Just a quick note to let everyone know I've updated our Photosite and added wedding and baby pics! http://jimamy.photosite.com/ Also, we went to see the Cubs play in St. Louis today, and hooray! They whoooooped the Cardinal's ass. Jim bought me some "bling" (a red and blue beaded necklace with a cubs "medallion" type thing on it, but made of plastic), and we think that's what brought the luck. I'm thinking of mailing it to Dusty Baker (the manager) so the team will go on winning. I'll add pics of that tomorrow, hopefully. :)

Hello (x3!)

Well, a really good day today. After a bit of a crummy start during which (short version!) Amy and I decided we definitely have to move sooner rather than later, we went to our first meeting with Chris McAtee, our OB lady, and soon-to-be midwife. Things went a little scary for a half-hour or so. First Amy had an external doppler-type ultrasound - audio only - just to check the baby's heartbeat but... er, no heartbeat could be heard. While this was a little un-nerving, the fact that the baby is so young means that the heartbeat is faint enough to escape an external ultrasound's "sensitivity bits" (sorry to use such a technical term.) So Chris decided, "just for peace-of-mind's sake", to do a picture-type ultrasound, again externally. This showed that Amy's uterus was the right shape, that everything else looked normal except for... no baby! At least, not within the field of vision of the ultrasound machine. By this time Amy was quite upset, and I'll admit that I was just a little perturbed. Chris McAtee said we should go right next door to Pro-Imaging, who specialise in ultrasounds and medical imaging of all types, to get an internal scan - oh, and not to worry. We nearly didn't, while we waited twenty minutes to get scanned again, and this time... BABY! Moving baby! Heart beating visibly baby! Dancing like crazy baby! Arms starting to develop baby! Okay, so I'll quit adding baby onto every sentence, but phew! And cool! And wow, baby! I have to say that as well as arms, our little one is fast developing some great moves. I asked if perhaps Amy's movement was causing the baby to jig, but she said nope - it's just stretching and moving around (and probably thinking "Hey! Get outta my bubble! I'm developing arms and moves here!") Upshot was, between visits Amy's uterus had flipped over (scary sounding, very normal) which partly explained the difficulty in seeing/hearing the baby the first scan around.

The lady doing the sonogram added the "Hi" at the bottom btw. :)

So, everything is good and as it should be, and we left extremely relieved, a lot more happy, and with some better, clearer new scans to show you. The uterus-flip explains the fact that he's... oh yeah! Facing the other way! As a very cool bonus they also gave us two video clips of our baby wiggling around and busting some moves. We can't put them on the site here, but if anyone wants to see them we can email them to you. They're really, really cool, but quite sizeable files so they may take a while. We are about ten weeks and two days along, now. By twelve weeks - and the next visit - we will be able to determine whether it's a boy or a girl, and whether it has learned to do 'the robot'.

Love to everyone,

Jim, Amy, and Flipper

Hey y'all how's it goin we're fine and dandy so how 'bout you guys then cool well here's a blog entry for ya,

How's that for an intro. As promised, here are the ultrasound scans from this morning. We're having a real baby!!!! It has a heartbeat and everything! Right now it's about two inches long, has little blobs that are becoming feet and hands, and IS a definite sex, though is keeping it a secret from everyone for another month or few.

All is good and healthy according to the doctor, and the heartbeat was measured at a steady 170bpm, which is spot on correct for a nine week-old baby-to-be. Wahoo!

It felt so, so good to actually see the little guy (or gal) growing in there. It feels more real, and also more vulnerable. I suddenly don't want Amy to go anywhere near a trampoline. In fact, the damn things should be made illegal.

We have another appt. next Tuesday, but we're not quite sure what for - as far as we know it's just to meet the midwife who will be with us throughout the pregnancy.

So there he/she is! Nine weeks and already almost a quarter of the size of a newborn. Hope you like him! I think he already takes after me. He obviously is very happy lying down. Oh, and this is for Ali - I'm gonna try and play some Libertines through Amy's tummy while she's pregnant. That way it gets both a genius musical education and a sound lesson in the foolishness of drugs before it's even born. And it'll probably know how to rock. They say that comes very early on.



Hey there dude! We plan to find out the sex at some point, and truly, either way is GREAT by me, as long as it's not a gameshow host. Seriously, healthy boy or healthy girl - there is no second place here, is there?
"Here's looking at you, kid," is what I wanted so badly to say, but thankfully didn't, during the examination. Isn't he/she awesome, though?




