Puppy Love

This is what it's like every day when Chris gets home. I'm not kidding.

They greet him like he's been gone for a year.

Heartbreak at the Coffee Shop

I am in a very awkward situation right now. It's tearing me up.

I have an hour and a half to kill between my haircut and my book club, so I set up camp at the corner table in It's a Grind. I just sat down to enjoy my Praline Latte and am working on setting up my new computer when I notice the man and woman in the chairs beside me. They are very clearly arguing. Within a minute, it is obvious what they are talking about.

They are (not at all discreetly, mind you) trying to negotiate who gets what in their divorce. They're arguing about the house, the cars, the pet, the appliances - everything. It's awful. It's uncomfortable for me, but I can't help hearing them. I feel like I'm intruding on a very personal and devastating conversation.

The part where I almost start crying, though, is when they start arguing about what they will tell their kids. Obviously the kids are small.

"We'll just tell them daddy and mommy made a big mistake and should never have gotten married. That we'll be living separately now."

I know I'm still a newlywed and all, but I can't stop obsessing about how a couple gets from their wedding day to this point. How does it happen?? Chris and I have talked about how we can never EVER allow divorce to be an option. Ever. We cannot even allow ourselves to consider it for a second. Because the second we indulge the thought, even to write it off, it begins to take root.

I don't know anything about this couple. I don't know what circumstances lead them to this point. What I do know, though, is that my heart is hurting for them, and especially for their kids.

Meet Elember

A hurricane hit El Salvador this past weekend. I know this because I have to report on it for my job. Whenever there's a crisis, my task list gets reordered around that crisis. So as I was going about my newly rearranged El Salvador-focused Monday morning To Do list, I opened Compassion's home page.

And I fell in love.

This is Elember.
He's four.
He has the cutest bowl haircut I think I've ever seen.
And now half his country's under water.

Will you sponsor him? Or if you can't, will you forward this to someone who will?

I'm telling you, it would make Elember's day.

'Tis the Season

Today was a momentous day.

After church we went Christmas shopping. But here's the remarkable part ... it was Chris' suggestion! You know I wasn't about to say no.

So the first hour we were at Costco. We even had lunch there - both of us for $3.17!! (Isn't Costco great?)

Then the next five hours we were at the mall. Yeah, I know. Five hours. I can't believe both of us lasted that long. Once we got going, we just decided to knock it out all at once. Actually, we spoiled ourselves a little too. Thanks, Old Navy!

In other news, I'm typing this post on my ... BRAND NEW MAC! Seriously ... it's so pretty I hardly want to touch it.

Maybe this new toy will help me to blog more frequently.

9

Nine years ago today was my first day at Compassion. Seriously? It feels like just last week I wrote this.

It's been one wild ride!

A Tiny Little Burrito

Well, the news is out and all I have to say is ... FINALLY!

See I have this little issue with keeping my mouth shut, especially when I'm excited about something. And it doesn't get much more exciting than this ...

They told us a few weeks ago and it's been killing me to not say anything. (I had a couple close calls, but thankfully in the end no beans were spilled.)

This news is doubly exciting considering everything they've been through this past year. Congratulations, guys.

Pray with me for a healthy baby?

P.S. My super talented brother designed all those ads. Don't you think Chipotle should hire him?

Cross Country Snowboarding

I apologize for posting three videos in a row, but this one is too good to pass up. (Thanks, brother.)