up a bit better in this picture. As you can see, we had our first snow a few days ago.

We also hit up the outdoor ice skating rink, bringing me back to my middle school days that I rocked out at the Ice House in Cary. I even had someone to hold hands with for the "couple's skate." (Okay so there was no couple's skate. However, we did have Disney songs to serenade us and dozens of six year olds crashing at our feet.)

2007-11-30T17:27:00.000-05:00

Affirmative. That's a plus sign.

A baby Gatling will enter the world around July 14 of next year! Woo hoo!!! We are thrilled!

Ben and I have suspected that I was pregnant for weeks now (MAN it's hard to keep that kind of news quiet!) but we wanted to wait until the doctor confirmed it. We thought our visit to the doctor today would go something like this: "Yep your pregnant. Come back in 4 weeks." Shows how much we know. We were actually able to see our baby and hear his/her heartbeat! Incredible. It immediately brought tears to my eyes.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would out number the grains of sand." Psalm 139

Today was an amazing day to say the least. I feel so incredibly loved by the Lord

2007-10-23T15:55:00.000-04:00

4:27:50. Slowly but surely I finished the marathon. I ran the entire thing, only pausing long enough to guzzle water and Gatorade. By mile 20, my breathing was perfect and I wasn't cramping at all, but my left knee was hurting something fierce. I considered walking, but my pride (not necessarily a good thing) kept me moving. Like a senior citizen I trotted along.

My goal was to finish, but secretly I wanted to finish in under 4:30. It felt surreal to step over the finish line. I was elated...

...and I'll never do it again! It was fun, exhilarating, momentous...but I really don't think our bodies are made to run that far! Today, two days after the race, my legs are still screaming, "What the?!?!!!"

2007-10-20T20:37:00.000-04:00

In less than 12 hours...I will be running 26.2 miles. Ahhhhh!

2007-10-12T21:37:00.000-04:00

In one week, these are the shoes that I'm counting on to get me through 26.2 miles. Mizuno, don't fail me now.

Oh yes, and as I'm typing this, what are Ben and Surfer Dave up to? Hmmmm.........

2007-10-10T07:44:00.000-04:00

Dave will be here in two days and we have a dilemma. What do you do to entertain a California surfer boy in the great state of...Ohio? (Crickets chirping...oh and that was a cow that you just heard being tipped.)

2007-10-07T14:42:00.000-04:00

New York City rewind...

We had a great time! The weather was perfect and we saw and did everything we wanted and then some. I think our favorite part of the trip was our visit to Ellis Island and seeing the musical Chicago. We also managed to eat plenty of hotdogs and pretzels from little carts off the street. Why do those things seem to taste so good in New York?

Mapping our way through NYC...my husband, the walking GPS.

We saw a huge group of people watching what seemed to be a commercial being filmed in Washington Square. One of the actors looks like...Cameron--our brother! What do you think?

We went to a phenomenal, posh, vegetarian restaurant called Candle 79. This was before we headed out for our lovely dinner.

Six years later at the World Trade Center site. The memorial is up and tidy, it's just what is behind the fence that's still in shambles. I took this through a hole in the covered restricted area.

Ben convinced me that renting the walking tour headsets was the way to go at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I have never used them before, but he was right...they are great. I'm now a huge fan. It brought so much more depth to what we were seeing. Rent some next time you are out being a tourist. And yes, you will look silly.

Visiting Ellis Island was a treat. We both loved learning the history of that place. Here are some of the suitcases people brought on their journey to America.

Relaxing in perfect weather at Central Park.

Let's see...I ran 18 miles last weekend in my longest training run before the Columbus Marathon on October 21. It just about killed me. I'm beginning to doubt my ability to do this race. I ran eight miles yesterday and throughout the first mile my lunch was sloshing around in my stomach and I began to think, "how in the world am I going to finish even 8 miles?" Well I did, and I was okay, but then I started to psyche myself out doing the math and thinking about how a marathon is 8 miles--THREE TIMES--and then 2.2 more miles. What am I thinking?!?!? Any other runners deal with psyching yourself out as you envision a race? Anyone? Please, I need some encouragement here! :)

Speaking of encouragement...we are in the midst of a time of uncertainty and I'll be quite honest and say it stinks. Neither of us are very patient. You see, up until this point in our marriage, we've had some sort of a plan. Now, plans may have changed and we are basically waiting. We want so much to simply trust God so if you have a minute, pray that we would honor God in this season. Thank you!

2007-09-04T14:57:00.000-04:00

The Taliban released the last of the South Korean hostages last week. When I heard this news I danced and praised God.

