The Return of the Swans
Posted by: onemom on: July 4, 2009
- In: Blogging| family
- 2 Comments
I was overjoyed this morning when I saw the Swan family in our channel. As the babies have grown, they spend less time near our house where I can get pictures of them.
As I mentioned earlier this week, there are only five babies now, as one apparently did not survive. The first photo is from several weeks ago showing all six babies, and the rest are from today. Click the thumbnails below to see the pictures. In the next to the last photo, you’ll see that the Papa swan is ruffling his feathers in defense of his family. In the last photo you’ll see the “danger” he was protecting them from.
We have been watching these swans since late winter when they arrived here to build their nest, so I was very glad to have one more opportunity to get a family photo of them.
OneMom
Friday Flyer
Posted by: onemom on: July 3, 2009
- Alaska Governor Sarah Palin just announced that she is stepping down as Governor of Alaska. She stated that she feels she can be more effective working outside of state government. Not sure what all that means. A run for the US Senate maybe? Or is there something unpleasant about to come to the forefront? She said she polled her kids about her decision. Her husband and all her children were on the platform with her. She talked about her youngest son Trig (Down Syndrome) and how much he needs her. The transfer of power will happen at the end of the month after a picnic.
- No word on the two jobs I’ve interviewed for. Waiting is very difficult for me. While I’m waiting, I continue to search job postings and send in applications (today I applied for a job in Ohio).
- I saw our swan family earlier this week and was saddened to see that there are only five babies now (there were six when I first posted the picture several weeks ago). The little ones are about one-third the size of the parents now. I am hoping they will come close enough that I can get another photo.
- Not much else to report here, just waiting and waiting.
OneMom
Interview Update
Posted by: onemom on: July 2, 2009
Good morning everybody …
Yesterday was interview day. We left here about 8 am (interview was at 11), and arrived on campus shortly after 10. We located the building and went inside and walked around for awhile, sat on a bench and read the campus newspaper. Allan and Hannah headed out to explore campus and I went upstairs. (Hannah saw a bunny on campus munching some grass, and some chipmunks playing a game of follow-the-leader).
It was a tag-team style interview with three faculty from the department. The questions were practical and thorough. I had visual examples of much of what they inquired about in my portfolio. The conversation was comfortable and upbeat. I also received a tour of the department and much of the building – including the very high-tech classrooms.
The process lasted about one hour. I felt very positive as I left campus. I wrote a thank you note before we left town and dropped it in a mailbox. They had interviews scheduled for yesterday and today, then they will check references and make their decision next week (school starts the third week of August). I was obviously one of the first interviews, and I always wonder is it better to be first and cause them to compare all the other candidates to me, or is it better to be last and leave the final impression?
This morning, I’ve been replaying the interview and wondering if I said the right things, or if something I said was the wrong thing or if I forgot to bring up an important thing or if I looked ok or if …. and round and round I go. Fortunately, this anxiety didn’t kick in during the interview!
The town is a typical small town with a university in it (my favorite kind of town). Would be a fanatastic place for Hannah to grow up.
That’s my report. Waiting is going to be difficult. Please continue to pray as the committee completes the interviews and makes their final decisions. I don’t know how many of us are competing for the two positions available. Thank you for your prayers yesterday and for continuing the next several days.
OneMom
Don’t Forget …
Posted by: onemom on: June 30, 2009
Wednesday July 1, 2009 is my very important job interview at 11 am. Please pray for safe travels and a most excellent (and ultimately fruitful) interview.
Will report back tomorrow.
OneMom
Jenny Sanford AP Interview
Posted by: onemom on: June 26, 2009
The first lady of South Carolina, and wife of the adulterous Governor, Mark Sanford gave an interview to the Associated Press today.
South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford sat in her oceanfront living room Friday, recalling how her husband repeatedly asked permission to visit his lover in the months after she discovered his affair. “I said absolutely not. It’s one thing to forgive adultery; it’s another thing to condone it,” Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press during a 20-minute interview at the coastal home where she sought refuge with their four sons. They were her first extended comments on the affair.
She said that when her husband, Governor Mark Sanford, inexplicably disappeared last week, she hoped he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail, as his staff told those who inquired about his absence. That he had dared to go to Argentina to see the other woman left her stunned.
