The Brink Fam

We've Moved

2008-09-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

If you have us "Bookmarked" or "Favorited", you might want to change the link!

http://thebrinks.wordpress.com

Additional photos (see below post)

2008-09-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

34 weeks!

2008-09-07T16:13:00.001-07:00

As the title of this post indicates, I am now 34 weeks along in my pregnancy and still feeling well. I am somewhat ready for our baby boy to arrive and am facing the normal difficulties associated with living life with a belly. But we are so thankful that the pregnancy continues to go well! We have decided to have a repeat c-section, and we've set that date for October 8. I go to the doctor tomorrow, and we hope that things are still going well.
Since Annabelle's trip to Jackson/our vacation, we have pretty much just been around the house doing normal activities. I just wanted to post a few recent pictures of Belle (to satisfy the interests of those who check this blog regularly). The other precious girl you see in a few of these photos is Susanna Brink, Belle's cousin. They are almost exactly the same age, and we love having Susanna come play. Watching the two of them grow up together will be such fun!
The seemingly odd pictures of Belle on a large machine were taken at our church's Labor Day gathering at the farm of one of our elders. The kids at this annual event look forward to rides on this "glorified golf cart," and Annabelle took an interest in it as well. At one point in the evening, I looked up from my dinner to see Daniel, Belle, and another elder from church headed off for a ride. According to the reports I received, Annabelle had a wonderful time (despite the fact that her facial expression was stoic the entire time).
I guess the one interesting "process" we've been through over the past couple of weeks is the removal of the pacifier from Belle's life. For a LONG time she had only used it in the car and the bed. After our trip to Nashville in July, we took it away from the car with NO problems. We knew we wanted to have it totally gone by the time she was 2, and I also knew that I didn't want to be dealing with it when the baby arrived. So two weeks ago we decided to take it away from the bed (the remaining area). I would say that we are pretty much past the transition, and as everyone says, it wasn't as bad as I thought. But it WAS hard, especially for the first few days. Her naps got very unpredictable, and she would wake up crying and unable to sleep but still clearly tired. She also spent less time playing happily in her bed after naps and in the mornings and would want out sooner (which affects me more than it does her). We are still dealing with a little of the latter issue, but we are all adjusting. :) Clearly she drew more comfort from it that I realized. But I am thankful to have that step behind us!

MS150

2008-08-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

In two weeks (Sept 13-14) I will be riding in the Memphis edition of the MS150, which is an annual bike ride to benefit the Multiple Sclerosis Society. My company forms a team each year for the event, and this will be my first time to participate. Medtronic is also sponsoring a "water stop" along the way which will provide food and beverage to the hundreds of riders passing through.
The ride begins at Graceland on Saturday morning and heads 75 miles south to Tunica. The next morning we start the 75 miles back Graceland.

I have a bit more training to do to get ready for the 150 mile weekend, but I should be fine. This will be my first extended ride since our Natchez Trace excursion we completed last November.

Anyway, the main purpose of this event is to raise money for a worthy cause. Each rider is doing his/her part to round up support, and if you feel so inclined to contribute, you can do so at Daniel's Support Page.

More photos from Jackson

2008-08-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Vacation Update

2008-08-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

Well, once again, I am slow to update the blog. Maybe I should just quit saying that I am slow and just accept that speed as the norm.
Anyway, our "vacation" is over. Belle spent a week with my parents in Jackson, and she had a fabulous time. My parents really were delighted to have her, and despite the physical demands of running after her, they were quite sad to see her go. She got to play with so many fun toys, and she had many visitors come to see her. She played in a park, went swimming, and even went to the mall (and discovered the world of elevators and escalators). Daniel and I thoroughly enjoyed our "stay-cation" here. We went out to eat twice and took our time doing so. I was able to get lots accomplished around the house, and I also just enjoyed doing things when I wanted to do them. As great as the joys of motherhood are, I relished not having to fix Belle's meals, change her diapers, get her dressed, etc. But I did miss her, and Daniel and I were both glad to see her when we arrived in Jackson.
I will post some pictures that my mom took of her activities in Jackson.

Sitting Around

2008-08-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

I wanted to capture Belle doing something she rarely does -- sitting still. She is such an active child, but she has recently gotten into the habit of getting a book or toy and plopping down in the middle of the floor to enjoy it. She sticks her feet out in front of her (as shown) and reads or plays. These beautiful moments don't usually last too long, but they are precious and quite humorous.
She is going on an adventure next week (or maybe I should say that my parents are going on an adventure). Sweet T and Granddaddy (my parents) are coming to Memphis this weekend for a wedding, and they are taking Annabelle back to Jackson with them Sunday for the entire week! In case anyone has failed to make the connection of what that means for me, it means that I will be in my house alone all next week. Daniel and I are so excited about our "vacation," and my parents are thrilled about their undertaking (definitely won't be a vacation for them). I plan to do work around the house, get the nursery much more ready than it currently is, rest, and just enjoy doing the things I'd like to do when I'd like to do them. We will probably go to a movie one night...but hey, we can be spontaneous about which night that will be because we won't have a child to think about! I will miss her and will probably be a bit sad when they pull out of my driveway Sunday afternoon, but I have a feeling that I will quickly ease right into the childless week. My parents are so kind to give us this break, and I will enjoy every minute of it -- and be so glad to see Belle on Friday when we arrive in Jackson for our weekend there!!

Birthday Partying

2008-08-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

Recently, Belle was invited to her first non-family birthday party. Warren Barnes II was turning 1, so we all went to celebrate his big year. Belle had a blast eating food and playing around their house, and once the temperature cooled from about 110 degrees to maybe around 95, we went outside and played on the swingset. Here are some photos from the occasion.

Four Years

2008-07-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

Katy and I celebrated our 4th anniversary this past week. In what has become sort of a tradition, we returned to Erling Jensen for dinner on Friday night. I guess it's our favorite restaurant in Memphis--I don't know if the restaurant is that much better than everything else, or we are just associating it with a special event. In any case, it is easily the meal of the year we most look forward to, and I can't imagine that if we are in town next year that we will go anywhere else.

I've written about Erling Jensen once before on this blog, one year ago to be exact. The only thing that rivals Erling's food is Erling's service. The staff treats you as if you are really special. I appreciate that, because I think I'm pretty special too. Some high-end restaurants treat their customers well, but with a side of snootiness (if that's a word). It's as if you should feel privileged to eat there. It's not like that at Erling. The staff treats you as if they are privileged to serve you. I especially like that they show you which of the 9 utensils you are supposed to use for each course. Even though I'm pretty certain what goes with what by now, they step in to remove any doubt. That's helpful.

There are two things we make sure one of us orders each year: the crabcake appetizer and the chocolate soufflé dessert (neither can be topped in our opinion). In between, we always try out different entrees. There are three "tastes" along the way, complimentary of the chef. We received our complimentary pre-appetizer-appetizer soon after we ordered (I don't know the official name for this course, but I don't have to because, again, I'm special). It was a small citrus-smoked salmon tart, topped with a pesto butter. Yum. From there we moved into our appetizers. To accompany Katy's crabcakes, I got the foie gras. First-timer with the foie gras, and it won't be the last. Mmmm...boy.
After we woofed down our appetizers, we were treated to a pineapple sorbet. I look forward to the sorbet, even though my pallet always seems clean enough. For our entres--Katy had the monk fish (one of the specials) and I got the rack of lamb. I was told the lamb was Erling's signature dish, but that's the first I had heard. The lamb was really good--easily moved into the 2nd slot for my favorite Erling entree (the first slot is firmly held by the ostrich).
We only got one dessert. Weak, I know, but that's all we could stomach at this point. Of course it was the chocolate soufflé. Chocolate and I are good acquaintances, but my wife's relationship with the sweet is much more rich. I could try to describe Erling's soufflé, but I'm not sure it would match Katy's standard. Our complimentary after-dessert-dessert was some sort of chocolate candy. A little too bold for me. In Katy's words, "that's pretty hard-core," and that's pretty high praise.

