October 30th Updates...

A few random updates for you, since we haven't had the time or energy to update our blog. I am usually on other people's cases to keep their journal accurate. Now it is time for the pot to call himself the kettle.

Uh, whatever.

Here are a few random updates from Jennie, Gary, and Allie for this week...

(1) Allie is almost 16 pounds now. She's doing great, smiling a lot, and has a little bit of a rash. Nothing serious. She had more shots on Monday, and she was a little sensitive for the rest of the day (go figure). She is smiling a lot, laughing a lot, and still the cutest baby we've ever seen.

(2) Jennie is still working about one day a week doing home-care Occupational Therapy. Some of her patients refer to Halloween as "beggar's night," whatever that means.

(3) Gary gets "installed, inducted, and initiated" as Senior Pastor tomorrow at Delaware Grace Brethren Church (Shouldn't I be asleep by now, getting rested up for this enormous task of spiritual discipline and leadership? Well, please consider update #4 before making hasty observations like that.)

(4) Tomorrow is Daylight Savings Time here in Ohio. Turn your clock back an hour. In other words, one more hour of sleep for the Underwoods. One less hour of sleep for anyone named Cooper, Becksfort, Arnold, Bear, or Larned. Ohio rules!

(5) Allie is starting to eat solid foods. Some sort of mushy rice cereal. It is fun to spoon it into her willing mouth, only to see it all fall out within seconds. I suppose the talent of "eating" arrives by nurture instead of nature.

(6) Jennie and I had our last big Mosaic (young marrieds) event tonight, a Hayride, Bonfire, and Farm party with our friends. An eight-foot-tall Ostrich kept trying to peck at my head from above. I am grateful for fences and for good friends like Ryan and Ozella Zehner, who arranged this gig for the second year in a row. I got some great pics and raw footage from this party, after which Jennie and I hitched a Honda ride for Delaware.

(7) Drove by our new home tonight once we got here. Don't worry, we were quick about it and didn't stare. Unlike that black camaro that kept driving our home in Akron, only to park so he could gawk at our backyard. Seriously, the guy parked several times in front of our house. Maybe he's the buyer. Or maybe he's one of our backup buyers coming in tomorrow for a showing!

(8) Signed a contract to sell our current home on Thursday - thanks for praying, everyone! We are thrilled at God's timing for this, and can't wait to start actually moving here and settling in.

(9) We love you all, and can't wait for this new adventure God has in store for us. I started "at the office" this past Monday, and have had many positive meetings and interactions at our new church. Thanks for praying for us and all the encouragement.

(10) Again, huge thanks to Knute Larson, Doug Clark, Donna Holmes, and the rest of the staff and people of The Chapel. That is clearly a tremendous church, and they have treated Jennie and me with nothing but class, support, encouragement, and mentoring as we take this huge step. I seriously could not have asked for a better send-off. A longer description of this would bring me to tears, even before Daylight Savings Time kicks in. Nothing but love for The Chapel.

Ten updates seems a little excessive. More in a few days, of course!