Jerry & Sarah.com

I recently learned the term “fashion terrorist” in language class. It might be my favorite local phrase to describe someone who has, shall we say, interesting taste in clothing.

This Christmas season, Jerry and I have developed a habit of saying, “Oh, there is that ______ I bought you for Christmas” whenever we see something we find hilarious. Sometimes the selection is just bad, but sometimes it is just funny to picture Jerry wearing plaid-cuffed skinny jeans and leather ankle boots (I’m not always a hater…many Asian men somehow pull it off). So, without further ado, here is what I bought you for Christmas…

At the local church we attend on Sundays, all the moms of young ones (about 18 months and under) hang with their kids in a cry room behind the meeting space. Because the service is at 11, everyone brings food and snacks for their little ones to eat, and most share freely with everyone else.

Cheerios are a staple in my bag (they are available locally), as they aren’t too messy and are easy to take along. When we first started going, the other moms had never seen this strange snack, but their kids all loved to eat them.

I had a good laugh this week as one of Jack’s buddies sauntered over to my snack stash at the same time Jack was exploring someone else’s snack keeper. His mom started laughing and held up her cup. It was full of Cheerios, as were several other kids’. Without really trying, we’ve spread the Cheerio love.

Yes, Jerry really did take a pregnancy test. The moral of the story? You should never buy cheap pregnancy tests, then throw away the box and directions to save room when packing. If you do, you won’t know if two lines is enough to prove your pregnancy. Do you need a plus? Three lines? It’s a complicated world.

But, we did figure it out using the good, old scientific method in which Jerry provided the control. Baby Howard #2 is coming in January!

Yesterday, Jerry and I left Jack in the hands of a dear friend and headed north to Cedar Rapids for an Andrew Peterson concert. As always, the Captains Courageous were stellar, and I am thankful for the plentiful reminders that He will one day make all things right.

Since the drive to Cedar Rapids took a few hours, we made a day of our trip to Iowa’s “Fields of Opportunity.” Oh, how I love a good municipal slogan. It’s always hard to not place it in a Waiting for Guffman context. Cedar Rapids calls itself the “City of Five Seasons.” That seems a little overambitious to me, especially for a state that names it’s cities things like Olds, Hills, and the ever-creative Iowa City.

Lest you think my aim is to bash the underpopulated state of Iowa, Iowa City was a surprisingly cool town. After eating emu empanadas at a trendy tapas restaurant, we found ourselves engrossed in people watching so amazing, we thought maybe we had been set up. In addition to a countless collection of amazing candidates for the “What’s their story?” game, we saw look-alikes for friends from all over the globe, including a certain former supervisor who wears her hair in a bun on top of her head. No lie.

Our search for some preconcert Chick-Fil-A led us to a mall that might have been happening 20 years ago, but now boasts a hurricane simulator kiosk as its most exciting attraction. We opted out of meteorological entertainment, however, to marvel at stores that sold Chinese trinkets at 700% markup and a selection of herbs and rocks that could be mixed into magic potions. We do have a knack for stumbling upon the ridiculous. All I wanted was some Christian chicken.

My list of Iowa oddities is not yet exhausted, but my energy is. I’m going to bed with this wittiness in my head.

“In honor of you getting a hair cut today, I’m trying a new do too. What do you think?” Jerry said as I worked at my computer. I turned around and fixed my eyes on his hair, trying hard to discern a difference. Just as I feared I was about to lose major wife points by not noticing the difference, he pointed to his chin.

My husband had a fu manchu.

After we both contained our laughter, he shaved it down to the Ron Swanson mustache that he had been desperately wanting for some time. Fortunately, we both agreed that the molestache is not his style and off it went. While it is an adjustment for me (Jerry has always had a beard since I’ve known him), I think Jack is having the harder time figuring out who this man is with his father’s voice and a very unfamiliar face.

We’ve been at the Adopting for Life conference yesterday and today. In coming days, I’m looking forward to synthesizing some posts on all God is working in my heart and mind, but for now, here’s one take away. We thought we’d just adopt a bus full. They even put our name on the side.

Just kidding.
Kuddos to Jay K. for the photo.

Today comprised a series of episodes, each that could demand their own blog entry or photo recap. In favor of being brief, here are the highlights:

7:30 a.m. – We shared a blueberry pancake breakfast with out some friends from out of town, during which we were able to talk through some exciting things about future directions.

3:30 p.m. – We’re no the road to visit our friends Nate and Haley, and I feel Jack kicking. Jerry gets to feel him with one hand on my belly, one hand holding his cell phone, and one knee very firmly guiding the steering wheel.

5:30 p.m. – Dinner at a random Chinese restaurant where we enjoyed talking to the staff.

7:45 p.m. – While Jerry is dozing in the passenger seat, we get a flat. As we get out of the car in freezing temps, we realize we’ve stopped where every cow in Indiana does their business. It stinks.

8:10 p.m. – We’re back on the road.

8:11 p.m. – Remember the scene in Tommy Boy where the hood of the car flips up and flies into the windshield while they swerve all over the road? No, I’m not making this up. We just re-enacted it. For some reason, we popped the hood when we stopped and never latched it back.

8:12 p.m. – We’re trying to make the hood fit back where it once went without much success. At least the cracks in the windshield aren’t too bad.

8:45 p.m. – After a stop at the gas station where Jerry was banging car parts back into place with a hammer, we’re back on the road with a donut tire in the back and a bungee cord holding down our contorted car hood.

9:30 p.m. – We made it, and finally got to enjoy the company of friends we love. God really is good to us.