Highly recommended read!

While Nate and I were in Chicago, we went to a Borders. I know what you are thinking, "Why do they go all the way to Chicago to go to a Borders when there is one in Greenwood?" It is mostly because Nate loves books and bookstores. As we walk up and down the Magnificent Mile, poor Nate deserves to go someplace he loves. I looked in all my stores, and all he wanted was Borders, so to Borders we go!

It is really quite funny to think of all the time that we have spent in that Borders. The one we like the best is on Michigan Ave right across from Watertower Place and by the Hershey Store. It is very nice and lots of levels. I will even admit that there is plenty there for me to look at and enjoy. We were looking at a "Buy one, get one 50% off" table and Nate found a book that interested him. So I began looking for a book that interested me.

A funny thing worth noting about me is that with both books and movies, the same situation arrives. I want to watch the same movies over and over again and read the same books again and again because I know I like them and I know they are good. I can't be disappointed if I already know how it ends. This has led to me reading the Harry Potter series until I can recite lines. Pretty much the same deal with movies. I just watch the same ones over and over again. Nate has made the point about a million times...."how will you ever like a new book/movie if you don't try them?" Haha, how I hate it when he is right!

So, Nate had chosen the book he wanted at Borders and encouraged me to choose one so that we could both have a book and get a good deal. I was so nervous! Oh no! I don't know what book will be best! I don't even know if I will like one. Why in the heck isn't a Harry Potter book on this table?!?

I finally picked one up and chose it called "My Jesus Year." It is a book by Benyamin Cohen, a rabbi's son and a Jew. It's basic premise is that he is a Jew who has become indifferent to his faith. He grew up with the attitude of "the grass is always greener on the other side" towards Christianity. He spends one year as a "Christian" all while maintaining his Judaism and in hopes of finding his own faith. He spends the year trying out Christian churches, attending Christian concerts, having Easter, and Christmas.

I kid you not, I could barely put it down! It is laugh-out-loud funny! It is also EXTREMELY insightful and hopeful. I really felt he was respectful and came to very good conclusions in the book. He never intends to leave Judaism. He did all of this "Jesus Year" to further his own journey with his own faith.

I sure don't know if I am beginning to do any justice to this book. I found myself relating on many parts. I very much feel that ANYONE could enjoy and take good lessons from it. Be you Christian, Jew, Muslim.......this book has something to offer!

So, if anyone reads it and enjoys it, good for you! If not, that is totally fine. I am sure in reading this post, I am not going to find my calling as a book critic, but I wanted to put it on here!

We survived, and Nate passed!

Nate and I being cute and adorable at "The Bean" in Chicago


Nate, Jen, Wyatt (in the outfit we bought him with doxies on it!), and Hans


Don't worry, I didn't actually touch my mouth to "The Bean".....with my husband in med school and all this swine flu hysteria, I wouldn't dare!
Good day, dear lovelies-

Thank goodness for the craziness that was the exam block being all done! Nate took all the exams and passed, and we enjoyed some fun in the Windy City!

Wednesday evening when Nate got all done we headed up north and stopped by and visited the Koons family. We got to see Wyatt, Mikey and Tosha and snapped a few pics to prove to him later in life that we were indeed present from time to time. I don't know if I have mentioned on here that we are his Godparents, and are extremely glad and honored to be so.....but it proves a bit of a challenge since we live a distance away. Holy moly, kids grow fast, especially when you don't see them daily or even weekly. It was also a huge event since Wy-guy got to meet "our son" Hansy. They were pretty stinking cute together and Hansy was pretty well behaved!

Thursday morning we woke up early and took the South Shore train up to Chicago. My wonderful grandparents drove us over to the South Bend Airport to catch the train at 6:30 am......it was early, but good. Nate and I have only taken the train over to Chicago one other time, and we kind of hated it. It was mostly due to the fact that we hadn't really ever been to Chicago before and we didn't know our way around. Also, we were only there for the day and we had to carry everything we wanted with us. Since we were staying the night this time, it worked out beautifully. I had my purse and we just took a bookbag with all of the stuff we would need for the night and fresh stuff for the next day.

I generally tend to be a pretty high-maintenance kind of girl to say the least. I need 93,000 things to travel with me. I need 6 changes of clothes in all different varieties of warmth and style. I need enough makeup to make a clown ready for the circus. I need my blow-dryer, my straight iron, products, my brush.....all those kinds of goodies, you know, cause I am a girl!

