Welcome to November/December 2005
11/28/2005:
Today, we got the biggest offer yet that shows Columbus is where we are meant to be.
My Thursday night art therapy job at OSU is proving to be exactly what I want and need right now. This morning, the director of the program asked me to travel with her to Qatar (in the Persian Gulf) sometime in the next two to three months to do a week-long presentation, including speeches and art tasks, on the benefits of art therapy for the children of Qatar who have family members who have or have passed away from cancer.
Aparently, there is nothing like this in their country...it'll greatly enhance my resume, I'll be paid a *lot*, fly first class (which I've never done), and it will lead to other similar trips domestically and potentially internationally!! Talk about representing the American Art Therapy Association....maybe I could do the speech at AATA and BATA (the Buckeye Art Therapy Association) this next year, too! :) Can you feel the smile radiating off of the computer?
Bruce is, of course, happy for me and completely supportive. His hug was wonderful when I talked to him about it. Being the Middle East, I will ensure that I dress accordingly, and we both just want to ensure that I'll have safety clearances. But I am extremely excited! :)
****UPDATE:
Just two days after I received my express-sent U.S. Passport (2 weeks or less), I got the call that the Qatar trip has been cancelled. Aparently, the Qatar representatives started to renig on their promises of the large paycheck, said that we could only come in business-class seats, and stated that we would need to do a week-long presentation, everyday, just the two of us, rather than sharing the week with others, as we had been told. This would be exhausting, of course, AND we don't have NEAR that much info! It sounded that we were, frankly, going to be used. So, it won't happen. However, we ARE planning on doing the presentation around Ohio and other states. Perhaps international will come eventually.
Today, we got the biggest offer yet that shows Columbus is where we are meant to be.
My Thursday night art therapy job at OSU is proving to be exactly what I want and need right now. This morning, the director of the program asked me to travel with her to Qatar (in the Persian Gulf) sometime in the next two to three months to do a week-long presentation, including speeches and art tasks, on the benefits of art therapy for the children of Qatar who have family members who have or have passed away from cancer.
Aparently, there is nothing like this in their country...it'll greatly enhance my resume, I'll be paid a *lot*, fly first class (which I've never done), and it will lead to other similar trips domestically and potentially internationally!! Talk about representing the American Art Therapy Association....maybe I could do the speech at AATA and BATA (the Buckeye Art Therapy Association) this next year, too! :) Can you feel the smile radiating off of the computer?
Bruce is, of course, happy for me and completely supportive. His hug was wonderful when I talked to him about it. Being the Middle East, I will ensure that I dress accordingly, and we both just want to ensure that I'll have safety clearances. But I am extremely excited! :)
****UPDATE:
Just two days after I received my express-sent U.S. Passport (2 weeks or less), I got the call that the Qatar trip has been cancelled. Aparently, the Qatar representatives started to renig on their promises of the large paycheck, said that we could only come in business-class seats, and stated that we would need to do a week-long presentation, everyday, just the two of us, rather than sharing the week with others, as we had been told. This would be exhausting, of course, AND we don't have NEAR that much info! It sounded that we were, frankly, going to be used. So, it won't happen. However, we ARE planning on doing the presentation around Ohio and other states. Perhaps international will come eventually.
11/26/2005:
We received an email today that one of my closest friends (and also my pastor) up in Cleveland has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Her name is Joyce, and she has (we thought) always had memory problems...enough to lend to a giggle now and then. But now, Joyce has had to quit her loved job, cannot pastor, has been having difficulty with forming letters, needs help to dress herself, and cries a lot in grief over the self-sufficient tomboy that she's always been and can no longer be. Joyce moved down to Florida a few years ago to preach and to get away from the Cleveland winters, but then moved back a few months later, saying that she heard God telling her repeatedly that she belonged in Cleveland. Now we know why. I hope that in my lifetime, they find a cure for Alzheimer's.
