Merry Christmas: Good-bye, Home; Hello, Chicago

I have been doing some serious traveling this year.

It always seems like that, though. Two years I won't go anywhere, and then the next year I'll take three trips in twelve months to make up for it. Before this year, the last flight I took was going to Orlando for my honeymoon three years ago. Now, this will be the third trip this year I've taken, and I'm heading to the Windy City.

And I'm slightly terrified. It's cold up there. REALLY cold. Like in the negatives.

I've never experienced cold like that before.

I've reconsidered my clothing for the week, even though the weather man up there says it's going to warm up. But I was in Boston when it “supposedly” was 60 degrees, and I nearly froze. So this time, I'd like to pack better.

Superman is heading off to wonderful places such as Los Angeles and Hawaii for two weeks (and I'm having to basically kick him out of the house to go – he hates traveling without me. Now, everyone, say it together: “Aww...”) so I'm heading to Chicago with relatives. And I am not anticipating that I'll have Internet connectivity until Dec. 31 or later. I know you're all tearing up with sadness. ;)

Also, I'd like to thank Rachel for the following bloggy award (my first! Yea!):



I'm supposed to tell ten things about myself that I normally wouldn't tell people, soooo – here goes!

1.I fell in love with my husband when I first saw him. Well, maybe not in “love,” but he caught my eye. And I wanted to be his friend. And I was. We were close friends for about a year before we started dating.

2.I've written stories from my imagination since as far back as I can remember. My mom even bound one “book” I wrote in the second grade. One of my teachers called me a “compulsive writer.” And she's completely right. I HAVE to write. I have to get the stories out. Crazy, I know.

3.I love clean houses, but my house is never clean. Never spotless. Maybe “straightened up,” whatever that means, but it's never completely clean.

4.I want to snowboard and learn how to surf. It's on my “To-Do-Before-I-Have-A-Baby” List. I have gone parasailing, hang gliding, and diving, though. And a cool pilot let me fly a two-seater plane. But I don't want to skydive. I think that's weird (that I don't want to; not skydiving in general).

5.I may have gotten kicked out of grad school at one point. MAY have.

6.I took my first flight when I was in eighth grade, and it was too Hawaii. However, my mom and I almost had to get off the plane because (as it was the first plane ride for both of us), we didn't realize how small the seats were. And we're VERY claustrophobic. It was highly uncomfortable. I love flying now – as long as I am NEAR a window. On the way back from Jamaica in college, I was in the middle of the last row on a HUGE plane – it was bad. I had to keep my head between my legs pretty much the entire way back.

7.I can write it – but I can't speak it. My mouth doesn't work as well as my fingers do. That probably doesn't make sense, but maybe it does.

8.I was a “dramatic” child. My mom said I lied a lot. My grandmother said I needed to be an actress. Then I went into public relations.

9.Everything I DIDN'T want to do, I ended up doing – and liked it. I didn't want to go to the college I attended. Now I LOVE it. I didn't want to teach. And what do I do? Teach.

10.However, as a side note to No. 9, I flipped a coin to decide which school to attend.

And, therefore, I would like to pass this award to newly-married Brooke. She's an awesome girl, and I'm glad she found her Mr. Right! ;)

So, Merry Christmas, everyone, and I hope you have a fabulous holiday with family and friends. And, just so I won't forget, may I present the winners of the PIFG (yes, a day or two early; who doesn't like some early Christmas cheer?):


Sarah M. -- Sarah Short and Gaudy


Jackie at Our Moments, Our Memories


Mrs. N at All That Naz


And, guys, just e-mail me your home addresses, and I'll try to get those shipped out tomorrow. If not, it'll be after I return from Chicago (so sorry! I really have horrible timing).

Again, Merry Christmas to all!

Pay-it-forward giveaway

I recently (okay, like nearly a month ago) won Rachel’s pay-it-forward giveaway, a crafty tile pendant that she makes, and, therefore, I am required to host the next PIFG.

I’m going to try to explain it as simply as possible because this is my first PIFG I participated in.