And there you go! Hope you are all doing well and healthy. We'll of course keep you posted and updated. Speak again soon!

Love,
Jim, Amy, and Peanut.

Hello again from Jim and Amy Rennie!

Wow... not posted for AGES, but that's cause things have been happening. Good things!

First off, thank-you everyone for all your cards and phonecalls and good wishes before our wedding. We had a truly lovely weekend. Monday definitely came too soon, especially for the work-returning Amy.

Friday began really early, and we were both pleased to see that the sky was blue, and the sun was beginning to shine. All sorts of storms and tornadoes had been forecast for Friday, but thankfully it seemed they had by-passed us. Amy awoke to go to work at 6:00AM as usual, and as is often (but not ALWAYS) usual I woke too. Amy was due to work until 11:30, but it was a lovely surprise to see her come back through the door at about 7:00 to tell me the boss at her daycare had arranged for someone else to take her classes. So Amy took a well-deserved nap, and I tried, but found I was far too buzzed and nervous to sleep, so I read a Tim Allen book (funny!), collected together the stuff we would take to the hotel ("Where the heck have all my pants gone?"), and visited the bathroom a great many times (nerve-induced). The wedding was at 3:15pm, so at about 2:15 after getting dressed we set off for Amy's Mom and Dad to pick up Amy's flowers, and from there to the courthouse in Pekin, with Amy's Mom and Dad, sister-in-law Ashleigh, and brother Joel and his fiancee Sarah following. My excitement had well-and-truly rubbed off on Amy by this point, but after mounting the pavement three times on the way, we safely arrived, sun still shining at the courthouse.

First we had to book in, then we all stood on the ground floor and took pictures and chatted. It was getting nearer 3:15, so I went to ask if things were on schedule, to be greeted by a hilariously rude response from the woman, if that's the right term, behind the desk. "We do two every fifteen minutes." Swivel of chair, back turned. Oh, okay! Finally, we were called to go up to the third floor of the courthouse, and then the wait began. We watched three or four weddings and their attendees emerge, until finally at 3:45 (I made a note to remember to send the rude desk woman 345 severed horse's heads in the mail, then decided that would be very heavy on postage, so made another mental note to research seahorses, purchase and beheading of) we were called, and we stepped into the room where we would be married.

We were greeted by Judge William J. Reardon, who was, at first, a little too inadvertently amusing for comfort. The were several among our party who found themselves unable to stifle this amusement, but nevertheless a good show of throat-clearing was made. We think he was probably in his eighties, and told us he was retired as a judge but continued to perform weddings, which was really cool we thought. He then proceeded to apologize that everything was running so behind (I thought of the seahorses again) and then explain, quite slowly, every single aspect of the ceremony we were about to take part in. I for one reached terminal giggle velocity when he began to explain that "the marriage certificate itself has a space for your names here, and here, and a space for my name here. I will proceed no to fill this space in - don't worry, I will be trying very hard to spell it correctly. Now some couples like not to fold their certificate in order to keep it flat for framing. You may wish to do this. However you may wish not to do this, and so in anticipation of that possibility we have provided for you [here he produced an envelope as a magician would produce a rabbit, or seahorse] a stiff, white, card envelope. Simply by folding it in thirds, you may keep your certificate safe in this way. For many years." And this was a good sample of his marrying technique which, the longer it went on, we became less amused by and more gratified for. We both envisaged the ceremony being more of a signing ceremony, and after the phrase "two every fifteen minutes" had been well drummed into us, nothing very personal. But Judge Reardon seemed genuinely interested in us, the step in life we were taking, and the emotions involved. The way he delivered the vows portion was so sincere and personal, and the fact that this was a man who must have performed so many weddings in his life, seen so many bright, hopeful couples stand before him, and wished them the same success, that by the time he talked of "through trials and days of trouble, times of happiness and joy" tears were certainly knocking at the door. And so, at the prompt, as Mr. Reardon had said, we passed the rings, said our "I will"s, and then we were married!