We received an email today that one of my closest friends (and also my pastor) up in Cleveland has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Her name is Joyce, and she has (we thought) always had memory problems...enough to lend to a giggle now and then. But now, Joyce has had to quit her loved job, cannot pastor, has been having difficulty with forming letters, needs help to dress herself, and cries a lot in grief over the self-sufficient tomboy that she's always been and can no longer be. Joyce moved down to Florida a few years ago to preach and to get away from the Cleveland winters, but then moved back a few months later, saying that she heard God telling her repeatedly that she belonged in Cleveland. Now we know why. I hope that in my lifetime, they find a cure for Alzheimer's.
11/24/2005:
Happy Thanksgiving Day! :)
Today was successful and not all all stressful for anyone. Bruce & Phil went outside in the cold weather (while the sun was out, before the snow started) and together did their manly duty in deep-frying a turkey using propane gas in the backyard. All of the rest of us watched from inside the warm house when it started to smoke.... Debby, Sarah, and I did a lot of things in the kitchen, and produced a table-full of bounty once it was time to eat. But before we could eat, we had to carve the turkey....something that neither Debby, Sarah, I, Phil, Bruce, Brett, or Grandpa could figure out how to do. (So, Grandma was called in...successfully :) )
Bruce & I are thankful for many things this year, including everyone who is (or will be) likely to read this web log. We love you all. This has been a whirlwind year, and now we again celebrated with my side of our family (last Thanksgiving was Bruce's first opportunity to spend quality time with them...only 2 weeks after he proposed to me...and look where we are now!).
11/23/2005:
Today, I had my latest ob/gyn appt...and, once again, I have a cyst-filled ovary.....thank you to my heritage of female-problems. So, for a month (starting today), I will be on a daily,*VERY* high-fiber diet (with *lots* of water...), and in a month, I'll be starting a new med to help more. We both eat healthy (overall) anyway, and starting now, we will be getting our share of nuts-n-grains around here. :) My doctor also looked at our wedding proofs...at her request...she's certainly good with person-centered therapy! :)
Thanksgiving preparations began tonight. Bruce and I are doing honey baked ham, low-cal cranberries, corn, Bruce's blueberry cheesecake, four-bean salad, dinner and crescent rolls; Debby and Phil are doing a fried turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and an apple pie; Grandma and Grandpa are doing cranberries, pumpkin pie, and Grandma's green beans; Sarah is doing the Sweet Potatoes; and my mom is providing the house! I think that we'll be stuffed by this time tomorrow.
11/16/2005:
Today, I felt like Suzie-homemaker, cooking 2 banana bread loaves and 2 apple pan doughty pans (and now supper!) while my kiln was firing all afternoon. THAT is what I call a nice afternoon. I like making good stuff for the two of us! Aunt Kerry (Brett's sister) sent us a GORGEOUS wedding present today...a candle holder made using a LOT of (my favorite) dichroic glass! Yeah!!!
The jeweler's goldsmith STILL is having problems making my wedding ring set RIGHT...I won't be getting it back tomorrow as promised. We aren't all that happy with Andrews Jewelers right now.
11/14/2005:
Yesterday, we finished our birthday & one-month anniversary week by going out to see a movie together. (It's hard to believe that it's already been more than a MONTH!!) We both decided that there are many more before-6pm movie dates in our future....it's half the price, and when we got out of there at about 6:30pm, we felt like it was 11pm!!! Anyway, we then came home, had dinner, and enjoyed the Browns/Steelers game together (in-case you don't know, I'm a huge Browns fan, and Bruce is a huge Steelers fan...the ultimate opposites attract saga!)...and, yes, the Steelers won 34 to 21.... We laughed that if someday we happen to have a son who is athletically-inclined, we'll both GLADLY root for whatever school/team gives him a scholarship or hires him!
Today, I am finishing my first cold of the season; just as Bruce now has it full-force. I'm going to get a flu shot so that (hopefully) we both won't get every single illness that comes through the schools where I teach (as is the norm).