1. Leave a comment to get entered into the contest. I will draw three people who will win the prize (will get to that in a moment) and will e-mail you that you won and mail you the prize.

2. The three people who win will host their own PIFG and do the same. Now, naturally, this prize needs not to be extravagant, just a simple treat in the mail. You choose the prize you want to give.

For example, my prize! =D

I’m not crafty by ANY means, so making something was out of the question. And as this is so close to Christmas, I decided against anything really Christmasy. BUT then I visited Jackie’s blog and realized that, hey, it just needs to be something that reflects me.

And what better way than a $5 Starbucks gift card?

So I will draw three names to win my Starbucks prize on Tuesday, Dec. 23 and will announce the winner on Christmas Eve (Merry Early Christmas!). So, please, I need at least three comments so I can have my three winners.

Hooray for coffee!!! (Or hot chocolate. Or delicious hot apple cider.)



(BTW, please ignore the fact that I am holding a Java City cup and not a Starbucks cup. I work on campus, remember. Hehe.)

SOAP No. 15: Playing both sides

Scripture: Saul then said to his attendants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her."

"There is one in Endor," they said.

So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. "Consult a spirit for me," he said, "and bring up for me the one I name."

But the woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?"

Saul swore to her by the Lord, "As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this."
…
The king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?"

The woman said, "I see a spirit coming up out of the ground."

“What does he look like?" he asked.

"An old man wearing a robe is coming up," she said.

Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
…
Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has turned away from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors -- to David. Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. The Lord will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines."
-- 1 Samuel 28:7-10, 13-14, 16-19

Observation: Samuel had died, and Saul was pursuing David, who had already spared the king’s life twice. The Philistine army had gathered and was getting ready to attack, and Saul was scared. He sought out a witch to conjure up Samuel, but the witch was apprehensive, as Saul has expelled all of the witches of the country.

Application: I put in a long passage of Scripture, but I felt all was needed for this. Saul had prayed to the Lord, but when the Lord didn’t answer (because the Lord had departed from Saul), he quickly devised other means to get his answers – so much as to ask a witch to bring up a dead prophet!!! But look at the top, where Saul says, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.” It’s like Saul’s trying to play both sides here – and you can’t do that!

And, again, the whole idea of Saul going to a medium to speak to Samuel is…asinine. Nothing about that makes sense. And then when he does get to speak to Samuel, he doesn’t like what he hears. First, Samuel tells Saul that everything that is coming is nothing that is happening by surprise. All of this had been predicted. And then, the bombshell: “Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.” If that didn’t put a chill down Saul’s spine, nothing would.

Saul was like a child: he wanted his cake and to eat it, too, but how different are we? We’ll go to church on Sunday and Wednesday, but we do whatever we want to do during the rest of the week. We’ll do our Bible reading but quickly forget what the Scripture said when we are confronted. Sometimes, like Saul, we react based on fear. We are fearful of the future, and we don’t hear what the Lord says…but sometimes, like with Saul, He has already spoken. We are His children, and He is with us. Even if sometimes it seems like we can’t hear him, God doesn’t change. He’s the one constant in this universe, and He is the same today as He was yesterday. He keeps His promises. He loves us. All of us.

Prayer: God, sometimes we get so caught up in life and fearful of the future that we cannot hear the still, small voice that is You. Help us to remember – help me to remember – that You are always with Your children. When everything else fails, You are still there. It may seem strange to us to have such a loving and compassionate Savior who never changes, but it’s true. You are the same, and You love us with the same passion You had when You came to Earth so long ago. Thank You so much for holding our future in Your hands.

Our book

I earlier mentioned the book that Superman and I have written, and a lot of you had some questions about it, so I decided to dedicate an entire blog to the project that took us the better part of the year to complete. =)

First, a little back story. Superman and I both studied journalism in college. When we dated, we naturally were a little shy and tried to hide the more embarrassing character “flaws,” i.e. our supreme dorkiness. Superman’s came out fairly quickly due to video games, but, as a female, I managed to hide mine a little bit better.

I don’t remember when exactly Superman realized I am just as much of a nerd (okay, maybe more so) as he is, but I do remember the look of pure excitement on his face as he tried to entice me with video games because, “you’d love the storyline.”