After the ceremony we went to Wal-Mart and bought some chalk-paints to decorate our car, then went right to Springhill Suites, a really nice hotel in Peoria, where we had booked a suite for the night. We had looked at a few choices online, trading hot-tub-in-room for location for more space for price, until we decided Springhill was the best looking of the bunch, and I think we were right - it was a great place. I especially was extremely enamored of the view across Peoria, and mentioned it a number of times. That number is 47. We got the "Romance Package" which for nine dollars atop the original price we got a late checkout of 1pm (VERY nice) a complimentary bottle of champagne (alcohol-free on request) and a free movie. So, at 8:30 after watching our movie, sipping our champagne, and even having a swim in the pool we went to Johnny's Italian Steakhouse, also in Peoria, and just three miles from our hotel. Seriously, if anyone reading this is ever kidnapped, dropped in Peoria, IL before 11pm with a little money and an empty belly, I can suggest only one place to go: the cops, clearly. But the NEXT DAY pay a visit to Johnny's. Everything about it is top-notch including, thankfully, the food, of which much was consumed by all of us (Amy's Mom and Dad, Joel and Sarah, Amy's Grandma Sherrilyn, Keith and Ashleigh, Mark and Marsha, and Amy and I) in a really lovely atmosphere. By the time we had all said goodbye, and Amy and I returned to the hotel we were as pooped - as Capt. Blackadder might say - as the Chinese weightlifting team's official rickshaw driver.









Next day we went shopping, visited the Peoria Guitar Center, had a lovely drive around the countryside and that, as they say, was that. It's hard to explain in details such as these what a great weekend it was, but the two things that stand out for me were firstly that everyone around Amy and I - Amy's family, strangers, indeed the world itself - seemed to be sharing in our good feelings for the day. Secondly, I realized at the end of the day that I had a little scrapbook already made in my head of a selection of really special moments from the day which I will never forget. Top of that pile is the look in Amy's eyes during the ceremony which I will truly strive NEVER to forget. Next would possibly be swimming end-to-end in the hotel pool in only eight seconds. Maybe. :)

So thanks to EVERYONE in our lives for not only your good wishes on the day, but also all your support through this whole long journey of Amy's and mine. We will always love you for that.

We have a whole bunch of pictures ready to go online and be printed out etc., but they will take a few days to get shuffled and sorted, so we hope the little selection in this blog may tide you over. There WILL BE MORE, we promise. :)

Thanks again, everyone, so much, and we hope our happiness sends out a ripple through all of you. And, at the risk of getting corny, follow your heart. As a guide-dog it may not be so well trained, and will drag you through the odd hedge along the way. You'll probably even have to carry it the flippin' thing yourself sometimes. But, in the end, it knows better than you where you really want to go.

Love,

Jim and Amy (Rennie)

Hey everyone!

NON-SMOKER FOR: Had a slip, cause I ended up like this:










Still doing good though... Never mind. Better news to report! Look down!














I got my instruction permit this morning after passing my written drivers' test with a score of (drumroll...) ONE HUNDRED (100) PERCENT. I thought I could probably do it, but I never expected the ton! Actually, I had no idea whether I could do it, until Amy pointed out the man eating his own shoe in the corner who had come to renew his license, and convinced me that if HE could do it... well, anyway. I can now legally drive about and practice doing the right things and turning here and braking there and going wheeee! and brmmmm! and waving in a cool way with one hand at other road users. WAHOO! My signature went a little squiffy though - can you tell I was excited?? :)

In other news, I've been cycling alot - I did 18 miles the other day! Really enjoying it.












That's me above! I'm on Hopedale road heading towards Townline Road, on the way to Pekin. It sounds corny but I feel like I am reconnecting a little with the countryside rather than always driving past it at 40mph. It makes you feel a little more rooted in the place you live, I think, to know what it smells like and how cold it is and what it sounds like and feels like about you. And Illinois is wonderful in all respects I am pleased to report - except for the immediate area around one farm which, to be frank, reeks it up a treat.

Amy is doing good - her sickness was getting really nasty. I'd never seen someone try to repaint a major highway orally, but I can check that box now. Seriously, she's being extremely brave, and thankfully for the last 48 hours it's been a bit better. We're going to see the OB on Wednesday - pray for us that all is well.

Anyway, half a bag of cheese popcorn has made me rather thirsty. Hope you are all great, and speak soon.

Jim (and Amy!)

NON-SMOKER FOR: 38 HOURS

COMFORT LEVEL: 7.8 (Applying ones tongue to a hotplate while passing a kidney-stone)

Hey folks!

