Love of the Irish

Busy Month

2007-10-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

This month has been very busy for us as a family. Michael turned 4 months on the 8th, Shannon is still taking care of a former co-worker's baby and maintaining the house, and Mike (me) is juggling being a nurse, student, father, and husband. It's been a time of growth for us all (metaphorically for the adults, physically for the baby).

Key points for Michael this month:
October 3: Michael found his feet (he hasn't figured out how to eat them yet...
October 6: Michael went on his 2nd hike, it was in Idyllwild, CA with his friends from church
October 7: Michael was dedicated to God by us at Coast Vineyard, we went to Joe's Crab Shack afterward to celebrate
October 8: 4 month birthday, he began eating Rice cereal this day also
October 13: Michael helped his daddy pick out pumpkins at a pumpkin patch in Lakeside, CA.

Key points for Shannon this month:
September: Attended women's event with Coast Vineyard to discuss CS Lewis' book, Till We Have Faces-consequent prayer time with some ladies at Coast in which I saw a very clear vision from God calling me to lay down my complaints against Him, receive His love, acknowledge His sovereignty, and fight for freedom for others.
September/October: Been keeping my sanity as I watch two babies (both 4 months!)
October 4-6th: Leadership retreat with Coast Vineyard in Idyllwild
October 8: Sad, sad-my baby ate food other than from me : (
October 14: Meeting for a task force at our church in support of Love146 (www.love146.org)
October 20: Looking forward to one of Mike and I's first evenings out together in San Diego without baby

Key points for Mike this month:
Work
School
October 4-6th: leadership retreat with Coast Vineyard in Idyllwild
October 8: I got to feed Michael rice cereal!
October 16: I made (completed) Michael's Halloween costume with my own two hands. It only took 1 1/2 months, $30, lots of patience and a half-way deconstruction/overhaul/resizing to get it done :(

We apologize for a lack of pictures. Blogger isn't posting pictures right now. We'll try to post them soon. ~Mike & Shannon

Hiking, Sadness, and Now

2007-09-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

Much has happened since the last post.
- Last week, Shannon, Michael and I went hiking near Julian, Ca. Michael really loved it. It was his first taste of the great outdoors and he slept through most of it! I guess he feels at home in the wild?

- After 1 1/2 years, our first pet, Red Baron, our beta fish, has passed away. About a month ago, he began to have difficulty eating his food. He just couldn't seem to get it in his mouth. Gradually, he began to swim vertically and spent most of his time near the top. His bowl also became dirty a lot quicker. So... on Monday, we found him dead. He is now buried in our garden next to the alley. Rest in Peace RB.

- I began school last week. Tonight was my second "week" of class; I say "week" because we only meet once a week. It's pretty nice. It works well with my 3-day work week... hehe. My current classes are Advanced Pathophysiology and Advanced Health Assessment; both of these classes on a completely higher plane of learning from my previous classes. They're actually teaching us to diagnose patients and to begin to think of how to "work-up" the patient; this means employing diagnostic tests to see what's wrong with the patient so you can treat them. It's a bit overwhelming to say the least. So far I've actually read my assignments... we'll see how long that lasts.

- On Monday, Shannon began taking care of a girl 3 days older than Michael. She's super cute and has a completely different personality than Michael. Michael is loud, cries for everything and likes to fight us when going to sleep. This young girl is only loud when she's really sad, whines most of the time instead of crying and actually fell asleep when she was upset! Her cry is so pathetic that it's cute. Since the child isn't ours there will be no posted photos of her, sorry. But don't worry, here's a picture of Michael; he was ready for her.

- Currently, Shannon is sleeping; she's tired obviously. 2 infants will wear down anybody, especially when they're healthy. I'm about to go to bed; I have work for the next 2 days. Yah! Something to take my mind off school, sort of... I need to interview a sick person for my assessment class. Sigh... ~Mike

Reading and Working

2007-08-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

For the past week, Shannon and I have been taking every spare minute to read the #5 and #6 books of Harry Potter. It was my bright idea to re-read them before reading #7. We both forgot a lot of what happened; the latest movie actually changed some of the facts and we hardly noticed (what they changed made the movie run smoother I think). So, hopefully, we'll be done with #6 by the end of this week so we can start #7 next week.

In the meantime, I've been working in the ICU and Shannon's been a wonderful mother, taking care of Michael, groceries, the house, etc. We make a pretty good team; we extremely tired though. I think the challenge right now is to carve out quality time for the both of us. It's too easy to watch movies and read books without really connecting, something every marriage must overcome to be truly successful in my opinion.

Shamus has a rough past week. He was kind of fussy! We went to El Centro to beat the heat (my parents have AC) and he just cried and cried when we left him with my parents while we went on a date. But on Sunday, before we left to come back, he seemed to have gotten over the hump because he was a lot more happy, full of more smiles and not crying except for things he needed.

His new trick is to click his tongue and talk all the time. Shannon weighed him yesterday also: 13 lbs 13 oz. What a lucky weight, huh? So he's basically putting on an ounce each day more or less. He's so strong too! If you stand him up against our futon, he can stand by himself as long as you make sure he doesn't fall over like a tree... hehe. ~Mike

Pictures: (above) Michael in his fishy outfit surround by his fishy friends. (below) Michael with Mike's favorite stuffed animal when he was child, Dogdog.

Happy Two Months!

2007-08-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

Two months means that we have reached a very rewarding milestone with Michael Shamus. He has discovered how to flash his pink gums in a very fetching grin whenever mommy or daddy's face appear in his line of vision. His body tightens, his eyebrows raise, his eyes get big, and his lips quiver in preparation of what is coming...playtime! The look of sheer delight is difficult to catch with a camera, but I have spent the last week making a valiant attempt. Needless to say, the sleep deprivation and general overwhelming feeling has greatly improved since playtime has been added to the schedule.

In addition to the grin, he has also gained greater control over his vocal cords...enthusiastic cooing ensues at the height of playtime as we converse over everything from the state of his diaper to brainstorming how to set modern day slaves free. And now that his gaze has become more intent, I have introduced some of his more complicated toys...the bouncer seat and the floor gym.
During these times, he sets aside the smile for a more serious look as he observes the behavior of the strange creatures before him. In addition to the smile, the coos and the intent gaze, Michael's neck has grown amazingly strong. From the beginning he has been anxious to be able to look around on his own and now he can finally do that. These are some of the more successful photos of these fun milestones. ~Shannon

More pictures

2007-07-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd give you a few updated pictures of Shamus. Enjoy!

Shannon, Shamus and I before going to the Joiner-Marchena shin-dig.

Got milk?

I'm teaching Shamus how to do raspberries early.

