Like last year, Amy and I went to Chick-Fil-A on Labor Day for our free sandwiches, earned by wearing team shirts, which Amy once again expertly crafted. We spread out a picnic table cover on our living room floor to eat our holiday repast, and then had an exciting game of Monopoly. As usual . . . well, can you guess who had all the money?

(If you don’t recognize that thumb, take a look at this face.)

Speaking of sad faces, here’s Amy two Monday evenings ago looking at the dinner I fixed:

There was supposed to be macaroni with those beans and hot dogs, but, well, things didn’t come out pretty. (A few minutes into supper I decided to supplement things with a grilled cheese sandwich. Not macaroni, but still good.)

Some people have asked for a photo showing whether Amy is showing. Stay tuned.

This summer we got to meet and spend time with Dan’s fiancée, Isabelle during two meals at Jon and Ashleigh’s. (Dan got engaged in May and the wedding date is set for December 19th, 2009.) Jon and Ashleigh had us all over for dinner to celebrate our birthdays. Ashleigh made my family’s traditional watermelon basket (which my mom used to make for my July birthday). It was good to spend time with both my brothers and sisters-in-law (one future).

Mom J also made me a watermelon basket — and right now I’m using the gift Dad&Mom J got me/us!

In other news . . .according to BabyCenter.com, little baby J is now the size of a turnip!

In July between my 2nd and 3rd classes, we had a Jensen family weekend. Friday night we went to an Italian restaurant and had some amazing stuffed pizza and then attended the BJU summer play in Performance Hall.

On Saturday we went to Mount Mitchell, North Carolina. (Mt. Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi.) We had grilled hotdogs for lunch and then went on some hikes around the area (I will admit that since I was in my first trimester, the hiking really wore me out . . . at one point I didn’t think I could go on much longer and was glad that my husband gave me a piggyback ride so I could have a short rest!).

And that pretty much sums up our summer in review. The rest of the time was spent in class and (for me) in studying/researching and (for Josh) working. Our road trip home was fun – we headed up to PA/NJ to visit my parents, grandma, and great grandma and then took three days driving from PA to TX. We were delighted to make it home safe and sound!

This past June, we celebrated our first wedding anniversary. And yes, this picture is actually from this summer.  Mom J needed a picture to match with the other siblings’ wedding shots on the wall, so we got dressed up again and had a mini photo shoot – it was fun to be in our wedding clothes again! Our anniversary fell on a Sunday before one of my mid-term exams, so instead of a big to-do, we celebrated that day rather simply by going to church and exchanging cards.

After school was over we got away for our wedding anniversary celebration for two nights at a bed and breakfast in Spartanburg —  The Inn on Main. We had a wonderful time relaxing and enjoying a break after our very busy summer. When we arrived, the owner upgraded our room to the best in the house — the bridal suite — since the air conditioning was out on the bottom floor (where our reserved room was), and the wedding couple who had reserved the bridal suite decided they wanted a smaller room. We were delighted by our upgrade.

School has started. I’m teaching Grammar and Morphology to 16 eager seniors and MA students every Monday and Wednesday from 7 to 8:20 pm. I’m taking 2 courses: Structure of a Non-Western Language and The Computer & Natural Language. The final projects for both classes should directly contribute to my dissertation. Additionally, I’m working on my dissertation proposal — with a goal of defending the proposal by spring. Will I graduate in spring 2012? That’s what we’re hoping.

Before school started, I finished a web project for a local business, Earhart Electronics:

I also helped set up (but didn’t design) an e-commerce site for Hartley Cruver (for those who know him, that’s Dan Cruver’s dad), who arranges sacred instrumental solos. I continue to do web and publications work for Nightlight Christian Adoptions (which acquired Carolina Hope Christian Adoption Agency).

And, speaking of things that don’t change, I’m married to the beautiful, amazing, now pregnant RuthAmy Sutter Jensen. What could be greater than that?