Okay, okay... it's not QUITE that uncomfortable. But flippin' heck, giving up the Pernicious Poison Puff, the Brain-Tickling Boredom Balm, the Totally Psychological Cylindrical Salvation, the Blight Of My Lifespan, the Alveolic Taxman, the Little White Life-Terminating Service, or as I like to call it "tobacco", is a rotten old business. In fact, it very much sucks not to suck right now.

There are many health risks associated with quitting smoking. I feel it is my job to enlighten the masses, who I can only imagine are too monged on Marlboros to think straight. The primary risks are:

• Crying oneself 'spongelike'
• Lack of concentration (e.g.: forgetting to
• Eating enough Butterscotch Pudding and Pie Filling Mix to become a major shareholder of the Jello Company, or, in the final stages when all sense is lost, a knob of scotch butter.
• Antisocial tendencies (examples include - but are not limited to - throwing darts at a picture of Ghandhi, taunting trees for being quiet, or dipping a kitten's tail in chicken stock and watching as it spins itself to pieces)
• Looking like Pete Doherty. On an atomic-powered roundabout.
• Increased aggression (Gouging a seven-foot deep trench in the kitchen floor with a soup ladle.)
• Indigestion, flatulence, carpet-breath, nausea, sweatiness, worsened cough (otherwise known as Couldn't Get A Date In A Tunisian Fruit Market Syndrome)

Never mind. I'm sure it gets easier. I mean, please. Please - does it get easier? PLEASE??????

Well, now. Hope you're all okay there. Things ticking on here. The weather has warmed up a bit. I ended up cycling about 18 miles yesterday which was excellent and foolhardy in a good way (I'm a tad achey today...) Weird thing has happened over the last week-or-so - the people in my dreams now have American accents! Isn't that a weird thing? I wonder if an English person or American person were to move to - say - Poland, how long it would take for the people in their dreams to speak Polish, and whether BEFORE they learned the language everyone in their dreams just went: "Blrlr brbryum blurrrbbylum"? In my dreams also was a hearse with commercials all over it for a concert by the rock band KISS. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Also, just for interest's sake, I made a mental list of current, or recent TV shows over here which began as British TV shows and though I'd blog it. Seriously, in TV terms there's a bit of a British invasion going on at the moment, except the first British invasion was the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and this is a lot more sh*t. Hehe. Anyway:

Pop Idol (American Idol), Deal Or No Deal, The Office, Wife Swap (Trading Spouses), Supernanny, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, What Not To Wear, Antiques Roadshow, Cash In The Attic, Faking It, Hell's Kitchen, Brat Camp, I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here,
Masterchef, Scrapheap Challenge (Junkyard Wars), The 1900 House (Frontier House)

Wow, eh? Making pointless lists is also a sign of quitting smoking btw. Okay - I've gotta go, but I'll call in again soon. Take care everyone!

Jim

NON-SMOKER FOR:

11 HOURS

Well, that's it. I am definitely, for sure, 100 p/c quitting smoking. I am writing it here so that if I was to wimp out and smoke one anytime soon I will feel like such a complete swazz-bouquet I simply HAVE to keep quitting to avoid such a gross ignominy. I am currently at about 11 hours, and I don't feel too bad! I've got some nicotine gum to help and it's a nice day today, so the timing seems right. Oh, and the house is LOVELY. We had a major clean up last night, and I think that makes a difference too. :)

OH! And I did a 12 mile cycle ride yesterday, and am going to do a 10 mile-r today I think! Amy and I came up with a really good plan - when she goes back to work after her break she drives me and my 'aluminum pedal-horse' to Tremont (or halfway, as is the case today) and I cycle back to Hopedale. It made me feel SO GOOD to be cycling again yesterday, although the wind was a little bit of an added challenge. Not a lot of hedges in Illinois, y'see. And, being a glacially formed part of the world, it's very flat, which is another way of saying it's a bit like a runway for the wind, which is another way of saying it's not easy to keep a new hairstyle looking salon-fresh.

Anyway, gotta go - do call in soon. BTW - if anyone knows of any nausea-dodging tips for pregnant women please pass them on. We'll even pay for them. :) Amy is having quite a hard time here yak-wise. All the best, guys. Wish me luck, and Amy too, double.

Eight days until we are married!