Me posing as a super-villain while making a contortionist out of my son. :D

Shannon and Shamus waiting for fireworks, which never came... :(

Mayday! I've gone down. Send a rescue team and 6 bottles of milk ASAP!

A Day of Rest

2007-06-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

I just worked the past 3 days straight. Last night, when I got home, I was tired, then grumpy, then argumentative, then frustrated. Being away from my family for so long with only limited quality time has been tough. It's been tough on all of us I think.

I knew that working 12-hour shifts would be difficult when having a family, but I didn't know that I would feel estranged from my son. Last night, as I was holding Michael, I felt like I didn't really know him because I'd essentially missed the last 3 days of his life (that's 20% of his time out of the womb). I know this will go away as time goes by and I become accustomed to being at work so much and getting to know my son as his personality develops. I guess I was just frustrated because I feel like I'm missing out on so much.

Last night, Shannon, Michael and I slept together. We don't normally do this, but I felt the need because I just had to be physically closer to my son. This morning I woke up, regretting many of the presumptuous comments I made last night. But after I watered the garden, made some breakfast for my family and mother-in-law, and worshipped, I felt a lot better. This day has become a very nice day of rest for my family and I. ~Michael

I'm bringing home the bacon!

2007-06-19T08:20:00.001-07:00

I just found out that little Michael is going to get a college fund! I passed the NCLEX. Just found out this morning. Yah! Now that I'm a nurse, all I need to do is learn how to take care of patients. :D ~Mike

My First Father's Day

2007-06-17T22:28:00.000-07:00

Today was my first Father's Day. To honor it, we went with my parents and grandparents to Anthony's in the harbor. Shannon and I made cards for my father and grandfather. And I painted a onesie for Michael. He has his first super-hero costume: Super Son! I couldn't be more proud.

Uncle Erik

2007-06-14T22:05:00.000-07:00

Uncle Erik came over last night to make mommy and daddy some yummy food. I pretty much just laid on the floor and looked really cute. The food didn't really look that great to me (I prefer mommy to hard food right now), but my parents sure liked it. After dinner, Uncle Erik, daddy and I prayed together. Uncle Erik is going to Thailand in a few days. I don't know where that is, but mommy keeps telling me we're going there someday and that I'll have lots of friends to play with. Ok, it's bedtime (I think I'll only wake mommy and daddy up 5 times tonight). ~Shamus

The Name

2007-06-12T21:56:00.000-07:00

So... many might be wondering how we selected Michael Shamus' name. And some of you might think that I'm just an egocentric, Irish-centric nut. Well, you'd be correct in that assumption, but we actually put some thought into the name selection process.

Michael is my father's name (Grandpa) and, of course, my name (Daddy). Ever since I was young I always wanted to name my son Michael _________ McMahon (insert different middle name than myself or my father; I'm Michael Joseph, he's Michael William). My Great-great Grandfather, the OG Irishman hailing from the Emerald Isle itself, was named Michael McMahon. So that name has some special meaning to me. The name, Michael, is Hebrew, so it's actually pronounce Mi-KIul (gutteral K sound, it's not authentic if you don't hawk a loogy ;). Literal transliteration of the name is "One like God" or "Who is like God?" Mi=One, Ch=like, El=God; disclaimer: I read this somewhere a long time ago and I could totally be mistaken, except for the El part; El always refers to God in Hebrew from what I can tell. Basically, I love the name for both its meaning and my familial heritage.

Shamus is, of course, an Irish name. The usual spelling is Seamus, but... that's spelled a little bit like a body substance, so we thought we'd save our kid a little teasing, but then, this name is spelled like a popular sea-dwelling mammal... sigh. Kids are cruel. Shamus is gaelic for James. James is the patriarchal name of Shannon's family: her brother is James Ross III. We were originally thinking of using James as the middle name, but then we happened upon Shamus as a variant of James. I was sold from there due to the fact that it was both Irish and it meant James. The meaning is the seller though: usurper, as in Jacob from Genesis who 'wrestled with God' and earned the name Israel. Our deepest reason for choosing Shamus was because we hope that Michael will live his life out following Jesus and questioning the authority of this world (ie: Satan). We felt pretty strong during the pregnancy that our child would be called to a ministry of bond-breaking, as in setting slaves free and seeking justice both in the USA and internationally in Jesus' name. They may sound like big dreams, but it's what we felt God was saying.

So, in the end, we have "one like God who usurps authority." And he's already living up to that namesake. He seems pretty free-willed when we hold him, lifting and turning his head this way and that in order to get a better view, not content to just lie still. Although he does often get fussy if we don't hold him too: wanting holy affection, but wanting it his way! We'll have to start praying now that he remembers to usurp the evil authorities and to honor and obey the godly authorities! No matter what though, it's a solid name and he's an awesome child of God. Note on the shirt: "3 in 1" refers to 1) the trinity 2) St. Patrick's use of the 3-leafed clover to explain the trinity and 3) Michael's Irish, Mexican and Christian heritage. ~Mike

and then there were three: Michael Shamus McMahon

2007-06-10T20:21:00.001-07:00

8 lbs 13oz, 20 inches long, beautiful

Shannon's water did indeed break on Friday morning. I'll spare the labor details; nothing bad happened except that Shannon had a lot of pain and the epidural really helped. Baby Michael was given to us by our Father in Heaven at 7:31 pm on the 8th of June, AD 2007 in Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, CA, USA, Earth. He looked wonderful when he came out; most of the people who visited thought he looked like a 3-month-old rather than a 3-minute-old baby. He latched on to mommy like a pro and has been feeding better and better ever since.

Shannon is doing very well with the usual post-delivery pains, mainly due to nursing Michael. She started walking around about 5-6 hours after delivery. Michael had his first poopy diaper about the same time; he's a pro at that too. I (Mike) did a pretty good job of supporting them both through it all. During labor I was Shannon's personal assistant. Since birth, I've been Shannon's attendant as well as Michael's diaper changer (I'm a pro at that now).

God is amazing. When we got married 12/31/05, we thought children were 4 or 5 years down the line, maybe once I graduated from USD. He threw us a curveball back in September of 2006 though. Since then, our love and identity has a couple as gone through a beautiful metamorphosis. Selfish desires have been stripped away as we've begun to make way for each other's needs and this new life and gift from God. Now, we aren't only children of man and God; we're parents as well. We are providers, guides, protectors... Our lives will never be the same: praise God.

As promised, here are some pictures (click to enlarge):

Michael, only minutes-old

My favorite picture of Michael: Shannon and I painted shirts for our baby; this is the one we wanted him to wear first so that everyone who saw him would know what he really is: loved.

