Awaiting Abigail

As we await with great anticipation a new addition to our family here in Aberdeen, I (Allison) thought I would make some observations/reflections on what I am most looking forward to as we venture into parenthood.

1. Meeting Abigail for the first time: My mom and I are always wondering – will she have lots of hair? Will it be dark? Will she have blue eyes? How big will she be? Who will she look like?

2. Learning to take care of Abigail: As I know this will take time, I look forward to being an expert on Abigail and her cries, coos, expressions, and needs. It is humbling to think that she will be completely dependent upon us for her every need.

3. Making Abigail part of our family: It is so exciting to think that our family will be growing with Abigail's arrival. I cannot wait to make her part of our family in every way. I'm so excited to see how her arrival will strengthen and grow our marriage and love for one another.

4. Teaching Abigail: Although I never actively pursued becoming a teacher, I have always been excited about the prospect of shaping young minds and especially teaching them about the life and love of Christ. I know I may not be the most patient teacher, but I pray the Lord would soften my heart and give me the patience to learn each new thing alongside Abigail as she observes a whole new world surrounding her each day.

5. Learning from Abigail: I am anxious to learn wonderful new things from Abigail. Not only about parenting, but also about how she views the world and how she responds to everything around her. It is so exciting to think we will have another pair of eyes to make observations and look at life in a new way.

Home Ice

Jeff loves to read (hence his pleasure at the fact that reading is one of his primary job descriptions). He also (ironically?) loves hockey. Oddly enough the two do not often go together. Reading while skating forces one to break the first rule of hockey: keep your head up.

Thankfully, however, one of Jeff’s anniversary gifts this year allowed him to mix the pleasures. The gift was a book entitled Home Ice: Reflections on Backyard Rinks and Frozen Ponds by the late Jack Falla, a sports journalist who worked for a number of publications during his career and taught several courses on journalism at Boston University.

The book consists of a number of stories and reflections on Falla’s own backyard hockey rink. It contains a variety of anecdotes about the NHL, its players, and the game, but is primarily about family: Falla’s own family, other families who have backyard rinks (including a man named Walter and one of his sons, Wayne, whom you may know of), and the overall community created by the bond of skates, sticks, and pucks.

You may not understand the game (Jeff would be happy to teach you), but you can understand the book and the joy behind it. Jeff insisted on reading the book to Abigail (both reading and hockey can never be ingrained too early). Allison obliged and was truly thankful she did. We both recommend it.

The book was also one of the many inspirations for the recent documentary Pond Hockey, which highlights the historic outdoor roots of the game and follows the 2005 Pond Hockey tournament in Minnesota. So, if you don’t like to read, you can watch.

Let this also serve as our plug for the upcoming game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field on New Year’s Day (Note: Husker fans will have to watch in-between downs).

Cheers.

Transformed Tidbits: 12/26/2008

News from the week . . .

Merry Christmas from Aberdeen

1. Joy to the world. The Lord has come.

2. Happy Birthday to Jeff's Mom (Deb) who celebrated another year on Christmas Eve. We'd say congratulations on turning 21, but since Jeff's nearly 25 that might create some awkward problems. Happy Birthday.

3. Thanks to family and friends for the cards and gifts. Also, as a follow-up to an earlier blog: Jeff won, in spite of the oceanic divide.

4. We had a wonderful Christmas meal with some other American friends yesterday. Thanks to all who hosted and participated.

5. Go Huskers.

Blessings.

A Swashbuckling Adventure

As part of our anniversary this year we got tickets to see Peter Pan at the local theater here in Aberdeen (HMT). When I mentioned to a co-worker that we had tickets, she said: "Oh, the pantomime." Now, I don't know about you, but I did not know what a pantomime was. A few conversations and a little research led to the discovery that a British pantomime is what I would refer to as a melodrama. It is a play which requires extensive audience participation. You get to heckle the villain, cheer the hero, and participate in a variety of other activities.