Jim

We haven't updated in forever and ever . . .sorry for that, but with the news of our little one, it's been a bit earthshatteringly busy/strange/sicky around here. Yes, that's right . . .every waking moment of every day has been filled with a wonderful nausea for me. Brilliant! I'm really not enjoying this at the moment, but Jim keeps me sane by reminding me that it is temporary. I think it will be easier to handle when I can feel and see the baby. Right now I don't feel like there's anything growing inside of me except for possibly aliens that make you barf a lot.

Anyhoo . . .we had a good day at the lake last weekend, so I am going to update or photo site so you can see what our world is looking like. More soon!

Well, we got snow! Not quite a blizzard, but a pretty good showing nonetheless. Check out the pics - it was up to four/five inhes deep on the yard! Not bad for late March!

The dog in the left picture is our neighbor's - she's called Taffy, and lives out all day and all night.

Wow! Two posts in one day! THAT'S more blog for your buck.

Anyway, just had to be excited; we are forecast heavy snow here tonight! Central Illinois is under a Winter Storm Warning -

http://www.hoinews.com/weather/images/uploaded/extended.jpg

http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USIL0935?from=search_current

On the 20th of March though??? Whaaa?!

Hey yoo guys!

How are you all? Hope things are still kickin' on, but not too hard. Or something.

It was a good weekend! Amy's Reader's Theater team had their sectional tournament where they performed an adaptation of James and the Giant Peach. We arrived at 8 A.M., and the performance was at 1:45P.M. (and the final presentation of awards was not until 6:30P.M.!) so we all filled a long day of waiting with DVDs (Amy and I brought our TV) a final rehearsal, and gossip, which I did not participate in, but throughly enjoyed listening to. After witnessing practices every day since I got here it was extremely nervewracking to watch them finally perform it, and I thought they did exceptionally well. They're a great bunch of kids and getting to know them was definitely a privilege.

Being such a small school Tremont lacks many of the advantages of the schools we were competing against. For instance, our 'crew' comprised of Amy, and Jim, plus the kids, while the school before us had a crew of sixteen people - PLUS the cast. We transported our set using the school bus, and our van, while the school after us had three U-HAUL trucks. As four of our cast were singled out by judges for special mention during the awards, it was clearly these inequalities, rather than the kids performances, that resulted in our fifth-place overall placing. So, an international round of applause, please, for Coach Amy, and cast Ben, Marshall, Lisa, Kerri, Melanie, Ashley, Meaghan, Katie, and Breanna. (Special mention also to the peach-colored set, painted using erratically-shaped sponges custom-made by Jim. :) )

Things are going good here. After a bit of a slow past week (with the exception of Saturday) we have resolved to achieve a few things this week. I am going to brush up on my rules of the road and hopefully take my written test next Saturday. We are also looking into getting health insurance and (ugh!) quitting smoking. Like Jeremy Paxman it's important, and bloody difficult. :) Today though is a house-cleaning day. I have already steam-cleaned (or 'Bissel-ed' for trademark-become-adjective fans) the carpets, and after Amy naps we are to tackle the extraordinary and tear-inducing mountain of dishes and glasses that are beyond begging, but rather now silently appealing for a wash. Seriously, if a roasting pan had eyes, ours would have those of a Brazilian street-urchin. Oh, and while we scrub (and blub) we are going to listen to The Flews - I got the CD today from Mike, and am excited to share it with Amy. Thanks dude!

Anyway, gotta go - drop in again later with more news.

Love,
Jim and Amy x

Hey everyone!

Phew! Not written for a few days, but we have good excuses. First, Amy and I have been sick for the last four days with a horrid throaty/nosey/achey/shaky devil-cold, from which we have thankfully recovered. By which I mean we can now approach daylight without making crosses with our fingers, and food no longer seems to be the wrong thing to put in your mouth. Secondly, a medium-sized unmanned space probe fell on our house on Saturday. While this was shocking n'all, I must admit that the first reason is probably the main reason for the lack of updates. Also, the second one might be a lie.

Anyway, I know you're all waiting for the news, so here's an extra special mega-update, forthwith, and without further unnecessary preamble. Much.

The cold situation has made it a funny few days but we've still managed to be pretty busy. The funeral went really well - it was a lovely service, and - though it seems funny to say for a funeral - a lovely atmosphere.Amy's song went really well and her and Keith both were congratulated afterwards for a really excellent job. The service ended with the playing of the Johnny Cash version of 'Danny Boy', a more perfect song in a more perfect place I couldn't imagine.

