A beautiful week of blessing

Last night I buzzed out of the house at 9pm to the neighboring town (closest liquor store) for some champagne.

We've had a week full of beautiful blessings, culminating last night in an opportunity that Landon has been working toward and we have been praying for for several years now. God has been so generous to us, and we are so grateful!

The beautiful blessings:

our new little niece: Leland June McBrayer

Leland was born Monday night.

 She is Garrett and Crystals second daughter. 

We are so grateful for her!

Big sis, Greenlee with Leland. Is this precious or what!?

(photos courtesy of Jane Wallace, Crystal's mum)

Skiing The Canyons

Landon and I received coupons for free tickets to The Canyons at the Warren Miller film we attended back in October. The Canyons are closing this weekend so we had to scurry on over there! It was fun to ski somewhere new. We had a wonderful time!

Praise Band

(2003 an old pic of my favorite praise band ever)

Starting in just a few weeks (conveniently after Snowbasin closes for the season) I will begin to sing on my church's praise band. I am so excited and so grateful. I haven't been involved in a church in several many many years. It's a wonderful feeling to be contributing and to be connecting to other Christians (not to mention the awesome privilege to lead others in worship). 

Funding

I have started to write about this and keep deleting everything I've written. Obviously, I guess I'm just not sure what to write here. Last night Landon received the news that he will be funded through the remainder of his PhD. 

This is huge.

I know that you have followed our journey with Landon's schooling for these many years. 

When Landon was accepted to the U last year, we were ecstatic! Landon had applied to many PhD programs around the country multiple times. For some reason, God thought that it would be best for Landon to get his masters at a Christian school before moving on to a PhD program. Though I wish we didn't have to spend two extra years in school (sorry, i have a habit of saying "we" when I talk about landon's schooling...), especially in Illinois, I really have trusted God with leading us there regarding Landon's education. When Landon was accepted to the PhD program at the U last year, it blew our minds. Finally! But without the funding, it was sort of like giving us a taste of the ambrosia, but not letting us eat it. This year we have continued to live like we have been: with our moving boxes in a pile in the basement, ready to be opened up again. Not really committing to anything in the community because we wonder where we'll be next year. 

Landon's receiving funding means a lot of things for us. For one, it means that we won't have the financial burden of paying for any more tuition ever. Also, Landon will get to teach undergraduate courses, so he will get to learn a lot more about philosophy and receive the experience he will need in order to apply as a prof once he's done (glad we have 4 more years before we're waiting to pack our boxes for that opportunity!). It also means that we will be living here for 4 more years. So maybe we can make friends that we will actually get to grow with, get to know deeply, get to love for a longer amount of time. 

And I'm realizing that this is probably where we will start our family. I'm hoping that by 2014 we will have some babies around here. 

I'm so proud of Landon. This is a huge accomplishment that he has been invested into and working toward for several years. I'm so grateful for his hard work!

Now, all we need is for me to find a job out here and we'll be good to go!

the war with the alarm

(photo by francis paraan)

listening to Landon's alarm(s) going off. Landon sets his two alarms five minutes apart and hits snooze as long as it takes to get him out of bed. So each morning, i usually hear his alarms A LOT. sometimes he hits snooze for an entire hour.

Poor guy; this week he is working from morning light until well past midnight. He has found himself amidst final papers and exams as well as "Holiday" end-of-the-semester dinners. Come next Monday, he will emerge into a month of FREEDOM!!! yay! But until then, the alarm clock beckons him from the flannels as he tries his hardest to open his eyes, and ultimately, succumbs to sleep still.

I have turned on the area heater in his office (there are no heating vents that go to the bottom level of our bi-level and it is about 15 degrees cooler down there), have the tea kettle roaring, and am about to go wake him up with kisses....again.