Meet Siddharth. He is from Chenai, India and he's been living with us for the past 10 days. He's as outgoing as they come and has been a joy to host. Ben just moved him into his apartment today. He begins his MBA at OSU in a few weeks. We took him to one of our favorite Indian restaurants, Dosa Corner, and had him order our meal for us. Oh did he. Let me preface this by saying that Ben and I both like spicy food--I do more than Ben, but nonetheless he can take more spice than most Americans. However, Southern Indian food is off the charts spicy. Our eyes were watering, our noses running, our faces flushed...and Siddharth wasn't even touching his drink. At every meal, we would put Tabasco, red pepper flakes, and a black pepper grinder next to his plate. Siddharth would begin the meal by COVERING his food with pepper and then proceed to add more to each bite. So, I suppose that really I'm just a light-weight as far as my spicy tolerance goes. Indians could mop the floor with me. :)

Let's see...in the coming months we're going to have several visitors. Surfer Dave and my parents will be here in October and Ben's parents will be here in November. Bring on Autumn!

On a final note...you know you live in Ohio when you go to The Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival for fun. No, we're not joking. A taste of Americanan--quite literally--at its best. :)

2007-08-20T11:16:00.000-04:00

We did a quick visit to North Carolina last week. And thank goodness we went in the midst of a crazy heat wave with temperatures lingering above 100 degrees! (Sense my sarcasm?) Ah, the sticky, sweltering, sauna-like South. It's beautiful.

Lauren Sanders' wedding was the main reason for the trip. She's a dear friend of mine that I first met in China when she was a short-term volunteer. When I returned to the States a few months later we reunited in Raleigh at church. I've never met anyone quite like Lauren. She gives so much to everyone, never expecting anything in return. She's humble beyond words and an incredible encourager. When you're around her, she makes you feel as if you are a celebrity. Needless to say, Lauren has had a profound impact on my walk with God. Over the years I have observed her faith and learned from her tremendously. I wouldn't have dared to miss her wedding day. She stood with me on mine and I was privileged to do the same at hers.

From her bachelorette party...

Yep, a Hummer limo. The inside looked like a club. Our driver informed us that we would be charged if anyone threw up. Ha! Little did he know, we don't quite roll like that.

Retired cheerleaders

Bay Leaf Girls

Seminary Ladies--I believe we were trying to look pensive...?

I was actually there for Lauren and Bruce's first interaction. Though there wasn't really much interaction, save a little touching. Ha! Let me explain. Lauren and I were sneaking back on campus after having ditched one of our classes for lunch at Chik-fil-A. Lauren is behind me and suddenly I spot a friend sitting at his desk. I stop in my tracks, turn around to wave at him, and like dominoes, Lauren and I collide, forcing her to do a face-plant directly into Dr. Bruce Ashford's chest. Neither of us can muster a word, and like two twelve year olds we burst into a fit of giggles and shuffle off. A year or so later and they're married. Ah, our loving Father--ordainer of awkward moments you'd like to forget, knowing that He has something far bigger in mind. Who knew?!?

Seeing two people get married who love God and love one another is such an incredible thing.

Another blessing was born a few weeks ago. Miss Lydia Karis Yun. She's beautiful. Her parents love her deeply. As Ben put it, "DJ Yun has definitely become a dad!" He still tells his usual animated stories, it's just that now he frequently pauses to listen to every sound coming from little Lydia's room at naptime. It's quite endearing.

We're back in Ohio and feeling restless. We are due for a vacation. :) So in a month, we're heading to NYC. Bring on Broadway shows, The Met, Chinatown, Little Italy, Curry Hill, and all the lovely vegetarian restaurants in Union Square (thank you, Ben for finding them!) Can you tell we like food? I think it's time to rent You've Got Mail. Mmmmm...New York.

2007-08-05T14:38:00.000-04:00

Ah, my cup runneth over. What a refreshing weekend it has been!

Ben and I went to the Concerned Christians for Afghanistan conference on Thursday. Ben was able to see several former co-workers and we both sat in on a few training sessions. The biggest blessing for me was meeting Brother Yun, also known as the Heavenly Man. Brother Yun, a short, stocky, Chinese man with a disarming grin, is without a doubt one of my heroes in the faith. I read his book (Heavenly Man) years ago and pictured what he would be like--humble, wise, joyful, and full of faith--and to my sheer joy he was all of those things and more. After he spoke, Ben and I went to meet him. (Okay, please excuse me for sounding like a teeny-bopper obsessed with a boy band, but I just might gush here.) Brother Yun met my eyes from a distance, grinned even bigger, and beckoned me over. I shook his hand and said in Chinese "thank you." He proceeded to do the Chinese "Whaaa! Ni shi...." (Amazement, followed by, "you are..." Back when I lived in China I was frequently faced with such comments because most people were baffled at my heavily accented Chinese combined with my Chinese appearance. (Basically, "You look like us, but you sound ridiculous! What are you?" To which I would respond with my typical, "My dad's from Taiwan, my mother is American, I am an American." As I told Brother Yun this, he interrupted with, "No, you are--blah, blah, blah." He said this in Chinese and I had no idea what he said I was. I assumed it was something about being an American born Chinese, half-Chinese, a halfy...you know something like that. I proceeded to describe the terms above in my broken Chinese and he again said "no." Finally his interpreter told me Brother Yun had said that I was "heavenly." Now that's a compliment I've never been given! Bless his sweet heart. I'll never forget meeting him. He later talked about us being heavenly ambassadors. So yes, I will definitely take being called heavenly.

