Wonderful Little White Box

This is our new best friend:

Just in case you can't tell what that is...it's an Apple Time Capsule. We bought it when we ordered our MacBook and can I just tell you all about it's awesomeness?

I wasn't so into the purchase...I mean, it's a lot of money. But after Brandon's tireless efforts of convincing me that we needed this product, he won me over.  And now I could kiss the man. Well, I did.

Not only is this machine our external hard drive which automatically backs up our computer every time we do anything on it.

But it's our wireless router (and wireless printer access)

Our firewall.

AND

Our time capsule...which enables our computer to literally jump back in time and retrieve any priceless data we might have accidentally deleted. Like say, oh, our newest purchase of PhotoShop CS3. Somehow in the installation of this new software we deleted one of the main components needed for running this program effectively. And even after removing the program and trying to re-install...still no success.

But then we remembered our trusty, not-so-rusty, Time Capsule that jumped back in time and remembered upon command that we installed this missing component of CS3. And with the wave of a wand (or a mouse click) BAMMO! Adobe Bridge of CS3 was back on our dock lickity split. 

That one instance alone has made the purchase of this blessed Time Capsule completely worth it. 

May I suggest you look into getting yourself one?

Yes I may.

Wordle

As if I don't have a million other things I could be doing...I wasted a bunch of time this evening creating a wordle! I totally ganked the idea from Melissa Jill, but it was too cool to pass up. It's a collage made up of our blog...or all the words we use on our blog anyway. How fun is that? Apparently I, like, use the word "like" as much as Eden? That's not good. Have fun creating your own! :)

hint, hint...

Sorry for our absence in the blogging world lately. With Brandon completely submerged in stacks of books for studying, and me taking on our new adventure... our time to blog has been sparse. But just so you know that we're still here, I'm posting another tide-you-over post. 

Notice our blog look is changing? Well...it's still not there yet. We're unsure of where we want to go...so it's a gradual change. Hope you don't mind the construction. :)

Here's a small hint as to what I've been up to the past few weeks...more to come on this new adventure in posts to come! :)

Wordless Wednesday

This all goes under one post title...

Why is Rhythmic Gymnastics an Olympic sport? Seriously. Could they come up with a more pointless "sport"? It's like someone decided to make an event for all those gymnasts that couldn't quite cut it on the balance beam and threw in a hula hoop to make it more exciting. As long as we're inventing pointless Olympic events, I'd like to know when the Crab Crawl will be making it's debut in the track and field events.

Anyways. On to more important things in our lives this week.

Some of our most favorite friends ever spent the night with us this past week. It was soooo wonderful to see them on this side of the ocean again! Because of their way important jobs and awesome opportunities, they make us feel cool for having cool friends. Hooray for cool friends! :)

A few more pictures of Eden because you wouldn't recognize our blog without them...

Tell me she doesn't look like a toddler...

Playing the "I'm from the Middle East" dress up game...

Brandon has completed his first full week at SEBTS and it's shaping up to be a lot different than we expected. Don't get me wrong, we love SEBTS. I can't say enough awesome things about this amazing school that is so grounded in the word. It gives me so much joy to see my husband being taught by such faithful men of God.

However, this week is the week that reverse culture shock decided to settle in our "well adjusted" hearts. We've just been faced with the reality that Brandon is going to have to attend classes at least three hours a day, 4 times a week. He's going to have to work at least 30 hours a week. And he's going to have to study quite a bit to make the grades he wants. ...... which in turn leaves (what feels like) very little time to hang out with me and Eden. I know I'm being a whiny un-adjusted American, but we just can't get used to that American lifestyle again. We were so spoiled in The Big Chicken by having so much time together. That was our luxury in Chiner. Sure it was hard to find milk, tostitos, and cereal in Chiner. But at least we had time together. I know this is something that most families struggle with, but this is the first time for us as a family of three that we've had to deal with a daily routine that doesn't include all three of us doing (almost) everything together.

So that's my blog rant for the next few weeks.

In other Chancler news...

A family that we spent 7 weeks with up on that little Virginia Compound two years ago has now moved in right next door! yes, literally, we share a wall with them. What a small world!!

I'll leave you with one more Musing From Chris

yesterday on the swings...