Michael just after a bath; "Baby-Lojack" on his left ankle

Shannon, Mike, Michael with Shannon's family: Evan (brother), Jim (father), Evelyn (step-mom)

Grandpa Mike (Mike's dad); see the family resemblance?

Grandma Sharon (Mike's mom); she wouldn't let go of Michael for almost 20 minutes!

For those early risers...

2007-06-08T05:46:00.000-07:00

Well, guess what? Shannon is having contractions 7-10 minutes apart! She woke me up around 3:40am this morning. It's 5:50am now. We think her water might have broken too, so we're probably gonna head off to the hospital in a few minutes. Pray for us!!!! :D The next post will have pictures! ~Mike

39 + 6/7

2007-06-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

39 + 6/7 is what Labor and Delivery Nurses write when assessing the mother-to-be's EDC (estimated date of confinement; this refers to the fact that women used to be on bedrest for a long time after having their baby, but that changed a while ago when they discovered that women at full-term are in a hypercoaguable state leading to deep vein thromboses... sorry, maybe this post should be on my nursing blog...). 39 = 39 weeks and 6/7 = 6th day of the current (40th) week. This means that tomorrow is Shannon's due date.

So we're just waiting around for something to happen. I'm working now, as a nurse with compensation commensurate with a nurse's pay. :D Meanwhile, Shannon does what she needs to do, wants to do: goes to the store, scrapbooks, cooks, sees me for lunch, etc. There's just something special about this time. I didn't think that at first though.

Waiting has never been my forté. The Bible always encourages us to "wait on the Lord," but I just haven't been able to master that discipline. I've gotten anxious. Shannon and I have gotten snippy with each other. We've been on pins and needles in expectation for this child to come, but he/she just won't show up. But I think we just cleared the hump on the waiting game. We've realized that there's nothing we can do to make it go quicker, so why not just enjoy the time we have left. I came home today after my first day of work and our house was so peaceful.
I love waiting for this birth to happen now. It means peaceful time with my wife who looks amazing, I might add. ~Mike

False Alarm

2007-06-04T07:28:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess our presumptions were wrong. Shannon did not go into labor yesterday and as of today, she's still just having far-separated contractions... sigh. When God? When!??!

So, lucky me, I get to attend a Skull-Base teaching seminar at Alvarado. It's actually kind of good for me that Shannon hasn't given birth, because I would have missed this; I have to attend the seminar in order to work in the ICU, and I really don't want to work on the Med-Surg floors....

Shannon's mom got into town around 11am yesterday and is staying with us. It's nice to have her here. I just hope that the baby is born before she goes back to Maryland on Wednesday. I really thought that Shannon was going into labor on Saturday, so I encouraged her to come to SD. But it was a false alarm... I hate false alarms! ~Mike

Du-duh.... Du-duh.....

2007-06-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

Do you ever hear the Jaws theme in your head? That's what I'll be hearing as I go to bed in a few minutes. "Why?" you may ask. Well, I'll tell you. Because, Shannon is having contractions that are 20-25 minutes apart. :D

In other news, today was my birthday. Shannon made me breakfast in bed! It tasted great. Then we went to Birch Aquarium. That place is definitely overpriced. It cost us $17 after a $5 discount. But, we had a great time and enjoyed searching for all the various sea life. I finally had the courage to touch an anemone and practically pissed my pants. That damned thing stuck to my finger; I thought it wasn't going to come off. Of course it did... which made me look like the wuss that I am.... sigh. After the aquarium, we went home and then to Mission Bay for dinner with my parents. The food was so-so, but none of us are throwing up yet. My parents currently on their way home to El Centro, a 2-hour drive. It's really gonna suck for them if I have to call them to come back in about an hour. Oh well, they can afford it; they just bought a hybrid. ~Mike

Could be our last day...

2007-06-01T14:26:00.001-07:00

We went to Shannon's OB today for her weekly visit. Turns out she's dilated 3cm. That doesn't mean a whole lot, but it's a good sign. 2 more cm than last week. Something's working at the least. So for all you Shannon fans, here's a pic of her, possibly the last taken before she loses 15 lbs in one day!

We're off to the beach today. Walking is supposed to help the baby drop a bit quicker... that remains to be seen. But it's such a nice day. Maybe we'll find some cook sea shells.

Tomorrow is my B-day. Nothing special planned... but I do know one thing that I'd love to have that only Shannon can give me: a baby! ~Mike

Spring means everything blooms

2007-05-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

I never noticed it until now, but the plants we have in our house are very descriptive of our personalities. As you enter the back door of our house, you'll come to a small palm-type tree. That represents my life, I lived in El Centro, an arid environment with many palm trees. The next pot has cactus and succluents, native to Latin America, just like my wife's ethnic background. The last plant you come to before entering is a small rose bush; this is Shannon's favorite plant and very much describes her love for tradition and romance. Finally, upon entering the kitchen, you'll find a pot full of 3-leafed clovers. That's me, Irish through and through. Then, of course, there's Shannon, for whom this post is named. ~Mike

No baby yet!

2007-05-27T18:01:00.000-07:00

For those of you who still check this outdated, cobwebbed blog, there is no baby yet as of 5/27/07. But it seems that every night, as we go to bed, that Shannon is about to deliver. She isn't experiencing any labor pains, but her belly is hanging lower at the end of each day and she starts to experience about 5-10 contractions at the end of each day as well. I guess this normal... I didn't study too much about what to expect the weeks before the birth. But for those of you who be worried by this: the uterus contracts throughout pregnancy, so contractions are not a positive sign of pre-term labor (Shannon is full-term now anyway at 38weeks+3days).

I haven't shown many pictures of the nursery, so here are some pics before, during and after the preparation. Enjoy!

A quick update

2007-03-07T10:12:00.000-08:00

I'm so sorry we haven't updated in so long. We've both been so busy that it's been nigh impossible to even sit down with the computer to check e-mail.

So, here's how life with the McMahon's is:

Shannon will 27 weeks pregnant tomorrow. She is currently working 40 hour weeks at her preschool. The plan is for her to work until about 3 weeks before the due date. She's a real trooper too. Along with work, she's doing a lot of housework as well and suffering through uncomfortable sleep and a stretching tummy.

Mike (that's me) is working 1 day a week, doing 3 days of clinical weekly and a day of class on average. Next week, he'll be done with one of his clinical classes and will have more time for work and study-time for the NCLEX. Added to that, he's being one of the most supportive husbands and pre-fathers.... EVER. Find out more about Mike's Adventures in Nursing here.

Baby McMahon is growing and kicking, generally making Shannon aware of his/her presence at all hours of the day. Baby is developing the rest of its body and plans on delivering no earlier than two weeks before June 7th, 2007. All of Baby's organ systems are present and accounted for, no cleft lip/palate or neural tube defect reported and Baby is comfortably awaiting the commencement of its glorious life. ~Mike

What Superbowl?