Brother Yun spoke about the Chinese church. He commented that it seems that in the western churches, believers are ranked by education and job status and who belongs to what organization. In the Chinese church, however, believers are ranked according to how many years they have been in jail for their faith. Those who have been in jail the longest are the giants of the faith. Later, one of the conference hosts asked any of us that had been in jail for our faith to stand up. We all sat uncomfortably. Then a former Muslim stood along with Brother Yun and his translator. I will NEVER FORGET the look on Brother Yun's face. It was pure joy! In fact, he turned around grinning and pumped his fists in the air!

"Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented--OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY."

Brother Yun along with a South Korean overseas worker spoke about the South Korean hostage situation. What beautiful encouragement they provided! They reminded us that the Lord's thoughts are not our thoughts. That we should rejoice always. That the hostages are bringing so much attention back to that Afghanistan and that it has initiated tremendous prayer for Afghanistan. We were reminded that the hostages counted the cost before they left for Afghanistan, even writing their wills. We were reminded that this is not a physical fight at all, but rather one fought on our knees. We prayed for encouragement for Afghan believers, and for the 80 plus South Korean workers that have been ordered to leave Afghanistan--to leave their ministries and disciples. We prayed that if one worker dies, that ten more people will go in his or her place.

You know, lately life in the West has begun to allure us and we have found ourselves concocting ways to make our calling fit into life back in America so that we don't necessarily go back overseas. While neither Ben or I admitted to what we were doing, we were both very aware of what job searches in the D.C. area actually implied. But God has different plans for us, and we know it. Nothing brings us more joy than overseas work. God used the CCA conference to remind us of that. We left feeling tremendously blessed and wonderfully encouraged.

On a very different note, I quite possibly went on the best run I've ever been on in my life today. I needed to run 8 miles so I headed out to my favorite trail again and just as I began, it started to rain. Sprinkling at first, but then turning just a hair shy of the same kind of pressure I get in my shower. My shoes were full of water, rain was gushing of the brim of my hat, my shirt and shorts soaked...and it was so much fun! Other runners and I were all but giving each other high fives. Everyone was all smiles and "hellos". I even ran an extra mile for the heck of it, purposely running straight through huge puddles. Who knew rain could be so much fun?

2007-07-31T14:34:00.000-04:00

Another South Korean hostage was killed yesterday. Today, Shim Sung-min, who was twenty-nine years old and preparing to go to graduate school, is present with the Lord.

Again, I have wept for his family. Again, I have asked myself, where's my faith?

While I have never met a single one of the hostages or their families, this, for whatever reason, has hit me very hard.

"So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Return, O Lord! How long? And have compassion on Your servants. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days! Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands."

2007-07-27T17:16:00.000-04:00

Running, running, running...

That's what I've been doing lately. At first my runs were not fun. I didn't realize just how out of running shape I was! But now, I feel like I'm running long and strong. My training schedule had me run 7 miles today and I decided to romp through this great trail that takes me through the woods and, praise God, away from cars. I did the very same run last week effortlessly, but today I was struggling. The humidity is insane and perhaps my lack of a balanced breakfast (namely, two lemon cream cheese cupcakes that I made yesterday...what???) hurt me a little. Around mile five, my tongue was plastered to the top of my mouth and I was hallucinating about pools of fresh water. The rancid, brown river beside the trail was beginning to tempt me. Once I finally plodded to my car, I downed a liter of water from my Nalgene. I've really got to start eating and hydrating better. On a side note...have any of you tried any of the energy gels on the market? Successfully? Without throwing up? I bought several to experiment with and just tried a strawberry-banana Power Gel. Though it did give me more energy towards the end of a long run, it was foul. Please let me know if you've been pleased with any.

You are all probably quite aware of the South Korean hostage situation in Afghanistan. I'll be completely honest in saying that all of this has really shaken me. I have been brought my to my knees in prayer. I have cried for the family of the 42-year-old pastor, Bae Hyung-kyu who was killed. Just this morning I sat staring at a picture of his smiling face on Yahoo News and wept for him--but only for a second--and then God gently reminded me that to be absent from the body is to be present with God. Glory to God, my South Korean brother is quite alright.

