Thursday, January 31, 2008
Prophetic
Bill and Nicki named Gabby almost 14 years ago, Gabrielle Nicole Iverson. She has lived up to her billing and was voted 'Most Talkative' for the 8th grade yearbook superlatives. She seems pretty proud of herself and says at least I wasn't voted 'Most likely to be a Nun'. That doesn't sound so bad either.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
what does it say about me?
so i have arrived finally or have i? i went to pick up pictures at Walmart today and the photo center gal just grabbed them from the stack when she saw me walk up to the counter without asking my name. small town iowa or a sign that i frequent a certain superstore too often which to some people is the bain of all that is good and holy?
Thursday, January 24, 2008
chicken
my hair is like chicken, doesn't do well defrosted once it freezes. it is like -30 today. my presunrise walk to the car, ride in the car and walk into work did not do wonders for my soaking wet hair. serves me right for going outside with wet hair, isn't that something our mother's always told us not to do?
Monday, January 21, 2008
new look
Our blog got a makeover tonight. Explanation of the new name... Dagobah (the planet Yoda lived on) is what we call our house because of it's Yoda green color. This blog chronicles the every day happenings in and around Dagobah. Soon I will post a picture of our entryway complete with lifesize Yoda who watches over our house.
Life Lesson #1425
Do not try to make bread pudding with bagels. There is a reason it is not called 'bagel pudding'. So tonight I used left over cinnamon sugar bagels instead of bread and followed the bread pudding recipe. Unlike bread, bagels float so what I made is what I am calling Bagel Float Custard. I will admit, as will Bill, that it is tasty. The top 1 inch is bagel pieces, nicely crisp on the top and well flavored and the bottom 1 inch is a wonderful creamy milk/egg custard. My camera is in the shop but I'll try to get a picture of the layered masterpiece to add later. I called my BFF, Ali, to share the life lesson with her. She wisely stated, "I already knew that" and we got a good laugh out of my epiphany.
the race
Here is Bill in the bright blue getting ready for the 'ready, set, go'. 
He rounds the final turn toward the finish line.
He is all but totally frozen. His hat and face mask are frozen solid and covered with ice. No personal bests this day but no trips to the ER for rewarming so we called it a success. On the way home, Bill states something profound, "I think I am done running outside in the winter."
He rounds the final turn toward the finish line.
He is all but totally frozen. His hat and face mask are frozen solid and covered with ice. No personal bests this day but no trips to the ER for rewarming so we called it a success. On the way home, Bill states something profound, "I think I am done running outside in the winter."
Frost Bite Foot Race
So Bill signed up for a 8k roadrace called the Frostbite Footrace on Saturday the 19th. It was about -5 F when we woke up and it was windy. Talk about stupid. But he ran it with about 70 other idiots! Here are some before shots.
This is the ice on the inside of the window of the Lodge where he registered and where I sat while he was running.
Without these, it may have truly been a frostbite footrace but, instead, his feet stayed nice and warm.
Getting his layers on and showing me that even he thought it was a crazy idea to go outside.
Bill bundled and ready to go.
Me bundled up for the start-- now that is sweet faux fur on my parka.
This is the ice on the inside of the window of the Lodge where he registered and where I sat while he was running.
Without these, it may have truly been a frostbite footrace but, instead, his feet stayed nice and warm.
Getting his layers on and showing me that even he thought it was a crazy idea to go outside.
Bill bundled and ready to go.
Me bundled up for the start-- now that is sweet faux fur on my parka.
Mazatlan
I am finally caught up on 2007 so here starts our new year, just 21 days late in posting.
In early Jan we took another trip to Mexico. This was our 7th trip down to Mazatlan running mobile medical clinics with our church. We always take a big trip in January when the kids are out of school. Overall our trip was great. A couple in our church had a baby sick in the NICU who died while we were gone. That was hard. We are 1000 miles away from our grieving friends with the pastors with us on our trip. We wept and prayed as a group on the beach when we heard the news. It made us incredibly homesick and if we could, we would have just gone home. But God had called us to the work in Mazatlan and to be present. So we stayed and worked and prayed and laughed when we were happy and cried when we were sad and together as a group, we got it done. It was amazing to have God so close and present in our grief, the same God who was so close and present to our grieving community in Iowa City.
Here is a group shot.
Bill seeing a patient with Leslie helping him translate.
Me and our friend, Tiana.
My mom wanted to make sure Bill and I got some pictures together. But after 7 trips to Mazatlan, the pictures are all the same. Me in braids and a bandana with Bill still bald but we did as we were told and Mom here you are...
