From pulpit to dugout

(from Bobby)

If you read this blog, it's no surprise to you that I am a big baseball fan. So, it's probably no surprise that I jumped at the opportunity to travel to Florida and write about minister Terry Rush at St. Louis Cardinals' fantasy baseball camp.

I wrote a freelance story for the Tulsa World about Terry's Cardinals' ministry that you can find here. My thanks to sports editor Mike Strain, a former colleague of mine at The Oklahoman, for his interest in the story. (At some point in the editing process, "the Rev." got added before Terry's name, and the word "pastor" was used in the headline. Obviously, I know better than that, but it's not the end of the world, although I may receive an e-mail or two trying to persuade me that it is.) We'll have a bigger, better story on this in the next Chronicle.



While in the Sunshine State, I also visited with students and administrators at Florida College near Tampa (which is a Christian college with indirect ties to non-institutional Churches of Christ) and interviewed folks with the Hispanic ministry at the Palm Beach Lakes church in West Palm Beach. Both those stories will be published in the next few months, too.

No gum for you!

(from Bobby)

I spent Thursday through Sunday in south Florida on a reporting trip. I’ll share more details when I have the energy. (Read: Productive, busy, tiring trip.)

Alas, I could not let my experience at the Palm Beach International Airport go without blog comment.

From time to time, the air pressure on flights gives me terrible problems with my ears. Two weeks ago, when I flew to Kansas City for the weekend, I had what I considered a minor sinus infection. After my hour flight to K.C., my ears were so stopped up that I thought my head was going to explode. By that Sunday, I was feeling a bit better, but the return trip only exasperated the situation. When my ear was still giving me trouble three days later, I went to see Dr. Jayne and learned that I had an infection. He prescribed an antibiotic and I was feeling better by the time I left for Florida this past Thursday.

But after that long-winded buildup, what I wanted to say is that – because of my occasional ear trouble flying – I always chew gum when taking off and landing, and in between, except when I’m drinking the “complimentary” beverage (and don’t you love that description of a 50-cent can of Coke after you’ve paid a few hundred dollars for the ticket. But I digress …).

Well, Sunday afternoon, I arrived at the airport in West Palm Beach with no gum. I figured I’d just go to an airport bookstore/gift shop and buy a pack.

Imagine my surprise when I couldn’t find a single pack of gum anywhere at the CRAZY PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. (At this point, I should offer my thanks for the FREE WIRELESS INTERNET at this same airport. By my concern Sunday night was CHEWING GUM.)

Certain that my eyes were playing tricks on me, I made one final eye scan of the entire airport store for gum.

They had Tums, Imodium AD, Snickers, giant bags of cheese-flavored Chex Mix and every other imaginable name-brand item that you could want to stick in your mouth. But, as best as I could determine, no Orbit bubblemint gum (my favorite). And not even any plain ole Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit.

Finally, I asked the clerk, “Where’s the gum?”

She gave me a bewildered look like this hick from Oklahoma had just asked her the stupidest question she had ever heard.

“We don’t sell gum anywhere in this airport,” she said. “People like to stick it all over the place.”

Tired from my trip and a bit cranky over this surprising development, I paused. And maybe I grunted.

“Well, what about people whose ear drums like to bust when they don’t chew gum on the plane?” I asked. (Yes, I know, years of reporting experience have given me a knack for asking intelligent, probing questions.)

“That’s why we sell all kinds of other chewy things,” she said, with a straight face.

Oh. Right. That makes perfect sense.

I paused again. Then I picked up a small bag of Skittles and handed her my check card.

Minutes later, as the plane left the terminal, I started chewing the Skittles, one at a time. I was almost out by the time we actually took off. I was completely out by the time we landed.

But although my ears popped a little on the two-hour flight, my head managed to stay attached to the rest of my body. I experienced no sharp, piercing pains.

I was feeling so well that I considered going gum-free on my connecting flight from Houston to Oklahoma City, too.

Nah, just kidding.

I rushed off the plane at Bush Intercontinental and straight to a gift shop where, amazingly enough, I found long rows of chewing gum right next to the cash register. What a concept. Me and Mr. Wrigley enjoyed a nice, carefree flight home.

More about Kendall, the baby who never gets any attention

(from Tamie)

Actually, since the boys are still ill and aren't doing anything more interesting than blowing their noses, Kendall is the only logical choice here.

She played her third basketball game in the Upward league this afternoon. As you may remember, Kendall has been playing basketball for two years. But the league she was playing in was getting extremely competitive. It was too intense for Kendall, and she was ready to give up the sport altogether.

And then along came Upward. It's still competitive, but she's having a lot of fun. And her confidence and skills are really building. She enjoys spending time with her teammates. The Christian focus of the league keeps the games very positive. In fact, they pause at half-time for a five-minute devotional, which they also do at practice once a week.

Here are some videos from today of the high-flying No. 23. Enjoy!

This girl's confidence has come SO far SO quickly!