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."

So Bae Hyung-kyu, thank you for having sufficient courage.

"When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

This my prayer for the hostages.

Please remember to pray for Bae Hyung-kyu's widow, Kim Hee-yeon and the rest of his family and church. You know, all the South Korean Christians that I have met have always astounded me with their faith and the boldness with which they would share the gospel. I'm pretty certain that they are singing songs to their Father and pouring themselves out in prayer right now. Let's remember to do the same.

2007-06-27T14:32:00.000-04:00

Nearly 3000 miles later, and we're back. Whew! Ben and I have been busy traveling. Earlier this month, we drove from Columbus, to Raleigh, to Atlanta, back to Raleigh, to the beach, back to Raleigh, and finally back to Columbus! The trip was great, but I don't think that either of us want to hop back in the car anytime soon.

Holly, Ben and I went to Atlanta to see Kate the Mate and her husband-to-be before they headed off to the Land Down Under. It was so good to spend some time with Holly and to see Kate again. I'm going to miss that girl. There isn't a nicer Aussie out there. Being with the girls again made my sides hurt from laughing so hard. We ended our time in Hotlanta revolving on top of the fancy-pants Westin hotel. Nice.

It takes Holly, Kate, and I a few tries to get a nice picture. We just can't stop talking!

Check out Steve's suit! Looks like he's ready to get married to a lovely girl, named Kate.

So does it look like an Olympic-sized swimming pool? Something's fishy...

We visited The Yun family during our visit as well. It was so great to see these two preparing to be a mom and dad. They will welcome their little girl into the world next month!

Late one afternoon, the Gatlings decided to load up the truck and head to Falls Lake for a dinner picnic. The four of us plus two dogs and two kayaks equals a lot of fun.

We always have a nice time back in Raleigh. We are both kind of surprised at how much we enjoy hanging out with our family. Not that they aren't great...I suppose we have just grown up a lot lately. Another crazy thing is that we are beginning to see more and more of our parents in us now. It's a neat time in life.

We were also able to visit Bay Leaf's College and Singles Bible study to catch up with some friends.

Alas, the time finally came to leave The South and head back to Ohio.

I turned twenty-seven last Saturday and for the first time in my life, I found myself hesitating before telling people my age. Ben spoiled me as usual. When he took our dog, Dakota out for her morning walk, he made sure to shut our bedroom door so that she wouldn't wake me when she got back inside. (That's her thing. She wakes Ben up in the morning to go out, then she runs back to the bed and pounces on me.) With Dakota patiently waiting outside our bedroom, Ben was hard at work. He finally opened the door and let Dakota jump on me. (I'd like to think she was wishing me a happy birthday.) Downstairs, breakfast awaited me...pancakes, bacon, and coffee...along with a beautiful bouquet, card, and the perfume I've had my eye on for awhile now (Rosewood by Banana Republic...just FYI.) Later that night, a bunch of people from our small group came over for a cookout and games. It was a great birthday.

This pretty bouquet came from a girl in our small group.

Here are some folks from our small group...a great group of people!

So we're back just doing summer stuff here in Ohio. Ben's quickly becoming a grill master. I've picked up running seriously again as I'm training for the Columbus Marathon. (It's on October 21 if anyone wants to join me for some painful fun...anyone?...anyone?...) I'm working 3 days a week, still as a nanny, and Ben's fellowship is continuing through the summer so he is taking some summer courses. We're enjoying ourselves. Everything seems so carefree in the summer, doesn't it?

2007-06-04T14:43:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, Ben and I stood about twenty feet away from Tiger Woods. He's a nice looking fellow with a pretty smile. My boss gave us tickets to the final day of the Memorial Tournament here in Columbus. Here's the funny thing...we know virtually nothing about golf. The only player that I had even heard of was Tiger. Ben however, knew a few more. Anyhow, we stalked Tiger until we were directly in front of him as he...uh, putted?...shot?...drove?...as he hit the golf ball. It's funny that I can get a little star struck even when I'm not familiar with the celebrity. It seemed like we should have been watching him on TV. Of the people we have talked to about our Tiger sighting, do you know who was most impressed? My grandma! She loves him and frequently "watches him on Sundays." :) The only other celebrity that I have ever spotted was Dr. Burke (Isaiah Washington) from Greys Anatomy. He was standing in line with us at the airport in Costa Rica. He was with his wife and children. I wasn't positive that it was him until I heard a Costa Rican girl say, "Es el doctor! Es el doctor!" I was right! I've seen Grey's Anatomy maybe three times in my life, but I don't forget faces. What I'm wondering is, why can't I spot a celebrity I'm really fond of...like....um....Lisa Ling. She seems pretty nice...

