Thursday, April 29, 2004

My Little Chipmunk

chipmunk.jpgYep, that's right - Ben's wisdom teeth came out yesterday & it's been a ton of fun ever since. All I have to say is, "Thanks Mom for taking such good care of me when I had mine taken out!" Dr. Lamb told us, for future reference, that we should have our kid's wisdom teeth taken out whenever they're 15-16 because the older you get the harder it is. Ben wanted to send thank you notes to all the other dentists that told him to wait until he was older.
After the surgery, Ben was flying high & we were laughing so much that the nurse had to tell us to stop because he needed to keep his mouth shut - ha! Since then it's been ice packs, pain killers & 3 a.m. trips to Wal-Mart for more gauze to stop the bleeding. All of this has made me realize how much fun Ben & I usually have together & I can't wait until he's better & his chipmunk cheeks heal.


p.s. I will soon have pictures of Ben right after he came out of surgery - priceless!!

Monday, April 26, 2004

Memory Verse for the Month

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When life hands you a lemon, find a Bible verse, take it out of context, & apply it to yourself. I have found this a satisfying way of encouragement lately. So, I have found a memory verse to explain the situation Monica & I are going through right now. I ran across this verse years ago when Austin was asked what his favorite Bible verse was at a devo. Without hesitating he said, "Joel 3:14," confidently. He had no idea what it said in Joel 3:14, so everyone turned there. This is how it reads:

"Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision."
I have never forgotten this verse, & it is exceedingly appropriate. We have just a few days to make a major decision. Actually to make some major decisions! We are smack dab in the middle of the valley of decision & have until the end of this month to make it. We would like to leave it up to fate, but that never works out because anything you end up doing is your fate--think about it. Anyhow, if anybody wants to pay off our loans with no strings attached, we will let you make the decision for us... no questions asked. Go to Harding, stay at OC, work for a year, forget it all & travel--those are your 4 options, & for an undisclosed amount, you get to choose. This is the reality of Monica & Ben's life taken to a whole new level.


Well, take this memory verse to heart & don't let the context of the passage (judgment of all the nations at the end of time) get in your way. Misinterpreted, it actually speaks volumes about what we are going through right now.

Thursday, April 22, 2004

Lightning Crashes

lightning2.jpgNo, not just one of the best songs ever by Live - but a way of life for Oklahomans in the months of April & May. We had our first big storm yesterday, which included tornado warnings, golf ball size hail & a nice wall cloud just to freak us out a lot!! I drove home on the turnpike in these conditions while Ben was escorted to the back of Wal-Mart & was forced to stay there until the sirens stopped.


Storms do keep things exciting around here, but when a tornado actually does touch down it makes moving to a different state look much more appealing to say the least. People either love storms or hate them, which one are you?

Wednesday, April 21, 2004

Kill Ben, Vol. I and II

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"Ben, you make the decision on what font to engrave on Bubby's knife. I don't really like the Roman, though," Monica says. Ben does exactly what he is told and calls Monica. "Oh, thy beautiful princess, I have made the grandest decision to go with the Clarendon font," Ben says with grace and confidence. "What!!" Monica exclaims, "I would rather you have gone with the Roman font... I am going to call them and try to change it." Ben, in a mildly frustrated state says, "Fine, princess, but don't ever ask me to make a decision again and then tell me it was wrong."
(5 days later) "Ben, I am starving unto the point of death. Please, my knight in shining armor, bring thee some donuts to the office." Ben turns off the Regis and Kelly show and says, "I'll save thee! What kind of scrumptious pastries dost thou demand, and how many shall thou request?" "Oh, whatever you think, and stop speaking King James," Monica states. Once again, Ben does exactly what was told him, and brings 6 assorted donuts to the office with his head held high. Monica counts the donuts and counts the associates in her office and reprimands Ben, "Why did you only get six donuts? Well, I guess somebody in the office doesn't get one. I thought you were going to get more!" Ben instantly bows his head in shame and disgust. "Baby, don't ever tell me to make a decision and then tell me I did something wrong. We went over this last time [five days ago]. I quit." And crying like a little girl who found out her Barbie's hair won't grow back, Ben runs out of the office.