There are also several other elements that are common to British pantomimes. First, they nearly always have a man dressed up as a woman to provide comic relief. Second, they make it point to spray water on the audience on at least one occasion. Third, they get the audience to participate in a sing along.

When we arrived at the theater, they were selling light-up swords and pirate hats for all the kiddies. I felt like we were at the circus with all of the little ones with their light up toys. It was a wonderful experience. They had a beautiful and colorful set, as well as fantastic acting and singing.

It was also wonderful to get to participate in the event and to experience all of the Aberdonian humor that played an integral part in the production. If you ever get the opportunity to go to a pantomime, we highly recommend it.

Cheers.

Candy Bars

We’ve referenced food a number of times on this blog. We’re not sure why this has been such a consistent topic. Alas, judging from the response we got concerning Christmas treats, it seems that our small readership enjoys the topic as well.

We’ve mentioned a few times that the deep fat fried Mars Bar is quite the attraction in certain tourist locales here in Scotland. In that vein, here is our list of the top 5 “Scottish” candy bars. You can click on the names of the bars to find out a little bit more about them.

1. The Lion Bar: This is the only non-Cadbury produced entry. It’s difficult to find, but well worth it.

2. The Starbar: Also known as the Wonder Bar in some countries.

3. The Boost Bar: Glucose? Count us in.

4. The Double Decker: We adamantly adore alliteration, as well as good taste.

5. The Wispa Bar: Plain, chocolate goodness.

We willingly accept comments and criticism of this list. Moreover, (with regard to our “Scottish” readers) we happily accept proof of any disagreements in the form of your own favorite.

Cheers.

Transformed Tidbits: 12/19/2008

News from the week . . .

1. This year marked the first time that we were not able to celebrate our wedding anniversary by going to Stoney River in Deerfield. If you’ve ever been to Stoney River, you will know why this was disheartening.

2. Congratulations to the Divinity department at the University of Aberdeen for having its research rated the best in Scotland and second in the UK. You can find links to all the details here.

3. Still no definite word on Allison’s job status.

4. We had an appointment with the midwife this week. Abigail is doing well, but she is not yet in the proper position. This is not an immediate concern, but may become more pressing in the next two to three weeks.

5. Random Question: How in the world did the electronic gun for Nintendo game Duck Hunt work? And you thought the Wii was cool. That gun was way ahead of the times.

Blessings.

AWF

I (Allison) have been quite blessed by the fellowship that has come through the Aberdeen Women's Fellowship. I have had the opportunity to meet several other women that are here in Aberdeen and are similarly far away from their "homeland" for various reasons (with the majority being married to a perpetual student). There are women from the US, the UK, and South Africa. Just recently, they held a Christmas party with everything from Christmas cookies to a White Elephant Gift Exchange.

I have also had the opportunity to join a Bible Study with several of the other women. It has offered a wonderful environment to get to know them a little bit better and to study God's Word together. Not only has this group been a blessing since arriving here in Aberdeen, they were also a tremendous help as we were preparing to move here as we had contact with several of them asking all kinds of questions we had regarding places to live, how to travel, health care, etc.

We are so thankful for the opportunities God has given us to get to know other families in similar seasons of life and we have been richly blessed through their generosity and hospitality.

To Wait or to Snoop?

There are very few things about which we disagree. But every gift giving occasion, and particularly during Christmas, we have this one nagging problem: Allison is a “waiter” and Jeff is a “snooper.”

Jeff does not like surprises. It’s not that he doesn’t appreciate the gesture (he does), it’s that he has an insatiable desire to be in the know. His snooping habit developed early on in his childhood as a sort of competition with his mom (Deb), who was a professional snoop during her own childhood. In fact, Deb, the best gift wrapper we know, was able as a child to unwrap her gifts and re-wrap them without anyone being the wiser.