11/12/2005:
Diana's 32nd BIRTHDAY!!! We went out to dinner, and Bruce gave me a card and a HUGE bouquet of primarily purple/blue flowers. <Big smiles here!>
We picked up our wedding rings from the jeweler today...Bruce's now fits perfectly; mine wasn't a finished job, so it'll be taken back on Monday.
(This is the Birthday Bouquet that was waiting for me from Bruce when I arrived home from work 11/12/05. So romantic!)
11/9/2005:
Bruce's 34th Birthday!!! We went out to dinner, and I gave Bruce a card and made him some Apple Pan Doughty for desert. Yummmm!
11/8/2005:
We have now been married for one month!!
We hope to start and continue this, our new family's website, so that all of our family and friends around the world can keep up-to-date on our lives. Please continue to check often, as we will be sharing our family's current news and photos for the benefit of everyone. If you have any news/photos that you would like to share, or ideas on how to make this page better, please email them to us.
Happy Thanksgiving Day! :)
Today was successful and not all all stressful for anyone. Bruce & Phil went outside in the cold weather (while the sun was out, before the snow started) and together did their manly duty in deep-frying a turkey using propane gas in the backyard. All of the rest of us watched from inside the warm house when it started to smoke.... Debby, Sarah, and I did a lot of things in the kitchen, and produced a table-full of bounty once it was time to eat. But before we could eat, we had to carve the turkey....something that neither Debby, Sarah, I, Phil, Bruce, Brett, or Grandpa could figure out how to do. (So, Grandma was called in...successfully :) )
Bruce & I are thankful for many things this year, including everyone who is (or will be) likely to read this web log. We love you all. This has been a whirlwind year, and now we again celebrated with my side of our family (last Thanksgiving was Bruce's first opportunity to spend quality time with them...only 2 weeks after he proposed to me...and look where we are now!).
11/23/2005:
Today, I had my latest ob/gyn appt...and, once again, I have a cyst-filled ovary.....thank you to my heritage of female-problems. So, for a month (starting today), I will be on a daily,*VERY* high-fiber diet (with *lots* of water...), and in a month, I'll be starting a new med to help more. We both eat healthy (overall) anyway, and starting now, we will be getting our share of nuts-n-grains around here. :) My doctor also looked at our wedding proofs...at her request...she's certainly good with person-centered therapy! :)
Thanksgiving preparations began tonight. Bruce and I are doing honey baked ham, low-cal cranberries, corn, Bruce's blueberry cheesecake, four-bean salad, dinner and crescent rolls; Debby and Phil are doing a fried turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and an apple pie; Grandma and Grandpa are doing cranberries, pumpkin pie, and Grandma's green beans; Sarah is doing the Sweet Potatoes; and my mom is providing the house! I think that we'll be stuffed by this time tomorrow.
11/16/2005:
Today, I felt like Suzie-homemaker, cooking 2 banana bread loaves and 2 apple pan doughty pans (and now supper!) while my kiln was firing all afternoon. THAT is what I call a nice afternoon. I like making good stuff for the two of us! Aunt Kerry (Brett's sister) sent us a GORGEOUS wedding present today...a candle holder made using a LOT of (my favorite) dichroic glass! Yeah!!!
The jeweler's goldsmith STILL is having problems making my wedding ring set RIGHT...I won't be getting it back tomorrow as promised. We aren't all that happy with Andrews Jewelers right now.
11/14/2005:
Yesterday, we finished our birthday & one-month anniversary week by going out to see a movie together. (It's hard to believe that it's already been more than a MONTH!!) We both decided that there are many more before-6pm movie dates in our future....it's half the price, and when we got out of there at about 6:30pm, we felt like it was 11pm!!! Anyway, we then came home, had dinner, and enjoyed the Browns/Steelers game together (in-case you don't know, I'm a huge Browns fan, and Bruce is a huge Steelers fan...the ultimate opposites attract saga!)...and, yes, the Steelers won 34 to 21.... We laughed that if someday we happen to have a son who is athletically-inclined, we'll both GLADLY root for whatever school/team gives him a scholarship or hires him!
