A Laugh for the Road......

This made me laugh today, and I thought you might enjoy it too!

After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a “gripe sheet,” to inform the airline mechanics about problems they experienced with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems and then document their repairs on the form for pilots to review before the next flight.

No one can ever say that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by UPS pilots (P) and the solutions recorded (S) by maintenance engineers. By the way, UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident.

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit
S: Something tightened in cockpit

P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on backorder.

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That’s what friction locks are for.

P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you’re right

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny.
S: Aircraft warned to: straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar and added lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget.

Blogging Lite

Hi all,

I know the blogging has been "slow". I apologize. I know you have come to expect more from me. Although it's not for a lack of desire but instead a lack of "blogworthy" happenings combined with the busy-ness of life.

On Wednesday, my mom and I are off to Grand Rapids. I get to meet newborn Lucy and then head to Chicago for the weekend on my annual trip with my Grand Rapids friends. I can't wait! I love the drive (11 hours!), chatting with my mom, seeing my sister and her family, shopping, eating, catching up with friends. It's all good!

You might want to send up a prayer or two for Jeff. He'll be juggling football practice, the final football game (can I get an AMEN?), church community group, Brooke's homecoming, trick or treating, church on Sunday, etc, etc.... What a guy!!

I'll be back next week. Maybe with some photos of the Windy City AND of my new niece and her big brothers too!

Have a great week!

A Slow Week........

We're still here--just nothing exciting happening here. Finally, the cool weather has arrived and it's been raining for two days straight, which has to be a record this year. I finally pulled out jeans and long sleeved shirts!

Jeff is leading worship at our new church this Sunday for the first time! He's very excited but nervous too. If you think about it, say an extra prayer for him on Saturday night at 5:30 and then again Sunday at 9:00 and 10:45. Busy days!

In other news, Sawyer visited the "Stepping Stone Museum" today with his class. He was THRILLED to use a washboard, churn butter, and can tomatoes. He had a great time! Payton is ready for Pumpkin Day tomorrow (pictures to follow). I think he (and Jeff!) are most excited that they get to have a dress-down day!

And, here's your "peek into our pandemonium" for the day. I just finished reviewing with Sydney for her history test tomorrow. Below is just a sample of some of the vocabulary she had to know (this is seventh grade, mind you). I'm sure some of you would argue with me, but how on God's green earth, will this EVER be useful? I consider myself an educated and fairly intelligent person but never have I had to tell anyone about Aristophanes and Euripides. Anyway, for your reading enjoyment:

Sophocles
Epicurus
Lyceum
Demosthenes
Archimedes
Oedipus
Antigone
Herodotus
Euclid
Aeschylus
Thucydides
Argonautica
Sophists
Oresteia

Believe it or not, she knew every one of these. Hopefully, she will know them tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. also! Thankfully, spelling doesn't count!!

Good question.......

Asked by Payton (who else?) on the way home from church today:

"Mom, when are we going to have my puberty talk?"

Hmmmmmm......hope we aren't too late already!!!

Our week in review......

Tomorrow is Friday already!! YEAH!!! If you're interested even a little bit, here are some highlights (and lowlights, if you will) from our week.

• No football game last week. Woo hoo!! (Did I just say that?) We enjoyed our day at home getting things done and not having to go anywhere. That rarely happens any more.
• We enjoyed dinner out with some friends from our former church. It was great to see them and reconnect after a few months.
  
• Somehow, while I was baking these, I hurt my back. Ouch!
  
• I spent all day Sunday in bed with a heating pad and lots of Advil. That is until I found leftover Oxycodone from Brooke's finger surgery in March. Ohhh-it's good stuff!
  
• Jeff was able to enjoy a Ravens game with a great friend at M&T Bank Stadium.
  
• My back was much better by Tuesday.
  
• I'm getting OLD!
  
• Jeff's dad had a "heart episode" on Tuesday afternoon. After a very exciting helicopter ride, they determined that it wasn't a heart attack and no surgery was necessary, for which we are all very thankful.
• Brooke was home sick on Tuesday. Sawyer was home with her, covered in some sort of appearing/disappearing rash that we never figured out. Thankfully, they're both feeling better.
• I had coffee with and old friend and some new friends from our Mt. Airy community group. We had some great discussion and lots of fun! Thanks Steph, Nancy, and Jolene.
• Brooke took her PSAT exams on Wednesday.
• On Wednesday evening, Brooke and I, along with a friend and her mom, went to a christian college fair in Timonium.
  
• College is EXPENSIVE!
• The guy representing Cedarville was 4 years old when I graduated from there.
  
• I'm getting OLD!
• Our car problem last week turned out to be just a broken hubcap. We found a replacement on e-bay (where else??). Jeff put it on and, voila!, the mysterious squeaking is no more! YEAH!!
• The warm and muggy weather is back this week. Where the heck is fall??
• Tomorrow is a half-day of school and a dress down day! No lunches to make, no uniforms to iron and/or lay out tonight.
• Not only do we have a football game this week but Jeff has to "move the chains" during the game and I have to work in the concession stand for the evening game. Blech!
• On Sunday, Jeff and I will lead the kids in worship for the first time. We will be doing this each week during the 9:00 service downstairs when we aren't singing upstairs. It should be fun!
• I lost my cell phone today somewhere between work and Wal-mart. Thankfully, we are due for new phones anyway so it shouldn't cost anything to replace it.
• I'm getting OLD!
  

