A day to celebrate!

Who-dey! The Bengals are back! Starting in the 3rd quarter today... they are back. And what's crazy to think, if it weren't for a miracle pass in the Denver game to lose it, they'd be 3-0. Wow. Go Bengals!

To celebrate, here's some much overdo photos of our boy.

Here, Sawyer's playing tug-o-war with Baxter. That's a dog toy, not a baby toy. We think Baxter lets him win. It's either that, or the baby is stronger than all the rest of us.

Could we really be related?

Hanging with my cousin Bella.

Mischievous? No not me!

If anybody's keeping up, we're traveling a bit the next few weeks. VA and Atlanta in the near future (some work with our company and then a visit with family and watching our friends Paul, Tracy, and David run in a half-marathon!), then some slightly more local travel to finish getting our stuff together that we left scattered around in various places.

Cats 31 to the Cards' 27

This weekend we were blessed with some free tickets to the UK-Louisville football game. We went with some dear friends who invited us and had a great time cheering on our Cats, even while getting toasted by the deceptively cloud-hidden sun. In addition to an always welcomed win, we were shocked with a couple of random star run-ins. When I entered the gate, I was stopped by a golf cart backing up that nearly ran over my foot when I realized that the passenger was none other than Muhammad Ali. And then at half-time on her pretzel run, JJ quite literally ran into an old classmate of ours, Tayshaun Prince.

Thanks to Rachel over at All Things New for the pictures!

A reminder of that other life

Last night we dropped Sawyer with Bibi and Babu (Swahili for Grandma and Grandpa) and went out for a little date together. For dinner we hit up a local Indian restaurant in Southern Ohio, and we were momentarily transported back to East Africa... That is, until we ordered food and it came out in minutes rather than hours. Amar India's menu was almost exactly like the menus we saw in the heavily Indian-influenced areas of East Africa where we lived for a couple years (major difference being the quality of English in the descriptions!). We ordered a meal that mirrored one of our favorite dinners out in Tanzania: Beef Samosas for an appetizer and entrees of Chicken Tikka Masala, Dal Makhani, and steamed vegetable rice, along with a couple sides of Nan. Mmmmmm-mmmm good! The Samosas had a different wrapping and used peas instead of onions, but otherwise, our meal was exactly what we ate in Africa (with better chicken). Even the little oval shaped metal dishes that the food came out in were the same! Thank you Amar India for a great meal that made us feel at home!

Then we went to a movie at the Dollar Saver theater, which was kind of like our Tanzanian theater, but less crowded and without all the local commercials and giant rats on the walls.

After the movie, we spent a little bit of time in a bookstore, then heard some live music coming from Starbucks, so we stopped in for a cup of chai (not coffee drinkers). The incredibly expensive chai latte was not all that good, but we did enjoy some music and some great people watching late into the night!

It's always good to have time alone together and to reflect, relax, and feel like we're at home... which in our case is always relative.

Who-Dey, Preseason 09

Yesterday we had the great joy of going to Paul Brown Stadium for the first time in order to watch the Bengals final preseason game against the Colts. Some game highlights:

-On the Bengals first offensive play, the back-up quarterback (Carson Palmer didn't play) handed the ball to #32, the starting running back, and he broke free for about 15 yards. I quickly jumped up and yelled, GO RUDI! But I then realized that no one else was cheering for Rudi Johnson, and a few were looking at me funny. Then the announcer said "that gain is good for a first down, Cedric Benson on the carry." Apparently Rudi's not with the Bengals anymore. Give me a break, I've been in Africa for 2 years!

-The Bengals proved that they are one of the greatest teams in the NFL by drumming the Colts, previously known as one of the best teams in the NFL 38-7, in an always important preseason game.

-I really wish I had a video of this, but my camera battery died... If the Bengals do crumble yet again this year, there is no doubt in my mind why. Only one reason: After every Bengals score, they play this video/song, and it is absolutely the worst song I've ever heard played at a sporting event. Seriously, has no one in the media office at PB Stadium not realized this? Because everyone else in the stadium knows it. if I had to see that video after every touchdown, I'd probably just stay out of the endzone too.

-The only offensive production the Colts did have came from UK great Jacob Tamme. Way to go Tamme! We're thrilled that you are a part of an organization that utilizes your talents and will hopefully allow you to continue to flourish.

Now, since the game was not sold out, it was blacked out from TV in the Cincinnati area, so you probably didn't see it. Allow us to recap for you pictorally!

Palmer to Ochocinco for a touchdown! (Ok, so it was really J Palmer and not C, and it was Chris Henry and others, not Ocho. And you can see big #96 Harrington in there, though normally d-line he came in to block for Palmer on this play).

Ochocinco kicks the extra point! (Sadly, also did not happen)

Sweet post touchdown dance, an energetic retro football spike! (yep... didn't happen)

And then a giant baby came on the field and began eating all of the football helmets. (This one's real).


Tomorrow, we're going back to Paul Brown Stadium for the second time this week for the start of NCAA football!!!! UK takes on Miami (OH). Go Cats!

Thanks Alan for the Bengals tickets and thanks Ryan for hooking us up with the UK tickets!

Who needs ears to hear?

Last week we had the opportunity to meet some incredible people. A good number of deaf folks are taking the call to the mission field personally, and going to countries around the world. In many countries the deaf are one of the most forgotten, marginalized groups of people. Considered poor, useless, unable to help themselves... who better to share the love of Christ with deaf people around the world than deaf people?

We have tons of thoughts about this, it's so exciting and we know that God is about to do great things! Instead of rambling we'll just link an article.

Said some from the Russian deaf community, "The hearing people tell us we can't because God doesn't call invalids into ministry." We're thankful that such thought hasn't held back these extraordinary folks.

Your deaf fellow Americans are moving overseas to learn a new language in signs and share their faith... are you ready to share with your neighbor of another culture who does speak the same language as you?