My parents send us some little hats for Baby J (due February 18th). Now we have officially starting our baby’s wardrobe. It’s so neat to think that these little hats are going to fit on a little head that will join our family. Just to get used to it, I’m practicing with our little panther.

Last week, both Josh and I started school. We have a busy semester ahead of us. My teaching schedule is much better than last year. This year I’ll be seeing every class (32 altogether) once a week, instead of for a whole week every six weeks. Josh is teaching a class on MW nights and taking classes on TTH afternoons. We’re looking forward to a good semester.

According to BabyCenter.com, this week Baby Jensen is about the size of a lemon! (Surprise!) But he’s a lot cuter than a lemon!

After our visit with Grandma Martin, we headed to NC to spend the rest of the week with my parents and sister at Canaan Land. We enjoyed our week relaxing in the mountains of NC and the time we were able to spend with my family. We spent most of our week hiking around the mountains and waterfalls. It was nice to be away from the busyness of technology and school life. A great break before my summer classes.

We had a lovely time visiting with Grandma Martin in Atlanta, GA (June 14-16). It was good to be able to spend time with her, instead of arriving at the “Martin Hotel” late at night and then heading out early the next morning (as we’ve done in the past).  Our visit included trimming some hedges, eating at Ted’s Montana Grill, and playing a couple rounds of Rook. 

We’re home to our apartment after 8 weeks away! We arrived yesterday evening at 7 pm CT. It’s so good to be home after two months away. Our apartment is bigger than I remember!

Total miles traveled: 4,800

Route (major destinations bold): Texas – Louisiana – Mississippi – Alabama – Georgia – South Carolina – North Carolina – South Carolina – North Carolina – Virginia – West Virginia – Maryland – Pennsylvania – New Jersey – Pennsylvania – Maryland – West Virginia – Kentucky – Tennessee – Mississippi – Arkansas – Texas

Total states: 15

Oldest person visited: Great-Grandma Hanyen (100 years old in May)

Places slept:

• Staybridge Suites, Jackson MS (credit card points)
• Grandma Martin’s, Atlanta GA
• Canaanland, Toxaway NC
• Mom and Dad Jensen, Greenville SC (6 weeks!)
• The Inn on Main, Spartanburg SC (anniversary)
• Mom and Dad Sutter, Dover PA
• Michael and Erin Lyons, Louisville KY
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Olive Branch MS (credit card points)

A great big thank-you to friends and family who put us up and fed us! More pictures to come at a later time.

Credit hours earned: 9 (my last three classes!)

Oral Comprehensive Exam: Passed!

Groceries from Grandma Sutter:

One year ago today I married my best friend. Happy anniversary, Amy! I love you.

(I told her in person, too.)

Last week Amy and I joined Dad and Mom Sutter (and Emily) for a week at Canaanland Camp in NC. On a hike, Dad saw this snake, which was later identified as a Timber Rattler (you can see the rattle if you look closely). Mom and Emily were taking a different path (the creek, actually), so only Amy and I were with Dad for the excitement. Fortunately, we had Mom’s camera because of the path she’d chosen.

In other news, Amy started her first block course this week (Differential Statistics). It’s pretty busy, so she probably won’t be posting here (or answering many emails) for a while.

Last night we had our friend, Yi Ling, over for dinner. Yi Ling is from Taiwan and has been attending our church since the fall. We’ve enjoyed getting to know her. After dinner we played Jenga and Uno.

I’ve been planning to blog about Josh’s birthday for a while, but teaching and studying have delayed my blogging plans.  For Josh’s birthday I took him on a surprise adventure to a special hamburger restaurant. I was so pleased with myself for planning the surprise trip…of course, I wasn’t so pleased with myself when my Google Map directions took us to the middle of a development, instead of to the restaurant. (Josh thought I was planning him a surprise birthday party and was just trying to throw him off track.) We enjoyed the restaurant (once we got there) and the hamburgers were a success!