This trip, I really went "back to basics" and it really went very well. The purpose of this trip was a bit different than normal for us...it was mostly just to recharge and relax. We arrived in the city about 8:00 am Chicago time (CST) and took our bag to the hotel so we didn't have to carry it. We walked around the city and ate. Then we checked in to the hotel and napped and relaxed. We went out again for dinner, then came back to the hotel and relaxed some more. We then slept for about 12 hours (Nate really needed it!) We got some breakfast and then caught the train back at 12:30. We got back to South Bend at 4:30 (EST) and that grammy and grampy of mine had been kind enough to drive both cars so that Nate and I were able to leave from the airport, thus saving A LOT of time.

For future reference, this was a GREAT way to go to Chicago for a couple of days. It was really great that we had my grandparents to count on and help us with getting to and from the airport!

We were back in Greenwood prior to 9:00 pm and were able to watch our Friday night shows (Monk and Psych!) We slept in and did some odds and ends on Saturday (another entry to follow later on Saturday evening!) Sunday we went to church and then Nate and our friend Ken installed a new back door at our house!

It was a FANTASTIC fall break. I think Nate was very refreshed and ready to roll again until the next break! In case you are keeping tabs, it is going to be Thanksgiving and we are going to be going to visit our friends Lindsey and Ben in Georgia! We are really, REALLY looking forward to it!

Is it just me, or is it HOT in here?!?

This post will be a quick one, but I just wanted to let everyone know I am still alive! Haha! Even more importantly, THE NATE BUG is still alive and kicking!

So I have this idea.......Although I am not at all the one in medical school and I am not claiming to be going through what Nate is going through (which right now is an exam block).....he may be the one in the fire, but I AM FEELING THE HEAT, DARN IT!

One of my extremely good friends is also a med-school wife, and she agreed with me totally tonight when we got together.

I think I am nervous for Nate, as well as just wanting to help him as much as is possible, in any way possible. This has translated to me taking on even more and more responsibilities! Please, don't misunderstand, I don't mind and I love doing it to help him, but even I am a bit burned out right now.

As I sit here on this lovely evening, Nate is not yet home and won't be for about another hour (it is currently just past 9:30 pm).....he left the house at 4:30 this morning!!! YEP...4:30 am. He took an exam and has been studying all day.

All of this being taken in to account, we are going to go to Chicago for one night for his fall break this week. We don't have tons of extra cash by any means, but we both felt it necessary to get away for a little break. We are going to Middlebury Wednesday night and dropping off the magnificent Hans. We are going to go to the Windy City for Thursday, Thursday night, and Friday. We are hoping to be back to Greenwood Friday night, perhaps Saturday morning if we feel the need to not drive back to Greenwood....we will see.

More to come, at a later time! Love to all!

Facebook....Good or Evil?

Oh Facebook......I have tons of ideas for this blog.....

I think a good place to start is to say that I held off for a long time in getting facebook. Nate still does not (and will not) get facebook.

There was a girl in college who I only knew as "Facebook Girl" and I am not even going to sugar-coat it.....I DID NOT like her. It turned out that I learned her actual name in my senior year, but I would say for a full year before that, I only knew her in my mind as "Facebook Girl." Manchester College is awesome. But that being said, it is a bit "dated" in some ways. While Nate was enjoying his days in the new, expensive, beautiful, state-of-the-art Science Center, I spent my time in the Ad Building. Haha, oh, those days in the Ad building. IT IS OLD!!!! The walls and ceiling are cracked and mess, I am pretty sure it is 1 million years old, but actually not. That being said, on the second floor there was a "lounge" where I would go between two classes that I had that were close enough together not to leave campus and go home, but far enough apart to need a few minutes out of a classroom. The room had two "dinosaur" age computers. You know the kind, like the first computers ever invented. Pretty much one of them was broken (although not the same one each time, it is like they rotated days)...and alas, "Facebook Girl" was always, always on the "working" computer. I tried not to be nosy and judgy, but all she was ever doing was checking facebook and "poking" people. It really annoyed me and made me kind of mad. I would really have appreciated the opportunity to check my e-mail for actual "school stuff" but instead she HAD to be on facebook, doing worthless crap. In all honesty, I feel this was my first "encounter" with facebook.

After college and suddenly with time on my hands, I finally gave in and got facebook. Immediately I was "hooked." It is kind of fun.....also, there is a "chat" option which I think is like the new "AIM" of my middle-school days.

Pretty recently, I even surprised myself when Nate accused me of being "addicted" to facebook, and I GOT EXTREMELY DEFENSIVE. I am pretty sure this is actually a sign of being addicted....oh crap! All day when I am home with my computer, I get on and off ALL DAY. But I think I am reaching my limits.