Today, I am finishing my first cold of the season; just as Bruce now has it full-force. I'm going to get a flu shot so that (hopefully) we both won't get every single illness that comes through the schools where I teach (as is the norm).
11/12/2005:
Diana's 32nd BIRTHDAY!!! We went out to dinner, and Bruce gave me a card and a HUGE bouquet of primarily purple/blue flowers. <Big smiles here!>
We picked up our wedding rings from the jeweler today...Bruce's now fits perfectly; mine wasn't a finished job, so it'll be taken back on Monday.
(This is the Birthday Bouquet that was waiting for me from Bruce when I arrived home from work 11/12/05. So romantic!)
11/9/2005:
Bruce's 34th Birthday!!! We went out to dinner, and I gave Bruce a card and made him some Apple Pan Doughty for desert. Yummmm!
11/8/2005:
We have now been married for one month!!
We hope to start and continue this, our new family's website, so that all of our family and friends around the world can keep up-to-date on our lives. Please continue to check often, as we will be sharing our family's current news and photos for the benefit of everyone. If you have any news/photos that you would like to share, or ideas on how to make this page better, please email them to us.
12/31/2005
This past month has flown by for us, but (as those of you who've checked in often would likely agree) we've been unable to add anything to this webpage....so, it's been a little on the umm....boring side. :) Hopefully now, things will now return to how we started this in November.
So, here's our attempt, in order, to fill everyone in on our first December together:
The first weekend in December, we visited Bruce's Mom & Dad in Kentucky. We left Friday night after work, and then returned on Sunday morning. This was a nice, relaxing visit before everyone's hectic holiday schedules began to kick in. We were able to share our wedding videography DVD, as well as our wedding photo proofs (all 400 of them, of which we need to choose only 40-50 for our final digital photobook!). They took us out to dinner, and we just had a nice time together enjoying each others' company. As soon as we returned to Columbus, our whirlwind life resumed, as Diana had an art therapy Christmas Party and then work to return to that Sunday evening.
The following week, on Tuesday the 13th, we both had a dentist appointment. This was significant for Bruce since it was the first time since high school that Bruce's gorgeous teeth had been seen by a dentist. He talked a lot about how totally different THIS experience was since about 15 years ago! :) The last one in his memory was seemingly cold and sterile, versus THIS one was warm and inviting. Everyone was more friendly than he ever remembered in a dentist office, which put him at ease about the nervousness that was there. A t.v. to watch as you're being worked on! No requests to lean over and spit! Such a HUGE jump in technology! :)
On Monday the 19th, we went to our first concert together. It was Stephen Curtis Chapman & Mercy Me (currently popular Christian artists <Mercy Me is a group>), and it was a Christmas concert. It was held at OSU, in the basketball arena, and we had excellent floor seats. It was a really fun concert, and it involved a lot of audience participation; particularly on the most popular Christmas songs. At one point, near the end of the concert, they asked everyone to pray for peace, and, instead of everyone holding up their lighters (as people USED to do at concerts), they asked everyone to join the digital revolution, and hold up their lighted CELLPHONES....so in the darkness, all you could see were hundreds of blue-lights all around, as everyone sang together. It was very moving, and truely, very spiritual. Stephen sang part of one of the songs in our wedding too ("I'll be here")...so, needless to say, we were both very happy. :)
Two days later, we and Sarah (Diana's sister) took Natalie (our niece...*almost* 4 years old) to see The Nutcracker in downtown Columbus at The Ohio Theatre. We all dressed up, had orchestra seats (nice and comfy....MUCH better than up in the cheap Upper Balcony seats!), and it was Natalie's first time at a theatre production. Natalie enjoyed the people dressed up as mice, commented on the ballerinas' techniques, and generally asked a LOT of questions throughout. As she nibbled on raisins and cookies, her two aunts tried hard to narrate the whole thing so that she would understand what was going on. During the Intermission, Natalie and her Aunt Nanny (Diana) spent time looking at and discussing all of the orchestra pit musicians, as well as climbing all the way up to the very top, past the last Balcony row. We looked at the gold artwork on the ceilings, and leaned over the first Balcony row to see if we could see Aunt Sarah and Uncle Bruce underneath (Natalie concluded that we couldn't see them because they were underneath where we were standing at that moment). All four of us had a really nice time, and Natalie simply LOVED being with her aunts and uncle (without her mom and dad), and fell asleep about 10 minutes after we returned to our car.