Yeah, okay. But I digress.

We both are writers and had some projects that we wanted to write, but due to work and grad school, neither of us were really able to focus on our writing. It took THREE YEARS for us to suddenly have a revelation: why don’t we write a book together?

Brilliant.

We came up with a storyline around April, I believe. The book is actually based on something I’ve played around with since high school, altered tremendously, however, as it needed to be. However, we really didn’t start writing until summer, and that’s when the book REALLY kicked off. I would write about 20 pages a week (sometimes more), and Hubby would help me, coach me, and encourage me. He served as editor, mentor, and guide. He had a great plan of where to take the characters, which I was able to put down in writing.

We grew even closer during this time, though I’ll admit it did not come without arguments. Looking back, I see how silly we were about how we argued about the fates of the characters or conversations or how the plot was thickening. We laugh about it now, and, don’t get me wrong: we weren’t fighting then…We just had creative differences, haha.

Editing, though it’s my least favorite activity, became my favorite. I loved waking up at 5:30 a.m. with my husband and drinking a pot of coffee with him as we edited together. Those are my favorite memories of this time. I loved being with him, working on something tangible with him.

We have now sent the book off to several agents, hoping to get a response that they are interested in the book. Hubby wrote the best query letter EVER, and he’s the one who found the agents and has been keeping track of that. I am ever so grateful that he’s organized with that, because we all know I couldn’t do it!

As I was writing this blog, I wanted to kinda describe what our novel is about, and, I felt Hubby had the best description:

“It's an epic fantasy story without all the mythical creatures, medieval castles, and happy endings. It deals with racism, government corruption, and the thin line of discernment between good and evil.”

Thanks, Superman!

And now we wait.

Naughty or nice?

I am a bit cautious as to what I put online. People are CRAZY. I know; I've met them. On places such as facebook and myspace, I've got my profile selected so that only my "friends" (and I say that term loosely as for some reason I've got people on there I don't especially care for -- I'll get to that in a second) can see my profile, and even THEN I'm careful as to what I put out there. Once it's online, it's there. Just ask the girl who had to go into hiding for putting a racial slur inher facebook status. Yeah. You bet she regrets that now.

Anyway, I'm getting off the subject, as usual. I also do the whole instant messaging thing so I can IM Superman during the day. It's handy, and I love it. However, I am not as good with using it as I am other things. For instance, when someone contacted me today saying I was on his friends list and he was wondering why (i.e., who am I), it didn't automatically click that I CAN'T be on his friends list -- because he's not on mine.

I asked him who he was, and he said he was "Jake" and lived around a nearby area. Well, I know one Jake. And he happens to be from that place. So, thinking (and hoping) that this was the Jake I knew, I gave my first name. My REAL first name. "Jake"'s response?

"Cool. What did you major in?"

Uh....the Jake I know would ABSOLUTELY know this answer. As I politely tried to end the conversation ("My boss came in. I have to go. Bye." To which he responded, "Ok. Talk later?" I didn't answer. Maybe he'll take the hint.), I couldn't help but think, "GEEZ!! I'm sorry, but I don't MAKE virtual friends."

And then I realized how untrue that statement was.

As I follow people in this little bloggy world, I've started getting to know you all and praying for you as you struggle with different things: adoption, getting married, getting through the holidays, visiting your children...but then I realized the difference between y'all and "Jake": "Jake" is a name, a faceless person who I know nothing about. I read your posts and see your love for God and your desires to be Proverbs 31 women. True, the wool could still be pulled over my eyes, but I feel a little more connected with y'all than I do with "Jake" (who will be blocked as soon as I can figure it out).

Our world has become a virtual society, but what are the limits? We've all seen the Dateline shows of what can happen to people, good and bad, through use of the Internet and chatting with online buddies. But what about for the people we know? What about those people who ask to be your "friend" -- and you're not keen on them finding you? ;)

I've blocked more than one person online in order for my profile picture not to even show up in a search. And I use my married name instead of my maiden name -- those people who do not know my married name are people I probably am not interested in reconnecting with. Oh, and for people who want to be my friend and then don't speak when they see me in public? There's always that handy "delete" button (which has been used on more than one occasion).