A future typist

2008-07-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

I also wanted to post some pictures of Annabelle practicing her typing. I am sure she will be a better computer-navigator than her mother in no time.
On a different note, I had a good doctor's appointment yesterday. I am about 27.5 weeks along now and am still feeling well! I passed my glucose test, meaning that our baby boy doesn't have gestational diabetes. My blood pressure is still great, and we are hoping that it stays that way! I go back in 3 weeks for another check-up and then will go every two weeks after that! Time is passing right along!
Two special "people" have birthdays today. Happy Birthday to Halley Williams and to our dear dog Dugg. Halley is 25 and Dugg is 3.

Reunion and Wedding

2008-07-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

I have been slacking in my updates (what else is new?). I feel like I have spent the past 7-8 days recovering from a very busy 8-9 days we had in mid-July, but I do think that life is now back to normal. We spent the July 4th weekend in Nashville at a family reunion for Daniel's mom's side of the family. Daniel hadn't even met many of these family members, so the weekend was filled with new faces as well as a few familiar ones. All of the "Memphis Brinks" were in attendance, and we all stayed right around each other at the hotel. Hotel-living with a young child is tiring, but we were so glad that we made the effort to go and meet family. Belle was so exhausted by the time we left on Sunday that she slept for about 40 minutes in the car (which is long for those of you who are unaware), and she did sustain two minor bruises to the head due to exhaustion-reduced motor skills. But she had a great time playing with her cousins (both first and second ones), and I've posted a few pictures from the weekend.
My dear friend Meg Daughdrill was married on Saturday the 12th to the wonderful Brian Flowers. The weekend was filled with happy celebrations, some of which Belle participated in. I posted a picture of us at the wedding-day lunch; Annabelle was in the process of eating a delicious bit of peppermint ice cream! The ceremony was beautiful, and my dress fit! I shouldn't have tried to wear tall heels and definitely did knee-bends during all of the prayers, but I made it! I was so thankful to be a part of the festivities, and of course Meg was such a beautiful bride. Many happy wishes to Dr. and Mrs. Brian Flowers!!

Happy July

2008-07-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

I realized it had been awhile since I last posted, so I'll just give a quick update and include some recent photos. We continue to rearrange/organize/clean out our house as we prepare for Baby #2. It's a slow process, but we have made some progress. I am growing and now definitely look pregnant, but I am still feeling pretty well (aside from the usual discomfort that comes with an expanding belly).
Annabelle has had a couple of trips to the pool, and she is not sure what to think about it. We hope to keep working with her so that she will become excited about the water. I bought a maternity swimsuit for our swimming outings because I decided that the "belly poking out of the tankini" look was not for me. Belle continues to be very active and is looking more like a "little girl" rather than a baby. One of her new tricks is shuffling around the house in my slippers (see photo), and she is pretty good at getting around. When she walks in them, she looks like she is an old man (somewhat hunched over) wearing snow shoes.
We are headed to Nashville this weekend for a family reunion (Daniel's mom's side), and next weekend is my dear friend Meg's wedding. We'll start wedding festivities towards the end of next week. I took my bridesmaid's dress to be altered yesterday, and it was quite humorous. The woman had kindly agreed to alter the dress at the last minute since I am constantly expanding, and I am SO glad that I decided to order the dress 3 sizes bigger than my normal measurements. She is letting it out across the middle so that I can breathe! Let's hope I don't grow too much over the next ten days or so.

Top Chef

2008-06-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

Annabelle's favorite toy right now is her new wooden kitchen. Her Oma and Opa (Daniel's parents) were planning to get a kitchen for her at Christmas, but we had noticed that whenever we went to a child's house who had a kitchen, she was fascinated with it. Opening and closing the doors, putting things in, taking things out...all of this was so entertaining for her. So Daniel and I approached Oma and Opa with the idea of getting her the kitchen now as an EXTREMELY early Christmas gift. They were kind enough to do so, and after much searching to find a good deal, a kitchen arrived via FedEx last week. The FedEx man backed into the driveway and propped the box against the garage, and I figured that because of its weight, he hadn't wanted to bring it up to the front door. I was correct. I opened the garage door and pulled with ALL MY MIGHT to move it about a foot into the garage, hoping the whole time that none of my neighbors could see. :) Anyway, Daniel got it in the house that night, and we opened the box and found a 24-step instruction manual and about 50 pieces of kitchen to assemble. Sweet Daniel spent about 3 hours putting it together, but his time was well spent. She absolutely loves it and has played so happily with it. The pictures are of her when she first saw it and played with it. In case you are wondering about the funny-looking part next to Belle in the last picture, it's a removable dishwasher rack. They really do think of everything.
On a different note, I had the treat this past weekend of going to Pickwick (a lake near Memphis) for a celebration of the upcoming wedding of my dear friend Meg Daughdrill. Nine girls came, and we had the best time relaxing, laughing, eating, sunbathing, etc. You get the picture. Daniel was kind enough to be "extra fatherly" on Father's Day weekend while I went to be carefree, and I enjoyed myself so much.

1.5

2008-06-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

When Belle hit 18 months, we decided to get some pictures done for her. If you're familiar with Germantown, we had these done in the caboose garden (or whatever you call that place) over on Poplar Pike.

If you know Belle, you know that she is not prone to stay in one place for long. Getting a good shot requires the photographer have stamina, quick feat, and a fast camera. Thankfully our photographer, Brenda, has all of these. Belle was not as cooperative as we had hoped, but we got some good shots regardless. She did a lot of smiling, but it was usually as she was running away from the camera. Next time, maybe we'll get one camera to use as a decoy, and then have another to get the great shots of her running in the other direction.

We're Back

2008-05-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

We are back from our vacation, and we had a wonderful time. Daniel and I really enjoyed getting away to New Orleans and having a few days to ourselves, and our main activity while we were there was eating. We ate some wonderful food and could have stayed longer just to eat at other restaurants! For those of you familiar with New Orleans, we frequented places such as French Market Cafe, Gumbo Shop, Camelia Grill, Dick and Jenny's, Cafe Maspero, NOLA, Croissant d'Or, and of course, Cafe Du Monde. So we definitely didn't leave the city hungry.
Annabelle also had a wonderful "vacation," though hers was a bit different from ours. She spent those days in Jackson with my parents, and she had a blast. My parents had some new, exciting toys for her, and I really don't think that she noticed that Daniel and I were gone until we got back. :) My parents enjoyed having her, and I am sure that she wore them out. But Daniel and I returned to a happy, well-rested, well-fed child, and we were so pleased! The pictures are a few that Mom took while Belle was with them.
Changing the subject a bit...I am still having a great pregnancy. I have "expanded" over the past week, though I am relieved that the growth is because of the baby and NOT the New Orleans food. Daniel and I went for our ultrasound today, and we are pleased to say that we have a healthy BOY growing. So Belle will have a little brother. We are thrilled, though it does seem strange to think about having a boy when all we've known is a girl. But it will be a new adventure, and we are just thankful that HE appears to be growing normally.