2007-02-06T09:56:00.000-08:00

I heard rumors that there was a big football game played this past Sunday. Something about young horses and grizzlies... Well, I'm still not sure what that was all about, but everything at the McMahon's place was well. We had a nice nap on Sunday and some great Italian food with friends later that night.

Ok, seriously, we didn't watch the superbowl because of the media de-tox we're doing, but also because.... well, the Chargers got me excited at the prospect that they might make it to the big game and then they choked. No surprise, I'm sad to say. After all that anticipation the Bears and Colts, who feel equally towards, didn't present a viable reason from missing Bible Study later in the evening or watching TV. Shannon and I had a somewhat restful afternoon instead. But yes, we're still American even though we didn't watch the game. It did feel weird though to not be a part of the cultural norm. There are more people on I-8 at night than there were during that game. Crazy :D ~Mike

All Moved In

2007-01-31T14:12:00.000-08:00

We are finally all moved in. It took us quite a while to get everything set up and in working order. We just got internet access today (although that was less due to the move and more due to an error on AT&T's part). Last night we did the finishing touches on the place by hanging our picture frames and coat rack. And the place looks pretty nice even if I do say so myself.

Shannon and I are very pleased with our new residence. At first we both had much hesitation about living at this new place. We were afraid that we had made the decision prematurely and had locked ourselves into a 1-yr lease for an apartment with not enough room. But, we made a few tactical decisions, such as moving the TV and entertainment center into the store room at least for the time being, and now there's room for everything, especially the baby's room. We also were struggling with guilt that the place we had might not meet the societal expectations for raising a child. But we regrouped and decided, "nah! that's just a pack of lies." The place we have is cozy and perfect for raising our first child, albeit a little cold.

The house has a crawl-space underneath, so it's get cooooooold at night and it hardly warms up during the day. At least the summer won't be too hot.

I want to give a shout out to our friends who helped in the move: Dave, Peter, Noah, Terrence, and Erik. You made the last stretch of the move fun and quick. Also, a thanks to my parents for coming all the way from El Centro to help us clean the place up. What loving parents! Below is a picture of our new place. Yah God! Thank you for our new home!

Baby McMahon

2007-01-26T07:46:00.000-08:00

Alright. Here's the post all of our friends have been waiting for. This past Monday, Shannon and I went to an ultrasound place in UTC for her mid-term ultrasound. At first I was really skeptical. Our insurance probably won't be covering as much of the ultrasound as it does other services and I was pretty upset about this. Money doesn't really flow free with me (but you already knew that!). But I gotta tell you. Wow! Their equipment and professionalism was awesome. It was a great experience. If any of you care to do so, you're welcome view the VHS recording of the ultrasound at anytime; just let us know.

So, without further ado, I will turn this blog over to Shannon who will tell you how she feels and you can enjoy all the pictures along the way. God is great! Hallelujah!!!! ~Mike

Our last appointment was just before Christmas. According to the doctor and many of the books that I have perused, the mother can start to feel the baby move around 16-20 weeks. I was hoping to feel it early and wanted to feel kicking by Christmas, which came during my 16th week. Christmas came and went and no kicking. Weeks 17, 18, and 19 came and went.
no kicking. Week 20 came and still no kicking. Now I was getting a bit nervous. Was our baby okay in there? I voiced my concerns to Michael and we kept holding our hands on my belly hoping to feel movement. Sometimes I would feel sensations in my abdomen that felt like gas bubbles, but I wasn't sure if maybe these were the "flutterings" other women had told me about. A week before our appointment, I asked a woman at my church to pray for me and the baby. She and some other women did so, and I was reminded that God loves and cares for this child even more than I do. This child's health is in His hands. I made it through the next week and finally this Monday had my fears completely done away with.

Not only is our baby alive in there, it has all twenty of its fingers and toes and all four of its heart chambers, is growing according to plan, and is performing its daily activities of standing on its head (she/he is definitely his/her mother's child) , chewing on its amniotic fluid, and sucking its little thumb. You can imagine my delight at seeing the first signs of our baby's personality! The baby was literally turned on top of it's head, with it's feet up near my right rib cage, it's butt curled up around my right lower abdomen, and it's head resting near my left lower pelvic bone. The ultrasound technician had to poke and prod it and turn me on my side to get a good shot of it's face. But, man, with that 4-D camera did he get a good shot! We could actually see the baby moving it's jaw up and down, screwing up it's face, and putting its thumb in its mouth. The technician was even able to check its upper lip for any clefts.

Michael was curious to see if the baby is missing any of its lumbar vertebrae like he and his dad are, so the technician isolated the spine for us and we tried to count them. They seem to all be there. The brain was also checked and the length of the main bone structure. The baby is now a whopping 9 1/2 inches in length. In the end, the technician claimed that according to what he could see, we have a very good looking baby (in terms of health and completeness...it still rather looks like an alien!). All in all, it was quite an amazing and relieving experience.

Afterwards, Michael and I discussed that we had both been surprised that our baby is healthy. Oh, we of little faith. God has given us this child, and yet we keep waiting for calamity to strike.
We get robbed of a lot of our joy because we are concentrating so much on the what-ifs. We confessed all this to God and asked Him to give us more faith. I think that we are going to need it with our new job titles (mommy and daddy! we are going to be mommy and daddy to some person, some little person and eventually some big person!). I've heard that the potential to worry never goes away for a parent and often only increases as your child gets older and has more freedom and responsibility. But I am confident that "God will supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory," and as far as I know, He is pretty rich.

Pregnancy Is Amazing

2007-01-25T16:57:00.000-08:00

We've yet to actually acknowledge the fact on this blog, so finally, without further ado, Shannon is pregnant. She's about 21 weeks, that's half-way! We're through the "scary" time of pregnancy where the greatest possibility exists that the mother may miscarry and about 2 weeks from the time when pre-mature babies have an actual chance of surviving. But really, this has not scared us. We have really been trusting in God to see this pregnancy through to the full 40 weeks with mother and child healthy and, Lord-willing, comfortable and un-drugged.

Even from the beginning, we've known with certainty that this was planned by God. (We certainly didn't plan it! hehe) But seriously, we know that God really wanted to bless us and is blessing us through this entire experience. As soon as I had a minute to process the fact that Shannon was pregnant (4 months ago) I was overwhelmed by the waterfall of grace God was bestowing on me to the be the father of one of His children, His intimate creation. And at the same time I felt affirmed in my manhood because He is bestowing on me such a great responsibility. Since that time I've felt my spirit and mind strengthened with grace and truth that God is with me and my family. I've really grown into who I am these past months and am longing to meet my child 4 1/2 months from now. ~Michael

(PS - I'll be posting pics of the ultrasound in the next post).