That afternoon Amy and I visited, in a roundabout way (long story), Illinois Cycle and Fitness in Peoria. (Both already suffering with hacking coughs and runny noses - spot the irony. I've underlined it for ya.) We bought some stuff to fix up our bikes. Mine especially was in a slightly needy state, but they are now gleaming and speedy and ready to ride as you can see. Mine has brand new Bontrager semi-slick tires, and super-light bar-ends.

While we're here, here's Amy's bike too. It called the Next 'Plush', which is cute.


On Saturday we tested them for the first time when rode to Froggy's, bought a burger and some sweet potato fries each, and rode out to Robison Lake and had a windy, but fun picnic. On the way home I even found the strength - and inspiration - to dazzle Amy with a bunny hop, which she said made her feel happy all over. Well, okay, but she DID say it was cool. :)

The next couple of days were a bit blurry. I remember Kleenex. I recall Day-Quil, and Ni-Quil, and Vicks. I fancy I heard the angels a-calling... we did manage to go to church on Sunday though which was really good.

We had some major weather problems here over the last week too. After some icy/snow stuff early on, then a big time rainy patch, at the weekend we were under tornado watch for two days and, by the end of it, nine people had died in Missouri (adjacent state) while Springfield, Illinois and other parts too near for comfort were ravaged by some pretty nasty storms. Luckily we suffered only 24 hours of big old thunderstorms and wildly fluctuating temperatures. Which brings us somehow to yesterday, when I checked the mail and found to my delight that my Social Security card had arrived! (Have to cover up the number though - over here that's like putting your credit card details online...)



Wahoo! I can now open a bank account, and learn to drive, and enrol in my GED classes when I want! I am going to go full-throttle on reading the Rules of the Road, and hopefully take my written test in a week or two. I can't wait to get started!! Then, to top off a really excellent day, we went out to eat at Applebee's with Joel and Sarah, and on the way back stopped at their house where I got to see Joel feed his giant fish with little ones. We also bought the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line which we are going to watch tonight.

Oh, and Maddie and Sammy say hi. As you can see, they recently became joined at the butt.

So, dat's dat. Hope you are all doing well. I understand there's been a few cold/flu's over there too. Hope you're all getting better. Oh, and Ali - hope your computer gets back to you sooner rather than later. Drop us an email when it does, ok? Take care everyone!

Jim and Amy

Hey--feel free to leave us comments here! You don't have to comment about what we've written. Just use this as a place you can leave us notes about your days, plans, thoughts, etc. We'd love to hear from you more!

Hello there!

Well, Amy's bloodwork was just fine - and she was very brave indeed. Not a faint, a dribble, or a 'God save me!' in sight. And there was no arm-jerk, or ten-minute chase around the office either, which is always a good thing. Thanks mom for the email - you're right. We both agreed that when it comes to blood we would rather be jabbed than be jabbing. :)

We spent a great day yesterday with Keith and Ashleigh, first at the movies where we saw "When A Stranger Calls" and then shopping in Peoria where Jim could have spent the gross national product of Spain, but managed to hold himself back with the help of an armlock. The movie was... well, it had promise. We all agreed that the while the omission of important details is one thing the liberal inclusion of unecessary - indeed baffling - ones is another, but that a movie with only two things wrong with it isn't a waste of six bucks. Which is probably what they should have paid the lead...

And that ends Jim's movie review section for this week.

Dan's visitation is tomorrow at 4:00pm, and the funeral is on Wednesday. Keith offered to sing with Amy which will be really helpful. We also bought a G.E.D. book at Borders yesterday which I have already been studying and finding mercifully manageable. The G.E.D. is a test you can take here which upon passing gives you the equivalent of a high school diploma, and thus opens your way into further education, certain jobs etc. I was a little worried about the science section, but was amazed how much I knew somehow. It's incredible what how much you learn through life just from being interested in 'stuff', you know? And credit also to Johnny Ball.

Anyway - gotta fly. Love to everyone, and speak soon.

Jim!

Getting ready to go get some of my blood removed from my body . . .so unnatural, so wrong . . .I am terrified, of course, but Jim's coming with me so I will be okay. After "blood removal," we plan to go get a quick breakfast and then on to Reader's Theatre practice. We're doing "James and the Giant Peach," and my own James is doing a very nice job as general all-round director's lackey. :) He paints and carries and whatever else I need. It really does help, but mostly I just like having him there so I can see him and remember yet again that he's HERE! I told him today he's not going anywhere ever again . . .well, at least not without me. He thought that sounded do-able, so I guess we'll be ok. :) More later . . .pray for those of us missing Dan Sage . . . especially Bettie.
Amy xxx

Hoorah!