Lesson to learn from Ben and Monica's blog today: Making decisions can be tough sometimes. Even if you are told to make a decision by your wife, call her 3 times before you actually make it. Sometimes "make a decision" means make a preliminary statement of your intended course of action, but leave it completely open for your wife to modify it. However, most of the time, "make a decision" really means "make a decision" because your wife feels secure and loved when you decide what to do. From where you eat, to what shirt you think she should wear, there is the weird respect your wife gives you when you decide... even if she decides to change your decision.

Monday, April 19, 2004

A Preacher's Wife Am I

preacher.jpgFor those of you that don't know, Ben has tentatively chosen to seek becoming a preacher as his career. We are scheduled to move to Memphis, Tennessee this August so that he can begin working on his M.Div. @ Harding University Graduate School of Religion. Ben has also been preaching on Sundays @ the Wellston Church of Christ which has given us a dose of what it could be like someday. This has been a great opportunity for both of us & everyone there has been truly wonderful.
The funny thing about all of this is that I never in a million years thought that I would be a preacher's wife!! After all, I don't wear my hair in a bun or know how to do that 'keeping silent' thing. I'm not sure that I own enough turtlenecks or could possibly teach a bible class @ this point. So how in the world did I end up in this predicament? I guess marrying the most amazing man in the world has its drawbacks (jk). Does anyone else find this humorous?

Friday, April 16, 2004

OC is a Good Place to be

OC_web_black.jpgToday I accompanied my brother to Junior Day (a recruiting day hosted by OC specifically for high school Juniors). Kyle Wray gave a short talk at the end of the day about why OC is such a great place & why they should come here. It really inspired me because I sometimes forget what a great place this really is. Kyle talked about 5 different aspects that make OC unique (Christian environment, academics, metropolitan, people, & technology). I think he may have recruited me to come to OC all over again!!


I guess sometimes we just get caught up in the day-to-day routine & forget how lucky we are. The people in my office & all over campus that I have the opportunity to work with every day aren't just typical co-workers - we all have something in common which is reflected in everything we do, Christ. I couldn't ask for a better institution for my brother to come to, or for my children to come to someday. My college career has affected the rest of my entire life & coming to OC was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It was nice to be reminded of that today.

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Austin, We Salute You

austin.jpgThis blog is written for our son, Austin Groves, of Monument, Colorado. He was Ben's roommate starting the second semester of their freshman year. We do not know of a more quality guy than Austin. His laughter is constant and infectious, and he is light-hearted and relaxed about everything. Everybody on the OC scene knew Austin when he was here, and they were all his friends. He is the co-founder of ABETA (Austin and Ben for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), and he risked his life on the organization's first mission: Operation Swan Pond. Ben and Austin attempted to provoke swans by running around a pond with white sheets. The purpose of the mission was to make sure the swans had defined their territory.


Austin currently is running up the ranks at REI in Denver, Colorado. He impresses them with his permanent smile and friendly attitude. No doubt he is leaving a really good impression on everybody. We predict it won't be long before he owns and manages his own REI.
Austin's nicknames include Mulligan, Mad Season, St. Augustine, and Osterreich. We can't say enough about Austin, our beloved son. He has great integrity, strength of character, strong work ethic, and is spiritually minded.


Austin, We salute you! And remember, you're next!!

Sunday, April 11, 2004

Puppy Sitting, Oh no!

annie_drawer.jpgWe puppy sat for Annie. Annie is the orphaned puppy found near the Lighthouse a few weeks ago. She is sooo cute and I think she only peed and pooped on our carpet 5 times. We definitely got a dose of what being real puppy parents would be like. What a responsibility!! We took her to get her worm medication and her parvo shot at the vet. She hated it all, but is such a sweetheart, and got even with us by pooping in the back floorboard.
Annie is the perfect puppy, though, and she loved sleeping with us in our bed. She likes to get as close to you as she can and she snuggles like you are the most comfortable thing on earth. Monica actually cried today when we had to take her back home to Jayna's apartment. We love Annie, but we realized what a hard job it is to have a puppy. Here are some more pics of Annie & our Easter weekend...