We're Dating Again!

2007-01-22T07:37:00.000-08:00

Wow! So we stop watching media and guess what? We actually had a bona fide date! In the recent past, our date would have comprised of eating dinner in front of the TV while watching Stargate episodes or a movie that we rented. Every once in a while we'd actually go out... to the Drive-in. Sigh... I'm sorry to let all the fellas down. I've not been much of a stallion lately, that is until now!

Well, actually it was Shannon's idea, but I made it happen. She wanted to surprise me with a campfire at Mission Bay along with a little "camper's delight." So I went to Food 4 Less and got some firewood while she prepared some hot cocoa and our aluminum foil-wrapped chicken-carrot-potato masterpieces (camper's delight).

Once to Mission Bay, what did I find? No fire pits anywhere near any houses! They took them away! What's up with that???? So we trudged on (me carrying 40 lbs of firewood in the sand) back to the car and went to an area away from houses on the bay and found a campfire. After about 45 minutes the logs finally kept themselves alive. And after 30 minutes in the fire, our camper's delight was half-charred, yummy ;p.

Overall it was a fun night. We finished with some Mexican food from the taco shop across from the Belmont RollerCoaster.

For anyone who actually continues to read our old near-forgotten blog, stay tuned for further updates from the last three months. ~Michael

Time Out From Media

2007-01-20T14:22:00.000-08:00

Since Shannon and I have been married (and before that, I'm sure), we've allowed ourselves to be inundated with media. This comes in the form of movies, TV shows, the internet, books and video games. During this time, though we've seen spiritual growth and maturity come about, our relationships with God have seemed a bit stagnant. At the same time, I think we've begun to cling to media for our source of joy. It's the thing that we look forward to at the end of the day. For empirical evidence to support this claim, we need only look at the gifts we received/requested for Christmas and how much of our free time we have put forth toward taking in media. I got 2 Miyazaki movies, the X-Men Trilogy, and X-Men Legends (an X-Box Game). Shannon got the complete Jane Austen collection (book) and the recent cinematic version of Pride and Prejudice (it's very good if for anyone who questions the brilliance of Jane Austen as an author). When this is added to the fact that we just borrowed two seasons of Stargate from my friend Peter, we have at least 120+ hours of media entertainment (180+ hours for me with the game included).

All this said, we're overloaded and practically enslaved by media. What are we to do? But only this week I believe that I heard God very clearly. It was sort of an answer to prayer and yet very unexpected because I thought myself incapable of hearing such a request from Him. I've fasted from media before, usually for 40 days at a time, but usually to very little gain on my part. So I really didn't feel like giving up playing video games anymore or giving up movies for another 7 weeks of my short life which is left on this earth. But, somehow, giving up my free time to God was the only thing that made sense to me this past Wednesday night. I was shocked that I could even conceive of the idea let alone actually think it was a worth while idea. It was almost immediately obvious that God's Spirit was doing a work in us when I told Shannon and we both had agreed that night.

So now we're choosing to live media free. The reason I share this is mainly because I'm not viewing it as a fast. Fasts have a pre-decided duration. This one is completely up in the air. From the beginning I felt that we would just know if it was ever okay for us allow it back into our lives. When we decided, I also felt that God was answering prayers for a deeper closeness to Him and greater hunger for His kingdom rule in our lives. This is not to say that I've seen any explosive breakthroughs, but suffice it to say that He is working. I know that He's going to renew our hearts for the purpose of spreading His name and renown. I also feel, but am not sure, that He will redeem our hearts as far as media is concerned and that we will no longer look to it as our source of comfort. Rather, we'll find our meaning and purpose in His Son's death and resurrection and live lives set free from the curse. I know that this is God's plan for us. It's the only thing that makes sense to me really.

Right now, to be honest, I don't feel like worshiping Him or studying the Bible. I'd rather watch a movie or do something else that would not be very fulfilling. But I know that the life He has for us must be bigger than this. I see my friends who enjoy media but don't seem to be enslaved by it. There are other friends that enjoy so many things the world offers and yet appear to live lives devoted to God. I want that for us. I want to be able to enjoy the life God has given me in the many forms that it presents itself and live free from guilt and condemnation. I want the cross to cover my life completely not so that I can do whatever I want, but so that I can do whatever God wants and be able to exult in it. I want to live free. ~Michael

Still in Love

2006-11-03T10:41:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been 10 months since we got married and we're still in love. Still learning what that means exactly, but still in love. God's been very faithful to us in so many ways.

As I was praying today I was struck with how easy love is if you do it by following God. I've been struck recently by how simple life is when following the author of it. Loving Shannon for me consists mainly of delighting in her: in her thoughts, personality, body, and all the zany things that make her work. I think I struggle with trying to figure out the things in me that keep me from loving her better, but instead, when I just accept her just as she is, flaws and all, I find someone that I'm madly in love with and look forward to spending every day with. Too much introspection can really kill your joy. There doesn't seem to be anything of grace in it when I do it. I used to do it all the time and, conicindentally, I was very depressed during that period of my life. So here's today's lesson: Appreciate the gifts in your life. Maybe they aren't perfect by the world's standards, but, because God gave them to you, they are perfect for you. The world is failing and all of it's desires with it, but the Word of the Lord stands forever. ~Michael

*Please don't think I'm saying Shannon doesn't measure up to the world's standards; she puts those standards to shame!

Seasons Change

2006-10-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

Summer used to be my favorite season. Vacation, swimming, sunny days, summer camp, mission trips, late night hang-outs with my friends, wakeboarding, no school, fruit salad, pasta salad, cold bbq chicken, and cheescake for my birthday. However due to our financial standing, vacations have come to mean one mini-trip for the entire summer, four days stolen away to an economic location with very little swimming and no wakeboarding for those who forgot their boat. "No school" does not apply to a teacher at a year around pre-school. Sunny days means squelchering heat with no air conditioning at work, at home, or at church and not a fan to be found on sale in the city of San Diego. Swimming means paying hard earned money to go to a public pool sure to be plentiful in urine or the ocean, which is great, expept for the salt, the crowds, the lack of parking, and the scantily clad beach goers (men and women!). Late night hanging out is often followed by regretful early morning rising. Summer camps and mission trips are weeks that we cannot afford to miss from work and school. Fruit salad, pasta salad, and bbq chicken are the same as ever...some things never change...however, I can never quite reproduce them just the way my mom makes them. And cheesecake on my birthday has come more and more to mean...massive stomach ache after eating said cheesecake. Don't get me wrong...summer will always have a special place in my heart, but as an adult it has lost some of its appeal as it had in the carefree days of youth. This has had a positive outcome, however.