Since Josh’s birthday was right before my comprehensive exam, we decided to wait until after the exam to celebrate with his traditional strawberry cake. Mom J. sent the recipe and it turned out great! And in case you’re wondering what I gave Josh for his birthday…..click here to see…

Two reasons for the title:

1. Apparently my sister-in-law Emily has decided to become a farmer when she grows up.
2. I just finished up a ministry website for my good friend Jeremy Farmer. Jeremy and his family are headed to Cambodia when they’ve finished raising their support (they started today with a service in Rockford, Illinois). Jeremy’s first visit to Cambodia was in 2002 as part of a threesome that included me. Once Jeremy’s there, I’ll be the only one still getting ready to go. (Brian Kane was the third, and his family has been in Cambodia for a couple years now.) Here’s the Farmers’ site:

Nancy Jane Cochran Elementary School is officially out for the summer! My last day of teaching was Wednesday, and there was a faculty work-day on Thursday to close out the year. On Thursday, I packed my room up, stored all my valuable instruments in the main building, enjoyed our end of the year luncheon, and drove off for the summer. I really enjoyed my first year of teaching. Being a music teacher is the world’s greatest (paying) job! I learned more each week and by the end of the school year I felt like I was finally getting the hang of things. I’m looking forward to next year!

To celebrate the end of the school year, Josh and I went out to eat at Olive Garden and then went for a walk at a park. It’s nice to have a break from the pressures of teaching and lesson-plan writing! In two weeks, I’ll be starting six weeks of summer courses – fun – fun! But for now … I’m going to enjoy being off from school and I’ll be studying for my oral comprehensive exam which will take place some time during summer school.

(Oh, and we had a lovely 11-month anniversary a week ago. Almost 1 year!)

During our premarital counseling, Tim Bixby encouraged Amy and me to make a regular practice of reading together, particularly books that would encourage us to strengthen our marriage spiritually. We read a couple books and book portions together in preparation for marriage, and since we were married, we’ve worked to keep up the practice.

In addition, we like to do some fun reading together, often just before bed. (With the marriage and devotional books, we read back-and-forth out loud. For fiction, I read to Amy.)

Yesterday we were reviewing what we’ve read together since we got married. We were surprised by how much it was. Here are the books we’ve completed (together and aloud) since marriage:

• The Great Divorce (C.S. Lewis)
• The Odyssey (Homer, translated by Fagles)
• Reforming Marriage (Douglas Wilson)
• Christian Living in the Home (Jay Adams)
• When Sinners Say “I Do” (Dave Harvey)
• Essential Virtues: Marks of the Christ-Centered Life (Jim Berg)

We’re currently in the process of reading these:

• Till We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis)
• Beyond Suffering (Layton Talbert)
• Seeing with New Eyes (David Powlison)

Starting books — and then actually finishing them — has always been a little overwhelming to me. But you may be surprised by how much you can read if you do just a little at a time. It’s certainly been a surprise to Amy and me. I don’t feel like we spend that much time reading — and reading aloud isn’t the fastest way to get through a book — but (like saving money, I guess), it adds up.

After reading the previous post, you might ask, What does popcorn have to do with music?

There are a couple answers. One, the promise of a Friday popcorn party can add a little motivation to good behavior in class throughout the week. Two, one of the songs (well, a text with rhythm — no melody) in Amy’s music curriculum is actually about making popcorn. Here’s a performance (yeah, that’s my wife way up there in the air!):

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(If you’re using a blog reader, you might want to go to our blog to see the video that’s included above.)

I didn’t mention this in the previous post — but I spent yesterday at Cochran Elementary School with Amy, participating in her classes and (during a couple classes) making some photos and videos. After a day with her at school, I wonder how in the world Amy does anything at the end of the day but come home and sleep. Lots of jumping, lots of energy, lots of talking and singing. When we came home, I wanted a nap (and took one).

As you would guess, Amy’s a great teacher, and her students like her very well. So do her colleagues. (So does her husband!)