A Few Things We're Excited About

1. This little lady. She is home and living only a few miles south of us. 2. Green tea. I've written occasionally here about what trouble I have sleeping. For the last several months, I have been taking an amino acid called l-theanine to help with mental calmness before I go to bed. If I can shut my brain off, I can usually fall asleep. I read in the health section of our newspaper a few weeks ago that green tea contains l-theanine, so I've been drinking 1-2 liters of it every day for the last few weeks. I have pretty much replaced water with green tea. I think it's helping. Also, I may never get cancer with all those antioxidants being pumped into my system.

3. The Oromo Church. When my mom was out here visiting last year, I saw a sign for an Oromo church that meets in Portland. I took down the number but was always too shy to call. It got put on the back burner. About a month ago, I was talking with a few of the young volunteers in the ESL class I teach, and it turns out that one of the best volunteers, he calls himself Dr. Phil, is the son of the pastor of this church. He gave me his dad's phone number, and we went to their service last Sunday. The ladies had prepared lunch and sent us home with two heaping plates:
We had to have a translator, of course, but we enjoyed what we could understand of the service. We'll be going back for sure. One of the cutest things I've ever seen in my life was Dr. Phil's sister leading a group of about 15 two-seven-year-olds in Sunday school, all seated politely in a circle in the parking lot. Abe loved it.

4. Pappy's visit. My dad is coming out to visit next month. Abe adores his pappy, being sure to ask God to bless him every single night during bedtime prayers.

5. The Max costume. Abe's current favorite book is Where the Wild Things Are. He would read it over and over and over. That and videos of Little Bear are the only things he will sit still for. I am so thankful that this crafty lady is willing to walk me through the process of making my own Max costume for Halloween. We went this morning to buy the pattern and fabric.
The last and only time I sewed was when I was 19. My mom thought I needed to know how to do it, so I made the ugliest dress you can imagine out of the ugliest fabric ever designed and came away from the experience with a mild case of carpel tunnel syndrome that lasted a week or so: searing pain up and down my inner arm from the wrist to elbow. No fun. We'll see how it goes this time 'round. Good thing I've got an excellent teacher.

6. Band-aids and trips to the doctor, bank, notary, post office, etc. Why is Squinty McSquinterson so happy about these band-aids on her arm?
Yep, we're starting again, God willing. Abe really needs a sibling. More on that later.