Happy Birthday, Noah!!!

For those of you who don't know, Noah means "comfort". He was born right after the first anniversary of Geary's dad's death and needless to say we all needed some comfort right then. In his three short years Noah has lived up to his name in immeasurable ways. He is the sweetest, most loving, gentlest boy I've ever met. He has been a source of joy and pleasure and we are enamoured with our little boy. Happy Birthday, Noah James!! Mommy and Daddy love you tons!

Christmas Shopping?

Click HERE for our updated Wish Lists. You can also click the Wish Lists link on the right.

A note about the New Mattress Fund: We know it's not very fun to just give money, but please understand that good sleep is something we desperately need. I wake up as much as 15 times a night just trying to get comfortable and the lack of sleep makes me feel tired, depressed, and sluggish. Geary experiences similar things. This is something we desperately need and would appreciate much more than other types of gifts. Thank you for considering this.

Rent

Geary and I saw the movie Rent on Friday. I had never seen the Broadway show but I had heard about it and I had heard songs from the show so I was pretty excited to experience it for myself. Let me first say that the movie was incredible--but it was NOT what I thought it would be.

I thought it would be a comedy about struggling-just-out-of-college-looking-for-our-first-jobs-how-are-we-gonna-pay-the-rent-and-what's-up-with-all-these-relationship-mishaps story. Instead it was about a group of artists, drug addicts, transvestites, homosexuals, and strippers living in extreme poverty, about to face eviction, and surrounded by disease. AIDS to be specific.

I was enraptured by the story and the music and I kept thinking about what type of review Focus of the Family would give this movie. They would probably say to avoid this movie at all costs because of what I just listed above. But even as I watched this group of friends living "la vie bohem" I was impressed with how christian they were. More christian than most christians I know.

The word "rent" doesn't simply mean the money you pay each month so that you can have a place to live. It can also mean broken. And the characters in this show are very broken people. And yet it was these broken people that loved each other unconditionally until "death do they part." They struggled together through sickness, AIDS, addictions, relationships, eviction, death, and love. The shared everything, thought nothing of paying each other's way, and protected one another with respect and tenderness. And somehow, in their dark dark world, they had hope.

And I was reminded of another definition of the word "rent"--torn or split. And how when someone was crucified to save sinners just like these people, and just like me, the veil in the temple, the veil that was supposed to separate God from the common people was rent.

Personal Application: I want the veil that separates me from addicts, transvestites, etc. to be rent. As much I try to not be judgemental, I know I wouldn't love as unconditionally as the characters in the movie. Obviously the world view behind the show isn't a christian one, but I hope I can learn to love like Jesus and to see with new eyes what brokeness, love, and hope really look like.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We asked Noah what he was thankful for...

Noah: Thank you?
Jeana: Yes, what are you thankful for?
Noah: Well...I'm a big boy.
Jeana: Yes, I'm thankful for that, too.
Noah: And thank you we're going to Granny's house...
Jeana: Yeah, I'm thankful for Granny and Grandpa.
Noah: And...I don't know. I'm thank you for EVERYTHING!

A Wise Woman

"I've come to the conclusion that laundry is not a chore. It's just something you have to continually do in order to live...like eating or brushing your teeth."
~Anita Louise Johnson

He huffed, and he puffed, and he...

said, "Mo-om! Don't bwow me like the batruff!" I was confused, "Huh? What's a batruff?" Noah rolled his eyes. "You know! The big batruff!" I let my eyes roam around his room searching for understanding. Finally, they landed on a book. The Three Little Pigs. "The big bad wolf?" I felt like a young jedi and Noah was my Yoda. He replied, "Yes! The big batruff. From the story pigs. Don't bwow me, okay?"

I'm Gonna Be Free!

That's what Noah says when you ask him how old he is. Actually, he'll be three on the 30th of this month. Yesterday I asked, "Hey Noah, is it your birthday today?" He put his finger on his chin and made a "thoughtful" face and said, "Nooooooot yet! Alllllllmost! And when I have my birthday I hope you make me a cupcake. WITH frosting."

They say bad things happen in threes...

THEY are liars. For the Linhart household, bad things seem to happen at least once a month for almost a year. I won't get into details but just know that after a year of crises, the straw that broke this camels back is our alternator needing to be replaced on the car we've only had since September. Don't get me wrong--there have been TONS of blessings. But I honestly don't know how we're going to survive this winter financially. They also say that when it rains, it pours. Again, liars. When it rains, it feels like a freaking Tsunami.
_____
FYI: I'm more venting than anything else. I'm tired of worrying constantly about money and feel like we haven't had a break for a long, long time. Please pray for us. We need some divine intervention.

The Psychic Shepherd

After getting up from a nap Noah came to find me pinching the bridge of his nose. "Mom," he said, "I can hear my sheep." I stifled a chuckle and asked, "Really? What are they saying?" After squinting pretty hard Noah finally replied, "I think they want to come home."

Jeana Hearts Value Village

Orange Chevron Car....69 cents
Blues Clues Video...99 cents
Super Nintendo System with 2 controllers...priceless.

Now I just have to find Super Mario All Stars and I'll be all set. Mwahahahahaha!

Reading Advisary

WARNING: The following dialogue contains mature language. Parental guidance advised.

The entire family is sitting in the car in Costco's parking lot . . .

Jeana: Oh Geary! Did we leave the Costco card at home?
Geary: I think we did. Crap!
Noah: (forcefully) Don't say crap!
Geary:(snickering) I'm sorry Noah. You're right we don't say that.
Noah: That's right! We say I love you.
Jeana: That's right. Good job Noah.
Noah: (loudly) And we don't say damn it. That's right! We don't say damn it. Damn it is a bad word. Right? No say damn it. We don't say damn it. We say I love you.
Geary: (laughing)
Jeana: (laughing)
Geary: (laughing)
Jeana: (laughing) That's right Noah.

Noah James and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Geary came home from work and immediately gave Noah a big hug.

Geary: Hi, my boy! How was your day?
Noah: I'm grumpy.
Geary: Aw...why are you grumpy?
Noah: Stop. Stop talking to me. I just grumpy.
Geary (laughing): You're cute, Noah.
Noah: No! I'm not cute! I'm UGWEE!!!

Marriage Refreshment

After feeling sick and grumpy all week, Geary and I got to have a wonderful marriage refreshment weekend. One of the girls in my Small Group, Mary, came over and spent the night with Noah while Geary and I went to a fancy schmancy hotel in Bellevue. We had a relaxing time at the Larkspur Landing, a great full nights sleep, and a fun morning playing together before we came home. Noah had a blast playing trains and dogs with Mary. So a big THANK YOU to Mary! The get away was definitely needed!

Time and Space have no bounds

Geary just went to check on Noah who was crying in his room. It took a little bit of coaxing but Noah finally admitted that he was crying because Andrew pushed him down...That makes sense. Except for one thing. Andrew isn't here.

I know. Either Noah has a very vivid imagination or Andrew can quantam leap.