One-for-two from the line:



How did she manage to get this one to fall?




This one is funny! I saved it because I was so impressed with the defensive screen she set. When I shared this with her, she said quietly, "Uh mom, I just ran into her. It wasn't anything special." Love that girl!

A week of firsts

(from Tamie)

It's been a whirlwind week here at Casa de Ross (for an accurate comparison, try saying "whirlwind week" five times, quickly, and that will come close to the experience of living it!)

First, it's Press Week. Enough said! :)

After two approved delays, I showed up bright and early Monday morning to fulfill my summons for jury duty. I was fashionably late, thanks to the ignorant bliss of not having to drive to downtown OKC every morning, thus not knowing that there's a wreck and traffic backup on the Broadway Extension each Monday. I wasn't alone, thankfully.

As it turned out, I needn't have been in a hurry. I sat. And sat. And sat. And ate lunch. And sat. And sat. And finally I was called in the pool that was told to report to juvenile court at 9 a.m. the next day.

Bobby likes to joke that I make friends wherever I go. Monday was no exception. I walked in with a woman who looked about my age - wearing a similar expression of forced civil service. Five or 10 minutes later, another woman about our age came to stand by us along our little piece of the jury holding room wall. We became jury buddies. We chatted all morning. We ate lunch together at the museum cafe across the street. I learned lots about these ladies! I was almost sad to leave them behind on the green-cushioned pew Monday afternoon, but we all knew I was going to a better place. :)

Of course, that knowledge came with the realization that I likely wouldn't get a cushy little civil case now that I was headed to juvie.

I didn't make many friends on Tuesday, but did read half a book. I was assigned to a case, and right before we were called in, the defendant accepted the DA's deal. I was so, so relieved.

In other news from the home front, Kendall got her braces this week. She's seeing the same ortho that put her oldest brother in braces at age 8.

She was so, so excited to get them! A few hours later, she was begging for me to take them off for her. Poor bunny.

We are told she'll be in this first stage of treatment for less than a year. She picked out some sweet little heart brackets for her front teeth to liven things up a bit. I am amazed, two days later, how much her front teeth already have moved!

Here are some shots from the big day. (She picked pink bands for Valentine's Day.)











And here's one I snapped this morning, for comparison. Yes, the chapped lips are pretty! Kendall hates putting stuff on, and with temps in the teens, it's brutal!



All three children have been home at various times this week with the mysterious central Oklahoma "fever virus." The symptoms include ... fever. And the need to lay around and play video games. Very strange virus.

Bobby's getting over an ear infection, and I had a sinus infection earlier this week. Our house is oozing antibiotics! Hopefully this is it for awhile, because I'm dying to see and hold Miss Maggie Tryggestad, Erik and Jeanie's first baby. Just making sure I'm not a carrier of anything before I go calling. :)

MySpace and my wife

(from Bobby)

Click this link to see Tamie on the Fox 25 Oklahoma City news last night. You have to wait maybe 30 seconds into the report before you see and hear from her.

Thanks to our friend David Hartman, a producer at Fox 25, for suggesting Tamie as a "concerned parent." I'm reckoning he had nothing to do with misspelling "Tami's" name on the graphic below her beautiful face.

Keaton makes headlines!

(from Bobby)

The story of Keaton's big win made Page 2 of The Edmond Sun today. And little sister Kendall is getting a bit tired of the publicity big(ger) brother is receiving.

"Kendall Ross spells 'l-o-s-e-r,'" she groused.

"That is the funniest -- and saddest -- thing I've ever heard," Dad replied.

For the record, loyal readers of this world-famous blog will note that Kendall was congratulated in this space when she won the school's Red Ribbon Week poster contest a while back.

And this brilliant, beautiful child was the offensive player of the game for her Upward basketball team yesterday.

So, the self p-i-t-y over the spelling bee is a wee bit difficult to take seriously. :)

Exciting news to share!

(from guest blogger Keaton)

Well, as I told the Edmond Sun reporter, I didn't think I could do it. Friday, January 11, instead of visions of sugar plums in my head, I had visions of words from abacus to responsibility. At around 9:30, the first word was spelled.

(The youngest Ross, Kendall, got out the word compass.)

But anyway, I went through words and words that I can't recall. But then, a 2nd grade youngster, still holding on, gut out on the word mozzarella. And then, only two people were left on the stage. Dun Dun Dun!

It was me and my somewhat close friend (unless it comes to spelling) Ritu Shah. It took about 15 rounds with two people to find the winner. I won with the word p-e-n-i-n-s-u-l-a, a word my grammy can't even spell. And then I was greeted school wide. This is Mrs. Day announcing that I won and Mrs. Straughn, our principal, coming up to congratulate us.

