Another day in Dresden

My next chance to go out into the city was the following Friday, after my conference was over. I hadn't had a chance to go shopping for goodies for Sarina or Micah yet, and so it was time to see what I could find before leaving for Nürnberg the next day.

It wasn't a terribly nice day out: it was cold, windy and rainy. I started out by walking along the opposite of the Elbe from my convention center. I came across the spot from which the artist Canaletto captured the view of Dresden back in 1748.


Things look a bit different 250 years later, though some features of the painting remain.

Greetings from Dresden

I'm in Germany this week. Back in September, I submitted a paper which was accepted for presentation and publication. This was great news, of course, as this was the first time I've been able to publish results from my dissertation. On Sunday, I started traveling, from Charlottesville, VA to Dresden, Germany-- over 4000 miles!

My trip started out quite well, with a free airline ticket! Apparently the flight from Charlottesville to Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC, was ''overweight.'' I checked in, I was asked if I wanted a free ticket in exchange for taking a cab instead (and of course, United paid for the cab, too).

I had a nice cab ride, and got to Washington about the same time I would have if I had flown.

Next up was my 8 hour flight to Frankfurt. I arrived in Frankfurt just after 7 AM local time (6 times zones different from EST), somehow needed to be able to stay up the whole day to beat my jet lag.

I finally arrived in Dresden at 10:30 AM local time, and by early afternoon had collected my conference things and eaten lunch. It was time to walk around a bit to try to stay awake.

The convention center (congress center, as they are called in Europe) is right on the Elbe river.


Snow? Yeah. It's been cold, ha.

I walked along the river toward the old city center. The architecture is quite different from what I'm used to in the US. There are a lot of statues.

Statues on the museum,


and statues on the church,


and some gold statues someplace else.


During World War II, Dresden was (without cause, it is alleged), firebombed by the US and I'm told that the old city was essentially leveled. Then started in 1989 and over 20 years, different parts of the old city were rebuilt from photographs. A stunning example of the restoration is the Frauenkirche, or Church of Our Lady. This was all that was left standing after the war: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Frauenkirche_Dresden_1991.jpg.

This fragment still stands in front of the restored church, as a reminder of the war that brought its destruction. The church now looks spectacular.


The stained stones are from the original church, stones gathered from the rubble.

After my walk in the cold, I still needed to take a nap to get through the rest of the day. There was a reception in the evening and the conference proper started the next day. It's Thursday now, and the conference is over. If the weather cooperates, I'll go walking around a bit more in the city tomorrow. On Saturday I take a train to Nürnberg.

First Play Date in C'ville

Micah had his first play date in C'ville yesterday morning. It was very fun and went really well. I talked to Micah about sharing with John in the few days leading up to the play date. We had a very funny conversation the night before John came over:

Sarina: John's coming over tomorrow.

Micah: No John!

Sarina: Well, John's coming and you need to be nice to him. You need to share your trains.

Micah: No! No share trains with John!

Sarina: OK, well, we don't have to talk about it.

Micah continues to play with his really long train. Then, I think he decided to practice sharing...

Micah: Here Mommy. Here's an engine for you.

He hands me an engine.

Sarina: Wow Micah! That is so nice of you!

Micah: Yeah, that's generous!

Literally, that's what he said! I laughed and told him that I was proud of him for using such a big word. Micah smiled proudly, then he got pensive and said...

Micah: I have really sharp teeth.

My ears perked up. I wanted to know where he was going with this train of thought (especially since I had just finished reading Dracula!), but Brett came home at that moment and interrupted the conversation. I told Brett about Micah using generous in a sentence and we both told him how proud we were of him. Then...

Micah: I have really sharp teeth.

Sarina gently takes Micah by the arms: Micah, you cannot bite John.

Micah says quietly, as if it is a big revelation and somewhat of a blow to his plans: Oh, not bite John.

Sarina: Teeth are for eating, not for biting.

Micah: Oh, teeth for eating.

Sarina: No biting.

Micah: No biting.

LOL! So apparently, Micah, in his two-year-old mind, decided that if John did anything Micah didn't like that he would just bite him! That is so hilarious! Who thinks of that?! Apparently 2-year-olds in their best, most rational logic think of that.

The next day, John and his Mom came over. We had a lovely time. Micah never even thought about biting John as far as I can tell. He did a great job sharing and was very kind. Brett had made two identical train tracks that overlapped so that each boy could have his own track. I was impressed with Micah because John chose some of Micah's favorite train cars and engines to play with, but Micah didn't say anything about it. He just made a smaller train than usual.

