Week 13: Tenant's Agreement

To our newest tenant:

Welcome to your new home! We know that you may feel your arrival to be somewhat sudden and unexpected, however do know we have been awaiting your arrival with great anticipation and for quite some time! Just to let you know, here are how the next few months and years will most likely play out.

Agreements of your stay:

You are happily welcome to fully reside in your current situation for the next six months. All your food will be provided right to you, and we understand your warmth and comfort are amply covered. That said, after six months, if you have not by your own volition decided to move out due to the cramped space, you will be evicted. Neither process will be easy we hear, but certainly well worth it.

No need to worry however! You will have all the warmth, comfort, love, and food available to you in your next home. You'll spend plenty of time in our arms as you get used to things such as light and noise, and we'll be sure to take care of your every need, and most likely some of your wants as well. We anticipate a great deal of cooing and laughing!

This arrangement will last in various forms for the next eighteen years as you continue to grow and develop. After that, you will be encouraged to go build your own life in a location out from under our roof.

There need not be any concern however, because for the rest of your life you will have a firm and steady place in our hearts, minds, and prayers. You will be loved unconditionally and treasured for the gift from God that you are. This is our agreement and promise to you.

We can't wait to officially meet you in six months little Bundle (also you will get a new name at some point!), and we are so glad you are here.

8-/

I just felt an earthquake! Never felt that before. The whole apartment was trembling. Can't remember how long it was. 30 seconds? I stood in the doorway for a while, then when it was over I quickly went outside.

It was kind of freaky! This is the kind of time I'm not a fan of being on the 3rd floor. No damage heard or detected so far.

Is it safe yet to go to the bathroom, or should I be ready to run out in case of follow-up tremors?

Oh no! I'm one of THOSE people!!

You remember when you were a kid, and there were people (normally friends of your parents or relatives you didn't get to see that often) who would see you and then not see you for some time, and then when they'd see you again, they'd go on and on about how big you've become, how much you've grown, and on and on? And you're thinking "Well, duh, I'm a growing boy. Seriously, what were you expecting, that I'd look like an 8 year old for the rest of my life?" Remember those silly people?

At age 26, I've become one of them.

The Kepley family was a blessing to Calvin's Mu Kappa chapter. They always opened their home to us for meals, retreats and a variety of other activities. Especially us leaders spent a lot of time getting to know them. After I graduated, I stayed somewhat involved with Mu Kappa and also got into a mentorship relationship with Mr. Kepley. Thus, from 2002 to 2008, I got to know the Kepleys, including their daughters, VERY well. By the time I left Grand Rapids, those two fun, sweet, little girls who always had fun with all the college MK's who kept coming to their home, were (I think) 11 and 9. And that was the last time I saw them for over three years.

On the way back from Charlevoix on Friday, we stopped in Grand Rapids to have lunch with the Kepleys. They were excited to meet this girl I met in Maryland and eventually married. But I just couldn't imagine what Rachael and Emilee would look like as teen and preteen. They'd always been little girls! So when we got to that familiar house of so many fun memories, I was shocked to be greeted by two smiling, big girls. They're starting to become women!

I believe part of that has to do with the nomadic lifestyle I've led. I've never spent more than 4 years in a row in the same home. Life moves on, and families move to different horizons (especially ours, maybe), and with time contacts get lost. My longest friendships I still maintain somewhat frequent contact for date back to college, and all those people are around my age, so our lives have been developing in similar stages. I'm not used to having people know me for most of their lives.

So it suddenly struck me as weird that, when I got up to get seconds and Sara commented, "He eats a lot," the 14 year old replied with a smile, "Yeah, we know him." Obviously, I've been in this teenager's life pretty much as long as she can remember! How odd!

But that's a good kind of weird. Familiarity with good friends is nice.

This Day In History

Today marks a full 1095 days since I first met Sara! Of course, besides being 2 full weeks + a weekend before the 1111 day marker, 1095 is exactly thrice the number of days God gives us in a common (non leap) year.

On July 15, 2008, soon after I arrived at the Dalbys' home for our regular C3 meeting, a beautiful redhead entered the abode. She wore a Heidelberg University T-shirt, reminding me of a high school trip with great memories to that old German city on the Neckar River, where I'd fly back to in a heartbeat. Introductions were made, pointing out that we both spoke German, so in such speech did our first conversation happen. It was pretty exciting to have a new, fun, kind friend with whom to practice and maintain that language. It was very nice of Josh to be accompanied by his sister that week.
After the Bible study, as people were filtering out, a game of Cash was initiated, and my new "German friend" and I partnered up, with very decent results. It was a lot of fun!

I was completely oblivious to what was later to come, in what ways this cute lady would impact and bless my life, just in the few short years to follow. I can only imagine how Sara will continue to bless my life in the decades to come!

The best cake in the world

Today marks 6 months + 1 week that we have been married! In celebration of that, since we were back in Arnold with a big family (yay for having all six kids & spouses together!), we broke out the leftover cake from our reception. So Sara & I were able to get a real taste of the delicacy beyond the bites that we gave each other for the ceremonial moment of gastronomic romance in the Banneker-Douglass. I hope everyone who attended was able to get a piece, 'cause it was a yummer. Thank you Heather Woodfin!!

We then stopped for gas where we had our first post-crowd activity as a married couple: washing off the decorations painted on our car window.

Bald eagle!

While driving down through Virginia yesterday, I saw a bald eagle for the first time in my life!

We started going over a bridge, when Mom, who was beside me at that point, exclaimed "Is that an eagle?" when looking way ahead toward the other end of the bridge. I looked ahead and saw this big bird, mostly brown, with a white head and white tail, diving down next to the bridge, apparently going fishing in the river below.

Now I've seen a real, live bald eagle with mine own eyes and not through a screen.

Yay!

Stammtisch

Sara found a group of German speakers who occasionally meet up around a drink or light fare to speak German together! We went to join them this evening at a French café by Reston Town Center. It was a fairly pleasant atmosphere, although the side room we were in eventually got very crowded and loud. It sounded like a lot of people there were native speakers of German. We shared a table with someone else who has about our level of German, so that was non-threatening.
We should try to speak German more frequently. It can be hard to think in it for an extended period of time when we're not used to it anymore.

They do exist here!

Another thing we saw during last week's trip (I think we were on the NJ Turnpike at the time) was this:

I don't believe I've ever seen a Peugeot in the U.S. before! When I (JJ) saw that I suddenly got really psyched and jumpy while sitting in the passenger seat. I've seen (though not in a very long time) a Renault or two parked somewhere in this vast country, but never a Peugeot. It was pretty exciting to see. The Peugeot 405 (model pictured) was actually sold in the U.S. for a couple years around 1990, but French car manufacturers have not been successful at all here. Even though Peugeot has made some very decent vehicles. I had to take a picture to document this rare event.
This was the car that preceded the 406, which starred in the Luc Besson movies Taxi, Taxi 2 and Taxi 3 (by Taxi 4, they had upgraded to the 407).

first married road trip

This morning began our first married road trip! They really aren't too different from dating/engagement, however it is fun to celebrate all the little "firsts"!

We got out the door on time, and the roads were amazing! Jon let me sleep in the morning, so it felt like only a 7 hour trip to me, and not 9.5 hours. The roads were clear, and it was fascinating to watch the weather turn colder and the terrain turn rockier on our way up here!

This evening I was able to introduce Jon to the Lewises, my college roommate's parents (and who are letting us stay at their home!), which was an absolute delight. There are so many good memories here; it is fun to share this with Jon.

Tomorrow bodes well: playing with friends and chilling out.