Fall has come to hold more appeal to me than it ever did as a child. The bold colors, cloudy days, the smell of rain, cool winds, oven-baked goodies (that don't kill my tummy), creative costumes, warm sweaters and cozy pants, preparing gifts for loved ones, curling up with my hubby, a blanket, and a good book, hot tea, zoo friendly weather, the excitement of upcoming vacation time (a whole week off!), and three consecutive months of holidays. It's a beautiful time! I hope you are enjoying this season as much as we are!

~Shannon

summer fun drifting away...

2006-09-05T17:40:00.000-07:00

But oh those Summer Nights!!!!

Well, summer has come and gone and now Shannon and I are gearing up for another semester of fun and challenges. But before I discuss that, let's review this summer.

Shannon took an online class which completed the course requirements for her "Master Teacher Certificate" for preschool teaching. The class was arduous and required many hours of work. I don't think she ever put that much effort into a class since her research days back at UCSD. And even then, she could leisurely do her work because she didn't have a full-time job.

Michael (that's me) worked at Alvardo Hospital averaging between 2 and 3 days a week as a nurse's aide. My main job was to make sure the patients achieved there ADLs (Activities of Daily Living). These include bathing, eating, and proper bowel elimination (what fun!!!). I have quickly become accustomed to the smell of poop, and green oozy poop at that! I had a couple days where I wanted to quit nursing altogether and couple days where I felt God's call to service loud and clear.

We watched lots of movies this summer. I think X3 was by far the highlight for me. We watched the movie-adaptation to Jane Eyre, the book by Charlotte Brönte which we read earlier this year. It was very entertaining, though it skipped some scenes I hoped to see acted out. We made one trip down to El Centro in the dead of summer to actually get out of the heat during that dratted heat wave San Diego experienced. My parents' house always has splendid air-conditioning. I can always count on that. We took or 2 trips up to Shannon's father's house I think. And all along the way Shannon and I had loads of fun, got to know each other better and embraced each other as we fought against Satan's attacks on our joy. God has richly blessed us this summer and I look forward to this semester with anticipation, joy and anxiety!

Shannon is now a "Teacher" at the pre-school. Today was her first day and I'm so proud of her. She really loves what she does and pours herself into the kids there. I'm starting classes tomorrow and will be in the hospital passing meds next week I think. Very scary!!! To honor this new semester, I've started up a blog dedicated to my Adventures in Nursing. Please come by and read about the joys of explosive poop, awnry patients and the path that God has laid before me.

Oh, and we just started a new book. It's a "Christian Romance Novel," but don't worry fellas, I'm not whipped yet. This book, leant to us by Lisa Gavin, is an allegory of the book of Hosea and, four chapters in, I'm loving every page of it. I actually feel God speaking hope into me as I read this. I know that Shannon and I will both find healing through reading this book as God speaks to us about our broken pasts. So far, I highly recommend this. The book is called Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers.

Six Months Later

2006-07-13T06:54:00.000-07:00

I thought it rather odd that here we are newlyweds, overly excited about each other and our new marriage, and we don't have one single photo of the wedding on this blog. We even have a photo of Noah and Laura's wedding, but none of ours! So, I am here to do one of my few posts to remedy that oddity. It probably helps to motivate me to post that I am actually supposed to be working on my homework right now! Jared Bauman of Bauman photography in downtown San Diego takes credit for these quality pictures. These photos may also help to explain the name of our webpage a bit. I cannot find any digital photos of our reception at the Irish pub on our computer, but once I do find them, I will post these as well. Until then, enjoy!

Here are Michael and his groomsmen in their manly gear. Yes, the Irish wear kilts as well. It's not just a Scottish thing! The Irish tartans are determined by their county, whereas the Scottish tartans are by clan. This tartan (which is the pattern of the kilt material) is a generic dress tartan popular for formal events by wannabe Celts in the U.S.
Pictured from left to right: Josh E., Dave D., John W., Jimmy R. (my bro!), and Steve T. and of course front and center, Michael. They're so handsome!

This is me and my ladies, of course. My mother made my fairy princess dress and veil. We chose the fabric and pattern together and she labored lovingly over every stitch for nine months. The blue element was per Michael's request for a dress with "some color in it."

From left to right: Althea T., Christina H., Beth C. (formerly L.), and Grace P.

The McMahon-Ross Clan

Padres:
left to right: bride parents: Jim, Evelyn, Monica, bride and groom, groom parents: Sharon, Mike

Me and my boys:
left to right: brother, Jimmy, me, Michael, and front right, brother, Evan.

and yet a month later...

2006-07-09T18:09:00.000-07:00

Hello, sorry for the late posts. I hope people are still checking in on us from time to time. We've been super busy with work and play and just have lost track of the blog and it has lost priority with us. Well, here's hoping we can be more regular in the future.

Two weeks ago we went to Big Bear where we rented a cabin. It was a very nice A-frame with a loft, full amenities and a jacuzzi. It was totally awesome. We had a great time hiking up to Castle Rock (thanks for the tip Noah) and then to the highest peak surrounding the lake at 8,201 ft. It was a 3 mile hike up and 3 miles back. It was very refreshing. We also went kayaking (that was my idea). I had fun circling around a port-a-potty in off the north shore while I waited for Shannon to come out. Don't worry, she wasn't seasick. I made a triple-chocolate cake for Shannon for her birthday. The day before we left, I went fishing with no success. I actually doubt the existence of fish in that lake. I didn't see anyone catch a single fish the entire 3 days that we were there. The entire trip was very refreshing. I have never felt closer to Shannon and more in love in my life. The trip was great for our marriage and helped us to really enjoy life. We took the trip in honor of Shannon's birthday, but it also served as a mini six month anniversary for our marriage.

The 30th of June marked our half-year mark. We didn't do anything special to honor it, but we did happen to be visiting one of Shannon's best friend from childhood at the time. We saw Beth and Tony Catalde along with their 10-month old son, Matthew. He was so cute and almost walking. It was really a great trip. We bonded very quickly with the Cataldes and it hurt me when we had to leave. They live in Oxnard which is kind of like a mix between Mira Mesa and Venice, Italy. The east part of town is low income and kind of rural. The west side is extremely ritzy with a most houses having water as their backyard. I've heard some of the people there actually drive their boats to the grocery stores, but I'm not sure if that's really true.

On the 4th of July, we went to Coronado where we first began to flirt with each other 3 years ago to the day. It was fun reminiscing about old times. Later that night we met the Morrisey's for a picnic dinner and fireworks at Precidio Park.