COOKIES!!

2008-05-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

I thought that it might be time for some pictures of Annabelle (for those of you who enjoy them). Daniel has been working hard on his homebrewing, but Annabelle and I have not participated in that activity. She has been very busy learning how to climb, and she has pretty much mastered ascending every chair in our house. She's actually quite good at it, and I taught her how to turn around and slide down when she's ready. We just have to make sure she doesn't stand up in the chair once she gets up in it.
She has also been enjoying chocolate chip cookies. The photos of her chocolate-covered face and hands were taken right after she devoured a freshly-baked, gooey cookie, and she chased it with her cup of milk. I told her that she was enjoying one of life's simplest but most wonderful pleasures. :)
Daniel and I are REALLY looking forward to a vacation next week! My parents offered to keep Belle for a few days, and we are headed to New Orleans to stay in a family friend's apartment for three nights. We plan to eat, walk, rest, eat, shop, eat, etc. My parents are thrilled about having Belle stay with them, and we are thrilled about letting them.
On a heavier note, we are sad to report the loss of a friend to cancer this week. Catherine Hutton went home to be with her Savior after a year-long battle with cancer, and we do rejoice that she is in the presence of the Lord! Daniel and I actually know her three precious siblings better than we knew her, but their entire family would covet your prayers at this time. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints..."

Mmmmm....homebrew

2008-05-12T10:12:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I took up homebrewing as a hobby. It's something I have wanted to do for years, but just never made the investment until now. I love beer, and I love good beer even more. As my tastes and preferences have evolved over the years, it has become increasingly expensive to purchase the beer that I like the most (oh, this is Daniel by the way). So that brings us to homebrewing. A former college roommate of mine started brewing a few years ago and inspired me to do the same. After purchasing my homebrewing equipment, I recruited a couple friends to split the cost of ingredients in payment towards splitting the output of beer.

For batch number one, we went with a basic American Wheat. Meeting in the Brink kitchen a little over 3 weeks ago, we sanitized the equipment, boiled the wort, pitched the yeast, and left the five gallons to ferment in the study closet. (I don't have a picture of this process, sorry). Five days later our wort was finished fermenting, officially becoming beer. It didn't look all that great (as you can see) but it smelled divine. The next step was to siphon it into a glass carboy to allow all of the sediment to drop.A few days later the beer had cleared up considerably, so we added some priming sugar (to start the carbonation process) and moved it into bottles. 52 in all. About two weeks later, we popped open the first few. The satisfaction of drinking my own homebrew outweighed the actual beer. It was good, but it wasn't great. Since we used such a basic recipe the flavor is lacking complexity. Right now it is very similar to a Blue Moon. It will probably change a bit as it continues to evolve in the bottles.While savoring the first batch, we began the process for the second. An English nut brown ale is currently fermenting in the same study closet, so I'm looking forward to its completion in a few weeks.

Oompa loompa, doompadee dawesome, Dwight is now gone, which is totally awesome.

2008-05-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

Let's take a break from the family for a bit.
I’m getting a little frustrated with NBC’s The Office. I used to think it was one of the (if not THE) best programs on TV, but I am having second thoughts. It’s not that I’ve lost interest; it’s that the show has gotten worse over time. Allow me to vent a bit...
First of all, the characters have changed. Not developed—changed. Take Jan for example. She used to be a very intelligent, professional, and successful woman. But like all of the characters, Jan had a quirk. She was unexplainably attracted to Michael. Considering her other qualities, it was incredibly odd that she found Michael irresistible, yet detestable. It was funny. The current Jan is completely different. She is now sloppy, irrational, paranoid, demanding, jealous, and flat out weird. Maybe it all started with her “alteration”, but whatever the case, I find it much less funny.
Here’s another—Ryan. Is he supposed to be funny? In the first couple seasons, he was just “intern”. He got picked on and resented everyone he worked with. I liked that character, but then it all changed. I’ll admit, it was funny when he was shockingly promoted ahead of Jim, Karen, and Michael. But ever since then I find him incredibly annoying. And not annoying in a good way. Dwight is annoying, but it’s just his character. I think the writers (one of whom is B.J. Novak, the actor who plays Ryan) are trying way too hard to make Ryan a bad guy. OK, so he’s a bad guy, but he’s not a funny bad guy.Another thing that bothers me is the minor characters getting too much attention. I’m talking about Stanley, Angela, Kelly, Roy, Phyllis, etc. These characters do not need to be developed any more than they are. They are MINOR characters. I don’t want to watch Andy and Dwight fight over Angela, because Angela just isn’t that important. Let her remain over in the accountants’ corner, planning parties, and being bossy. Nothing more.
And Stanley…oh Stanley. Why do we have to get all dramatic? I don’t want to see tear-jerker confrontations with Michael. There’s no denying that Stanley is funny, but it’s the little bits and pieces that are funny. Just keep him as the “urban” teddy bear who sits in meetings, working his crossword puzzle, and occasionally offering the “I don’t give a *darn*”.
The only minor character I think is worth the development is Andy, and I really don’t consider him “minor” any longer. I put him up there with Michael, Pam, Jim, and Dwight as a lead character. And with all of the boohooing that Dwight has been doing over Angela, it has opened the door for Andy to overtake him as the funniest character in the office. I’m sure many disagree with me, but tough. He’s been promoted.
Now break me off a piece of that fancy feast.

Flowers

2008-04-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

This post is just a celebratory note on God's goodness and the great reward that I feel when I see our flowers blooming. Somehow all the painful time spent watering last summer in the 105-degree heat becomes worth it when the bushes burst forth in bloom. I do wish the flowers lasted longer, and I will say that not all of these bushes are the ones with which we started last summer. But it's glorious to see the evidences of Spring, and I will need to remind myself of this feeling during watering time this summer!

Baby in the basket

2008-04-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, when I was in the kitchen and realized that the house was completely quiet and that I had NO idea what Annabelle was doing, I walked into the living room and discovered her as you see her in the first picture, sitting in her toy basket. She had removed all of her toys, climbed in and was just sitting quietly (those of you who know her will understand how unusual those last two words are). Anyway, I thought that it was funny, laughed with her, and took her picture. Well, enter a new game!! Now, she takes all of her toys out of her basket and "asks" me to put her in it. Then she wants all of her toys BACK in the basket, piled all around her. Funny what children think is so entertaining.
Anyway, we have been enjoying the nice weather. Belle LOVES being outside, swinging in her swing, and walking around the backyard holding my hand. She also gets very upset when we have to go inside. But I am thankful that she enjoys the outdoors.
I had my 14-week OB check-up today, and everything is looking great. We are so thankful for another good pregnancy and are praying for a MUCH less exciting delivery than last time. :) But we are confident that the Lord will provide and sustain us through whatever He chooses to send our way!

How to rock Belle's world

2008-04-14T06:01:00.000-07:00

Number two is on the way. Lord willing, we will have a new baby Brink in October. Katy is past the 13 week mark and into the second trimester--so far so good. We are praying that the delivery will be less eventful than number one.
The grandparents and the rest of the family found out this past weekend. Not too many surprised faces.

Adventure, Anyone?