Good luck to many of you dear friends who are amidst final exams - you have almost reached a time of respite - just push on a little longer! you can do it!

where are you taking us?

so..... one of those contingencies i referred to a few weeks ago that would surely secure that we are positively going to Utah next year was not met.

and so....

we're thinking of other options. and we are thinking of going anyway - without funding. and we know that many people are in debt and we can jump on the band wagon for the sake of higher education and really, the pursuit of our dreams.

please just be praying for us, that God would lead us. There are some things to seriously consider that have been hard to seriously consider: no funding = no money/insurance = i need 2 jobs = renting/no kids still/crabby wife/stress. BUT I think i've learned from these past 2 years enough to enter into the next 2 (or 4 or 5) years with more reasonable expectations and a better way to approach life like it is now, but in a new place with new opportunities. AND, i will be nearer those i love and finally and once again beneath the mountains. oh, i could live a little freer there. a little more wild. a little more like myself. even if it be the same life.

so...that's the update. that's what is consuming much of our thoughts and prayers right now. i hope you will see us in utah in the future. we're still hammering this out.

BIG NEWS

we are not having a baby. let's just get that out of the way.

i haven't posted anything about this yet because i needed to chill for a few days and wrap my mind around this. Also, it's not OFFICIAL so Landon's been a little apprehensive about my "shouting it from the roof-tops".

The University of Utah in Salt Lake City

Last week Landon received an acceptance letter from the Philosophy department at the University of Utah! (!!!!!!!)

Moab

What that means: we are PROBABLY moving there this summer! woohoo!!!! We are so excited to return to the mountains! landon and i have really realized that there are certain things in our lives that are necessary for us to live in the fullest of happiness. one of those things that we have learned is necessary is outdoor recreation. And i'm not talking about taking walks or driving through the country. We need exciting recreation: backpacking, camping, rock climbing, canoeing, skiing, hiking, etc... and so Utah, here we come!! we are so excited.

Arches

Monumnet Valley

the reason i said that we will "PROBABLY" be going to the U is because our going there is contingent on a few things: the hope that landon receives a fellowship, and actually receiving an acceptance letter from the graduate school itself. Hopefully those 2 things are in the mail, but we can never be sure. If landon does not receive a fellowship, i will be working 2 jobs again for the next 5 years and we will be taking out student loans to pay for his PhD program. That's a little bit suffocating to think about right now, but it isn't totally a crummy option, either. But in the past, the U has given all of their PhD students fellowships (i think), so they are paid to teach undergrad courses and do not have to shell out money for their own schooling outside of their books. that would be awesome.

Bryce Canyon

home of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Utah has some of the best skiing in the world - with 500ft of dry snow each year and monsty mountains, Landon's already looking into prices of ski passes. this picture is of Snowbasin. And yes, you all are invited to stay with us any time, even if it is only to have a warm meal and soft bed at the end of a day on the slopes.

SOOOO, i can hardly contain my excitement! can you sense it!? I am so glad that the next 4-5 years will be spent at the base of some BIG mountains. We can begin our family (God willing) in a place where our kiddies can experience the big outdoors and see Christmas in snow and God in the beauty of nature. We will be relatively close to my family (8 hours), yet we will be the farthest from the McBrayers that we have ever been (well, besides when we lived in Africa).

The Wasatch Mountain Range hugs Salt Lake City

So, more to come as we pack up our lives here - moving at the end of May, buy a house in Utah, and enjoy summer in Georgia and Colorado before we get established in our new home. Lots of exciting things going on!

GRE me again

Landon takes the GRE today at 4:30p central time. This is SO important when it comes to getting into PhD programs. He has been studying tediously for months. Please pray for him today.

Landon in New York

We have had an exciting weekend! Landon's parents came into Chicago to spend time with Justin and Anna and their boys (and us!) as Justin was presenting a paper at a philosophy conference in Chicago. At the same time, Landon flew up to New York to present a paper to a conference put on the The Society of Christian Philosophers at Niagara University. .

It was a very short trip and he says his paper went really well. He brought home some neat pictures of Niagara Falls!

Spending time with family is WONDERFUL!!! Our adorable little nephews grow so quickly and develop such unique and precious personalities. Wow, we just love them so much! and it is wonderful to be with loving family. i am grateful for our relationships with justin and anna and Charleen and Mike - they are such an encouragement in our lives and also really challenge us. I am so grateful that they love God and love us! We are so blessed!

Can a Christian be a Religious Pluralist?

We attended a philosophical debate last night between Landon's advisor, Harold Netland, and World-renowned pluralist, Paul Knitter. See the debate here.