On a more serious note, I'm reading a lot of quality books these days. The last book I read was A Bed of Red Flowers: In Search of My Afghanistan by Nelofer Pazira. It seems at though God decided to break my heart with this book--in a very, very wonderful way. You see, for quite some time now, I have found myself worrying about returning to Afghanistan mainly because of how different I felt (I hate that word) in comparison to when I was preparing to go to China. Back when God was leading me to China, I loved all things Chinese. I wanted to eat Chinese food, read books on China, see movies on China, and Lord help me if I encountered a Chinese person! I would fall to pieces. I wore this bleeding heart on my sleeve for China. And praise God for that. I simply did not "feel" that way about Afghanistan and it worried me. A lot. While running one day with a friend, I voiced my fears to her. It was the first time that I could put my thoughts into words. So, I started praying and reading. A week later, I finished this book. Over dinner, I sobbed trying to tell Ben about it. It's not remarkably written, but it painted a picture of the country and people that Ben and I hope to return to someday. Afghanistan has known war for decades. It would be safe to say that any Afghan you talk to has lost at least one family member, probably more, due to war. Life there has been brutal. Can we fathom a life where rockets are going off as children walk home from school? Where family members, neighbors, and friends get brought in for questioning one day, never to be heard from again? Where boys, not young men, BOYS are the sole breadwinners for their large families because dad has been killed? Where widows and orphans are all too common? Afghans knows death well.

The bottom line is that God used this book, filled with accounts of suffering, to catch up my feelings to my calling. I am very aware that my feelings are really not important, but God knew the depth of my fears and concerns and brought me great comfort in Nelofer Pazira's story. Also, I believe that God used this woman's story to remind me that in and of myself, there is nothing for me to offer. He is the only one who brings healing, hope, and restoration. It's just not about me.

When he saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

2007-05-09T14:07:00.000-04:00

We just had a big weekend!

Let's see. It all began last Thursday with the, Culture Archives and the State: Between Socialism, Nationalism and the Global Market conference. (A mouthful, right?) Ben's professors asked if he would work at this conference being held at OSU. He was pretty much paid to hold hands with an Afghan man, and stick to him like glue until Saturday. Okay, so really he did quite a bit of translating in the midst of all this, but DID also hold hands with this man as they strolled around the OSU campus. True story. Really, the guy wanted to hold Ben's hand and what was he to do? Refuse? NEVER! That would be such poor manners. In AFGHANISTAN. Pause here and picture the scene with me. Ben is showing a dear Afghan guest the wonders of an American university campus. Mind you, it's complete with girls who so love the fact that it's finally warm here in Ohio that they think they must begin to act out scenes of Baywatch baring bikinis, tanning oil, and not much else. Afghan friend, accustomed to burkhas and headcoverings, says America is beautiful. He says he loves it here. He pauses to take pictures. He embraces my husband's hand. Yikes! Don't get me wrong, Ben can hold hands with the best of them when on their turf. I just don't think that he was quite prepared for the whole American-man-hand-holding.

On Friday, Ben turned 25 and got his steak and fries.

On Saturday, Ben drove us to this great little bohemian town called Yellow Springs. It's about an hour away from Columbus and it boasts our favorite restaurant, The Winds Cafe. The best way to describe it is a place where you can eat organic, locally-grown food done very fancy, but not in the least bit stuffy. Afterwards he took me to the historic Simon Kenton Inn, a wonderful Bed and Breakfast. We had the nicest room in the place complete with a swimming pool-like bath tub. No lie. Breakfast the next morning was incredible. As I complimented the owner on her cooking, she laughed and pointed to her belly and said, "This isn't from eating 99 cent hamburgers! I eat well and cook like that for my guests." A great way to do things, if I do say so myself. This was our first time at a bed and breakfast and we loved it. We think that these places will be the route we take when we need a hotel from now on.

On our anniversary, Ben made a point of asking me some questions from the book, Letters to Lovers: Wisdom for Every Season of Your Marriage, by Tom and Jeannie Eliff. Tom Eliff committed to ask his wife 10 specific questions every year of their marriage. They aren't easy questions to ask, or to answer. They spurred on some great conversation between the two of us. If you are married, check out the questions. Both you and your spouse will be blessed by the conversation that follows and the insight that is given. I'm so grateful that Ben cares about me and our marriage so deeply that he will ask even the hard questions. I have a wonderful husband. It has been a good year.

2007-05-05T09:06:00.000-04:00

For about a month, Ben has been planning a surprise for our first anniversary this weekend. I have no idea what we are doing, but he has wanted to tell me what it is for weeks now. I've remained strong. So this evening we are going somewhere and I have to pack a bag. I love surprises!

2007-05-04T14:20:00.000-04:00

What does my sweet husband want to do for his 25th birthday? "Really, I'd love to go somewhere where I can eat steak and french fries." Boys. (Last year on my birthday, do you know where we went? A vegan restaurant.)

Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dearest Ben. Happy birthday to you! I love you, sweetheart.

P.S. Please don't go around holding hands with any middle-aged, Afghan men today. Please? :) (More on that another day).

2007-04-27T15:25:00.000-04:00

Ben and I have been married one week shy of a year now. (Woo hoo! Ah yeah!) And during this past year, we have yet to spend a single day away from each other. Until tonight. Yikes! I am going on an overnight women's retreat with our church. It's sure to be fun, but how odd it's going to feel to get into a single bed this evening. All you married folks out there...was it weird the first time you were away from your spouse? Are we just being melodramatic because we are not looking forward to being apart? The answer is probably yes. However, right after we got married, we did move away from all of our friends and family. For the past year, it has just been the two of us. Looking back, I can see that God was definitely up to something there. Being in Ohio has forced us to cling to one another as husband and wife. We have defintely been blessed with a year of what we like to call Ben and Mandy World. God has been wonderful to us in providing the perfect spouse for his son and daughter. And you know what? He knew that we would be weird and want to spend all of our time together...melodramatic or not. :)

2007-04-26T14:57:00.000-04:00

Our interview went wonderfully and we were given the green light to proceed!

2007-04-25T13:51:00.000-04:00

Is it possible to be inspired by American Idol? Because last night, I believe that I was. Before you laugh, allow me to clarify. Yes, I do watch the show--guilt free, I might add. And no, I do not mean that I'm inspired to sing or anything of the sort. Those who have heard my voice know that I would be one of those they make fun of at the beginning of the show. What I do mean is that I was inspired to remember the big picture of things. I was reminded of my life's calling to love God and to love others...including the lost, the weak, and the impoverished. I think it's been awhile since I have pondered my calling. I've allowed myself to forget here in America. Oddly enough, last night's American Idol reminded me. The show was all about giving back and supporting humanitarian aid projects in the US and Africa. The contestants picked songs that inspired them, and my favorite, Melinda Doolittle, sang "There Will Come A Day" by Faith Hill. I'm not a fan of country, but that song was all kinds of good. Check this out:

It's not easy trying to understand
How the world can be so cold, stealing the souls of man
Cloudy skies rain down on all your dreams
You wrestle with the fear and doubt
Sometimes it's hard but you gotta believe

There's a better place, where our Father waits
And every tear He'll wipe away
The darkness will be gone,the weak shall be strong
Hold on to your faith

There will come a day, there will come a day
Wars are raging, lives are scattered
Innocence is lost, and hopes are shattered
The old are forgotten, the children are forsaken
In this world we're living in
Is there anything sacred?

There will come a day, there will come a day
The song will ring out, down those golden streets
The voices of earth with the angels will sing
Every knee will bow, sin will have no trace
In the glory of His amazing grace
Every knee will bow, sin will have no trace
In the glory of His amazing grace
There will come a day, there will come a day
Oooh there will come a day
I know there's coming a day, coming a day

Lately, I've just been so burdened by...well, everything. Poverty. Homelessness. Racism. Death. The lonely. Persecuted brothers and sisters in prison. I think that I had begun to sink into a bit of hopelessness--almost as if this world was too evil and sad to bear. But last night, the line, "There's a better place, where our Father waits and every tear He'll wipe away. The darkness will be gone, the weak shall be strong. Hold on to your faith," spoke such truth to me. I know it may sound corny, but hey, My Father can use even American Idol to teach his daughter!

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for GREAT is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Jesus called the very folks that I have been feeling pity for, BLESSED! Amen. Amen. Amen.

"'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.' Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.'"

Indeed, there will come a day.

2007-04-23T14:25:00.000-04:00

A lot has happened in the past week.

On April 15th, Ben's beloved grandfather passed away. He was an incredible man and he and Ben mutually adored one another. I knew him for only about two years and how I wish that I could have known him longer! It was a privilege to hear others speak so fondly of him at his funeral. He was a precious soul who will be greatly missed.

This weekend, my mother and grandma came to visit us. It was fun to have a girls weekend. Grandma had never flown! "Grandma, was it scary?" "Oh no, it wasn't a big deal!" She said she's ready to go anywhere now! The weekend was filled with thrift store shopping, manicures and pedicures, and eating, of course. We had a great time.

Tonight, Ben and I are going to our first of many interviews to return overseas. The process is long, but taking this first step feels wonderful. Please remember us this evening if you have a moment. (We really think this interview is more or less to see if we have any social skills...hopefully, we'll pass.)

I bet it's warm where you are. You know how I know? Because it's warm here in Ohio! Glory! Have a wonderful week.