That whole week, when not going to concerts, we were both greatly involved in buying and making our Christmas gifts for everyone....our kiln is finally knowing what it's like to be firing for almost one week straight! :) On Friday of that week, we left for Kentucky as soon as Bruce could get off of work. We drove to his Mom & Dad's, and made it in only about 4 1/2 hours, so we were able to then spend the evening and all of the next day relaxing and opening presents with all of the Van Bruggens (Mom & Dad, all four siblings, and their spouses and kids). We chose to open some of our presents to each other with Bruce's family, and some with Diana's family (when we drove back up to Columbus on Sunday the 25th, leaving Kentucky at about 7:15am!). We spent all of Sunday with Diana's family (Mom, Brett, Debby and family, Sarah, Grandma and Grandpa, and Sandy <Mom's closest friend...really almost one of Diana's aunts>). Our favorite presents for each other was Bruce's gift for Diana of a new "The Message" Bible with "Diana Van Bruggen" inscribed on the purple front, and Diana's gift for Bruce of an Ipod Nano (a hand-held music player). The Bible was Diana's first Bible since she was a baby, and the IPod was something that Bruce had secretly desired, but didn't think that he'd get, so that he could (and can) enjoy his music whenever and wherever he goes.
Now, this week, the two of us having simply been relaxing, enjoying each other's company, and catching up on things put to the wayside during the last few weeks.
In two hours, it will become 2006. The two of us welcomed 2005 come in while at Bruce's church in Cincinnati. In direct contrast, we will be spending these last few hours in OUR home, snuggled in each others' arms, while we watch Dick Clark on t.v., burn a fire in our fireplace, and make a wine or champagne toast with our two wedding flutes. This year was simply SUCH a whirlwind, with all of the planning, interviewing, and hiring of wedding vendors, followed by deciding on and getting fitted for the outfits, designing and making all of the many invitations, directions, party favors, then mailing everything out in hopes that it all came back, and finally our wedding day and honeymoon. 2005 was each our dreams come true. We look forward to even more fullfillment in 2006. Happy New Years to everyone! :)
This past month has flown by for us, but (as those of you who've checked in often would likely agree) we've been unable to add anything to this webpage....so, it's been a little on the umm....boring side. :) Hopefully now, things will now return to how we started this in November.
So, here's our attempt, in order, to fill everyone in on our first December together:
The first weekend in December, we visited Bruce's Mom & Dad in Kentucky. We left Friday night after work, and then returned on Sunday morning. This was a nice, relaxing visit before everyone's hectic holiday schedules began to kick in. We were able to share our wedding videography DVD, as well as our wedding photo proofs (all 400 of them, of which we need to choose only 40-50 for our final digital photobook!). They took us out to dinner, and we just had a nice time together enjoying each others' company. As soon as we returned to Columbus, our whirlwind life resumed, as Diana had an art therapy Christmas Party and then work to return to that Sunday evening.