Hillary-ious

Appreciate those pastors.....

Just a friendly reminder that October is Ministry Appreciation Month. This year, for the first time in ten years, I am on the "other side" of this month, and I wanted to make sure that all of our pastors/ministry directors knew that they were loved and appreciated. I must admit, it was nice to be doing the "appreciating" this year.

I know there are several different sides to the Ministry Appreciation Month argument. One is that churches, in general, do a terrible job appreciating their leadership and so a specific time set aside for it each year is necessary for people to get up off their rear ends and do something appreciative for these people who often (usually!) work in thankless jobs with little love and encouragement.

The other side is that churches who are doing it "right" (i.e. showing regular appreciation) don't need to set aside a month and, in fact, designating a specific month makes those pastors who are serving in thankless, unappreciative ministries feel even more "unthanked" and unloved when the month goes by with no recognition. I understand both sides. Heck, I've lived both sides--we had years where we felt immeasurably blessed and loved. We also had (more) years where we felt very "unthanked" and unloved.

The moral to the story: love and appreciate your pastors/church leadership ALL year long. But, if you feel led, use the month of October to focus on them and thank them in a tangible way for the many sacrifices they make on behalf of the church. Hey, we all celebrate Christmas on December 25, but Christ's birth is something that should never be far from our minds. Know what I mean??

These are pics of the gifts I gave to our seven pastors/ministry directors. It wasn't anything fancy (fall-themed plates filled with homemade pumpkin spice cookies and fall Hershey kisses and tied with a pretty bow) but I know from experience that this is for sure one instance where "It's the thought that counts." If finances prevent you from giving gifts or gift cards, drop them a short note or send an e-mail and let them know how much you care. I promise you it will mean a lot! (www.crosswalk.com has some beautiful ministry appreciation e-cards)

Off my soapbox now...... Go appreciate your pastor today!

Introducing..........

Miss Lucy Reynolds. Isn't she sweet?

It's a GIRL!!!!

I'm an aunt again! After eight straight Lenhart grandsons, we are thrilled to welcome

Lucille Emma Reynolds (Lucy)
October 10, 2007, 3:47 a.m.
9 pounds, 11 ounces
19.5 inches

Congratulations to Matt and Becky and big brothers, Spencer and Lincoln!! (I will post pictures as soon as I have some.)

Quote of the Day.....

Courtesy of Payton, naturally. (I apologize to my mom in advance for the "crude" language.)

"Hey mom, I need a new butt. My other one has a crack in it."

Takin' the Bad with the Good

Sorry for the lack of posts. We've been busy and not much terribly "blogworthy" has occurred. As with most weeks, we've had lots of good things happen and also some not-so-good things happen. Here's my list.....

Good

• Jeff's parents came for a long-anticipated visit. They were able to see Payton's football game on Saturday and visit our new church with us, (Jeff's dad enjoyed all three services since we were singing!) and we had a great time together.
• We had the privilege of taking Jeff's parents out to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary! Congratulations mom and dad VeStrand!
• We've enjoyed dog-sitting Webster this weekend.
• I enjoyed a morning of shopping and lunch with Steph on Wednesday.
• Oklahoma beat Texas on Saturday. I'm mostly happy for my mom and sister-in-law, Heidi, but we always rejoice over a Sooner victory in our house too!
• I accomplished more Christmas shopping.
• We enjoyed the first meeting with our new community group from Lifepoint Church and had a great time!
• My boss generously gave me the day off today, since Jeff and the kids were home too.
• Jeff got a note from one of his students last week, telling him that he was "the best teacher in the whole world."
  

Bad

• My dryer died. Currently, wet clothing is draped and/or hanging all over my basement.
• It will cost $55 just for the dryer repairman to come and tell us what the problem is. After that, it's $15 every 15 minutes for the repair. And he can't come until Wednesday.
  
• I would hang the aforementioned wet clothing outside but it's so stinkin' hot and humid here, I don't think it would dry.
• Did I mention it's hot and humid? It's supposed to be 90 tomorrow. Ridiculous.
  
• Payton's football team remains winless. They also remain basically "first downless".
  
• The stinkin' Yankees won last night. We hate the Yankees almost as much as we love the Sooners.
• Jeff's car is going into the shop on Wednesday. More money for car repairs.

So there you have it. I told you it wasn't "blogworthy".

Snowflakes or Corn Flakes???

Tonight, Sawyer decided that he wanted to do a "craft" with his friend from next door. Now, if you know me at all, you know the mere mention of the word "craft" gives me large hives. In my mind, "craft" is synonymous with "mess" and that's not what I wanted to hear at 8 o'clock on a busy Monday night.

However, I relented when Sawyer assured me it was "just snowflakes, mom!" I was busy folding laundry when I heard the tape dispenser "dispensing" at a rapid pace. (Tape is Sawyer's favorite art medium. Of course, that could be because his mother refuses to allow any other "forms" in the house. But, anyway......) I called down to ask Sawyer what they were doing.

"We wanted to decorate our snowflakes. You didn't have any glitter so we used candy corn. We only have ten each."

I decided I better investigate and this is what I found, proudly on display in the kitchen.



If you can't tell, each of those candy pieces is TAPED to the "snowflake".

As I went back upstairs, after sweeping up "snowflake droppings" off the kitchen floor, Sawyer called "Mom, Kyle went home. He didn't use all ten of his candy pieces. I'll just eat them."

I give up.