2007-04-10T15:27:00.000-04:00

"I'm dreaming of a white Easter. Just like the ones I never knew. May your days be dreary and dark. And may all your Easters be cold." (Sung to the tune of White Christmas...go ahead, give it a try.) Ah yes, we had a lovely snowy Easter this past Sunday. It confused my sense of time indeed. After church, we joined several of our friends for a traditional Easter lunch at where else but our local Indian restaurant. :)

I cannot believe that in less than a month, we will have been married for ONE YEAR!!! Everyone said that time will fly, but they weren't kidding. Well, all you folks anticipating marriage this summer--please, come to us for marital advice. Afterall, we ARE pros now. Riiiiight. Seriously, I think that all we can offer is the simple fact that marriage is good. Very good. Very worth it. And a tremendous blessing.

2007-04-02T19:19:00.000-04:00

Just when we thought these days were over...

...Later this week, they're baaaaaaaaack! Weather.com is calling for snow. Booooo!

Oh well...snow days lead into days like our Valentine's Day---in front of our fireplace wearing our sweet, matching gray long johns.

Even Dakota couldn't resist stealing a kiss on Valentine's Day.

So here's to making the most of snow days in April!

2007-04-01T20:42:00.000-04:00

These pictures are old, but hey, it's a beginning...

Outside of The Shoe before the OSU/Michigan game.

Dotting the I.

OSU beat Michigan!

Christmas in Costa Rica! Can you tell that our boat tour was early in the morning?

Not a bad place to visit, eh? :)

Good times in the trees.

Check out the concerned look on my face!

Is it just me, or does Ben look a little "special" in this picture?

Daddy Gat

Handsome Cam

Neither Cam or I made it across the first zip line. We had to turn around and pull ourselves to the plank. Not fun!

These little guys were hanging out in the tree tops just staring at us. It seemed as though they were saying, "How'd you fools get up here?"

Tabacon Hot Springs...oh so nice. This place was something else! The springs were SO hot and there were dozens of them! We made a day of it.

Me and the in-laws.

We really are there, behind the steam. Nice cover-up if I do say so myself. :)

Lastly, the Two-Toe Sloth. Surprisingly, these guys are pretty dang cute.

2007-03-30T09:05:00.000-04:00

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.

2007-03-20T07:41:00.000-04:00

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. :)

2007-03-19T09:10:00.000-04:00

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!

2007-03-04T17:06:00.000-05:00

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..."

2007-02-11T17:02:00.000-05:00

Insights into a dog's life. Our dog, to be exact.

Ben and Dakota in the snow. Check out her sweet jacket.

I'm pretty.

Easy there, Dakota!

Dakota likes to read the NY Times with Ben.

Dakota's favorite spot.

Even she thinks Macs are better.

2007-02-06T14:30:00.000-05:00

For the past two days here in snowy, blustery, Columbus, Ohio 99.9% of schools have been closed. Because of the snow-covered roads? No, here in the Land of the Frozen, it snows seemingly every day. If they closed school for the snow, kids wouldn't have school until April or something. So what does it take to close schools, you ask? BELOW ZERO WINDCHILLS. Sheesh.

Mel...you are just mean. :) Kidding...sort of. Man, Thailand sounds just marvelous right now. How I would love to be sunning myself of one of those warm beaches with a bowl of mango sticky rice in hand. Okay, I must stop.

2007-02-04T20:53:00.000-05:00

On our way to church, the radio said:

Tomorrow's going to be nice and sunny ("Yes!" thinks Mandy) and the high is going to be eight...("Teen?!? Please say eighteen.)...SILENCE.

Eight degrees. What?!? Oh and it gets better--the windchill is ten below. Ohhh Hiiii OOOO!

Ben's optimism/sarcasm led him to say, "Hey, at least we don't live Minnesota." Oh, my sweet husband. :)

2007-01-28T20:11:00.000-05:00

After years of going to church we finally stepped to the other side--the side where little people exist. Yes folks, it's true. Tonight, Ben and I taught children's church. AHHHHH! :) Okay, so it wasn't that bad. It was actually pretty fun. Just two words of wisdom for next time: LESS AMBITION! All the activities in cute, compact, Lesson 9 are NOT realistic goals with eleven kids, ages 5-8. Nope. They are just not. So now we know. Oh and by the way, all you educators out there...you guys are my heroes. I don't know how you do it!

Man, we love our church! We had our first small group Bible study on Thursday and eleven people came. The group is really wonderful and we had a blast hanging out afterwards. Our relationships with people in our church continue to grow and we are thrilled.

Yesterday, my friend, Tiffany invited me to the OSU/Michigan State basketball game. Of course I went and had a great time. I think I'm finally embracing the scarlet and gray. I must admit, it took awhile! I cheered for the football team in the fall, but oh how much easier it was last night when I wasn't freezing in 20 degree temperatures! The Midwest is COLD!