The following week, on Tuesday the 13th, we both had a dentist appointment. This was significant for Bruce since it was the first time since high school that Bruce's gorgeous teeth had been seen by a dentist. He talked a lot about how totally different THIS experience was since about 15 years ago! :) The last one in his memory was seemingly cold and sterile, versus THIS one was warm and inviting. Everyone was more friendly than he ever remembered in a dentist office, which put him at ease about the nervousness that was there. A t.v. to watch as you're being worked on! No requests to lean over and spit! Such a HUGE jump in technology! :)
On Monday the 19th, we went to our first concert together. It was Stephen Curtis Chapman & Mercy Me (currently popular Christian artists <Mercy Me is a group>), and it was a Christmas concert. It was held at OSU, in the basketball arena, and we had excellent floor seats. It was a really fun concert, and it involved a lot of audience participation; particularly on the most popular Christmas songs. At one point, near the end of the concert, they asked everyone to pray for peace, and, instead of everyone holding up their lighters (as people USED to do at concerts), they asked everyone to join the digital revolution, and hold up their lighted CELLPHONES....so in the darkness, all you could see were hundreds of blue-lights all around, as everyone sang together. It was very moving, and truely, very spiritual. Stephen sang part of one of the songs in our wedding too ("I'll be here")...so, needless to say, we were both very happy. :)
Two days later, we and Sarah (Diana's sister) took Natalie (our niece...*almost* 4 years old) to see The Nutcracker in downtown Columbus at The Ohio Theatre. We all dressed up, had orchestra seats (nice and comfy....MUCH better than up in the cheap Upper Balcony seats!), and it was Natalie's first time at a theatre production. Natalie enjoyed the people dressed up as mice, commented on the ballerinas' techniques, and generally asked a LOT of questions throughout. As she nibbled on raisins and cookies, her two aunts tried hard to narrate the whole thing so that she would understand what was going on. During the Intermission, Natalie and her Aunt Nanny (Diana) spent time looking at and discussing all of the orchestra pit musicians, as well as climbing all the way up to the very top, past the last Balcony row. We looked at the gold artwork on the ceilings, and leaned over the first Balcony row to see if we could see Aunt Sarah and Uncle Bruce underneath (Natalie concluded that we couldn't see them because they were underneath where we were standing at that moment). All four of us had a really nice time, and Natalie simply LOVED being with her aunts and uncle (without her mom and dad), and fell asleep about 10 minutes after we returned to our car.
That whole week, when not going to concerts, we were both greatly involved in buying and making our Christmas gifts for everyone....our kiln is finally knowing what it's like to be firing for almost one week straight! :) On Friday of that week, we left for Kentucky as soon as Bruce could get off of work. We drove to his Mom & Dad's, and made it in only about 4 1/2 hours, so we were able to then spend the evening and all of the next day relaxing and opening presents with all of the Van Bruggens (Mom & Dad, all four siblings, and their spouses and kids). We chose to open some of our presents to each other with Bruce's family, and some with Diana's family (when we drove back up to Columbus on Sunday the 25th, leaving Kentucky at about 7:15am!). We spent all of Sunday with Diana's family (Mom, Brett, Debby and family, Sarah, Grandma and Grandpa, and Sandy <Mom's closest friend...really almost one of Diana's aunts>). Our favorite presents for each other was Bruce's gift for Diana of a new "The Message" Bible with "Diana Van Bruggen" inscribed on the purple front, and Diana's gift for Bruce of an Ipod Nano (a hand-held music player). The Bible was Diana's first Bible since she was a baby, and the IPod was something that Bruce had secretly desired, but didn't think that he'd get, so that he could (and can) enjoy his music whenever and wherever he goes.
Now, this week, the two of us having simply been relaxing, enjoying each other's company, and catching up on things put to the wayside during the last few weeks.
In two hours, it will become 2006. The two of us welcomed 2005 come in while at Bruce's church in Cincinnati. In direct contrast, we will be spending these last few hours in OUR home, snuggled in each others' arms, while we watch Dick Clark on t.v., burn a fire in our fireplace, and make a wine or champagne toast with our two wedding flutes. This year was simply SUCH a whirlwind, with all of the planning, interviewing, and hiring of wedding vendors, followed by deciding on and getting fitted for the outfits, designing and making all of the many invitations, directions, party favors, then mailing everything out in hopes that it all came back, and finally our wedding day and honeymoon. 2005 was each our dreams come true. We look forward to even more fullfillment in 2006. Happy New Years to everyone! :)