Chris: "Hey, how do you spell her name?" (pointing at Eden)

Brandon: "Why don't you take a guess!"

Chris: "hmmm. ok. (pondering) T. N. O. P."

I always thought Eden with a silent P and T could be cool. I could be one of those hippy crunchy people that think their being creative by naming their child a wacky spelled name. We're naming our next child Bawb.

Hail the Conquering Heroes

It's hard to find blogging time amidst being glued to Channel 6 for the past week, but I'm finally getting back to you about our Opening Ceremony Shindig. 

It went well. There were only 5 members in attendance...one of whom actually went to bed before the party got started. I know, we're total party animals. But despite the small crowd, we partied Olympic style.

Admission Fee: One Olympic Tattoo.

We all had one on our cheeks. Eden sported it on her guns...

That's right. We tattooed our baby. Turn us in now folks. Granted it washed off that night in her bubble bath, but still she had Olympic fever too.

If you missed the Opening Ceremony, where were you? Seriously. Could you have had anything better to do that night? It was absolutely incredible. And I don't know if it's possible to feel pride for a nation you no longer live in and aren't a native of, but we felt so much pride for China. The drums. The yellow glowing men. The fireworks. The huge globe. All...just incredible. There's no other word for it. Sure it cost a couple hundred million to pull it off...but well, it was sheer awesomeness. 

And if you did happen to miss it, let us know. Because we recorded it.

On to my next Olympic sized thought...

How is it that the President of the most influential country on earth can be sitting on the other side of the planet, attending the Opening Ceremony with rolled up sleeves, and still make you feel like he's your long lost best friend? Seriously, how does Bush do it? He's sitting there watching Kerry Walsh slam it down and he leaves you saying, "Well hey. There's George and Laura chilling at Chao Yang park." I just don't get it. I mean, I've not lived through that many presidents, but I'd be willing to bet that there haven't been too many presidents in the history of the US of A that make you feel like you've known em forever. Do the Russians look at Putin and say, "Oh good. Vladdie made it today." I don't know. But it baffles me how personable our President can be. Maybe it's because he's from Texas. :)

And finally...Michael Phelps. His name alone makes you feel like you should stand for the National Anthem. He's the epitomy of the perfect athlete that makes you swell with American pride. And his gold medal saga has now caused us to wake up Eden. Twice. The men's 4x100 relay the other night had me burying my face in hands out of anticipation and then when they won both Brandon and I leapt off the couch throwing our hands in the air, and shouted. Last night was a replay of that action as he won the 100 m fly. And we woke up Eden each time. woops. It was, yes I'll say this word one more time, incredible. 

He. Is. Superman.

Musings from Chris

One of our new neighbors is the coolest little guy around. He's 5 years old and says the funnest things ever. He's always entertaining us with us antics and lately, his tidbits of conversation.

So here's a few Musings from Chris. (what I anticipate to be a common blog entry)

Out walking with Eden yesterday, Brandon was approached by Chris.

"What's her name?"

"Eden"

"hmmmm (pause with a thoughtful look) Did you name her that because she eats a lot?"

Sitting on the curb beside his bike...

Brandon: "You taking a break?"

"Yeah...the wheels are tired."

Out for another walk with Eden...

"Hey, how old is she? wait...wait...umm....One?"

"no. close though! She's about 10 months."

"So she's Zero?!"

"I guess you could say that."

"When's her birthday?"

"(insert Eden's birthday)"

"That's cool. My birthday is November 8th. Last year on November 8th I turned 5. This year on November 8th I turn 6. My birthday is always on November 8th."

"Today I went to walmart and my mom bought me this helmet. It helps protect my brain. Well, my skull too. But if I fall it mostly protects my brain."

He recently injured his arm on his bike a few weeks ago...so yesterday he was telling us about it.

"Tell me how it happened, Chris"

"Well. I fell. And then I disloaded my arm."

Today it was a little rainy but then it cleared off for a bit...so again, we went out for a walk with Eden, and as soon as we did, Chris pops out his front door.

"IT STOPPED RAINING!"

"I know! Isn't it nice outside now?"

"Well, it stopped raining because I prayed!"

And again while riding his bike the other day, his brother says to him, "Hey Chris, wanna play some chicken?"

"What's some chicken?"