First, Ritu shook hands with me, and she looked a little sad. And then all of my buds in Mrs. Webb's class made a dogpile on me. It was a quite a fun moment! And then Mrs. Webb congratulated me. She said "Good job, Keaton! Phonics must have helped you out quite a bit!" As my proud reading and phonics teacher, she helped out some, too. And then the more self controlled kids in my class gave me a high five. And then the principal shook my hand and said "Good job, Keaton!" And then the librarian congratulated me. And then rest off the day was interviews and high fives and five stars, in which is why my back is sore today.

Here's me and Dad with my homeroom teacher, Mrs. Kilburn, and Ritu and her dad.

And we had a special dinner that night consuming our stuffed crust Pizza Hut pizza and sparkling grape juice. And then I went to bed as a spelling bee champion.

P.S. Thanks to Mrs. Webb, who teaches me phonics and reading and stuff. I really give some of my victory to her.

(notes from mom)

We have been s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g our hearts out at home since early December, and it was so fun to see the K-kids having fun at the school peewee spelling bee. Kendall is ready to start preparing for next year, I believe.

A couple of asides:

* In the championship round, Keaton missed the word HOMILY - after asking for a definition. Bobby and I reasoned later that he surely would have spelled POTLUCK or FELLOWSHIP correctly.

* Bobby and I each missed one word in the championship round. Our child got them both right.

* Keaton now must take a written test to qualify for the state bee. We'll keep you posted.

BREAKING NEWS: One-time vegetarian devours BBQ chicken

(from Bobby)

Post-Gallbladder, it's a brave new world.

My lovely bride, missing an apparently non-vital organ but carnivorous once again, joined me for lunch on this same day at a favorite Oklahoma City barbecue restaurant.

We shared half a BBQ smoked chicken (or maybe it was a whole chicken that lost one of its legs somehow) along with campfire taters (you must order this side dish with just the right country accent) and cream-style corn.

Redneck that I am, I can't tell you how excited I am to be married, once again, to a wife who enjoys eating creatures that once roamed the earth, as opposed to puke green, non-living things that should never be consumed by a human while other, normal people have to watch.

Tamie seems to be gravitating toward white meat at this point -- chicken, pork, fish -- but we will update you with a news alert when she gives in to her desire (it must be coming) for a half-pound burger or 72-ounce steak.

(An aside: Tamie keeps asking how long I'm going to continue making a big scene every time she eats meat. I have promised her that this harassment won't last any longer than the two-plus years she spent thumbing her nose at food with bones in it.)


Update: Tamie just read this post and IM'd me with this: "You are such a turkey!"

My reply: "I am not a turkey, but I bet you'd love one for dinner!"

She lives!

(from Tamie)

It has been two weeks since a nice man took out my gallbladder, rewired neighboring organs together, and the world's most ambivalent nurse sent me home while I was still vomiting (but that's another story).

I now have a wealth of information to share.

First, try and keep your gallbladder happy. Celebrate your gallbladder! Really, all things internal work best if you two keep the lines of communication open. But if it, like mine, goes on strike, try not to pick Christmas as a target date for its eviction. Because you'll generally feel like death and your husband will still insist that you make the family's annual Tour de Grandparent trip ("All you have to do is make it out to the car, sweetie, and then you can go to bed when we get there.") And on Christmas morning you'll be lying motionless in bed paging the on-call doctor with the one digit you can still move while other people are opening gifts and eating wonderful food. Not exactly a Norman Rockwell portrait, I know.

Second, don't look at your belly button for a long, long time. True, your gallbladder is nowhere near your belly button, but somehow it is intimately involved in the removal process. My dreams of belly dancing have been shattered forever. (Actually, the whole Christmas color scheme worked well with the belly button palate - deep green bruising, red stitches, etc.)

Third, be prepared for changes in your diet. Things that sounded awful before the surgery (say ... hypothetically ... meat ...) will suddenly sound OK. And you will eat them. And your husband will be so giddy that he'll call people, take photos and invite folks out to eat with you so they can observe. Likewise, dietary staples (no-fat, no-whip white mochas with two sweet n low) may now repulse you.

Fourth, recovery takes time. Get that second refill on the narcotics. It's a gift.

I'm doing pretty well now. Tour de Grandparent was really tough (on them, too, I'm sure!) But by the last day, I was feeling almost perky. Here's a photo of Mom, Kendall, me and BeaBea the poodle to prove it. No, we could not find fuzzy Valentine pajamas for BeaBea, much to her chagrin. (Bobby did, however, say he would wear some if I'd buy them.)



Somehow we managed to launch the new Christian Chronicle website as I was having surgery. Seriously, that very day. I suspect it has something to do with the immensely talented Travis Langley and nothing at all to do with me. At any rate, if you haven't checked it out already, please do. We're still unpacking, so to speak, but go ahead and register so you can post comments and be in on the good stuff as it becomes available.

I must also say a big THANK YOU to Bobby, who took excellent care of me while I was so sick before surgery and while I was so sore and sleepy afterward. He would say he just stuck me in bed and ignored me, but in all truth, that was exactly what I wanted. :)

Five generations of Rosses

See Mandy's blog post for more of these incredible family pics.