Bigger and bigger news

Hi all. Ben here. Ariel really is showing now! Just ask Elden, Ronelle and Ashlee because they saw the rounding belly over Easter. Ariel's usable wardrobe is diminishing; she's experiencing various kinds of discomfort; she's moving around a little differently--and it's all wonderful! I love that Ariel's body and life is changing--I get to be a partner with Ariel and a witness to the mysterious things happening in and to her! Oh, man...Oh, man.

Most other personal news pales in compare to Ariel and my parenthood, but I'll go ahead with one piece anyway. In April I'm taking a group of interested students on a trip to Washington D.C., where we'll be gathering with folks from around the world whose jobs it is to advocate (throug the legal system) for women and children trafficked in the sex trade, widows who have had their property seized and families in bonded servitude. The meeting is called the Global Prayer Gathering, and it's hosted by the International Justice Mission, an evangelical organization dedicated to rescuing and caring for slaves and prosecuting slave masters and traffickers under the laws of the host country. This meeting is an opportunity for my students to see the incredible dedication of these men and women and to come along side them in prayer for the work God is doing around the world. We leave April 11th!

Bella Band Wanna-be Update

It worked! I took a black spandexy tank top (it is otherwise too short and constricting under the arms, so only gets worn very occasionally) and cut off the top half so that I have about a 10-inch stretchy band. This I pull on over my pants and... Voila! Transition-wear! It works, so far. I'll let you know if my pants shimmy down later today.

Spring Break Visits and a Button-Popping Solution (Is there a solution to button-popping, or is the solution button-popping?)

So, we have had lots and lots of family fun these past few weeks. Jim, Becky and Anna were here last week and my parents and Ashlee came down this weekend. Both visits were wonderful-- we feel pretty blessed that our families come to visit us "just because!"

Also, my belly is getting round. So far, no non-family members have noticed, but family can tell! I am down to one and a half pairs of pants. The half pair can zip and button, but the metal hooks can't close. They are still wearable, thanks to the button (this is perfect, because having two pairs allows me to alternate washing and wearing). Enfamil suggests that I wear my other pants unzipped and an elastic band around my hips to hide that fact. This seems to be a rather strange suggestion to me. Maybe they sell the bands, and that's why they think this is a good idea.

I will check this theory.

Okay, they don't sell the bands after all, but other companies do. And maybe it isn't such a bad idea.

Here is a Bella-Band photo. Of course the models look cute in their bands. But doesn't it also look like they are wearing maternity pants as well? Those jeans look pretty zipped-up to me. And they are going for the layered tee shirt look. How would the stretchy band-thing look under work dress shirts? Hmmm. Maybe I will try to experiment by altering an old tank top or something.

Trail of Tears, Continued

A few months back Ben and I were told that our home sits pretty much a stone's throw from the old road bed that was the Trail of Tears. This has caused us to do a bit of research into the history of the Cherokee people in our area, and more specifically, into the portion of their history that ended in their removal at bayonet-point from our area.

The short version of the story is that from 1833-1836 (after an embarrassing series of failings in our system of checks and balances), 18,000 Cherokee were forcibly removed from their homes in Northern Georgia, parts of Tennessee and North Carolina to a reservation in Oklahoma. During this thousand-mile trip on foot, 4,000 Cherokee died of starvation, exhaustion and disease. It is a pointed example of the injustices in the United States' relations to the Native American Nations during the early part of our country's history.

You can read the long version of the story (please do, it really is interesting!) at:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html

A Belated Memorium, and the Promise of an Introduction

Did you know that author Madeliene L'Engle died this past fall? Apparently this wasn't a happening that made the radio, but for those of us who have been shaped by her writings, this is indeed news-worthy!


Hmm... for those of you with a pull toward the creative, read Walking on Water if you've not yet. Madeliene takes on faith, art, the work of the Spirit in and through us...


I mean it! For those of you who don't already love her works, be inspired to discover the gift that her writing is!


Here is a better source of inspiration-- a beautiful NY times obit. I mean that seriously. It communicates something of the honor due:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/08/books/07cnd-lengle.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=books

My first reading recommendation is Walking on Water, then A Wrinkle in Time and its companions, then A Circle of Quiet. Actually, those are the only books of hers that I have read, so to be honest I guess that isn't a very encompassing recommendation. What I've read, I've liked, and perhaps if you choose something of hers, you will enjoy it, too...