The night before Gabe died when our trip changed, we got a call after Bill and I turned in for the night. It was Tiana, "You've gotta come down quick, Adey stepped on a jelly fish and her foot is swollen." Bill reluctanly got up and went downstairs. There is nothing to do for a jellyfish sting except the old wives tale to pee on it. Adey, however, had a puncture wound in her toe, big and bleeding. No jelly fish sting, she stepped on something. Her leg felt like it was burning, her foot was grossly swollen and she stated that the pain was worse than labor. Bill told her to soak it in hot water, remembering that hot water denatures proteins, gave her a benadryl and ibuprofen. The team prayed for her. We gave it about 2 hours and if it was worse, I was going to try to call the ER at home to get some advice. Turns out everything resolved thanks to hot water, prayer and probably some luck. The next day in the daylight they returned to the scene of the crime and found this on the beach- Adey stepped on a puffer fish -- ouch!
In early Jan we took another trip to Mexico. This was our 7th trip down to Mazatlan running mobile medical clinics with our church. We always take a big trip in January when the kids are out of school. Overall our trip was great. A couple in our church had a baby sick in the NICU who died while we were gone. That was hard. We are 1000 miles away from our grieving friends with the pastors with us on our trip. We wept and prayed as a group on the beach when we heard the news. It made us incredibly homesick and if we could, we would have just gone home. But God had called us to the work in Mazatlan and to be present. So we stayed and worked and prayed and laughed when we were happy and cried when we were sad and together as a group, we got it done. It was amazing to have God so close and present in our grief, the same God who was so close and present to our grieving community in Iowa City.
Here is a group shot.
Bill seeing a patient with Leslie helping him translate.
Me and our friend, Tiana.
My mom wanted to make sure Bill and I got some pictures together. But after 7 trips to Mazatlan, the pictures are all the same. Me in braids and a bandana with Bill still bald but we did as we were told and Mom here you are...
The night before Gabe died when our trip changed, we got a call after Bill and I turned in for the night. It was Tiana, "You've gotta come down quick, Adey stepped on a jelly fish and her foot is swollen." Bill reluctanly got up and went downstairs. There is nothing to do for a jellyfish sting except the old wives tale to pee on it. Adey, however, had a puncture wound in her toe, big and bleeding. No jelly fish sting, she stepped on something. Her leg felt like it was burning, her foot was grossly swollen and she stated that the pain was worse than labor. Bill told her to soak it in hot water, remembering that hot water denatures proteins, gave her a benadryl and ibuprofen. The team prayed for her. We gave it about 2 hours and if it was worse, I was going to try to call the ER at home to get some advice. Turns out everything resolved thanks to hot water, prayer and probably some luck. The next day in the daylight they returned to the scene of the crime and found this on the beach- Adey stepped on a puffer fish -- ouch!
Star Wars Field Trip
The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago had a traveling, limited time only exhibit called Star Wars: Where science meets imagination. Bill and I decided this was a must field trip so we left late on a Wed night, stayed over in Chicago and got to the museum right as it opened. We had a fabulous time. This was the largest collection of real props we will ever be able to see and we took like 100 pictures being the geeks we are. Here are just a few.
This is the original model of Luke's x wing. The original three movies were shot with a bunch of models before all the computer generated imagery was invented.
I knew Bill is not that tall but next to the original Chewbacca outfit, he's a midget!
Here was our favorite model. Luke on a tauntan which was used when the rebels were based in Hoth right before Luke got mauled by the Wampa.
I love this shot and Bill thinks I'm a dork. No more dorky than spending a day in a Star Wars exhibit, I told him. Gosh it was great.
This is the original model of Luke's x wing. The original three movies were shot with a bunch of models before all the computer generated imagery was invented.
I knew Bill is not that tall but next to the original Chewbacca outfit, he's a midget!
Here was our favorite model. Luke on a tauntan which was used when the rebels were based in Hoth right before Luke got mauled by the Wampa.
I love this shot and Bill thinks I'm a dork. No more dorky than spending a day in a Star Wars exhibit, I told him. Gosh it was great.
Happy 40th Bill!
Bill turned 40 on Dec 2nd! His big plan for the day included an early morning 5 K race called the Reindeer Ramble. Bill was so excited to move up in age grouping to the 40-45 year olds and leaving those fast 30 somethings behind. Nile and I were sick so Gabby and Bill braved the terrible roads (ice left over from christmas tree day the day before). They both placed in their age group. The ironic thing is that if Bill was still 39 he would have WON his age group but instead got 3rd place... guess guys over 40 are faster yet!