Annie Close-up
Couch
Lake with Ben
Lake with Monica

Ben - Easter present
Monica - Easter present

Thursday, April 8, 2004

Happy Birthday Bubby!!

sissy_bubby.jpgToday is my favorite brother & only brother & only sibling for that matter's 17th birthday! I will always remember the day that I became a 'sissy' & left the years of being an only child behind me. Michael never fails to impress me; he has already done so many successful things @ such a young age.


He runs track & cross country, has taught himself how to build computers, is in the running to be the valedictorian at his school, & has followed in his sissy's footsteps in becoming a lifeguard!! He's also been to Washington, DC twice (once for band & once for a leadership conference) & wants to travel around the world. It's true that we may have argued once or twice in our childhood, but I'm so glad that he's one of my best friends now. I love you bubby, have a wonderful birthday!

Tuesday, April 6, 2004

An Easter Jingle

giraffe.jpgI know you've all heard the Peter Cottontail jingle on the Toys R Us Easter commercial. "Here comes Peter Cottontail, hoppin' down the bunny trail..." Those little bunnies crack me up! It starts with one little bunny singing to Geoffrey the Giraffe & then it goes to 5 bunnies singing & then a million bunnies singing so that they will have an Easter sale. Geoffrey says, "Alright, Alright we'll have a big Easter sale, just please make it stop." It's the most adorable thing I've ever seen & you would think Ben & I were 5 yr. olds because we run into the living room to watch the commercial every time it's on so we can laugh.


Click here to download it so that you too can remember what it's like to be a Toys R Us kid:)

Monday, April 5, 2004

The Perfect Picnic

pudding.jpgLast Thursday, yes April Fools Day, was me & Ben's 1-yr. engagement anniversary. We had planned to go out to dinner to celebrate... until the wheels in Ben's head started turning @ 4 p.m. that afternoon. He picked me up from work @ 5 & took me to the garden where he had proposed to me @ 1 year before. I asked him to pop the trunk so I could put my purse in there because I thought we were just going to walk around. He gladly did so & surprise! There was a picnic basket waiting in the trunk with PB & jelly sandwiches, raspberry ginger ale & banana pudding (the exact picnic he had prepared for us when he proposed).


We walked over & sat by the pond & Ben prayed about us & our marriage. Not only was the menu the same, but Ben had hidden a plastic bubble (the kind you get out of a 25 machine) in my banana pudding with a ring & a note inside. He had gotten the ring out of my jewelry box just to be funny, but the note read, "1 year ago we both decided to get married... and we haven't agreed on a thing since! I love you, Ben". I couldn't stop laughing & we had a wonderful impromptu date!

Thursday, April 1, 2004

The LD on the TP...

tp_roll.jpgBen does the strangest thing whenever it's time to change the toilet paper on the toilet paper roll... he will get the new roll of TP & place it either on the counter or on the actual toilet paper holder. By no means does it even cross his mind to take the empty toilet paper cardboard roll off of the holder, place it in the trash can sitting directly under the holder & replacing it with the new roll of TP.


This is the strangest phenomenon I've ever heard of (being the perfectionist that I am & thinking that everyone should do things exactly like I would do them). I realize that Ben isn't the only person in the world who does this because one of my college roommates (Lacey Lukasiewicz) also did this & it drove me crazy then too!
There are also other funny things that Ben does (i.e. leaving the cruise control on ALL the time, not adjusting the steering wheel back to the upright position when he gets out of the car so that I can barely squeeze in when I drive, throwing things on the floor after I've spent hours cleaning our apt., managing to get crumbs or food remains on every single counter in our kitchen while making a sandwich, etc.) As you can see, I haven't spent much time pondering on all these funny little things that make Ben the carefree male that he is:) You just have to learn to laugh @ all these crazy little quirks' & realize that if you married someone exactly like you, life would be very boring.