The past couple weeks have mainly been comprised of Shannon and I working and keeping the house organized. We finished a prayer group we were a part of with other couples. The prayer times we had were very powerful and life changing for all the couples involved. We're getting together in a week and will get to share with each other how God has been working in and through us since we last met. It should be a nice time of celebration.

I got a new Xbox game: Lego Star Wars. It's pretty fun, but as soon as I'm done, I probably won't play it much anymore. It has a good idea: Episodes 1, 2 and 3 from the perspective of Star Wars characters in Lego form. Jedi and Syth can use their force powers to alter legos around them. In a free play mode you can play just about any character you see once you gain access to the characters. You can even play as Yoda and Darth Vader. The levels are pretty fun too, but once you beat them, it's pretty much over. There are items to collect, but again, once you collect them, there isn't anything else to do. If I played another 6 hours or so I'd probably have everything complete, so I'm almost done. But... you can play two people at a time, so that might be pretty fun. If any of you want to play, just come on over. ;)

Hopefully we'll have more updates soon. ~Michael

a little over a month later..

2006-06-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry people. We've seriously neglected this blog. We've been busy, but there's also been plenty of time for us to post... sigh. The good news is though: we still love each other and even more than ever! Yah! I'm gonna just post a lot of pictures and give some info regarding them to catch you all up to date.

We went to Merced three weekends ago for the Kepner's (Laura and Noah) wedding. It was very beautiful. The setting was a "country affair" and it was very fun. The ceremony/reception was held at a B&B in Merced. The whole thing was beautiful and everyone was so happy for the newlywed couple. On the way there I had a really powerful conversation/prayer with Erik Winter and Shannon. God really cleared up some big roadblocks between me and Him. There's still progess to be be made, but it's a beginning.

Two weekends ago, I organized an X-Men: The Last Stand movie watching event. I managed to get 18 people to come watch the movie together. It was extremely fun. I love being able to share things that really interest me with the people I love. If you've seen the movie, then you know that it had some really nice effects and that it was, overall, a good comic movie. One problem that Erik pointed out was that the climax almost unintentionally comes at the middle of the film. At the, the climax seems almost hollow because of what you've already seen, but comics are like this, so I'm okay with with it. The main problem I had with it was that they totally changed the Phoenix. Instead of a comsic force of power controlling Jean's body, it's just her alternate personality who is bent of destroying everything, a far cry from perhaps the greatest storyline the X-Men comic has ever displayed. The more I think about it, the more I'm bummed out about it. However, there a few cool things that almost make up for it. Keep you eye on Iceman (he becomes pretty "cool" if you get my meaning). Also, there's a seen at the end, after the credits, that is foreshadowed in the beginning of the movie. See if you can guess if you haven't seen it yet. I totally called what the seen would be. I'm so proud of my knowledge of X-Men.... yes! I'm a geek!

But I'm a semi-athletic geek! It was my 26th birthday this last Friday (the 2nd of June). Shannon surprised me with a party at Solid Rock Gym just south of Old Towne. It was seriously one of the best parties I've ever had, and the first party I've had being married. It was fun to see my friends exhibiting adventurous sides of their personalities that I did not know existed. We had a few competitions while we were there. The first was a relay race where two teams of three climbed up and down one person at a time. Josh, Peter and Noah Kalb won that one against Shannon, Ben Cuatt and myself. The second competition was a three-legged race wherein two legs of a 2-man team are tied together. The team to reach the top in the least amount of time wins. Shannon and I won by almost a half minute. Sweet! I think Terrence got a picture of us at the top, so I'll post it as soon as he sends it to me.

Since last we posted, Shannon and I have both finished school and are now only working. It's really nice to not have to worry about homework and papers. Sadly though, my work schedule is very erratic. I was cancelled today because there were more than enough CNA's signed up for the shift. This has happened about 7 or 8 times in the last two months. That comes to almost $1,000 that I could have made in those shifts. But it also would have meant less sanity and health because those 12-hour shifts really take it out of you! ~Michael

Life, Death and Food

2006-04-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a quick (and slow) past two and a half weeks. There's been a lot going on, so we'll just give you a snapshot of what's happened.

Before Monica (Shannon's mom) left town, Shannon and I finished reading Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brönte. It was raining outside and we were huddled in blankets on our porch. As Shannon read I watched the snails climb up the jade plants a few feet away. I loved the ending. There was something of God in it. There was so much freedom in the way that the title character makes decisions in her life. I was, at times, overwhelmed while reading one authors depiction of God's grace at work in the lives of her literary creations. Although some may think it's a bit mushy or corny, it served to remind Shannon and me just how overwhelming God is. John 1 says, "The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it."

The sad news we have to share is of the passing of our dear teddy-bear hamster, Hannah. She began to get sick while Shannon's mom was here. On Tuesday night, last week, we noticed that she had food in her mouth which had been there a couple days. Her eye was also filling up with gunk. And she wasn't running in her wheel as she was accustomed. We decided that I would take Hannah to Petco when I got off work the next day. When Shannon left that morning, Hannah appeared well. But when I got home she had passed. It was hard on both of us. We both understand that Hannah was a hamster, but she was also a part of the McMahon family. I know that we took good care of her and that there was nothing we could have done, but it was still hard to accept that she was gone. It will probably be a few months before we try another small animal. ~Michael

We've also shared two very memorable dates in the past month. For the first date (mentioned in the last post), we had an itching to do some big band dancing. We did not really want to be surrounded by the "clubbing" scene, so we chose a more upscaled dining facility. The Marine Room in La Jolla was probably the classiest dining experience that I have ever had. Michael and I wore some swinging threads and ordered big from their refined menu. I had my first taste of Filet Mignon. Before our meal arrived, we moved across the dance floor with another couple, probably in their mid to late 50's, to some classic tunes from the 1940's. I felt like a heroine from one of the many movies I have seen on American Movie Classics. It was definately a dream date for me!

