I Know....I Know.....I Know

I know I missed my weekend post. AND I know it's almost the weekend again already (yipee). But this has been a crazy time. First, my reviews:

"Where Angels Go," by Debbie Macomber. This is a delightful book. It appears that she has written other books, and I'm definitely looking for them at the library. My friend, Susan, had checked this out last week, and gave it to me to read. (She is having a heart attack about now because it's due tomorrow and she knows I rarely return a book on time - but I'll take it by after school tomorrow:) It is a Christmas story about the guardian angels Shirley, Goodness and Mercy and their assignments that Gabriel gives them for the week leading up to Christmas. Apparently they tend to get into a bit of trouble every time they're sent to Earth. It's fairly theologically OK, and just a beautiful story. A++

"Nim's Island" Allan and I went to see this last Friday, and WOW. This is a great adventure movie. It is creative, funny, sensitive, well acted...we just loved this movie. Two weekends -- two great movies. Probably be months before that happens again!

At school, I've been buried in achievement tests and testing. Last week we tested every day. Because we're a small school, the teachers score their own tests, and do all the results themselves. This is a brain numbing/back breaking job. There are chart after chart of tiny numbers and columns and rows that all have to be kept just so. But it's done now and I am currently half way through parent conferences.

Our niece was confirmed in Fort Worth the Sunday after Easter, and I just got her gift in the mail today. I hate not being able to be at such important events. Since we've been here, we've missed one high school graduation, and 3 confirmations. It makes me sad. She is an awesome young lady...terrific student...amazing ballerina...and a very serious and devout Christian. We love her to pieces.

The biggest news of all: My wonderful friend - who lives in New Orleans - her mother has been very ill for the past month with cancer. We have prayed for her since we met ten years ago that she would know the love that Christ has for her. My friend spoke some pointed words to her mother several years ago, which has been in the back of her mind all this time. Her mother called Allan Monday and said told him she wanted to learn about Christ, join the church and be baptised (I'm tearing up yet again just typing this). Tomorrow, she's being baptised at her home with her close friends nearby. She is positively glowing with the love of Christ. Needless to say, my friend is crazy happy and thankful to God for his answering of prayers. Amen.

Post Austin...Various Reviews

We had a great time in Austin. The weather was a bit dreary, with clouds and some rain, so no pool time. Allan thought the speakers were awesome, and I enjoyed lazing around. I finished a book, watched a movie and took several very long naps. We walked around 6th Street on Tuesday night, ate at a terrific restaurant, and enjoyed the sights. We peeked in an almost empty Coyote Ugly bar, laughed at the Modeling agency/Chinese massage sign, took in the beautiful capital building at night and checked out all the groovy UT students walking around campus.

I finished reading "Home to Holly Springs" by Jan Karon. As always, her book about Father Tim returning to his home town was terrific. She is a wonderful storyteller. I often wonder if she is a PK, or what connection she has to pastors, because in all the books, she gets it just right. This is a terrific book. Tim goes back to his home town, looking for someone who wrote him a letter simply saying "Come Home." While there he meets new people, and finds old acquaintances. The story is filled with flashbacks of things that have happened to him as a child. Wonderful book! If you're not familiar with this author, start at the beginning and be prepared for wonderful stories.

While at the hotel, I brought a DVD of "The Guardian" with Kevin Costner and Aston Kutcher. I had wanted to see this when it first came out, and Jacob has watched it several times. I haven't liked Costner in a movie in years, but he was good in this movie. The movie had a "Heartbreak Ridge" feel about it for much of the movie. I thought it was a great movie, and am glad I finally watched it. Well worth the time spent at the desk.

Allan and I went to see "21" Friday night. Being a math wiener, I had to see this movie. In our local paper, it got 2 1/2 stars, but I thought it was much better than that. Here's a movie about Las Vegas - no nudity - amazing! It was really good and we had a good time watching it. Jacob went to see it last night and he liked it too. Check it out!

Markus went on a day trip to Mexico with other exchange students yesterday, and seemed to have a great time. He's had a bit of allergy problems, but hopefully he's on the mend.

Jacob spent yesterday at the local airshow - checked out the blue angels and all the other planes. That means that today he has spent doing all the homework he didn't do on Saturday:)

We do our achievement tests this week. I'm nervous. Maybe they'll do good...