Happy Birthday Janna!

Today is Janna's 26th birthday. God has blessed her with life and salvation in the Lord. Who could ask for more. We'll be giving thanks unto God today by reading Psalm 26 as a family. I think this tradition of reading a birthday Psalm was stolen from the Lanning's, who no doubt stole it from someone else. I'm sure someone can trace it to the Reformation or something or other. I frankly don't care where it came from, it's an opportunity to thank the Lord for each year of life through the Psalms.

In any event, happy birthday old lady! We know in spirit you're much older than 26. :)

Psalm 26

Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.

Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.

I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.

I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.

LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:

In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.

Various Minor Events

Stuart had a decent enough Thanksgiving this year. We went out to metro Detroit this year. My brother started his medical internship this year at Henry Ford Hospital. Since we haven't seen his new home and since he rarely gets days off, we decided to go out there this one time. Stuart sat through a miserable Lions game. I hate them so much but I'll never kick the habit. Thanksgiving without the Lions is like New Years without the Rose Bowl.
Janna recently got Stuart a shopping cart, which he regularly fills with his toys. Today it seems to be his big blocks and cleaning supplies. Yes, Stuart has his own set of cleaning supplies. He likes to help Janna clean around the house everyday. I freely admit he doesn't actually do anything besides help pick up after himself. But give him a year and we'll have this child working for us. And really, isn't that what we have children for? Be honest, you all had kids so they would clean around the house or do yard work. Deny it all you want, deep in your heart you know I'm right.
Seamus and Deirbhile are a touch weary of the cleaning supplies. I think they're afraid of what Stuart might do to them with said cleaning supplies.
Alas, Stuart doesn't attach the dogs with any cleaning supplies. Mostly he just loves to pal around with them. If he could be around the dogs 24/7 he would be, he just loves them. Seamus in particular, he calls for him by name every morning.
Wednesday Janna and I went to the Wings game in beautiful downtown Detroit. Janna bought Vivian's naming rights from me and the price she paid is in hockey jerseys. She must wear a hockey jersey to every hockey game we go to, whether it's the Wings, Michigan State or the Griffins. Wednesday she wore my Pavel Datsyuk jersey with a 2002 Stanley Cup Finals patch on the right hand shoulder. Doesn't she look lovely? I especially like the black spinel that goes so well with this jersey.

The Final Countdown

This week Janna and I went to Chicago for a couple of days. Stuart got to visit his grandparents and aunt of canine persuasion in Okemos. Wednesday night Janna and I went to the Hawks game against the Bruins. Before the game they retired the #3 in honor of Keith Magnuson and Pierre Pilote. Both of these players played before I was old enough to follow hockey but by all accounts they were good players for the Hawks.
After screaming and clapping during the national anthem, we got to see a pretty good Original Six matchup. The Hawks lost in a shootout 2-1 but I'm here to tell you it's one of the best games I've seen in person in years. Great defense and excellent goaltending made for an enjoyable evening.
Thursday was a beautiful day in the city, we did quite a bit of walking and a touch of shopping. We ate at Morton's for dinner and had desert at Tru. I had the lamb chops at Morton's, I'm really beginning to enjoy lamb more than steak. Janna of course had her big giant man steak, a bone-in ribeye that had to have weighed two pounds.
We retrieved Stuart and found that my parents had gone wild with him. They apparently went to Toys R Us and bought half the store. After all, if Stuart wanted it they had to buy it. Ok, maybe they aren't that crazy. They did buy him this red contraption which my mother declared to be a piano that played classical music. Once we took it home we discovered it played Europe's The Final Countdown in dog barks. Apparently that's classical music in my mother's mind. In her defense, she's probably never heard that song before.
Stuart wasn't exactly pleased to see us when he was returned. He would much rather get spoiled by my parents. But as the days have gone on he's gotten used to being with boring old mom and ranting crazy dad. He also likes the new outfit we bought him. We like it mostly because it was on sale.