We had cake, of course, and Bill had a wonderful birthday weekend. The thing he loved most was spending time with his kids. They made him some crafty birthday projects which he will cherish for the next 40 years.
We had cake, of course, and Bill had a wonderful birthday weekend. The thing he loved most was spending time with his kids. They made him some crafty birthday projects which he will cherish for the next 40 years.
Ice tree
We went to get our Christmas tree during an ice storm. We only have the kids every other weekend so postponing was not really an option. After a very scary drive there in total sleet, we browsed the trees and agreed quickly on this tree that Nile picked out. This picture does not do it justice to how cold and icy covered we were. Bill thinks we should all take part in sawing so everyone had to get down on the ground to saw.
Here is a post sawing shot in the warm cottage where we started to thaw. The great thing about the place we cut our tree down not to mention it is the only tree farm in town is that they strap it on our car for you. 
Here is a post sawing shot in the warm cottage where we started to thaw. The great thing about the place we cut our tree down not to mention it is the only tree farm in town is that they strap it on our car for you. 
One foot in front of the other
We went to NY to visit my folks for Thanksgiving. Here is a good shot of me and my niece, Madison, who is 9. I just love that girl which is good because she'll probably be picking out my nursing home someday.
Bill has been running 5K roadraces for the past 6 months or so. Until Thanksgiving, I had just been a spectator. A few weeks before this shot, Bill was going running at a local track and I tagged along. Amazing how much easier running is after losing 15 lb with weight watchers and I decided for my health, I needed to get some cardiovascular exercise started. I had signed up to walk this Turkey Trot with my folks but decided to run it. Here is Bill and I pre race.
And after getting to the turnaround water station in dead last place, being beat by a kid and his dog here is a sweet shot of me arriving near the finish. I passed about 3 people including the kid and the dog, kept putting one foot in front of the other and got 'er done. I was proud of my lousy 37 minute time!!!
Bill has been running 5K roadraces for the past 6 months or so. Until Thanksgiving, I had just been a spectator. A few weeks before this shot, Bill was going running at a local track and I tagged along. Amazing how much easier running is after losing 15 lb with weight watchers and I decided for my health, I needed to get some cardiovascular exercise started. I had signed up to walk this Turkey Trot with my folks but decided to run it. Here is Bill and I pre race.
And after getting to the turnaround water station in dead last place, being beat by a kid and his dog here is a sweet shot of me arriving near the finish. I passed about 3 people including the kid and the dog, kept putting one foot in front of the other and got 'er done. I was proud of my lousy 37 minute time!!!
Hawkeye v. Directional Michigan
So I have gotten some gruff about not updating my blog. I am getting it done tonight with a little rewind into 2007.
First is a flashback to the last home Hawkeye game of the year where we lost to Directional Michigan. Nile painted Bill's forehead which is good for painting as you can see.
Here is a picture of Nile next to his namesake. Nile was named for the greatest Hawkeye player of all time, Nile Kinnick. Here is Nile next to the sweet bronze relief of Nile Kinnick charging to the goal line to beat Notre Dame the year he won the Heismann Trophy. Nile Kinnick was an excellent student, Heismann Trophy winner and all around great guy. He died during a training flight in WWII when his plane caught fire and instead of landing on the carrier and putting the crew in harm's way, he bailed into the ocean and was lost at sea. Before every game in Kinnick the crowd stands as this Heismann speech is broadcast over the PA system.
I took Nile down for these pictures with his cousin Drake during the game. Drake is 8 and was asking Nile about where we were going. Nile said he was named after Nile Kinnick, the greatest Hawkeye player of all time. Not to be outdone by his older, cool cousin Drake says "Well I was named after a duck".
First is a flashback to the last home Hawkeye game of the year where we lost to Directional Michigan. Nile painted Bill's forehead which is good for painting as you can see.
Here is a picture of Nile next to his namesake. Nile was named for the greatest Hawkeye player of all time, Nile Kinnick. Here is Nile next to the sweet bronze relief of Nile Kinnick charging to the goal line to beat Notre Dame the year he won the Heismann Trophy. Nile Kinnick was an excellent student, Heismann Trophy winner and all around great guy. He died during a training flight in WWII when his plane caught fire and instead of landing on the carrier and putting the crew in harm's way, he bailed into the ocean and was lost at sea. Before every game in Kinnick the crowd stands as this Heismann speech is broadcast over the PA system.I took Nile down for these pictures with his cousin Drake during the game. Drake is 8 and was asking Nile about where we were going. Nile said he was named after Nile Kinnick, the greatest Hawkeye player of all time. Not to be outdone by his older, cool cousin Drake says "Well I was named after a duck".
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