The minute John and his Mom left, Micah said, "It's time for play with John's trains!" And he ran back into the play room. LOL!

Trip to the Park

Micah and I went to the park for 2 hours today. It was the first warm day here in a long time. We spent most of our time on a muddy trail and playing with sticks in a creek. We talked about how water flows from high to low and that it flows in currents just like Marlin and Dori rode in Finding Nemo (the EAC, dude). Also, that the current gets faster when the water goes through a narrower space because the same volume has to go through that smaller space so it just goes faster. Micah said, "Water goes like finding Nemo and a train and goes choo-choo!" My translation: "Water goes in a current like in finding Nemo. It goes fast like a train. It goes choo-choo!"

On the way to the car he found a huge puddle that he had to stomp around in. My only consolation was that this helped clean off some of the inch-thick red mud covering the bottom 1/3 of his boots. He was so covered in mud and water that I had to strip him down to his diaper and shirt before I put him in his car seat (I had to take off his pants, socks, boots, and jacket).

This is an improvement over the last time we went to the same park. Last time he was playing in a huge boggy puddle and fell in...twice! That time he had to ride home in just his diaper. It was a cold day and I worried about getting pulled over and having to explain to a police officer why my son was just in his diaper with his clothes in the trunk. Of course I didn't get pulled over. When we got home Micah went straight in the bath. :-)

I Have a Husband

I will try to remember the gist of the most recent conversation we had with Micah because it was absolutely hilarious!

Brett: "Am I going to Barracks Rd. by myself? That's the impression that I'm getting."

Sarina: "Well, Honey-Husband I do need to go to the grocery store..."

Micah: "I have a husband and go to luh li-bary."

[pause; laugh]

Brett: "You don't have a husband."

Micah: "No, Micah have a husband."

[Sarina laughing.]

Brett: "You don't have a husband. You have a Daddy."

Micah: "No! Micah have a husband in luh el-vator. And press the green button and go to luh li-bary."

hahahahahhahahahahhahahahahahaha! Micah is hilarious!

Whoa, snow!

We're experiencing a major snow storm in Charlottesville. I honestly don't remember when I saw it snow this much. I think we've gotten at least two feet, but it's honestly hard to tell. Naturally Micah and I went outside to play.

First, we had to figure out how to get outside. This wasn't trivial, as a fair amount of snow fell right in front of our door.


At first Micah didn't really know what to do. The snow was up to his waist, and at times higher!


He had a fun time trying to follow me on paths I created. We rolled down the hill in the backyard, and I of course had fun putting in whatever large snowbanks I could find. Micah also got buried a couple of times.




We don't own a shovel. Ha! And we weren't going to make it to the store today to buy one. I started clearing some snow using our plastic garbage can, and piled it all up in one spot.


Sarina suggested using the lid of the garbage can to sled down it.


Later on, we borrowed a neighbor's shovel to try to dig out a bit. This was hard (and I'm still not done) because by this time we had stomped a lot of the snow down.


Micah, of course, wanted to use the shovel too, so I got stuck with a blue shovel from his sand box, which we had extracted earlier.


I think we played for about two hours, and we were both soaked by the time we went in for lunch. It's still snowing out. I don't know that we'll get out to play again today, but if the weather is nice tomorrow and our clothes are dry, I think we'll be out again.

Hiding under the bed

Micah has recently discovered that he can crawl under his bed and hide there.

First snow in Charlottesville

When we woke up this morning, it was raining. It's rained a lot here since we moved. However, by the time Micah was done eating breakfast (Sarina and I had barely started), something had changed: it was snowing.

Immediately, Micah wanted to go outside. So we did, and had a lot of fun. We made snow balls, threw them on the ground, and stomped on them. We also splashed in a cold, muddy puddle.






My fingers started getting cold from taking off my gloves to take pictures. I suggested that in a little while, we should go inside to have hot chocolate.

Immediately, Micah wanted to go inside. So we did, and had a lot of fun then, too.


The snow will all melt tomorrow, but I'm grateful for it while it's here.

Recent Events

I want to update you all on recent events in our lives. I was recently pregnant and went in for an 18 week prenatal appointment where we discovered that our baby had died. Rachel Elizabeth was born still on September 5, 2009.


20 min after we returned home from her delivery, we unexpectedly rushed Micah to the ER at Children's Hospital for severe croup with strider. He was admitted for three days. On the third day we were discharged and that afternoon went to a funeral home to make decisions about Rachel's remains. A couple of days later we left for Wisconsin to bury her. Rachel was buried on September 14th.