2008-04-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

I am not generally an adventurous person, but last week I decided that Annabelle and I would go on a roadtrip to Starkville, MS, for a night. For those of you unaware of the existence of Starkville, it is home to Mississippi State University, Daniel's and my alma mater. It is God's country. Anyway, our dear friend (and my former MSU roommate) Anna Duggan was going there for her sister's art show, and we decided to accompany her! We were able to stay the night with my other former roommate, Jeannie Turnage, and her husband and precious baby Lucy. Of course Annabelle and I looked like we were staying for 3 days, but I wanted to be prepared for anything. Armed with enough animal crackers to last for days, we pulled out of our driveway Thursday morning. Annabelle did not sleep a wink on the way down, and we were very relieved to arrive at Jean's around 1:00. That evening Annabelle and I had the pleasure of eating dinner with a former professor of mine, Kelly Marsh. She and I have kept in touch, and it was such fun to eat with her.
Friday morning Anna, Jean, Annabelle, Lucy, and I ate breakfast at one of Starkville's best-loved places, City Bagel Cafe. Then we drove on campus to check out the newly-remodeled student union, and it looks amazing!! This remodeling was WAY overdue, and the new union really improves the look of the campus. We then spent some time at Anna's sister's house before getting on the road in the MONSOON that was hitting Starkville. We were very thankful that once we headed north, the rain eased and made our trip back to Memphis much more pleasant, although Belle again did not sleep at all.
Although Annabelle and I were both very tired Friday evening, I am SO glad that we made the trip. Spending time with friends I rarely see was so precious, and I hope to get back to Starkville again relatively soon.

Easter

2008-03-29T16:07:00.000-07:00

As usual I am tardy in getting pictures posted. We had a wonderful Easter weekend. My family came Saturday and stayed until after lunch Sunday, and we all enjoyed the visit. We watched a lot of basketball and enjoyed the pretty weather. My parents took us out for a nice meal Saturday evening, and Annabelle loved her fine dining experience. :) Sunday's church service was wonderful: we were blessed to reflect on our Savior's resurrection. Annabelle was exhausted from the busy weekend, and she went to bed as soon as we got home from church. So my family and I enjoyed a nice, calm meal together, and she woke up shortly before they had to leave. Daniel had made a Boston Creme Pie, and Annabelle LOVED it. She had a whole piece Sunday afternoon and cleaned her plate. We then took her outside to "hunt eggs." We scattered the eggs on the ground and showed her how to put them in her basket. She proceeded to pick up two eggs and run to her swing. After swinging for awhile, she got down and tried the "hunting" again. She caught on and loved the activity.
We tried to get some pictures of her in her Easter dress, but none of them were just great. The one shown here at least gives a view. And here are a few shots from "the hunt."

Down and Dirty

2008-03-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

Annabelle loves to play outside. She has discovered that her swing IS actually fun for longer than 20 seconds, and she enjoys walking around the yard and exploring. At times she still wants to hold a hand, but if she gets brave, she will walk off alone. These are some pictures Daniel took of her when she discovered the dirt.

Pictures from Snow (see below post)

2008-03-10T05:02:00.001-07:00

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

2008-03-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

As you may have guessed from the title of this post (or seen on the weather), we had a nice snow here in Memphis. The flakes began falling Friday early afternoon and continued into the late evening. It was amazing to see the snow fall so steadily and for so long. When Daniel arrived home from work, we took Annabelle and Dugg outside. Dugg has experienced a good snow at least once before, and he LOVES to run around in it. Annabelle was very interested in it but aware of how cold and wet it was on her face. Saturday morning, we awoke to a thick blanket of snow all over the yard. We had seven inches on top of our grill but not quite that much on the ground. We took Dugg and Belle out again to play--only this time Daniel made Belle some "snow boots" out of grocery bags wrapped around her shoes and ankles. She loved walking around and had a great time until she fell in it and was a bit overwhelmed.
Snow is such a beautiful sight to see, and there is something so cozy about watching it fall. The sight of it melting and creating a muddy slosh in our backyard is not quite so lovely, but it was wonderful while it lasted.
Pictures will come soon: I am having trouble loading them.

Ball: A Novel Concept

2008-03-03T10:13:00.000-08:00

One of our latest discoveries: Belle got game. We found this out a few weeks ago via her musical drum (courtesy of uncle Noah). Rather than use the toy as it was intended, Annabelle would turn it on its side and kick it around the house. She would also pick it up and drop it on the floor as if she expected it to bounce. Heavy toy drums do not bounce, as it turns out, but instead make loud crashing sounds that make Mom and Dad believe said musical drum will not last much longer.
Anyway, it seemed obvious the girl wanted to play with a ball, so I fetched a soccer ball from the trunk of my car. She was DELIGHTED to have a toy move around the floor so freely. We also found out that a bouncing toy is for some reason hilarious. I must admit, we were a little late with the whole "ball" idea; I guess with all of the modern toys available, it's easy to overlook the simple ones.
So as you can see in the pictures, Belle unleashed her mad soccer skills in style (literally, since we had not yet changed her out of her church clothes).

15 months!

2008-02-29T09:17:00.000-08:00

We had our 15-month doctor visit this morning, and it went well. Annabelle was NOT pleased about her three shots and finger prick, and it really was quite sad. But she weighed in at 19 pounds, 7 ounces, and measured 30.5 inches. We are thrilled at her weight gain especially: that growth puts her back on the weight chart at about the 5th percentile. :)
These photos are from our trip to Jackson last weekend.

A Visit Down South

2008-02-27T08:26:00.001-08:00

This past weekend we went to Jackson to visit my parents. We have turned Annabelle's car seat around to face forward, and she enjoys looking out the windows. I was optimistic that this new position would make the car trip much easier, and while it was not perfect, the journey was more pleasant. She was awake the whole ride to Jackson but with enough crackers, juice, and milk, she was fairly happy. :)
We had a fairly busy weekend seeing friends and family. Alan was able to come home from Delta State, and we really enjoyed having him around. Annabelle saw her great-grandmothers as well. My parents love having her around, and she walked/ran all over their house. We left Dugg in Memphis for this visit, but Annabelle enjoyed spending time with Toby, my parents' golden retriever. She also loved walking up and down the front stairs outside my parents' house; my dad and Daniel played that game with her many times.
My dear friend Meg Daughdrill had an engagement party Saturday evening, and it was great to see her as well as other old friends. We worshiped Sunday morning at First Pres, and after a wonderful, leisurely lunch, we headed back to Memphis. Belle slept a whopping 25 minutes on the way home, and yours truly nodded off some too.
As far as other news goes, we don't have much. :) We've been around the house most of the week, trying to avoid a stomach virus that seems to be going around our church. Annabelle has her 15-month checkup on Friday, and we are interested to see how much she has grown. I will update after that appointment. I also need to post some pictures...

More Photos...Baby's Best Friend

2008-02-09T11:37:00.000-08:00

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

2008-02-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

It IS a beautiful day here! We are so thankful for the sun, and we are thankful to be damage-free after the wave of tornadoes that came through here Tuesday afternoon and evening. Daniel's department was allowed to leave work early, so after stopping off to vote, he came home. Annabelle and I spent a good bit of time in the back hall, our "safest spot." Daniel (and Dugg) watched the weather and worked on dinner. The rest of the week has been very quiet, especially in relation to the weather excitement. Daniel's parents came over last night for Chinese take-out and a few rousing games of dominos, and we had a great time.
I just wanted to post a few pictures of Annabelle playing around the house. The pictures in the post above are some I shot while Annabelle and Dugg were "having a moment." I thought that everyone might find them humorous.