Final thought...Babel...go see it. Incredibly powerful movie. We loved it.

2007-01-27T09:52:00.000-05:00

Is it weird that we talk about our dog all the time? And a bigger question is, when we have a child, how much worse will it be?!?

We took Dakota to PetSmart yesterday to get her microchip changed over to our name. It turns out that her previous owners took her to the very same PetSmart for her vet visits. This meant that we were finally able to find out more details on our little Dakota! Turns out, she's not even a year old; her birthday is February 1, 2006. Also, she was on a wellness plan at the vet so at the very least, her previous owners took care of her physical needs.

Dakota is increasingly acting more like a dog. She eats all of her food. She loves her toys, frequently dragging them all out and playing with them after we've gotten in bed. She wags her tail when we come home. (Some of you with "typical" dogs are probably saying, "Big deal!" but Dakota just didn't do stuff like that. Shiba Inus are a barkless breed and they don't get excited about too much, with the exception of squirrels and birds.)

Okay, enough about the dog.

My goodness there are a lot of changes going on with friends. Lots of couples anticipating marriages. Lots of couples expecting. Lots of new moms and dads. Lots of upcoming career changes. And lots of people looking straight ahead, embracing the plans God has for their lives and not turning to the left or the right. Holly, you amaze me.

Any big changes in your lives?

2007-01-18T21:15:00.000-05:00

Here's the newest addition to our family...Dakota. This was the night we got her, so she looks a little scared and a bit skinny. She has since gained some weight and Ben's working with her (Cesar-style...PSSSHT!) to help her get over her jumpy ways. We love her. She even has a cute name tag that says, "I am loved." (Compliments of "Santa Claus." Okay, so it is from Ben's mom. Don't tell Dakota.) Thank you, Cathy!

2007-01-16T10:15:00.000-05:00

Two days ago, on January 14th, Ben asked me if I remembered what happened a year ago. It took me a minute, but then it came to me: Ben asked me to marry him exactly one year ago. We both fondly recalled that day...we set out from Dubai for a day of snorkeling and a picnic in Fujeirah. In the car on the way there, we started talking about our friends, Nate and Maria, and their upcoming wedding. We kept using their wedding as a way to talk about our individual desires for "our weddings" someday (note we still wouldn't say, "our wedding"). Finally we laughingly said we needed to stop using Nate and Maria and get to the point and talk about OUR WEDDING. We lounged on the beach and spoke of family and life and hopes for the future...we cried...Ben told me he loved me and that he had loved me for quite a while...I told him the same...and we headed back to Dubai without having gone snorkeling, without really eating much of our picnic food...yet we found ourselves so full. I suppose we were full of joy. We were getting married!

As we remembered that day with such fondness, we acknowledged that God brought us together and did great things in our lives and He continues to do so today---one year later.

January 14, 2006...

It was a good day.

The Beginning

2007-01-13T17:26:00.000-05:00

We are hoping this blog will help us keep in touch with friends and family a bit better. We are both terrible about emailing, but maybe this will be a baby step towards improvement.

Let's see...

A lot has happened since we got married on May 6, 2006. First we went on an incredible 3 1/2 week long honeymoon to the Maldives (we'd like to think that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes followed our trend) and the United Arab Emirates. In the Maldives we stayed here, (Ugh, we just looked at the website and are longing to go back) and in the UAE we stayed here.

Nice, right? :)

After our travels to the other side of the world, we packed up our things in Raleigh and moved to Columbus, Ohio. Ben began graduate school at OSU where he's focusing on Afghan Folklore. He absolutely loves it. In about ten years, you'll be able to buy his book on Amazon. I am working as a nanny for two children. The family is wonderful and has been an incredible blessing to us both. We moved into a new apartment in November so that we could get a dog. She's a Shiba Inu and her name is Dakota. She's the best! We got her from a local rescue so she's still a little jumpy, but we adore her. We also joined a church called Lifepoint Church and this month, Ben and I will begin co-leading a small group Bible study there. We are so happy to finally be able to plug into a church as a couple.

Our first Christmas together was wonderful. We spent a week in Raleigh with both of our families and on Christmas Day, all of us even got together at the Gatling home. It was fun! A few days after Christmas, we went to Costa Rica for a week with Ben's parents and brother. We swam in the ocean, gaped at a volcano spitting lava, soaked in hot springs, zip-lined through trees, and stared at howler monkeys and capuchins. It was a pretty amazing vacation.

Now, it's a dreary winter day in Ohio and we are watching Carolina lose miserably to Virginia Tech. We've done a whole lot of nothing today. Mmmm...Saturdays are wonderful.

We don't deserve it, but God continues to be so good to us. He has shown us favor beyond measure and we just pray that we are good stewards of His blessing.