I would like to explore what I consider some of the PROS and CONS of facebook, and there are BOTH:

PROS

Allows you to find and reconnect with people you otherwise would not be able to
Allows you to stay in touch and in the loop with people you can't otherwise
It is free
Networking opportunities

CONS

Can become obsessive
TMI
Just technology, and some of the crap that entails
Can cause me to make myself crazy

Some of these options being laid out, there is a lot of stuff I HATE....including but not limited to QUIZZES, POKING, BUY A ROUND, QUESTIONS and ANSWERS and junk like that.

All I use facebook for is to look at the wall and be nosy, reconnect and see what people are up to....stuff like that.

I think I am going to try to "wean" off of it. I am totally going to keep it, but I am going to try to stop looking at it literally 10 times a day. I am sure this is going to be even "harder" since my blackberry now has a direct link to facebook.......

So is it ultimately good or ultimately evil.......perhaps a level of both. I would like to lean towards the "good" side, depending on how you use it. And also, as with anything, I think good in moderation......MODERATION being the key......

I want to move to Africa.....and be a mom to orphans

For many of you who know, and some of you who do not.....we recently found a home church. When I say recently, I actually mean we have been attending pretty regularly since the beginning of June. Also, for those of you who know some of the events that have happened to me and us over the last few months, yes, this does coincide with what I would consider me reaching "rock bottom." I DO NOT think this is a coincidence. I very much believe it was "meant to be" if you believe in this sort of thing.

We kind of meant to "shop around" for a church a bit and try a few out. It just so happened, however, that the one we ended up in on that first Sunday in June, is a "keeper." Since then, we have really begun to get involved and get to know more and more people. This is AWESOME, but has been a bit slower than I anticipated.

Nate and I have been going to Sunday morning service and also each joined a Wednesday evening Bible study. Nate joined a Men's class and me a Women's. We are only two weeks in to it, but both feeling extremely positive about it. Two weeks ago in church, in the bulletin, there was an announcement of an African Children's Choir coming to the church the next week (which at this point is actually the most recent Sunday.) They needed homes to host the children as they were traveling, only for one night. I volunteered us, just because I thought we could accommodate. I didn't know if they would need us, but at least thought we would offer.

They did need us. So this past Sunday, we went to the church, not really knowing much to anticipate. We had been assigned to accommodate three girls. These children are all orphaned children from Uganda. As we were meeting them, I was a bit nervous. I don't really know why, I think it is because with "strange" children I don't really know what to do. Nate is funny and a real "kid-at-heart" and children sense this and gravitate towards him. We got to meet them for a few minutes and had a bite to eat with them, then they did their program and we brought them home.

These girls were amazing...polite, beautiful, easy to entertain. They had a ton of fun drawing on Nate's white board, playing with his stethoscope, and playing a few games we had around the house. They went to bed after I read them a scripture. On Monday morning we woke up and I made breakfast, which they LOVED. We had a sausage casserole and fruit and juice. They made their beds (which, please note were a blow-up mattress and our couch) and then we just relaxed and enjoyed each other's company. More games and they got to meet Hansy (whom we had tried to keep away the previous night, just due to the fact he is a bit barkey and Africans aren't used to dogs as pets as much as in the US).

As the morning drew to a close, and I prepared to take them back to the church, it began to hit me that this would probably have meant more to me than it had to them. It had just been an amazing experience. Also, these children have been staying in people's homes like this since May, basically one night at a time. Nate had left quite early that morning, and I don't really think I am anything remarkable.

However, as we got to the church the girls got a bit quiet. When they went to leave, the 5 year old, Sarah, came over and took my hand and hugged me with big tears in her eyes and said "Thank you and I love you and will keep you in my prayers" I LOST IT! Then it was basically a snowball effect of a lot of crying, on my part and these amazing African children.

I feel that I am not doing this story justice for quite what it meant to me. By all American standards, these children should have "nothing" to be thankful for. Sarah had told me at one point that her favorite thing about coming to the US was going to the dentist. WOW....you are so wise, the dentist is a privilege! These children have no parents, they have basically no material items.....and yet....THEY ARE GRATEFUL, FAITHFUL, and HAVE SO MUCH TO GIVE!

I never anticipated "reacting" to these little girls like this. In all honesty, I thought housing them for a night in our home would help them out. Little did I know how much it would help me. I LOVE YOU GIRLS! I WILL REMEMBER YOU ALWAYS! Since Monday I have just found my attitude better and my outlook better. I am SO GRATEFUL! Thanks again, it was just what I needed, and I know God knew that.