One Christmas, however, Deb mistakenly used the area under her bed as a safe-haven for gifts. Jeff found them easily, but was so guilt-ridden that he confessed. His confession was met with the return of one of the spied upon items. Though the response (punishment?) was completed with good intentions, it was not taken well by Jeff. The following Christmas he responded by humming the Jeopardy theme song prior to opening a gift that contained an electronic version of the show. The battle was on.

They continue to keep track of who “wins” every year. Can Jeff accurately predict the gift? Or can Deb sufficiently conceal it from him? She even took to wrapping stocking stuffers so that he would not peek before the appropriate time and developed a numbering system when he was in high school so he would be unable to identify the right packages to shake, rattle, and roll (Jeff does not have the same wrapping abilities as Deb).

When we got married, Allison was quickly initiated into this game. Jeff’s prior knowledge of every gift during our first year of marriage was (understandably) infuriating and she took to learning the ins and outs of the competition. Her greatest moment to date was hiding a birthday present in plain sight in our friends’ apartment and then having our friend wear it while we were with them.

Though she was happy to have “won” (at least once) she will never be able to be a real participant in the game. At heart, she’s still a “waiter.” She is someone who loves the joy of the surprise and the thrill of the opening.

Jeff has already used his many methods to determine nearly every gift he is to receive in forthcoming days, but Deb will likely win the head to head competition this year. Jeff is a good snoop, but cut him some slack, looking across the ocean is not as easy as pulling up the bed skirt.

Allison, on the other hand, will be able to look forward to the gift exchange with pure, unadulterated anticipation.

Whether you are a “waiter” or a “snooper,” we hope you enjoy the hustle and bustle of the season.

Happy Christmas.

Transformed Tidbits: 12/12/2008

[Insert your very own clever introduction here]

1. After six years, two degrees, a Master’s thesis, and countless other papers, our PC laptop has reached its end. Thankfully, we had been planning for its demise and were able, through the Lord’s provision, to obtain a new iMac to fill the void.

2. We do not normally read candy bar wrappers (we have some other reading to do), but Jeff was happy to discover recently that Snickers proclaims itself “suitable for vegetarians.” What a fantastic way to make up for all of that lost protein. (Note: Snickers are also “suitable” for omnivores.)

3. Some people think we’re weird (heretical?) for enjoying the Harry Potter series. We’re always happy to discuss its content with you (as well as our justification). For now, however, check out the new trailer for the forthcoming film.

4. Thanks for your prayers concerning Allison’s health. She is on the mend. Now she’s just longing for the time when she’ll have regained her balance. Pregnancy and gravity go to together like oil and water.

5. As kids in Nebraska we used to say that if you didn’t like the weather you should just wait 5 minutes. The rapidly changing weather on the plains, however, cannot match the speed on this island. Craziness.

Blessings.

Made in America: Part 3

Made in America is a continuing series on some of the humorous and relatively inconsequential differences of our life here in Scotland.

With Christmas season well upon us our minds have been set on the wonderful joys associated with the season: the incarnation, music, and, of course, cookies.

Thanks to the wonderful gift of some Hershey Kisses, Allison was able to make the greatest Christmas cookie known to men (or at least one man, Jeff): the Peanut Butter Blossom. Many of our Scottish friends do not have a ravaging desire for copious amounts of peanut butter. Thus, Allison’s love for peanut butter (which is ravaging) is often seen to be quite humorous. When Allison informed her co-workers that she was going to be making Jeff’s favorite Christmas cookie this past weekend, they were none too surprised to find that the key ingredient was (creamy, delicious) peanut butter.

They were most flabbergasted, however, by the sheer idea of making Christmas cookies. Indeed, they were quite surprised to learn that the US, as vast as it is, has a nearly “universal” love for making (and consuming) Christmas cookies of all shapes and sizes. Here, the infatuation rests with Christmas (fruit) cakes.

So, we ask you: cookies or cake?

Transformed Tidbits: 12/5/2008

Welcome to December. Here are this week’s notices.