Read! Read the NY Times piece, then one of Madeliene's books. At a future meeting, I will acquaint you with a dear friend of hers and mine, Ms. Luci Shaw...

Baby Garden

Look at the cute counter! Thanks due to Naomi and the link from her blog...

We're Back!

It's seems to me that my friend Amy or my friend Mel would give good advice about not blogging about not blogging. In the same way that they give advice about not talking about the camera when someone is video-taping you. It is an archiving no-no. But, well, I haven't blogged in a while, and feel compelled to acknowledge that.

Oh, glad change of topics. A man behind me just walked into the library and said, "Where's she at?" But it didn't sound the way it probably sounds in your mind. Use your best Southern and try it again. Do you hear it? When he said it, my Northern language processor heard, "Horse ****!" Of course that doesn't make sense, and I figured it out when the woman behind the desk said, "She's in the back."

Much, much more importantly, if you haven't heard already...

We're having a baby! The newest Norquist has an estimated delivery date of September 28th, 2008. We are, of course, quite excited. Aren't you??? We had an ultrasound at 7 weeks (now at 9 weeks, 2 days) and saw the little arm and leg nubs and heard the heart beat. It really sounded steady and strong. By now the baby has all of its parts, they are just really, really, minuscule. There is a lot of growing left to do, but it is pretty neat to think of all of the crafting God has already done!

I can't say much to follow that up. Oh, here's a beautiful book with beautiful images of fetal development (the text isn't my thing, but the illustrations/photos are like no others):

From Conception to Birth: A Life Unfolds

by Alexander Tsiaris

Semester 2

Well, it's back to work for us this week-- the county schools are in session this week, so I am back in the classroom, and Ben has been on campus at Bryan preparing for the second semester, which begins next Monday. I'm pretty excited about the classes Ben is teaching this semester (he is, too)-- The Church as a Global Community and The Gospel and Human Trafficking (I might have the title of that one a bit off). As busy as the semesters are with our day jobs, evening classes, retreats, etc., and as much as I've enjoyed the winter break, I must say that I miss the students and all of the happenings on campus. All will be back in full swing soon enough! Bryan kicks off the semester with their Christian Life Conference Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week with Nick Nowalk presenting about Jonathan Edwards' theology of the trinity in chapel and evening sessions. We are praying that the Holy Spirit will move the students' affections to adore God in deeper and life-altering ways.

Contacting the Norquists

Ok, altogether, Ben and I have 4 cell phones. How many did we bring with us for these hours of driving and weeks' long trips out of town? None. Ugh. So call our parents to find us. Or email us. We are truly sorry. I mean, truly. All I can say is this is something we would do. You can say that, too, I bet.

Nunna daul Tsuny (The Trail Where They Cried)

Last night our neighbor, Dave, came over for a visit and brought a gift of two arrow heads that he found recently here in the cove where we all live. He pointed out the differing colors of the arrowheads and explained that the darker flint is made from a local stone, and the lighter tan colored flint is from farther north, so it was probably traded for.

Dave says that the Trail of Tears came through this area on a path just behind our property, as in, you can see it from the back of our house! I knew that the Trail came through Dayton, but did not know its specific route. I am so motivated to find out more of this... And a little humbled. I confess that I have harbored a little bit of attitude against the invisible "powers that be" of Dayton who have not done much to acknowledge or remember the forced relocation of the Cherokee through our area. Couldn't they have put up some sort of display or memorial plaque or something, somewhere in town? Now I feel a little pang of guilt over my judgement of whoever they are that didn't made a big enough deal of this, and a genuine desire to know more about this history that literally walked through our back yard...

Honestly, Native American history was not that interesting to me until last spring, when Ben and I read a history of Minnesota. I don't recall the title.. something about a tour of Minnesota historical sites or something? The author spent a lot of time on the history of relations between the pioneer settlers and the Native peoples. Learning those specific stories really piqued my interest in the vast (in some ways merely unknown, in some ways unknowable) history of the Native American peoples. This furthers one of the lessons I learn over and over again in life-- that if I just take the time to get to know a person (or in this case, about people groups), I will truly care for them.

Maybe we should put together a little local history to accompany our artifacts... And seek out others' stories-- the Lord will teach us much about Himself if listen to the story of His works and love those whom He loves.

Check back for Cherokee history...