“He was told in no uncertain terms not to see her,” she said in a strong, steady voice. “I was hoping he was on the Appalachian Trail. But I was not worried about his safety. I was hoping he was doing some real soul searching somewhere and devastated to find out it was Argentina. It’s tragic.”
The Sanfords had separated about two weeks ago. She said her husband told the family that he wanted some time away to work on writing a book and clear his head. The first lady said, “I had every hope he was not going to see her.”
“You would think that a father who didn’t have contact with his children, if he wanted those children, he would toe the line a little bit,” she said. (read the rest HERE)
Asking permission from his wife to go visit his mistress?! Excuse me?! At his confession earlier this week I was appalled that Mr. Sanford mentioned that he had spent the previous five days “crying in Argentina”, but to hear that he had been asking his wife to let him go to Argentina for five months is truly disgusting.
Wow.
OneMom
Friday Flyer
Posted by: onemom on: June 26, 2009
- I received a call yesterday regarding the job in Michigan that I interviewed for at the end of May. They informed me that I am a finalist (there are two positions). Hiring decisions should be made next week.
- Next Wednesday is my interview here in Indiana for a teaching position at a university (there are two positions here as well). I have a lot to do in preparation for this, not the least of which is putting together my portfolio. Unfortunately, much of my material is all on 3.5″ floppys (remember it has been nearly 8 years since I worked), and we don’t have a computer with a floppy drive anymore. I did find a small computer store in town that had an external one in stock, and it actually works. My other concern was that the files were made on a Mac with OS 8.xxx, but fortunately my iMac has been able to read the files. I suppose in another 8 years I won’t have a computer able to read the CDs I now put all my files on.
- HOT! That is the word of the week, even way up here in NE Indiana. The last few days it has been like breathing Jell-O outside. Sophie (basset hound) has been restless because she’s not getting enough play time outside. Nell (sussex spaniel) is not tolerating the heat very well this year – she’s almost 10 years old.
- Speaking of Nell, every so often she will be asleep on her side – so sound asleep that it is very difficult to see if she is even breathing. She did this last night and even when I stroked her head she didn’t move right away. Oh she scared me! I thought she was dead. Of course then I scared her when she woke up and saw me hovering within an inch of her nose!
- My mom use to tell me that famous people tend to die in threes. This week Ed McMahon died and I wondered who the other two would be. I expected Farrah Fawcett, but was surprised to see the third one was Michael Jackson.
- I had to stop at the outlet mall in town here and go to the Hanes store this week. Hannah was looking at some of the fascinating undergarments and loudly announced to the entire store “hey Mom, these look like two really big mountains!” I am assuming most of my readers can figure that out. She was correct in her assessment, as I don’t believe I’ve ever seen quite that size before in an undergarment.
- Specific prayer requests:
- Calmness and a clear mind as I prep for my interview (and next week during my interview which is Wednesday morning). I woke up this morning in anxiety-mode.
- Safety for my husband as he will be on a plane this weekend to get back from the current construction job he’s been working on. I’m going to need his help next week, as it is truly unprofessional to take a small child to an interview, no matter how cute and smart she is!
- Safety for all of us as we will be on the road next Wednesday.
- Physical health. My allergies have been in high gear lately. All this rain has greatly increased the mold spores flying around, and I can sneeze (massive sneezes … sometimes 15 in a row) for 24 hours. I sure don’t need interview day to also be a sneezing day!
- I will of course keep everyone posted on updates. Thanks for all your prayers and encouragement. By next week’s Friday Flyer, it’s possible I could have a job offer (maybe two?!).
OneMom
Hatred, Hypocrisy, Humility
Posted by: onemom on: June 24, 2009
About two months ago I started writing and re-writing a post about conservatives – particularly Christians – and the propensity of hatred and judgement on homosexuals that I was reading online and hearing on talk shows. As a sinner saved by the grace of God, I feel greatly unqualified to take it upon myself to rank sin, and can only approach life with the knowledge that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God … “. It matters not who the person is or what their lives are like, everyone is in need of a Savior – The Savior, Jesus Christ. Later in that chapter (Romans 3), Paul asks the question “where then is boasting?”, and the answer to that question is key for all of us who are saved by grace to remember.
Scott Roeder murdered abortionist George Tiller a few weeks ago in an act of ultimate hypocrisy. While Roeder was certainly part of a fringe element, the hatred about what he has done now flows over all who are proponents for Life.