Long Overdue

2008-01-29T07:01:00.000-08:00

From the lack of recent blogging, one might infer that we have been extremely busy around here. Unfortunately, that assumption would be incorrect. I apologize for the lack of a recent update, though even now I do not have much to write. We are doing well! Annabelle is walking better and better, and she and I both love her independence. She has also been napping a bit longer too, thanks to her increased level of physical activity. She LOVES to push her walker around the house, and she chases Dugg with it. I was unable to capture a picture of the chase, but you can imagine it I am sure. My mom visited us for a couple of days last week, and it was wonderful to have her here. Annabelle loved having a constant playmate, and I was able to get out and do some things on my own. This past weekend I attended our church's ladies' retreat, and I left Daniel in charge for a 24-hour period. He did a wonderful job, as I knew he would, and I really benefitted from the wonderful teaching and the time away with other women. I don't have much else to report right now, but I will try to be more faithful in posting. :)

These Boots Were Made for Walkin'

2008-01-05T09:07:00.000-08:00

Well, Annabelle doesn't have boots, but she did get some new shoes from her Oma and Opa for Christmas. She is now officially walking! Maybe it's the shoes...I don't know. She still likes to crawl and walk with adult assistance, but when she gets the idea to walk on her own, she can walk all over the house! She likes to carry things along with her: toys, milk, etc. These pictures show her on the move.

A few Christmas pictures

2008-01-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer

2007-12-29T08:39:00.000-08:00

Well, not really, thank goodness. But isn't that song a yuletide classic? I remember LOVING it when I'd hear that one on the radio. It still gets played too--I heard it the other day in a public place.
Anyway, the Brink family had a wonderful Christmas. We drove to Jackson on Dec. 21 and stayed with my family until Christmas afternoon. Annabelle slept for the last 40 minutes of the car trip, so we considered that a victory. When she finally fell asleep, I motioned to Daniel (from the backseat where I still ride), and we rode the rest of the way in complete silence so as not to wake her. Dugg, on the other hand, was asleep by the time we backed out of our driveway.
My parents treated us to a dinner out Friday night, and we enjoyed it immensely. Saturday Annabelle ran a fever, along with having a cough and cold, and we were able to get her some medicine. A pediatrician-friend of our family came to the house and diagnosed her, and she was showing signs of improvement quickly. I was able to see several friends that night at a wedding reception...always encouraging and refreshing to see old friends.
Sunday night we enjoyed a "Christmas Eve Eve" tradition of take-out Chinese food with friends of ours (the Hughes family). We had Christmas Eve dinner at my parents' house with Dad's side of the family, and then we "settled down for a long winter's nap." Christmas morning was wonderful. Annabelle didn't really know what was going on, but she enjoyed playing with toys, tissue paper, boxes, etc. We loaded up our car after lunch and headed back to Memphis to celebrate with Daniel's parents and brother Noah.
We had decided to spend Christmas night with Daniel's parents to make the evening more relaxing and easier for Annabelle, and doing so was a fabulous decision. We ate with them, put Annabelle down, and then had a wonderful time opening gifts and talking with our family. Wednesday morning, after breakfast, Daniel somehow put more things in our car, and we pulled out of the driveway stuffed to the brim. We are so blessed to have wonderful family and friends, and we were able to spend our holidays with them. I will post a few Christmas pictures later.
On a completely different note, we are excited about heading to the Liberty Bowl today to watch our Bulldogs! We were thrilled when MSU was assigned to play in Memphis, and Daniel and I are going to the game, along with my dad and brother and Daniel's brothers Josh and Noah. So GO BULLDOGS!!!

Our Graduate

2007-12-16T18:09:00.000-08:00

No, Annabelle has not graduated from anything yet. Rather, Daniel is the graduate of our family! He has completed his Master's Degree in Executive Leadership from Christian Brothers University. He was in the program for two years and went to class one night a week. Annabelle and I are so proud of him for finishing and doing SO well in his classes. Star student for sure. :)

Decorating for Christmas

2007-12-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we put up our Christmas tree as well as other decorations. It's funny to watch Annabelle gaze in complete wonder at the large, green thing standing in the living room. She will touch it but quickly pull back her hand in uncertainty. I am thankful for these days while they last: I am sure that soon I will have to watch her so that she doesn't try to climb it. She did enjoy "helping" us decorate, and I have posted a few pictures from that time.
We have our very own artificial tree this year, and it does look nice. I had a hard time as we were taking it out of its box--a box that simultaneously advertised its wonderful, pre-lit convenience and praised its "looks like it was just cut" appearance. Is that not a bit paradoxical? I grew up in a family who did real trees, as did Daniel. But after two years in a row of thousands of bugs overtaking their den, Daniel's family went artificial. While I can completely understand their change and probably would have done the exact same thing myself, I still am a bit partial in my heart to real trees. They are a pain to water and keep tidy, but there's just something about the smell of them. When I commented on the lack of smell of our current tree, Daniel jokingly said that we could buy a bottle of "tree smell" and spray it on the tree. I don't think so. Marty Cooper, I would add that to your list of "things I don't believe in." Anyway, our tree does look nice, and it's fun to have it up. Get's you in the Christmas spirit. We do hope someday to do some "real-tree Christmases"; it would be great to take our children out and cut one down. What great memories we both have of doing that with our families!
On a completely different note, Annabelle went for her one-year doctor visit today. She got a good report but was NOT happy about having three shots. Her 29-inch little body is still on the "light" side of the spectrum: 16 lbs, 4 ounces. But she is healthy and developing well, so we are not concerned. She is sleeping now, recovering from her traumatic morning.
I hope that everyone is having a wonderful beginning to December. What a joyous season as we celebrate our Savior's birth!

More Birthday Pictures

2007-11-27T18:07:00.001-08:00

See below post...

Holiday Update

2007-11-27T13:18:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful whirlwind the last couple of weeks have been! We arrived back home from Jackson/Natchez and immediately plunged into Thanksgiving/Brink birthday week. We had such wonderful times with our dear family!
Annabelle had her first birthday this past Saturday, and we had a family dinner for her, Mexican fiesta style. Daniel and I had never hosted 14 people for dinner, but having all of his family and my family (squeezed) around our table was so special. Annabelle had her first taste of chocolate, and she clapped as she tasted one of life's most delectable pleasures. If she is any child of mine, she will quickly realize how medicinal and satisfying chocolate is. Anyway, that is a post for another day...
I have posted some pictures from her party, as well as from earlier on her birthday as she played with a toy Daniel and I got for her. It's one of those "put the shapes in through the matching hole" boxes, and she loves it. However, she does not play with it in the traditional way. She stands up behind it, bends over, and pushes it around on the floor. She is pushing everything and loves to rearrange any furniture she can.
She has also said her first word. As I imagined my first child saying her first word, I hoped that it would be an adoring "mama" or "dada." She does make those sounds, but they are not directed at Daniel or me (or anything else). No, my hopes did not come to fruition. One day last week we realized that she was saying "Dugg." Yes, she now calls the name of her adoring "sibling" and is more delighted with him than ever. Sometimes it sounds like "Dugg" and other times like "Dog"...most often, she throws a Southern "Dawg" twist on it. But it definitely refers to the four-legged, hairy creature whom she sees as her playmate (and he likewise). So, even though I am still waiting to hear her call me "mama," it does bring me pleasure to know that she feels so at ease around her "brother."
I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We were so blessed to spend lots of time with our families, and we hope that many of you spent the day with family and/or friends. And Go Bulldogs!

Birthday Week

2007-11-22T17:44:00.000-08:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Around our house, however, Thanksgiving has not been the only reason to celebrate. Daniel is 27 today, and I hope that he had a wonderful birthday. He definitely had a good birthday meal!
Annabelle turns one on Saturday, and we are looking forward to a family dinner Saturday night in her honor. I will post pictures from that event early next week.