We are now back in Pittsburgh. However, we are scheduled to move to Charlottesville, VA on October 26th so that Brett can start a new job as a post-doc at the University of Virginia on Nov. 2nd.

Given all the trauma we have been through and the stress of moving very soon afterward we are doing OK. We take each day one at a time, sometimes moment to moment. The most amazing thing about this experience has been God's presence with us. Psalm 23:4 has been true for us, that even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we should fear no evil for God is with us. It is amazing to feel God's love and care in the midst of a nightmare. It doesn't mean that we don't have questions for God or sometimes feel angry with God, but it does mean that we have a very strong sense that God did not abandon us even though we have suffered a terrible loss. And even though we wonder why God didn't save Rachel, we know that God was with Rachel as she died and that Rachel is with God now. That gives us great hope and is a great comfort. We are terribly sad not to be able to raise Rachel and to show her our love in this life, but we are so glad that one day we will see her again. Even though I want to live this life to the fullest and die old, I am looking forward to the day when I will see my daughter again, hear her voice for the first time, and have the opportunity to get to know her.

Cutting Mushrooms

The following is an article that I wrote for the Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library newsletter. They only got a picture, but you get a video!

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After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and having my husband tell me about The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan we have been convicted as a family that in order to be good stewards of our bodies and the earth we should eat local and organic food as much as possible. However, cooking from scratch and using fresh produce takes a long time. I didn’t want to spend all that time alone in the kitchen and not include my one-year-old son, Micah. So I found some ways for him to enjoy the process with me.

Micah can’t use knives or the stove, but he wants to cook. He loves having a job and he’s more likely to eat things he’s helped with. His favorite activity in the kitchen is cutting mushrooms. Whole Foods sells local organic mushrooms all year round. We use Pampered Chef’s Egg Slicer Plus to make this a group activity. I strap him in his booster seat with the egg slicer ready to go on his tray. I push him next to the table and put the fry pan right on the edge of the table next to Micah. Then I get rinsing. Each time a mushroom is ready to be cut I put it in the egg slicer for him, then go back to rinsing. Meanwhile, Micah expertly presses the top down, squeals, “AH HA!” and pries the mushroom pieces out of the slicer and puts them in the pan. When the mushrooms are done, I let him down, chop up some onion, fry it all together in butter and serve!

Another way we involve him is by allowing him to put spices in certain dishes. He plops cinnamon sticks and cloves in a pot of apple cider or dumps the measured spices for a soup into the pot. Micah also loves to put the spices in scrambled eggs. His favorite combination is basil and coriander, a strange sounding concoction of my husband’s that is quite good.

From visiting the PTLL, Micah has developed a love of painting. Whenever I make a pie, he “paints” the top crust with water or egg whites and we put the sugar on together. The irony of this particular cooking activity is that now Micah likes the crust the best. He requested an apple pie for about two weeks and I finally gave in. Luckily this happened in the winter when local apples from Dawson’s farm were available at Whole Foods. During his nap I peeled and chopped countless apples by hand, mixed the filling—except the spices which I saved for when Micah awoke. He painted the crust. When the pie was finally finished and ready to serve he ate all the “crust” and left the apples. Oh well!

While cooking from scratch with Micah is healthy and fun, sometimes I’m too tired or there’s just not time. We have sworn off all the fast food burger places and anything else that sells CAFO meat. That doesn’t leave many options. But we have found a few local places that we all enjoy without having to sacrifice our food values:

• Panera – Kids meals come with a side of Horizon organic yogurt; drinks include organic milk or organic apple juice; all chicken is antibiotic-free; Micah likes the chicken noodle or chicken and wild rice soups.
• Chipotle – Most meat is naturally-raised; Micah likes carnitas “buh-buh-buh-bitos” with black beans, rice, pico de gallo, and guacamole.
• Whole Foods – A great place for a quick hot meal.
• Oh Yeah! – They sell organic ice cream; they make waffles, can add fruit.
• Taza D’Oro – Micah loves steamers (Turner’s local hormone free milk with flavored syrup). He likes them cold, which means they’re not steamed, but who cares! He orders them like this: “code teemer, app-oh teemer!” Only one of the cashiers can understand him!

Sleeping with Trucks

Yay! I finally learned how to put pictures on the blog!

Micah does actually go to sleep with his trucks sometimes.