Today Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina confessed that he has broken his marriage vows and has been having an affair with a woman in Argentina. Beyond the broken marriage vows, the lies that have gone along perpetuating that affair are countless. The hypocrisy of one conservative in the public spotlight weakens all of us. As in the Tiller murder, Sanford’s hypocrisy now flows over all who declare themselves conservative Christians.
From Democratic Strategist Paul Begala on CNN’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer this afternoon:
BEGALA: He (Bill Clinton) not only thrived. He — when he left office, he had more people approving of the job he did than any president leaving office in the history of polling. He did a very good job as president, not such a good job as husband. So, I — I think voters can separate those two things.
But I think here’s the problem with — with Governor Sanford. I don’t care, you know, who he’s sparking, to use his phrase. I care a lot, though, about the hypocrisy.
For — for about 20 years now, maybe more, since Jerry Falwell started the Moral Majority, Republicans have persisted in this lie, this myth of moral superiority. And I hope, if we learn anything from the party of Sanford and Ensign and — and Larry Craig and Mark Foley, it is, no party has a monopoly on virtue.
The Democrats are certainly…
BLITZER: Plenty of Democrats.
BEGALA: Absolutely.
BLITZER: Eliot Spitzer…
BEGALA: Absolutely.
BLITZER: … got caught. He was a Democrat.
BEGALA: Absolutely.
BLITZER: McGreevey got caught…
BEGALA: Absolutely.
BLITZER: … the governor of — of New Jersey.
BEGALA: But they don’t pretend to be morally superior. I am sick of getting lectures from Republicans that I’m not a good husband, I’m not a good Christian, I’m not a good patriot. They ought to cut that crap and do their real job, and stop lecturing…
If a person is pro-life, they are guilty by association of George Tiller’s murder. If a person is a social conservative, they are guilty of hypocrisy courtesy of Mark Sanford.
If you are a person saved by the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross, then I must ask the question the Apostle Paul asked the Romans “where then is the boasting?”. We are not superior. We are no better than (no worse than either) anyone else. We do not have hope because of anything from our own labor. The only boasting we have is in proclaiming the crucified and resurrected Christ. We have nothing else that is worthy of boasting. As Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2: 8-10).
Of course there is plenty of hatred and hypocrisy from the left side of the political aisle as can be seen in comments following the murder of Tiller and today following Gov. Sanford’s very public and painful confession. Just drop by Sanford 2012 and see some of the personal attacks that Andrew has been receiving today just because he supported Gov. Sanford for a run for the presidency in 2012.
Of course I am not saying that we shouldn’t stand for anything, but I am saying that the eyes of the world are upon us, and perhaps we need to learn to temper our messages with grace and to be more concerned with recognizing that the people we may see as political or social enemies are sinners like us in need of the Savior. In John 3:17 it says “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved”.
I had not settled the writing of this post completely, but I am putting it out now in light of today’s events in South Carolina. I will close with part of a hymn that has been on my mind today:
Naught have I gotten but what I received;
Grace hath bestowed it and I have believed;
Boasting excluded, pride I abase;
I’m only a sinner saved by grace!
Go in Grace and Humility …
OneMom
Governor Sanford: “I have been unfaithful to my wife”
Posted by: onemom on: June 24, 2009
Watching the Press Conference with Gov. Sanford. He has spent the first few minutes apologizing to his sons, his friends, his wife, the people of the State of South Carolina, but has not said what he is sorry for. Now he is getting to the crux of the matter
“I have been unfaithful to my wife with a woman in Argentina.”
He is also resigning as chairman of the Republican Governors Association. No reply to the question from a reporter asking if he will resign as the Governor of South Carolina.
How sad for his wife and children. No wonder Mrs. Sanford seemed so irritated with her husband when the press asked her about him yesterday and she said “I haven’t heard from my husband. I’m being a mom and taking care of my children”.
There is nothing good here, and any conservatives who try to spin this or excuse it will be wrong. Republican or Democrat, sin is sin. Obviously the main victims here are Mrs. Sanford and their children, but stepping back from the personal level, this yet another snag for conservatives across the country. The hypocrisy of conservative leaders is just making our credibility so much weaker and our battle so much harder.
OneMom
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