Tour Over

2007-11-22T08:56:00.000-08:00

We finally made it to Natchez...after a painful and exhausting trip. A total of 475 miles, and it was none too short.
I was quite frankly surprised at how difficult this trip would be. The ride itself was no more difficult than I expected, but I was surprised at the beating our bodies would take. In my case, the sleeping conditions took the greatest toll. I probably got 3-5 hours of sleep each night, which was essentially just a few short naps on the hard ground (thanks to a leaking thermarest). Starting off each day already feeling exhausted was a challenge. Starting off each day with the previous day's soreness also took some getting used to.
I was also surprised at how slow we would be. I am used to riding at a pretty good pace with the guys on a Saturday morning, but a ride on the Trace with 30 lbs strapped to our bikes was quite hindering. Each day was a battle to get to our destination before it was completely dark (thanks to the short daylight this time of year). I expected to have time to take plenty of breaks and see the many historic sites along the way. Didn't happen. I think we only saw one major historic site (the Pharr Indian burrial mounds), and that was only as a stop to refill on water and ibuprofen.
But enough about the difficulties...the positives definitely outweighed the negatives. The main thing I will take away from this trip is the small slice of Southern America that greeted us along the way. From Hohenwald, TN to Houston and Thomastown, MS, we saw wonderful places, met amazing people, and ate hearty country food. A quick example of this is our last night's stay in Rocky Springs, 55 miles from Natchez. After waking up to 25 degree weather and trying to sum up the motivation to take down camp, we heard a Frenchman in the distance. Well, not actually a Frenchman, but a man from Quebec. And not really in the distance, but only a few short yards. Pierre and Adriene took pity on us and invited us into their warm and cozy RV for a hot cup of "cafe'". Despite Pierre's broken English, we shared a fun converation in their mobile kitchen. We learned a bit of Canadian history and were shown on a map exactly where Pierre is from. I think it's safe to say that none of us were expecting a Canadian couple would give us the necessary boost to complete the final day.
Well that's that. There are plenty more stories, but I'll save them for another day. After all, today is Thanksgiving and there is food to be eaten!

The End is Near

2007-11-15T17:19:00.000-08:00

It is Thursday evening, and I am packing my suitcase for my journey to Natchez, MS, tomorrow. Daniel and his friends have made it almost to Natchez--55 miles from it. They are all ready to take a shower, shave, and sleep on a mattress. My phone calls with him this week have been short, but I cannot wait to hear all about their journey. I am sure that it has been one that they will always remember!
Annabelle is staying with my parents for about 24 hours while I am gone, and this will be our first time to leave her overnight. But I have total confidence that things will go very smoothly, and I am very much looking forward to a night away.

The Trek Has Begun

2007-11-12T12:33:00.000-08:00

Well, Daniel's 444-mile biking trek down the Natchez Trace began yesterday afternoon in Franklin, TN. They rode 53 miles of hilly road yesterday, and set off this morning to do 88 miles. Lord-willing they will finish Friday morning in Natchez, MS.
Annabelle, Dugg, and I are in Jackson with my parents, enjoying a relaxing week, NOT sitting on a bike seat or sleeping on the ground. :)

Ten Days and Counting

2007-11-01T07:45:00.000-07:00

This is the Natchez Trace, and in ten days yours truly is going to get a much closer view. On November 11, I will embark on a 444-mile bicycle journey down this beautiful stretch of highway. My brave companions will be none other than Nathe Hendricks, David Jones, and Dallis Ketchum.

Every year the Natchez Trace attracts bicycle-enthusiasts from around the country, so we thought we would give this nearby attraction a whirl. We will begin in Nashville on Sunday afternoon, and after 5.5 days of riding (Lord willing) we will meet our respective wives in Natchez on Friday.

We chose this time of year so that we could see the fall colors at their peek, but with nature's autumn shades comes nature's testy weather. Last week in Memphis, it rained Monday through Friday. Tonight the temperature drops into the 30s. Won't it be nice at the end of each day of riding to check into our hotel for a warm shower and a cushy bed? Wrong. Our young and adventurous selves have decided it would be best if we camped the whole way. Needless to say, we are praying that the unpleasant weather be held to a minimum.

Besides the weather, the primary challenge is to maintain the physical exertion necessary to grind out an average of 80 miles each day...all while having a week's worth of cycling and camping gear strapped to our bikes.

More details to come...

Walking Practice with Daddy

2007-10-31T11:19:00.000-07:00

Growing and so proud of herself...

Sniffy nose and new shoes

2007-10-28T07:02:00.000-07:00

Annabelle has spent the last three days enduring my incessant wiping of her nose. She has her first full-blown cold, and it's quite pitiful. Because of all the children's cold/cough medicine recalls, I really cannot give her much, and we are just waiting it out! These pictures show how sick she's looking, though she looks a little better today. We are home from church so we don't contaminate every other child in the nursery, but I do miss being at worship!
She also got some new shoes, as shown in the picture, and she is quite taken with them. I am so thankful that Daniel has been home during most of the "sickness" so far because he's been such a help!

Playing with my cousin

2007-10-19T08:32:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday of this week, Annabelle's sweet cousin Susanna came to play while her mom went to the dentist. I just had to post some pictures from their playtime. Susanna was born almost a month after Annabelle, and we are greatly anticipating the girls being wonderful friends as they grow up. I guess this was their first "play date" together.

Take a Chance...

2007-10-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

To any of you Office watchers out there: Did anyone think that Andy's "tribute" to Abba last Thursday night was as priceless as I did? I laughed out loud. Having guys on the phones to sing harmony was great...even Angela cracked a small smile. :)

Trip to Jackson

2007-10-15T11:50:00.001-07:00

We returned yesterday evening from a weekend in Jackson with my family. Annabelle was able to see her Mississippi grandparents, Sweet T and Granddaddy, and her Uncle Alan. She had a wonderful time and played very hard, showing them all her new tricks. She met my parents' new dog, Toby, a 2-3 year-old golden retriever, whom they rescued. He is very sweet and did well with her. I'm not sure he was thrilled to have our dog, Dugg, there too, and they had their cross moments. But I think they will be friends eventually.
Annabelle also saw both of my grandmothers, and it's very special for her to know both of them. They of course LOVE seeing her, and I am grateful that they can. Daniel's grandmother lives in Michigan, and we are both very much wanting her to meet Annabelle.
The church in which I grew up, First Presbyterian, has recently completed its new sanctuary building, and this past Sunday was the Dedication service. Being there with my whole family was very special, and we were priviledged to hear Dr. R.C. Sproul preach the Word.

Fall

2007-10-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

I would imagine that most people would join me in asking what happened to September. It seems like just the other day that I was wondering the same thing about August, and now it's October. It's fabulously cool in the mornings, and I love being able to take our walk without sweating like a pig. It's just not supposed to be 100 degrees at 8:00 a.m. Anyway, the "light at the end of the hot tunnel" is here--Fall. I look forward to the days getting cooler and to that wonderful feeling of "needing a light jacket."
I don't have a whole lot to report, but I did want to post some recent pictures of Annabelle. We have moved her to her wooden high chair (instead of her booster), and it's still a bit large for her. But she has done well so far. And she graduated to real car seat instead of the infant carrier. So I guess that's exciting. She continues to be all over the place, and I think walking is not too far away.