Well, the griddle news was good, but I think this tops it...

Amy and I went to the Pekin county courthouse today to get a marriage license which (after some swooning by the lady on duty over my British accent, which ended quickly after I reminded her I was there, with my fiancee, to get a MARRIAGE LICENSE) we got!

While we were there we asked how we would go about arranging a date for the wedding itself, and she directed us to the county clerk's office in the building next door. We thought about it for, lemme see, about a second, wondering if we needed more time to decide on a date, then decided quite quickly that we didn't. And so our wedding day is on Friday the 7th April, 2006, at 3:15PM. So, three of these - :) :) :) - and a bunch of these - !!!!!! - and a speckling of these - wahooo! wahooo! It feels SO GOOD to have a firm date at last, and a nice side-benefit is that we can now tell people a 'when' when they ask 'When????' 'Then', we can reply... um... then.

Aaaaaaand... after that we went to the Social Security Office where all went very smoothly; I handed in my forms, and I.D.s and after a short (confusion-type) delay over my Britishness - "We just don't do many of these" said the lady - my application was deemed successful and I was told to expect my Social Security Number (SSN) within seven-to-fourteen days, which definitely deserves another one of these - :) Oh, okay. And one of these - ! Oh, and we stopped at the DMV to get a copy of the 'Rules of the Road', which I will peruse and ponder over the next few days or so.

In other news a close friend of Amy's parents (and Amy too) named Dan Sage passed away this morning after a really long and gutsy fight against cancer, and other illnesses on top. Betty, Dan's wife has asked Amy to sing a song she wrote for her church praise group at the funeral planned for this Wednesday, which is an honor, to say the least. Amy is quite nervous at the prospect, and afraid she might cry the song rather than sing it, but I know she will do just wonderfully. Anyway, crying is allowed at a funeral.

Hope you are all doing really well. Amy has her bloodwork tomorrow to make sure she's un-diabetic, and so must fast for twelve hours beginning tonight. We're probably heading over to Joel and Sarah's to watch a movie later, and I just hope they don't have chips - it's gonna be really hard sitting there enjoying them while Amy can't. I might even have to turn my back while I fill my face with their deliciousness. Like the prophet said: "It's hard to consider people's feelings when your tummy is empty."

Anyway, speak soon, and our love to you all.

Just to let you know we now have photo hosting - click on the Photos link to the right to see pics! More will be added as and when we take 'em and bake 'em.

GRIDDLE UPDATE:

The state of the griddle is good.

Cheers!

Hiya, it's Jim! Well, it's been two weeks since I arrived, and we've decided that it's time, that we've waited long enough, that the hour is upon us, that we simply must do it:

We're getting a griddle.

That's right: no more SIX PANS to wash after a meal. No more FIVE SLICES OF BACON cooking at once. No more keeping the eggs warm while we cook the pancakes - oh no. If to griddle is not the future of civilization, then it will certainly occur in ours. We're off to Wal-Mart in a minute, then, as the famous 17th century Irish folk song says: "my One True Love and Me, a-griddling shall we be..."

Waaaahooooo! We have High-Speed Internet!! And here is the official 'newsletter' for Jim and Amy to prove it! Hope you like what's here so far - we'll be adding bits as and when we have things to add. Feel free to leave a comment about anything. It's easy, honest. :) We also have cable TV which is mighty cool. Cubs baseball starts in two weeks!! Love to you all.

We had such a GREAT day today! It was a beautiful morning. We went to Sunday School and Church, then to view a house. We liked it a lot, but felt it was overpriced. Too bad. Anyway, we then went to Kouri's for lunch, then returned to Hopedale. We went to Robison Lake and took Maddie. We let her off her leash and had a great afternoon watching her chase the geese and enjoy herself running free. We came home and took a short nap, then went out grocery shopping. NORMAL day, but really beautiful too. It's so nice to be together, finally. Also nice that it feels like we've been this way forever, and it's only been 10 days. It amazes us constantly. Now off to eat a small dinner (Jim's cooking sausage patties and scrambled eggs), and watch another episode of The Office!