Otis Hamilton Laney...then & now

do i dare post something on my very neglected blog which i have not looked at in months?! and to think that our little O is six months old as of yesterday! at this late hour my brain is full of information i have read in wonderful books while J is sleeping beside me. i'm still the night owl in our family yet my hours of sleep are so much more valuable now that little O is here. which reminds me i need to get to bed. yet what a wonderful baby he has been and am i allowed to say he is an easy baby? and that the only time he really cries is when he is hungry or tired or perhaps overstimulated? we truly have been blessed! and for those who are interested, our little pooch Pabu has been a wonderful big brother to little O. and with that, pictures of the newest member of our emerging family.

baby on the way!

can you believe it's been almost a year since i last posted? i am not too good with this blogging thing although i still have people telling me they check my blog. for another yearly update the biggest news is we're having a little baby boy in five weeks! as i look back over the past 8 plus months i can hardly believe how fast the time has gone. for so long i had a little bump and now i definitely look pregnant! i have not been one to say i have thoroughly loved being pregnant but every time i feel the little guy move inside of me it is a constant reminder of the blessing and miracle within me. due to J being ultra organized we have the hospital bag packed just in case as well as for the baby. yikes! i leave you with the only picture we have of our little guy as of now! the next time will be in person!

Update...

ah, yes...it looks as though it has been a long time since i wrote last. i seem to always think of things to write about but it is not when i am sitting in front of the computer! major events in the past 5 months have been moving to Virginia, J returning home, starting work as a mental health therapist, a fantastic trip to Iceland, and the birth of a new nephew! we're thoroughly enjoying life on the east coast. here's a picture of J at Lake Myvatn-Dimmuborgir. now try and pronounce that one!

slumdog millionaire...

we're finally going to see this today. i've waited so long to see it. my sis A told me she saw it last weekend and thought it was simply a phenomenal movie. she said it reminded her of parts of her trip to india. i've had some people say that india is a country you either love or hate. i simply loved it, chaos and all with an assault of the senses at every corner. a review of the movie to come later.


Slumdog Millionaire trailer

الجزيرة نت

during my time in the middle east a couple weeks ago i found myself watching Al Jazeera. despite it's controversy in various parts of the world, it was more refreshing to watch than the news that is portrayed here in the united states. in a new six part series the author and journalist Phil Rees traveled to south asia, the middle east and the americas to explore the debate and meaning of the word "terrorism". looks like a really interesting series as it not only focuses on terrorism in the middle east but elsewhere such as the FARC from Colombia.

Buhler...

every day when i take pabu for a walk we usually end up on the university campus. we sneak our way in the large auditorium building and he gets to run around like crazy in the lobby. he absolutely loves it. along the walls in the lobby there is a beautiful watercolor set in several large sequence panels. the work is by Gary Buhler. Gary's watercolors portray Northwest scenes of rivers, riverbanks, waterfalls and surrounding landscapes painted in rich blues, greens, and golds with bright white representing the rippling and splashing water. his unique paintings reveal hidden salmon and trout darting in and out of the water scenes. it truly is a beautiful watercolor. here is one of his pieces titled Little North Santiam.

soldiers of conscience...

when is it right to kill? in the midst of war, is it right to refuse? eight U.S. soldiers, some whom have killed and some who have said no, reveal their inner moral dilemmas in Soldiers of Conscience. made with official permission of the U.S. Army, the film transcends politics to explore the tension between spiritual values and military orders. this is something that would be interesting to explore a bit more. i saw on the PBS website they display a suicide hotline number. this along with other forms of encouraging veterans to seek counseling, is great to see. the high rate of PTSD upon service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is astounding.

a day in pdx...

today i went to portland to visit N and we had to peek in at The Hip Hound, which is definitely a hip place to shop for all your dogs needs. they carry really good holistic dog food as well as raw food, which i hear more people are using these days. we looked at some pretty cute clothing items but i wasn't ready to plop down $56 for a trendy looking sweater!


we had fun though and pabu got lots of attention. i got him some great frozen treats, despite it being winter, and some cranberry powder. he's on antibiotics for a urinary infection, so after he is off this i'm going to use this natural cranberry powder. after checking out the doggie shop and a wonderful japanese antique shop we headed to grandma's for lunch. lots of fun!

downward dog...

i went to yoga the other night and there was a different instructor. it caught me off guard for a bit and for some reason i didn't feel totally balanced. she was fine but you just get used to what is familiar to you. then there were tons of people packed in the room which left little room for any form of relaxation. oh well... :)

home again!

back to the real world of studying as i complete a research proposal this evening. it is nice to be home though in a clean bed with clean sheets and clean towels. naturally, it is great to be around 'the beast' once again. this picture was taken in Petra walking up the 800 steps to The High Place. more pictures to come on my Picassa Album.

the crossing...

i finally made it early this evening after 4 hours of interrogation. :) welcome! i'm tired and headed to bed. more stories to come!

leaving aqaba...

i'm heading out tomorrow back to amman and then on to the border crossing with israel the next day. i'll be crossing just a little north of the Dead Sea. i have thoroughly enjoyed the warm weather of Aqaba yet it's time to leave. in other news, there sure are some cute pictures of Pabu here! looks as though he is having a ball!

aqaba...

i will spend the next few days here in Aqaba. they describe this area in the winter as having balmy weather. i am really feeling it! what a change from Wadi Musa, which is where Petra is located. i'm thoroughly going to enjoy the sun and warm weather.

petra has come and gone...

i made it to petra in one piece, sniffles and all. i found myself taking a lot of pictures to preserve what i was experiencing yet really, a picture cannot even begin to share what it feels like to walk through the rose stone city of Petra which was built in the 3rd century BC by the Nabataeans. the huge sandstone clifs provided the area where they carved palaces, temples, tombs and more. the picture provided is of Al-Deira (the monastery) and proved to be a worthwhile hike through a long rock-cut staircase to it and to a fantastic view of Jebel Haroun. next stop, Aqaba, by the sea or the Gulf of Aqaba.

in amman

after spending a wonderful week with J in Dubai i headed today to Amman, Jordan. i feel as though i am coming down with a cold so am trying to take it easy. whatever that means! so am heading to petra tomorrow by bus. should be amazing! the hustle and bustle of amman is loud, as i am staying downtown. reminds me a bit of cairo except with hills! next stop, Petra!