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World

2007-09-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

Finally...the new season starts tonight. When Heroes premiered last year, I thought "Gee, that looks like something I'd enjoy" but I just never got around to watching it. Plus, it's one of those shows where you would want to start with the first episode so that you know what's going on. Well thanks to NBC posting all of the full episodes on their website, I was able to start my Heroes-watching late in the season, catching up just in time for the season finale. Brilliant move by NBC for offering free episode viewing online, because it helped people like me catch up with the rest of the cool Heroes crowd.

For as lazy as I tend to be at the end of the workday and as enthralled as I can be by cheap entertainment, I honestly do not "get into" a lot of TV programs. I've done a reality show here and there over the past several years, but I haven't come across a show that I HAD to watch since Ed was broadcast in 2000-2004. Man, I miss Ed...
Anyway, I started watching The Office at the end of its first season, exposing Katy to what she thought was incredibly stupid. It didn't take her too long to come around, and now she is quick to set the Tivo if we miss a Thursday night.

Back to Heroes...I'm such a dork. I know all of the (many) characters and their respective powers. I've even debated others about which hero's powers I would want to have. I was never a comic book kind of guy, so I guess I am now filling that void from my childhood.

Besides Heroes and The Office, I have gotten into 30 Rock. Like Heroes, I was late joining the 30 Rock party so I had to go back and watch previous episodes on the internet. Did I mention how great an idea that was by NBC? Alec Baldwin, who is great on the show, falls into that category of "love the actor, not so much the person."

So that's it. The three programs that Daniel follows. Just so you know where I'm coming from.

This is a first...

2007-09-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

Well, we knew it would happen at some point, and we are thankful that it hasn't happened until now. To what am I referring? FEVER. Annabelle woke up with her first fever this morning, and we made our first "sick" visit to the doctor. I will spare everyone all the details, but suffice it to say, it was a tough doctor visit. She is pretty puny--her eyes have that "I'm sick" look to them, and she (for lack of a better word) "moans" a lot. But she's not totally miserable. We are thinking that it's just a viral infection of some kind that will run its course over the next couple of days, and she has no other symptoms as of now.
The good news at the doctor was that she has gained over a pound in the last month! Thanks to eating like a horse (it seems to me), drinking formula, and being the subject of many prayers, she now weighs 14 pounds, 13 ounces. So we are thankful for that increase, and we hope to keep heading in the upwards direction.
She will be ten months on Monday, and we are so thankful for a wonderful (and healthy) ten months!

A Pretty Good Saturday

2007-09-17T14:31:00.000-07:00

It was a pretty good Saturday in the Brink household this past weekend. Not only were many Brinks rejoicing with Michigan's rebound against Notre Dame, but Katy and Daniel's alma mater got a hard-fought win at Auburn. The latter was a shocker.
It is quite rare nowadays to have in the same day a Michigan win (always exciting), a Notre Dame loss (almost as exciting as a Michigan win), and a Mississippi State win (we take 'em whenever we can get 'em). The Ole Miss loss to Vanderbilt was just gravy.

Annabelle especially appreciates being able to wear her Bulldog bloomers to church after a big State victory.

Nine Months

2007-09-03T12:32:00.001-07:00

Well, I have not followed through with my previous statements that I would be more faithful about posting entries on this blog. Life around the house is good, but I am tempted to think that no one else could possibly want to read about the ordinary things that are happening here. But then I remind myself that what's taking place here is far from ordinary! Annabelle is growing into a child, and human growth and maturity is no ordinary occurrence. She is crawling rapidly and pulling up with skill. She can also get herself down once she pulls herself up. She sits and plays with her toys, and she takes great delight when Dugg plays with her (or steals one of her toys). She is sleeping longer at night and napping better during the day. She loves real food and eats with much vigor and enthusiasm. At her nine-month appointment, the doctor did discover that she has not grown as much as she should have over the past three months. We are trying to get her to drink formula in order to pack on the pounds. :) What girl wouldn't love to have that problem!!
We are so thankful to have her cousins in town. Her closest cousin, Susanna, has just started to crawl, and seeing them on the floor together crawling around is such a delight. Daniel and I are thrilled that they will grow up together and that Annabelle will have her older cousins, Aaron and Noelle, to look after her.

un-Bear-able

2007-08-31T07:49:00.000-07:00

If you keep up with Discovery Channel's Man vs Wild, this is likely old news to you. Katy and I started watching the show a couple months ago, and by now have just about seen every episode (thanks to DVR and a couple of Man vs Wild marathons).

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the show, a man is dropped off in a remote location of the world and is charged with the task of surviving until he can find civilization. Said man is Bear Grylls--a British climber, adventurer, survivalist, and regular stud. He's been lost in the Everglades, stranded in the freezing French Alps, trapped in the Costa Rican rain forest, and left for dead in the African Savanna. For the sake of survival (and sheer thrill of entertainment) Bear has eaten meat right from a fallen zebra's bones and cooked raven eggs on the scorching desert rock. He has killed fish with a hand-made bow and arrow, and he has caught wild rabbits with his shoelace. The man once lifted a steaming pile of elephant dung over his head, only to squeeze every drop of fluid into his thirsty mouth. Priceless.

For the sake of yours and my education, Bear intentionally places himself in unfortunate circumstances to show us how to escape. He has submerged himself in quicksand and jumped through an iced-over lake. We should all be grateful for his sacrifice.

Most importantly, Bear is an outspoken Christian and dedicated family man. That is why it is most disappointing that his show has in a couple instances deceived the viewing audience. Some reports came out this summer that Bear was given assistance by the production crew (who were supposedly instructed not to aid Bear's mission unless it were a life-or-death matter). More specifically, he has spent a couple nights snoozing in a motel, when the viewer believes he is shivering in an ice cave.

And in full disclosure (though it pains me to do this), here is a video clip showing that his stunts are not always so spectacular and his location is not always so remote.

My argument against that 2nd link is that I don't expect Bear to actually need 3 or 4 days to find civilization. If he really needed to, Bear could get out of trouble in 10 minutes flat. But in order to get a full hour's worth of programming, I expect that Bear is going to avoid "finding" civilization for a few days just so he can show the audience how you would survive if you were in fact lost. I am certain that in every episode Bear knows exactly where he is, but because the lost tourist might not, he shows you how to survive. The show is quite explicit in it's educational purpose.

In closing, I want to say that I am still a major fan of Bear and Man vs Wild. While I am disappointed that Bear has cheated us on a couple of nights, I am still very much impressed with what he has accomplished on the show. On his blog, Bear says that the reports attacking the show are not detailing the whole truth. He also assures us that Man vs Wild will be much more forthright about what is "real" and what is entertainment.

All Dressed Up

2007-08-17T10:03:00.001-07:00

Our little Belle is getting bigger, though still quite small for her age. Katy is especially excited to see her grow into clothes that we thought she would be wearing much sooner. Here she is this past Sunday, ready to go to church. She is thrilled to be wearing this flowing, white number for the first time.

Anniversary Dinner

2007-07-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

As Katy mentioned below, we recently celebrated our 3rd anniversary, and for the 3rd year in a row we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Erling Jensen. After having a truly enjoyable first visit, we agreed that a return was necessary for future celebrations. This is the one time of year when we ignore prices, which in and of itself feels nice.
A few thoughts about Erling Jensen:

For being a fine French establishment, Erling does not hold back on quantity while serving up such quality dishes. If we were being cost-conscious, we could easily get by with splitting menu items...but like I said, we don't go to Erling to be cost-conscious.

