HIJACKING THIS BLOG FOR JOE'S BIRTHDAY!!

Hey... It's the wife, wishing Joe a HAPPY 28th Birthday!

Here's to his sense of humor, his generous nature, his ability to adapt to any new environment, his crooked nose, his love of toys and soccer, his big bear hugs, his excellent cooking, and his great hair!

{photo taken yesterday}

Joe is getting a REAL Scottish kilt for his birthday. He got to pick out all the accessories himself, including the hangy-thingy in front, the dagger, the sock accents, etc. He is SO excited to have this heirloom to celebrate his Scottish heritage. An I think he'll look really hot in the full getup.

Tonight, Joe's sis Mary is treating him to homemade pizza, and might just have a few Arsenal soccer doo-dads to give him for his birthday. She knows him so well!

So join me in wishing this amazing guy a WONDERFUL birthday, and feel free to bring by some dark chocolate, a Transformer or Lego set, or just tell him Happy Birthday in the comments section.

Love you, Joe!

My Social Disobedience for the Week

It's Sunday afternoon, the in-laws are in town, and I just got up from my post-work/church Sunday nap. I really have nothing in particular to write about. I finished Brave New World at work last night, and it was wonderful. I'm not quite sure what to say about it. I don't think that book will ever be irrelevant. I'm glad I didn't read it in school, because I probably wouldn't have. I'm a terrible student.

And speaking of banned books, Banned Books Week is coming up at the end or September. I'll be honest, I didn't know that until 2 minutes ago. Here's the webpage for it. So commit a bit of social disobedience and read one. But something other than Harry Potter. The Goosebumps books are on the list too and even How to Eat Fried Worms. I don't get why people want to censor books. I understand the power that they hold, but how far are people from Nazis when they call Harry Potter evil. It's really just one small step from book burning.

Anyways, this is all making me very upset, I need my soma.

Football...er...Soccer Season

Soccer is back, or has been now for a couple weeks. MLS still doesn't quite count, but give it 2-3 more years and I think it will be coming much closer to respectable status. English fans have begun adopting teams over here, and to be honest I think that's wonderful. When the MLS becomes respected in England, people here in the States will begin to respect it as well.

Arsenal have started off their season with 2 wins and a draw in league play, the last win putting an end to Manchester City's perfect start. Sadly, Thierry Henry finally left for Barcelona in the summer, but the team played some of it's best football last year when he was out with injury, and I think they're more than ready for the change. Once again youth dominates the side, but I think they will make more of a challenge for winning the league than they did last year.

As for the MLS, I'm excited by the prospect of a team coming to St. Louis. Even with a stadium in Collinsville, I would do my best to back up my mouth, and support the MLS. St. Louis is the heart of soccer in the US, it's about time we had a team.

Anyways, get caught up in Beckham fever, but don't forget Denilson, Blanco, Schellotto, and my favorite Angel as the other big stars who have become the pioneers of the designated player rule. They are all class players, and their presence can already be felt in the game.

On My Mind

Odd as it may seem religion is on my mind. What makes this even more odd is that it was while watching Equilibrium. It's about a society that suppresses emotion in order to do away with war. It's an OK movie, but that's beside the point. While watching, I was also following the Cards game and reading an article about Evangelical Christian Youth Groups. Now, I'm all for being in God's Army, heck the movie with the name is about missionaries of the Mormon variety, but I don't get the militant urge to rub my religion in some one's face when I sing about being "...as the armies of Helaman."

Haven't we learned from the Crusades? How about the Inquisition? And Protestants vs. Catholics didn't go so well. Just read Three Musketeers, or the smashed faces on statues in France. What is it about religion, and a message of love that makes people so angry?

I realize that I once went door to door, but not once did I stick my foot and the door when it was slammed. Sure, I yelled at some people, but hey, I have a right to my opinions too. I even think that one of my current problems is that I'm too critical of others people's faith and not enough of my own.

Now that I have exposed any known conflicts of interest, here's what's on my mind...


Is it just me or are Evangelicals hate mongers? I hear no love in their gospel. People say that Mormons stifle free thought and expression, but they belittle and demean anyone who so much as phrases something differently. And I am sick and tired of not being a Christian in their eyes! Not so long ago, they themselves would have been burned or tortured for being heretics, so who are they to judge?

What is so terrible about believing that The Fall was a good and important thing? Without it we wouldn't be here. I am that I might have joy. Becoming like our Heavenly Father doesn't take to glory from him, but make Him greater. Having him in a body of flesh and bones doesn't take away from his greatness, but gives us insight to the true love that He has for us. I believe that Christ sacrificed himself for me, so that if I followed his example, His Grace could return me to My Father. So what if my faith demands I back it up, that's what the scriptures say. And to say that Grace saves if we believe and it doesn't matter what we do otherwise, cheapens the Sacrifice.

Sorry about the rant, but those were just a couple of things that I needed to get off my chest. After all it is my blog and I can say whatever I want. ;)

Oh and if you want a good discussion about us whacky Mormons check this out.

Nodding

I can't stand when a teacher is lecturing and the supposed "smart" student is nodding in agreement to what the teacher says. It's like they're giving their personal approval as to what's being taught. And then they ask a question, which is really a statment about how smart they are.

That said, nursing school is up and going again. Woop-de-doo.

The nice thing about being back in school is that my brain needs to be turned back on, and it's a pretty good place to do that.

I know what you're thinking...

I was thinking of maybe skipping August all together, but then I thought about you, my adoring fans, and thought I'd at least say, "Hi!"

Summer is hot and times have been busy around the Lodge. Em's bro, Steven, has now joined the ranks of married men, and is probably wondering what has done with his life being single for so long. Harry Potter-mania has come and gone, and the summer blockbuster season has ended. Some say it ended last weekend with Rush Hour 3, but let's be honest, it ended the week before with The Bourne Identity. The best movies of the summer, which I've seen (I haven't seen Bourne yet, so I cannot judge), would have to be Transformers, The Simpsons Movie, and (surprise) Stardust. I think Stardust was the only truly original movie this summer, which was all dependent on the all mighty sequel, or in the original popularity of the characters (Transformers and The Simpsons Movie), so there.

Anyhow, school starts up next week, and it has been a glorious summer. And now, it hasn't been all about movies.

Home

There's nothing quite like being home. Especially after being gone for a couple weeks. Feeling free to be able to raid the fridge and not wonder if you are imposing to much is very liberating. Not to mention there's nothing quite like your own toilet.

Now that the baby is on it's way, we've begun to move the house around a bit to make room for a nursery. It's be rather like sealing the fact that life is about to change again after 3 or so years of growing familiarity.

I think that change is almost always good. It helps give us a new perspective on familiar things as well as bringing near experiences. Even when then change sucks, we grow and become more appreciative of what we have. It may be hard, but the only time it's bad is when we give up and quit.

It's not easy being stretched. I've cracked plenty of times, especially recently. I've had to step back and see what the true priorities in my life were.

That said, it's nice to be back and to face real life again. Going to Las Vegas, and Utah was beyond amazing. I have truly fanastic friends, and a family that I am honored to be a part of.

As soon as we download the trip pictures, they'll be posted, but in the mean time, here's Joseph Noah.