Define: Drunk Dialing

So Nate and I do not drink alcohol. First of all, we have WAY to much fun sober to need the alcohol. It can be pricey. It can lead to questionable judgement and decisions. It can, and often times does, lower inhibitions (which can be good in smaller doses, but not as much in larger ones!) And if anyone has ever, ever seen Nate under the influence of a single cup of coffee, you would be scared (and yet curious, becuase it would proabably be HILARIOUS) to see that boy drunk.

Also, on another note, with some family history, perhaps it would be like playing with fire. That being said, other than a few questionable decisions in high-school involving me and some experimenting........we do not drink.

Changing the subject slightly, but follow with me if you will......

I have been having a hard time sleeping. Goodness only knows why, but last week I went to the doctor due to having a terrible cold and a suspected case of pink eye. While I was there I asked the doctor about the "hard time sleeping" issue. He gave me a prescription for Ambien, not to take on a regular basis, but just to help if I am a bit wound up. I was with some med-school wives last night, it was a great time, but when I got home Nate was sleepy, and I was still running on high-power. For Nate's own peace of mind and a quiet night, I decided to test-run the Ambien.

I am pretty sure it made me feel "drunk-ish." Within a little bit my mind got a bit-blurry. Then the worst part happened. I grabbed my blackberry and got on facebook.......then I started writing stuff.......OH MY GOODNESS. To be 100% honest, I kind of remember doing it....but woke up this morning and was like, "Did I actually do that?!" It is pretty much like the Facebook version of "Drunk Dialing."

Wikipedia defines "drunk dialing" as: Drunk dialing is a pop-culture term denoting an instance in which an intoxicated individual places phone calls that he or she would not likely place if sober. The term often refers to a lonely individual calling former or current love interests. The term drunk dialing is a parody of drunk driving, and is intended to imply similar undesired consequences

It goes on to mention "drunk texting" (which is probably closer!")and defines it as:"Drunk texting" is a related phenomenon, and potentially yet more embarrassing for the sender as, once the message is sent, it cannot be retrieved; the message will most likely be misspelled (due to being drunk), and it might be reviewed and shared among many.

Holy cow....I wrote my beloved aunt a sappy post.....(yes there were some misspellings), but my personal fave was a post I wrote to someone I have literally met one time (so pretty much a complete stranger).....he wrote a post about fall (you know, the season) at which point I replied to him with this: "Hey (name inserted here)....r u a fall lover? If so, fall desserts and baked goods abound in our home and hot cider! Are you in the Indy area? If so, we gotta get together!" I LOVE that I said "are you" with "r u".....r u kidding me? (haha)

Holy cow.....maybe no more Ambien for me.....and if I do have Ambien, someone should probably hide my Blackberry!

I am taking it a bit easier today.....the magnificent Hans doesn't seem to be feeling too fantastic today. I feel starved for conversation. Nate just called and had like 2 minutes and I wanted to talk to him for an hour....his response....."ok hun, I gotta go.....I actually mean I have to go........sorry, but GOTTA GO!"

Oh boy! I sure hope someone enjoys this story......It is kind of embarrasing, but now I know my lesson, I hope!

I promise, I pinky swear!

After two lovely updates for the blog....I want to leave with the statement that I am going to get better and more consistent at the blogging, I promise! I am saying this more for my benefit than yours! I really LOVE blogging....I find it fun and something to do. I think about blogging about once an hour.....I think of a fanstastic thought or opinion, and then I think "I should blog about that." Then I don't do it, darn it!

I am still trying to find my "blogging voice." I have tons of thoughts.....if you could jump in my mind for a few minutes, you would probably be scared and frigtened....haha, well hopefully not, but you get my drift. I hate the silence, and this translates in to my head. That being said, there are probably some things appropriate for blogging (which is a "public" space) and some things that are not.

I guess the bottom line is: Life is awesome! Keep a positive attitude!

Tonight I think I may join some med-school wives for a movie....tomorrow, who knows what will happen. Saturday I may go to a med-school wife thingy, again and we have a b-day party for a neighbor in the evening. Sunday we have a bunch of church stuff, including Sunday evening we will be hosting an adult and three kids (ages 5, 10, and 11) from an African choir that is visiting our church. It should be an adventure to say the least.

Nate and I are both doing a bible study on Wednesday evenings. Last night was the first night, but we both think it is going to be a really good thing. Nate is doing a men's study and I am doing a women's.

So, farewell for now! Love from the Stewarts!