And other times he falls asleep reading.

IN BUS!

Hi Everyone!

One of Micah's favorite activities is to "GO IN BUS!" Or go to the "BUS TOP!" Sometimes I will drive him to CMU campus around 5pm. Then Brett and Micah ride the bus home together. It's not exactly "green" but oh well. We buy local produce. Anyway, Micah has a very clear idea in his mind for what is needed to "GO IN BUS!" or go to the "BUS TOP!" First, he needs, "hat on!" Depending on his mood he may choose his baseball hat with a basketball on it or his old swimming hat, which is bright blue with a full brim (all the way around) and is a little bit too small. Then, "jacket on!" Then we need, "Backpack!" But often we need to put something in the backpack first. Two days ago, Micah was only satisfied and ready to wear the backpack once the A&D cream was in there: he was prepared to fight diaper rash. Just to give you a visual, his backpack is a frog. Bright green with eyes, a mouth, and feet. There is a main zippered section and the mouth and feet are all smaller zippered pockets. It looks quite hilarious, especially when he wears the bright blue, full brimmed swimming hat. hahaha! Then he climbs on the gate at the top of the stairs that lead to our front door and says, "OPEN GATE! Bye bye, Mama! DOWN TAIRS!" At which point, I laugh. On the days that I actually take Micah to CMU for a bus ride with Brett (a.k.a. Ga-ga, Micah's name for him) he is very excited. On the days that I can't take him to CMU, I take advantage of the suitcase that is still sitting unpacked at the top of the stairs and tell Micah that it is a bus stop and he can sit and wait for the bus on it. He is still confused about this and doesn't always realize that he's supposed to sit on it and pretend, but once he gets it, he sits down and says, "Waiting bus." hehe! However, this pretend bus stop is very confusing for Micah. Yesterday when I actually took him to CMU to ride the bus home with Ga-ga he really wanted to take the suitcase with him and threw a fit when I wouldn't take it. Ah well. Such is life when you're 20 months old.

Orphans in Myanmar

Hello -

I am very distressed. I just heard from a brother in Christ who lives in Myanmar (he attended PTS for one year and we visited him when we went to Myanmar a few years ago. The government in Myanmar has closed all of the Christian orphanages and organizations. All of the Bible Schools have been warned. This is happening because after Cyclone Nargis hit it was the local Christians who provided relief and aid to the people and as a result many have become Christian. The government feels threatened by this. For more information and ways to help the orphans go to Asia Heartbeat. This is very distressing because orphans are always the most vulnerable in oppressive regimes and after disasters (Cyclone Nargis). If you go to Not For Sale you will find information on how sex traffickers from Thailand target children in Myanmar for their brothels. I am very concerned about the fate of the orphans in Myanmar now that the Christian orphanages have been closed. Please pray for the children in Myanmar and if you want to support either relief organization you can find ways on their websites.

Grace and peace,
Sarina

Fun Phrases!

Hi!

Here I am again with no pics or videos. I need to learn how to do it, but I just haven't yet. If it makes you feel better I feel guilty that we haven't posted any pics. ;-)

Anyway, Micah is doing so much! He is now talking in small sentences. The other day we were about to walk under the bleachers at CMU and he said, "Go in tunnel!" This morning he said, "I love coffee!" haha! He's never had coffee before but has participated in making it. Whenever he plays with water or even just with empty cups he says, "Pour coffee!"

He has taken to singing. The only song he really knows is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. However, we recently received a burned CD with the new songs that the praise team at church will be singing in 2009 and I really like one of them and was listening to it over and over in the car with Micah. (It's called "Bless the Lord/Son of Man" by Tye Tribbett). Now he sings along and will sing, "You are!" and "My soul!" And then he wants to keep singing but doesn't know any more words so he just breaks out with, "Tinko tinko...tar...how wonner...are! Tinko tinko tar...how wonner...are!" It's awesome!

Micah loves to read. His favorite author is Byron Barton. We have been going to the library and checking out every book about vehicles that he has written and he's written a lot. Micah actually asks to go to the library on Monday mornings because that's usually when I take him. He gets his hat and says, "Hat on," then gets his jacket and says, "Jacket on." Then he says, "Library! Eh-vator! Choo-choo!" The children's section at our library is on the second floor so we always take the elevator (eh-vator) and they have a brio train set by the picture books so that's the reference to choo-choo. It's a good time.

Oh! And some exciting news! He peed and pooped in the potty for the first time ever on Saturday March 14th! Woo! Go Micah!