The service is amazing. I had noticed that Memphis Magazine rated Erling Jensen as having the best service in town, and they weren't kidding. Not being the fine dining regulars, Katy and I feel surprisingly welcome there. The staff is always eager to define those hard-to-pronounce selections and quick to point out which utensil is appropriate for each course. Nice.

The pace of dinner is refreshing. Each visit for us has been about two hours, as nobody seems to be in a hurry. The pre-appetizer-appetizer, the palette-cleansing sorbet, and the post-dessert-dessert are all "complimentary" and serve as a wonderful way to extend the enjoyment.

Last but not least, the menu. The one appetizer that we insist one of us order is the crab cakes. Oh my. I would pay good money just to eat a few orders of the crab cakes. As for entres, the Kobe beef and buffalo have both been memorable, but I think the ostrich is my numero uno. For dessert, the chocolate souffle is an emotional experience and makes for the most silent course of our dinner.

It takes a beating on the ol' wallet, but it's worth every bite. As we look forward to year #4, check it out for yourself.

http://www.ejensen.com/index.html

Eight months, three years, and other events...

2007-07-23T11:10:00.001-07:00

Well, Annabelle will be eight months old tomorrow, and this picture shows some of what she's been learning to do lately. We have jumped headfirst into the extremely messy (obviously) process of eating solid foods, and she enjoys them. Currently her menu includes carrots, bananas, and apples, and we plan to add peas maybe later today. She is also crawling a lot, pulling up on whatever she can, and "playing" with Dugg.
Also, tomorrow, Daniel and I will have been married for three years! Hard to believe. We are thankful for these three years and for the many blessings they have held, and we pray for many more like them!
We have recently returned from a nine-day trip, most of which was spent in Jackson with my family. All of us (including Dugg) loaded up in the good ole Honda and made the trek South. We enjoyed the time with the fam and were also blessed to be a part of the wedding of John Dallis Ketchum and Christy Phillips. We then journeyed down to Alabama to stay at the beautiful Grand Hotel so I could participate in the wedding of Sara Hart Rosenblatt and Gordon Fellows. Another great celebration. We are glad to be home, though, and are back to a normal routine.

The first swim

2007-06-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

Another event of interest: Annabelle went swimming for the first time yesterday. We put on her (huge) swim diaper, her cute coral swimsuit, and her white sun hat (thanks to Sweet T for the latter two items), and we went to the pool with Crystal and Betsie Barnes. I am glad that we got a somewhat decent picture early in the outing (like before Belle had touched the water). She generally likes her baths, but the pool water was a bit cooler than her bath water. Needless to say, she cried and did not like it. We'll have to try again when the water is a bit warmer. But at least she looked good trying. :)

Seven Months

2007-06-23T12:51:00.001-07:00

Annabelle is seven months tomorrow, and she is definitely on the cusp of being an extremely mobile child! She wants it so badly and gets frustrated that she cannot really get around quickly. But she can somehow move from one end of the bed to another or from one spot on the floor to another. It's almost a crawl...it's really like a shuffle/push/pull routine. She gets on her hands and knees and rocks. She then moves her legs but cannot quite figure out how to move her arms simultaneously with her legs. So she falls onto her stomach and pulls herself up again, moving forward somewhere in the midst of the previously described motions. When she sees something she wants, she gets a determined gleam in her eye, sets her brow, and proceeds to get there, somehow, albeit not very gracefully. But then again, if she's any child of mine, grace while moving may not be her best quality...

Six Months

2007-06-02T07:23:00.001-07:00

Well, Annabelle is now a little over six months old. She and I journeyed to the doctor on Thursday for her checkup and were delighted to hear from the doctor that she is a healthy child. She weighed in at a whopping 12 pounds, 6.5 ounces, and measured at 26 inches long. Basically those numbers indicate that she is a long and lean child--definitely on the light end of the weight spectrum but very long for the weight she is.
She is rolling over like crazy these days and grabbing in amazement anything she can get her hands on (including Dugg). Daniel and I continue to enjoy watching her discover the world in which she lives. She has attached to "mommy" and often is not as content with other people. But she loves her "daddy" too and gives him a big, excited smile when he gets home from work each day. Life is good in the Brink household!

Survival

2007-05-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

This is Dugg, and this is what happens to Dugg when we get home from a walk. We do not take nearly as many walks as we should, but when we do it is like Christmas morning for Dugg.
He starts out at a good pace, high-stepping (as much as possible for a Bassett) with his nose high in the air. We have to walk in the street because Dugg easily gets distracted on the sidewalk--way too much for a hound to sniff.
5 minutes later, Dugg has worked up a good foam, which originally spreads to his hanging ears and then moves to Katy's ankles when he gets too close. Katy does not like this part.
10 minutes later, Dugg's enthusiasm is fading fast. He is a much slower Bassett at this point, as his nails are now dragging the pavement with each step.
15 minutes into the walk, Dugg's ears, jowls, and tongue are all sagging, doing their part to rid the street of any debris along the way. He's wondering if home is around the next corner.
At the 20 minute mark, Dugg is as sloppy as ever. He has never been a gifted walker, but now his stumbling is much more frequent. His nose and forehead are showing signs of wear after repeated trips land him too close to the road.
It's been about half an hour, and Dugg is considering quitting. He stops every hundred yards or so to test out what quitting feels like. He's not ashamed to sit in the middle of the road, after all, it's the dog-owners who look silly.
When we get on the homestretch, Dugg gets a magical burst of energy. He sees the finish line just a few houses down, and he can almost taste his water bowl. Ahhh...home, sweet home. While Dugg franticly drinks and spills his water across the laundry room floor, Katy and I await our favorite part...the collapse. You see, Dugg is a spoiled dog who loves comfort. He always seeks the softest place that is closest to his family, but this time it is cool, wood floor he wants. He makes it 3 steps into the kitchen, and falls heavily to one side. Mouth open and tongue resting on the floor, he leaves a wet spot as evidence of another survived expedition.

Not that anyone cares, but...

2007-05-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday the 23rd, Liverpool will be competing in the Champions League finals, which is a tournament-style competition for the best football clubs in Europe. It is arguably the most coveted prize in European football (or, soccer). The last time Liverpool won the Champions League was in 2005, when they were the underdog for most of the tournament. The final of 2005 is famous for a stunning come-from-behind win. Liverpool was facing the heavily favored A.C. Milan, who embarrassed Liverpool with 3 unanswered first half goals. With hope almost lost at halftime, Liverpool emerged from the locker room and battled its way back into the match. Led by captain Steven Gerrard, the Reds netted 3 goals in a span of 6 minutes, eventually winning in extra time shootout.
As for this year, Liverpool has again played the role of the underdog and has knocked out two of the biggest European clubs, Chelsea and Barcelona. To top it off, Liverpool will once again meet A.C. Milan in the finals. Needless to say, Milan will want revenge.
The final will be played in Athens on May 23rd. I've decided NOT to go to the game, but I will surely be watching on TV over a pint.

A Good Place to Start

2007-04-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

I don't intend for this blog to be all about our daughter, but it is a good place to start. Today Annabelle is 5 months old, which means that she is reaching for things, rolling over, laughing, and developing quite a fondness for Mommy. These are all things that did not mean too much to me 5 months ago. Reaching for things? Big whoop. Rolling over? Been there, done that.
But after watching this little one grow from 4 lbs to now 11 lbs, you could say my perspective has changed. What used to be a tiny girl who was completely dependent on others is now...well, still completely dependent. But she's interacting with the world, and that's been fun for us to see.
Can't wait to see what she accomplishes in the upcoming months. Sitting up? Cheerios? Whoa.