But what about those people who you really don't care for but ask to be your friend? The ones that you see regularly? Is it okay to not add them or to delete them?

Is there a "polite" way to tell someone, "Hey, we're not really pals, and I don't want to be your online friend"?

Probably not.

I have gone through random "delete fests" because, well, frankly, I don't have 493 friends, as facebook claims. I'm not that popular. I didn't invite 493 people to my WEDDING. But I've actually seen people bragging about how many "friends" they have on facebook. And I want to say, "Really? Really? You have 12,038 friends?" That sure is a lot of Christmas cards to send out. Unless you do it electronically. Then it's probably easy.

When you blog, you bare your writing to the world. You allow people to see a piece of you -- whatever piece you want. One of the reasons I like my little anonymous blog so much is the freedom it gives me. I do have a few "real life" friends on here and others who read this blog, but they know me well enough to know that this is pretty much the "real" me. ;)

So what is the verdict in this virtual friendship war? On Santa's list, what would be found "naughty" and what would be found "nice"?

Blogging -- naughty/nice
Facebook/myspace -- naughty/nice
Instant messaging -- naughty/nice

Thoughts, anyone?

Surviving the Holidays with your In-Laws

Some of you out there have fabulous in-laws. You know the kinds: the ones who don’t intrude, who encourage both of you and treat you both as their children, who buy thoughtful presents, who understand that you need to spend time with the other set of parents…you know, your parents. ;)

Just kidding.

For the majority of us, though, as Christmas looms closer and closer, we pull out the big guns: a desktop calendar with lots of white space so you can organize every family function, plan every meal and gift, and divide your time equally between both sets of parents.

So what’s a blushing bride to do? Get the camo gear out and prepare!

What to do when you are asked to make a side dish you’ve never made before
Especially if this is one of your first holiday family get-togethers with his side, this problem can be a real pain in the rear. Make a soufflé what? Use a what kind of baking dish? Dip what into what?? Never fear, ideas are here!

1. Practice makes perfect. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! And use wikipedia.org to figure out what the heck you’re supposed to be making in the first place.

2. Pay your BFF, who happens to be an outstanding chef, to make the dish for you. She likes cooking anyway…

3. And, if all else fails, make something that you know you cook well and pretend that you forgot what you were supposed to bring. And then learn to make that item before next Christmas.

What to do when bad relatives come
There’s always at least one, er, “troublesome” relative that will no doubt bring loads of unwelcome present for the holidays. Whether it’s a bitter spouse or a cold cousin or that a-little-too-friendly uncle, these relatives spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

1. There’s only one rule to follow here: STAY BY YOUR HUBBY. Make sure he knows never ever to leave your side (unless you feel comfortable enough to hang out with his siblings or cousins). That way if a fist fight breaks out or your MIL gets you in her sights, you have a safe place.

What to do when you just don’t want to go
My Sunday school teacher, a very wise woman, has said that for really troublesome in-laws, we should “love them at a distance.” But…what about Christmas dinner?

1. This depends on how quarrelsome you expect Christmas dinner to become. Do you restrain from throwing a knife at your MIL when she makes a rude comment? Do you watch “Forensic Files” on a regular basis to learn how to commit the perfect crime? Maybe this year you should skip the holiday meal and just go visit…briefly.

2. Maybe you and your in-laws have such a bad history together that you don’t want to ever see them again – and they don’t want to see you, either. How about a compromise? Hubby goes to briefly visit – and you stay behind and catch up on those great Christmas movies. It’s win-win.

3. But are you unlucky enough that you have to go visit – and eat with and spend the night with – your in-laws? My sympathy’s to you, BUT we have to look at the glass as half-full. I’m dying to write a book about dealing with insane in-laws – when yours’ turn the Christmas holly jolli-days into Christmas chaos, just remember: it’s material for a book.

The Grinch vs. Santa Claus
Are your in-laws more like the Grinch when it comes to gift-giving or like Santa Claus? AND, even more important, who do they expect YOU to be like?