Friday with the Evangelical Philosophical Society

Friday, Landon had the honor of sharing one of his papers at the Evangelical Philosophical Society annual conference in Chicago. His paper ("Dualism, Constitution, and the Resurrection of the Dead") was chosen from many papers that were submitted to the conference. Quite honestly, he was one of only 2 grad. students who were chosen to present papers. The majority of the other teachers/speakers/paper-givers were established philosophers/theologians with their Ph.D's actively teaching at universities. So, it was a great honor for landon to be chosen.

He did an amazing job! Since some of you have voiced to me that Landon seems to be a bit of an introvert and you can't picture him in this setting, i wish i could explain this better. Landon is a wonderful teacher. Be it rock climbing, politics, or philosophy, he is articulate and patient. Every other presenter we saw pretty-much read their paper word-for-word. Landon didn't read his paper at all, but rather, put together a talk where he taught and discussed the points in his paper to his hearers. The people around me were nodding, grunting in admonition, and frantically writing notes as Landon presented his arguments and points.

When he was done with his 25 minute talk, those who came to listen to him had a chance to ask questions. Landon had his hearers so engaged, many people wanted to question and comment at the end of the talk. People were so interested in his topic! I was so proud of him! You would have been too.

In the next few weeks, Landon is presenting 2 more times at conferences. So please keep him in your prayers as he plans for these while still working at Erehwon and keeping on top of all of his classes. He is also a bit under the weather. Your prayers are most welcome! In April, he will even be flying to New York to present the same paper he gave Friday. And next week in his paper, he is attacking an argument by the person that just so happens to be the key speaker for the conference - that should be interesting. (I think that's right - i can't keep all of these straight!) I'll let you know how those go.

Lessons learned in seminary: Walking on Water

One afternoon Landon called me in a panic during his daily walk with the dog, "Sheels, you HAVE to come down here!". So i dragged myself from my work and parked behind the local highschool (actually to where the picture behind the heading of our blog was taken) to find the forest submerged and usurped in ICE! Landon was waiting with a smile on his face. We both agree that we've never seen anything like it: ice, as far as we could see. And this ice was crystal-clear. Landon held my hand as i stood with my feet together and he pulled me through the forest. It was amazing! See landon "walking on water" and he's holding up a block of ice so you can see the thickness! Really an amazing afternoon.

New ideas and challenges

Landon's constant reading and intellectual discussions at school cause him to be even more contemplative than normal. In this state, he challenges me constantly (a very good thing). We have had amazing discussions about our views on important issues and "why it is that we think this?" and "what do the facts say?" and "what does the Bible say?", etc... (well, actually, it is mostly Landon talking and my asking questions).

We have found ourselves to be extremely conservative when it comes to certain views like abortion and marriage, yet more "liberal" when it comes to cloning, evolution and euthanasia. Landon is really challenged by his conversation with fellow theologians/philosophers and his reading. I am so challenged by him, and i am so grateful. by the way, we took this fun quiz to see where we fall on the political spectrum. Each of us took it individually and we pretty much in the same spot (slight liberal libertarian) except landon is a little more libertarian than i am. you should take the quiz. we're not sure how accurate it is, but it was fun to see what great thinkers/writer/leaders in history fall in the same categories that we do.

We still are entirely friend-less and church-less, despite our attempts, though we are still tenaciously searching. My second semester of trinity wives fellowship begins monday, which i am looking forward to. landon has returned to classes recognizing many of his classmates and some of his teachers. What a blessing to get to continue our seeking relationships instead of starting over again. I am blessed by my continually forming friendships with the people i work with at starbucks, yet Landon and i have yet to find friends that we see outside of work or school. The pastor at the church we went to last week said that we can not truly understand God's grace when we are not in strong community with other believers....i'm not sure that i agree with this statement, but i do recognize the importance of our seeking-out Christian friends.

Well, the winter cold has returned to Gurnee without bringing snow. It is difficult when the weather is just cloudy, cold and muddy. Not much we can enjoy outside without snow. We would love for the trails to either dry or be snow-covered so we can enjoy them better. But it has only been a few days since the snow has melted and we do have much to do.

Welp, friends. we love you and miss you!