Late January

Yesterday was the ‎25th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger explosion. I remember it: I had off from high school that day. We tuned in to watch the launch just a few minutes too late and all we heard at first was a lot of confusion. I wisecracked "What did it do, blow up?" I felt awful about that comment once I learned what happened. I was pretty happy when the shuttle program was back in action. I commented to my classes yesterday that for their parents (and my) generation the Challenger was one of those big days of infamy, go back a generation it was Kennedy's assassination, for their generation it would be...and they guessed 9-11. Katie's preschool class is covering space this week - you can see her space suit. Our bunny Bugs has been somewhat mellow lately - he even ate a carrot out of my hand. Today is the one-year anniversary of the VERY LONG trip back from China to the USA, glad we are not doing that. Today we began a little preliminary shopping for a minivan. It was also warm and the snow got all sticky, so we made a snow family.

NFC Championship

The Packers are continuing their unbelievable (to me) climb by beating the Bears to get in the NFC Championship to go to the Super Bowl. The Bears put up a good fight - they were down to 3rd string quarterback! It would have have been much more embarassing if the Packers had lost. I was too stressed to really watch the 4th quarter. Our children have humored the parents screaming at the TV pretty well. The first time the Packers won the Super Bowl in my lifetime (with Favre at the helm) ranks as one of the more significant events in my life - all over a silly little game. In other news, classes started at Bradley this week. I helped to teach a graduate class this weekend; I'll do it again in February. Karen is taking a sign language class.

Parents Visit

My parents visited this weekend - but I didn't take many pix. Katie and Kris played dress-up with Kris's new hat, and Kris had a birthday party with her friends and my parents - they went to see the movie "Tangled". The Green Bay Packers (yay!) and Chicago Bears (boo!) both won playoff games this weekend, meaning that they play each other next weekend. Classes start Wednesday.

A First Anniversary

Today is not only the first anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti, but it is also the first anniversary of Katie's "gotcha day". It's been a good year with her and I am thankful for the blessings of my wife and kids. Karen and Katie returned from Virginia today. They got up pretty early this morning, so Katie is a bit frazzled in the picture we took of her.

Kris's 12th Birthday

Kristine turned 12 today. To celebrate, she and I drove up to Chicago (Karen and Katie are in Virginia). The trip up Friday took a while because there was a little bit of snow. We stayed at a hotel near Michigan Avenue, but got in too late to look around. Saturday, we went swimming, then had brunch with my sister, Tina (who took a couple of these pix), and a friend from graduate school. After that, Tina, Kris, and I went to the Museum of Science and Industry. One of the reasons we went was to see the Jim Henson exhibit. We were not allowed to take any pictures, but we saw (behind glass) real muppets such as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Rowlf the Dog, Mahna Mahna and the Snowths, and Bert and Ernie, and a couple others, as well as concept sketches and clips of others. Tina and I had not I idea Jim Henson was so prolific before the Muppet Show and were impressed with his creativity. It was also the last weekend of the Christmas tree exhibit at the musuem which was cool. Another temporary exhibit was a weather exhibit: the huge imitation tornado was interesting, but the exhibit (and the whole museum) required more time than we had. Many of the more classic exhibits were updated from the last time I was there some 15 years ago: the sliced-up person, the chicken hatchery, and the submarine (much bigger than I remember). I was totally amazed at a 3D alioscopy TV that did not require 3D glasses. The nickel and diming was a bit of a turn-off (for example where they would take your picture in the hopes of selling it to you), but the museum looked much more modern and less worn-out than the last time I was there. After the museum closed, Kris and I headed back to Peoria. Today we had church, Sunday school, Kris's choir practice, and Chinese for lunch (Kris got her pot stickers). The Packers won their playoff game. We went out this evening for Culver's ice cream for Kris and a visit to Barnes and Noble to spend gift cards.

Frost Pictures

Took some pictures of frost on dead leaves yesterday morning, but did not realize the camera caught this level of detail until I zoomed in on the picture. Still not much snow on the ground. Karen and Katie are in Virginia visiting family - including my newest nephew. Kris is going to school and I am doing research.

Undecorating

We're back in Peoria. All this undecorating lately has moved me to draft some rough verses:

‘Twas the month after Christmas and all through the house
Not a visitor was stirring, just my kids and my spouse.

The greeting cards were hung on the walls up in rows,
Ordered neatly at first, ending in piles below.

The fridge was a maze of unmarked plastic tubs
Ranging from bean dip to shredded chicken subs.

The cookies were nearly gone – just a couple in each tin –
Assuring that in the new year we’d have to sweat to get thin.

Eight plastic bags in the garage filled with a holiday mash
Of unrecyclable paper and plastic and other such trash.

I begged my poor family as the mess made my head churn
“Should we pack it away again or can we please let it burn?”

Gift clothes were piled in closets and electronics on shelves
Toys were stuffed in chests and money kept to ourselves.

The ornaments so festive, the lights brightly glowing,
Were stripped from the tree and crammed in tubs overflowing.

Like dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly
Tree needles were vacuumed up in a pine-scented sigh.

The outdoor décor placed during warmer ecstatics
Were hastily removed by cold weather acrobatics.

We muttered many words as we slogged through the work.
I felt like the Grinch or old Scrooge or a similar jerk.

Yet we should all realize if we sit back and take stock
Christmas is not something that should be kept in a box.

So many levels and layers this Christmas story has
God, human, king, child, Savior…this cannot be surpassed.

So I challenge us all, me especially I fear,
To honor Christmas in our hearts and try to keep it all year.