1. The easiest way: Make your husband buy your in-laws the gifts. He knows them better, so why shouldn’t he buy them (or at least tell you what to buy)?

2. If there’s no way in this world he’s going to go shopping: Try to go for something a little better than generic but a little less than extravagant. Is your FIL a sports fan? What team does he like? What about a shirt with that team’s emblem? Academy has some great deals. What about your MIL? Does she read? Is she a flower person? Does your BIL enjoy outdoor activities such as hunting or fishing? Just try to work with what you know and go from there.

When the worst happens
So there was a fist fight. Or biting words were said. Or someone stormed out. Or the cops got called. What now?

1. If arrests are made and placed in the paper, just point out to colleagues or co-workers who are rude enough ask, “Oh, that’s the other Jones family. Not mine.”

2. So your cheesy chicken casserole was a casualty of the in-law war and got dumped on your BIL’s pants. Just casually mention, “That color of cheese really goes with your sweater.”

3. Make sure to bring a notebook to record snatches of conversation. They can be used as your defense at trial. ;)

4. (BTW, saying you “blacked out” and woke up with blood on the ground is NOT a defense.)

It’s Dec. 12. Whatever happens this month with your in-laws, just try your best to grin and bear it. And remember – it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

New table

So it is finally here! Our Christmas present, courtesy of Mom and Dad, a new dining room table!









Also, keep me and Superman in your prayers. We are waiting to hear back from another agent on our book, so...we're hopeful! We've received some rejection letters, but all it takes is one yes! =)

SOAP No. 14: Celebrity

Scripture: David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul…
David asked the men standing near him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"…
David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands." -- 1 Samuel 17:14, 26, 45-47

Observation: Most of us have heard this story from childhood – the story of David and Goliath. It’s become so cliché in our culture, in fact, that we often use the term “David and Goliath” to describe when a smaller (in terms of physical size or any type of power) person/business goes up against the bigger person/business. However, I chose these particular verses for a reason, and I want some characteristics to be noted:

• David was the youngest son and was not chosen to follow Saul.
• David seemed appalled at the thought that no one would go in the name of the Lord and kill the Philistine.
• David (though not in these verses) refused to put on any heavy armor. He was fearless and confident of a victory from God and for His glory – not for his (David’s) own glory.

Application: This is not the first time we see David in 1 Samuel, but it does give us a great look into his character. David was just like all of us are in our youth: fearless, confident, feeling as if he could take on the world – and he did. He was passionate and willing to take risks, but, unlike many teenagers in society today, he depended solely on God.

And now let’s think about the David of the (his) future: a king. A man who would be described as after the Lord’s own heart. A man who would commit adultery with a beautiful woman – the wife of one of his own soldiers. A man who would commit murder to hide his sin. Who is this man?

Do we not see this same pattern (maybe not the murder part) with celebrities today? I think one of the greatest examples is Britney Spears. She was a cute teen, a Mouseketeer in her early days, who turned into one of the greatest public meltdowns of this decade. What went wrong? (And, yes, I have a feeling we all could write a lengthy work of what exactly DID go wrong…)

And, drawing closer to home, think about us. Were we not passionate in high school and in college? Did we not want to set the world on fire for Jesus? Have we become so burdened down with work and grad school and family responsibilities that we don't have time for our First Love(Gee, I wonder who I’m talking about…haha!)? Where is the PASSION??

One of my husband’s greatest attributes is his passion. He’s either in all the way or not at all (which can sometimes be a fault, too). He gives everything to what he’s committed to. It’s quite astounding, really.

I think a lot of us don’t really become lazy but let other things get in the way of our passion and desire for God. Think about this month! What do you have on your agenda? I know that just in the next couple of days I have THREE (that’s right, THREE by Saturday) Christmas parties (actually four, but I cannot attend all of them), volunteer work that needs to be completed today, a cousin who is having a baby, and, of course, work every day. And next week is not looking better.

But…I can either whine or complain…or I can draw strength from the Lord.