1. Congratulations to Jeff on his come from behind victory in the Husker Predictions. Also, be sure to root for the Husker Volleyball team as the national tournament begins this week.

2. Andrew’s pensive response to the TriBond illustration in Monday’s entry was correct. A rabbit (Trix), a tiger (Frosted Flakes), and a leprechaun (Lucky Charms) all appear on cereal boxes.

3. Some interesting articles you may have missed this week: A New York Times piece on webcam relationships and a BBC piece on increased loneliness in UK communities.

4. Two prayer requests: 1. Allison has been a bit under the weather thanks in part to Jeff and one of her co-workers. Please pray for a rapid recovery. 2. Allison’s job situation. We have good reason to believe that it will soon become a permanent position, but the situation is still a bit blurry. Pray for news and guidance.

5. Speaking of Allison, here is some evidence of pregnancy progress.


Blessings.

A Lovely American Accent

Another one of the American women here in Aberdeen recently commented on the reception of her American accent. I (Allison) thought I would give a brief synopsis of my own similar experience.

First and foremost, I still find it remarkable that I am in a place where my accent is something of note. Truth be told, growing up in Nebraska doesn’t really foster aspirations of having any sort of an accent. I guess I always just imagined that the British would hate American accents, but this assumption, at least in my experience, has been proven incorrect.

I have actually discovered that people here generally love my accent. My co-workers continually use adjectives like “nice” and “gentle” to describe it. Telemarketers who phone me at work (looking to speak with my supervisor) are constantly saying things like: “you aren't from around here . . . you have a lovely American accent.” I always try to say I think my accent is quite plain, but they are very quick to correct me.

Most humorous, however, is the notion that my accent belies some sort of international innocence, at least as it pertains to the consumption of alcohol. When one gentleman finished complimenting my accent over the phone he proceeded to ask me if I had been able to frequent any pubs since my arrival. When I responded in the negative, he insisted that inebriation was a vital part of my Scottish experience.

I still don’t know what makes my accent so lovely. Heck, sometimes I don’t even remember that I am the one with the accent.

Cheers.

Pumpkin Pie, Salad Dressing, and Sour Cream

You probably know by this point that we are “game people.” One of the games we own is called TriBond. In this game participants are required to find the common link between three items that, at first glance, appear to have no real connection. For example, you might be asked what a rabbit, a tiger, and a leprechaun all have in common.

Today, however, we want to see if you know what connects pumpkin pie, sour cream, and salad dressing. Apart from the fact that they are all foods, they all posed a significant problem for us this weekend as we managed to spill a considerable amount of them all over our kitchen floor. Here’s the story.

1. Pumpkin Pie: Allison loves to bake and she has become very proficient at most dessert items, with a particular knack for pies. So, with a little leftover Thanksgiving spirit she decided that a pumpkin pie was in order. All was going splendidly until the silicon pie pan collapsed on itself, sending the filling to the oven door and causing the crust to fold in on itself. Thanks to some quick thinking the filling was salvaged and the pie successfully baked, though we may be cleaning pumpkin out of nooks and crannies for quite some time.

2. Salad Dressing: Several hours and two delicious pieces of pie later Allison had the unfortunate need to open the fridge. Evidently too much weight had been put into the drawers on the doors and out came nearly all the canned goods in the fridge. Miraculously nothing broke or spilled. Nothing, that is, until Jeff opened the fridge ten minutes later. The glass salad dressing endured one drop, but not two, and we were back at the cleaning process again.

3. Sour Cream: Canned goods now placed securely away from the door drawers, we believed our weekend of spilling was over. Wrong. We thought it would be a good idea to have some sour cream with our chicken nachos after church. The sour cream, however, was clearly better suited for Jeff’s trousers, where it found its home after falling out of the same fridge door. (Note: For the duration of our use of this fridge, the drawer will remain empty.)

Q: What do pumpkin pie, salad dressing, and sour cream have in common?
A: They are things Jeff and Allison shouldn’t touch.

Cheers.