Hmmm….I wonder which I’ll choose. ;)

Prayer: God, this should be a happy time, a wonderful time to celebrate the best Christmas present of all – Your son. Please do not let me get caught up with all the things I “need” to do and forget my passion for You. Let me remember my true calling, my true occupation is showing You to others. Nothing is more important than You.

O Christmas Tree...

Decorations from the "Super" household...

My sweet little 4-foot white tree...


In the dark


Mantle decorations


(FYI, I just ordered a new table, so I'm really excited about that!)


Okay, I wanted to post some more "Christmasy" pics, but apparently that's not happening right now. Anyway, share your own Christmas pictures, and participate in Sarah's Christmas tree show off!

Show off that tree!

Sara @ Butterville is asking you to show off your Christmas pizzaz when it comes to your tree! Just visit her site tomorrow, when a link will be available to show off pictures of your Christmas tree.

We have a little four-foot white tree, but I love it (even though I've already warned Superman we'll probably have to get another one next year). And I was reading Sara's blog, and she mentioned how her ornaments each had memories attached. My parents' tree was always like that, and my tree is now like that. Tomorrow, when I put up pics of our tree, I'll take some snapshots of some of the ornaments, too. =)

(Sorry this seems short and a little out-of-it; I'm just starting on my first cup of coffee...)

Getting crafty? Maybe...

Superman and I decided to exchange gifts early, as he and I were both very excited about the gifts we got each other. One of the best gifts, in my opinion, that I gave him was a blanket that I -- wait for it -- MADE. Yep, that's right. I got crafty. But not alone.

I was over at Misti's the other night when she was making a blanket for her husband, and, as I watched, I couldn't help but think, "I might could do this." I mentioned that to Misti, who was more than willing to help me craft a blanket for my hubby.

So last night, with Misti's help (and scissors, lol), I made a blanket for Superman. And, for those of you who are also non-crafty, WITHOUT sewing.

The finished product:





One of Misti's little pups also liked the blanket.


Superdog, "shockingly," believes it is HER blanket, haha!


Happy Friday!

SOAP No. 13: Co-heirs with Christ

Scripture: Now if we are children, then we are heirs -- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. – Romans 8:17-18

Observation: We are heirs of God, the children of God, co-heirs with Christ, but we must also share in Christ’s suffering. HOWEVER, our present trials are nothing compared to the glory that is coming.

Application: I just really like these two verses, and there’s not much to add to them, really, except: THANK GOODNESS!! How sad would it be if all of our suffering here on Earth were for nothing? I don’t think any of us would have joy, but we CAN because these problems are TEMPORARY, and our eternity with God will be more amazing than any of us will be able to tell.

Speaking of that, look back at that first sentence. We are CO-HEIRS with CHRIST. That’s simply mind-boggling that WE could be on equal footing with Christ in this matter. I really have a hard time processing it. I mean…hold on, let me repeat this: CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST. I wish I had a little mouth-dropping emoticon to add here, because that’s really how I feel.

Prayer: Thank you, thank you, thank you! We are co-heirs with Your Son, we are Your children, and we are ever so thankful. Thank You that while we may suffer here in this sinful world, we will see Your glory. We have hope, we have joy, we have peace – because of You.

Happy Monday!

I hope everybody had a fabulous Thanksgiving. Mine was wonderful -- got to see a lot of family, and my mother-in-law (who I thought would be alone, as I was going out of town) spent time also with family (hooray!), and we even participated in the horror that is known as Black Friday -- complete with waking up at 3:30 a.m. Ugh! However, I did get a beautiful new bedspread at 70% off -- it's the nicest bedspread we've ever had.

Speaking of "we," Superman is back!!! His plane arrived at 3 p.m. yesterday, and Superdog and I were there to greet him at the airport. And that wonderful husband of mine took pictures of his time in Alaska, and here are some. Oh, and, btw, HE SAW SARAH PALIN!!!


Palin is in the dark outfit, sitting down.



Anchorage, Alaska


I asked him to build a snowman and take a picture of it, and this was what I got.




View from Hubby's hotel room -- you can kind of see him in the glass