Last night's date was a very different experience, yet both dates, along with some difficult situations over the past few weeks, have served to strengthen Michael and I's affection for each other. With inspiration from the Morriseys, we traveled on the San Diego trolley. Instead of heading East, we decided to take the Blue Line south to San Yisidro. We intended to walk around for a bit, then come back up north to Chicano Perk, a coffee shop that focuses on Chicano art and goods; however, the border seemed so intriguing that we decided to cross. The process of climbing a ramp to an overpass that is built over the automobile checkpoint reminded me of a cattle herd. On the other side, the taco-selling Gabriel lured us into his shop, where the smell of grilling chicken, beef and sheep enticed us to order some tacos. Afterwards Michael enjoyed a paleta de piña (pineapple popsicle) and I a paleta de fresa (strawberry popsicle). Dusk was already approaching, so we headed back toward the border. I looked over at Michael as we walked and smiled at how at ease he seemed during our cross-cultural experience. I think that he was made for building relationships with people who are different than he is and this thought made me look forward to future adventures with him at my side. We waited in line for about 20 minutes and I noticed that the guidelines posted by the Border Patrol gauranteeing that all visitors would be treated with dignity and respect was only posted in English, whereas the signs prohibiting loitering were in both English and Spanish. Out the trolley window, I noticed a family talking and thought about all the people in the world. There are so many with their own jobs, families, homes....lives. I felt very small and yet very at peace. I often feel that to have a legitimate heart for justice I must compete with other people who wish to help the poor and oppressed, but remembering how many people there are in the world reminded me of the necessity of cooperation among those who wish to help in order to achieve any goal for equality and justice. It was a very thought-provoking date.

And now it's time to warm our house with most of our friends! Hopefully, anyone who is reading this nows that they are invited to our housewarming shindig...if you did not get the evite, we are so sorry but please feel free to come if you can! ~Shannon

Broken Symbols

2006-04-10T21:39:00.000-07:00

While putting something away tonight in our cabinet, I accidently broke one of our crystal glasses from Shannon, Ireland. The glasses are cheap. But the worth I had placed on them was very high. I think, partially because of their namesake, I had placed value on them as a symbol of Shannon's and my marriage. They were given to us as a wedding gift. To see it break so quickly and be so completely unfixable gave me quite a start. Although I held my emotions together, I really wanted to cry.

After vacuuming up the tiny shards and throwing the larger pieces in the trash, I told Shannon why the breaking had bothered me so. She said, "Our marriage is not so fragile." It really put me in check and lifted my spirits. I remembered God, that it is He who has bound us forever as one together in flesh and spirit. I'm not usually one to put a lot of value on earthly things. And I'm also not generally a sentimental person. I think this served as a testament to myself that I 1) really cherish my relationship with Shannon and 2) struggle with understanding it; it is for this reason that I might feel that the breaking of a glass held meaning for our relationship. On the contrary, the breaking of the glass, beyond having no effect, has bolstered my faith in God and turned my eyes to Him for strength and guidance even more. Praise Him with us. ~Michael

PS - we've been really busy lately, but here's a snapshot of the last 9 days of our life.
Sunday the 2nd: climbed Cyuamaca Peak (6 miles roundtrip); we trudged through snow for about 1/2 a mile; Michael discovered his bride is even more hardcore than he previously thought (more to come in another post by Shannon).
Monday thru Friday: Work as usual
Saturday the 8th: We went on a date at the Marine Room in La Jolla. By far the most expensive date ever! But worth every penny. The atmosphere was great with the ocean crashing against the windows and a live band. Shannon wore one of her new dresses and has never looked better. I was so amazed by her. I was singing her praises.
Sunday the 9th: We went to Disney's California Adventure with Shannon's mother and her boyfriend. We had a great time. But don't spend much time waiting on Monster's Inc. It's just another Peter Pan or Alice in Wonderland ride. We spent an hour in line and were sorely disappointed. I think that the park will be a really great attraction in another 10 years. It's still in development from what I can tell and Disney has some great thinkers, no matter what my friend Erik says ;)

Our Amazing Hannah-bear

2006-03-28T21:52:00.000-08:00

Our family has expanded once again. This time we have brought home a sister for Red Baron. The beauty of adoption is that not only is she of a different ethnicity but of a completely different species! Michael and I are very pleased with our selection and are amazed at how much we adore our new "child." We have bequeathed the name of Hannah upon her, as she is our first daughter. We chose this name in honor of my mother. She has been attempting to persuade me for years to name my first daughter Hannah and insists upon referring to our hypothetical daughter as Hannah. However, she may not appreciate our honor, as she is not very fond of rodents. Yes, that's right. Our new daughter is a rodent. Relative to the rat, the mouse, the squirrel, and the capybara (the largest rodent in the world-see picture below from our trip to the SD zoo). You may ask why we would bring home a rodent rather than a cat or a dog, but looking at these photos, I am sure you will agree that she is adorable. And after what Michael and I saw tonight, we have further discovered that she earns the title "The Amazing Hannah-bear." The Hannah part you know. The bear part is pretty straight forward, as Hannah is a Teddy Bear Hamster. But why the amazing you may ask. Because she accomplishes the most amazing feat each time that we fill her food dish. I believe it may be worthy enough to earn us $100 and a T-shirt from "The Planet's Funniest Animals" on Animal Planet.
Being a hamster, Hannah has a fun quad-level home. The top level she has converted into her bedroom where she spends about half of her time. The top-middle level is simply a transitory place that brings her from the top to the bottom. The bottom-middle level holds a platform for her water bottle and her food dish. Finally, the bottom level is lined with bedding and has a wheel on which she can exercise. The wheel is where she spends the other half of her time. All the levels are connected by a vertical tube that she climbs up and down. Today when I filled her food dish, she began by putting one pellet in her mouth, then another, then another. She continued to put all the pellets from the food dish into her mouth, puffing her cheeks out to resemble a chipmunk. We counted eight pellets in all. Now these are not your proportional to her body mass kind of pellets. Think horse pill vitamins for human scale. Most people would gag trying to swallow this thing. And she puffed out her cheeks to fit eight! You may further ask, as I did, did she digest said pellets? No. Instead she proceeded to crawl up the pipe to the top floor of her cage. She had to approach the opening three times, twisting and turning her body in order to fit her engorged cheeks through the opening. She finally managed to shimmy her way up to the top. By the time she squished her cheeks through the opening at the top level, Michael and I were rolling on the floor laughing at her antics. Once her body followed her cheeks through the opening, she found her favorite corner, burrowed into some bedding, and spit out all eight pellets one at a time. So, you may say that she is just a glorified rodent, but she is our Amazing Hannah-bear.
~Shannon

My Big Fat Greek Post

2006-03-20T22:02:00.001-08:00

I had my first post-marriage date with God on Sunday. It was a refreshing time. I ended up in Galations 5:22-23, studying the fruits of the Spirit. I wanted to know if there are really nine of them in the original translation, so I consulted my Greek New Testament, a Christmas gift from my wonderful husband. In looking at the Greek, I found out some interesting elements of the fruits of the Spirit. There are two words that can both be translated into English as goodness or kindness, agathosunae and chrestotes. I wondered how these two words differ. What I found in the dictionary lead me to write the following. Most of it comes directly from the definitions of the word and related words found in my Oxford Greek dictionary (the words in bold) but some tidbits I filled in on my own.

What is "kindness" (agathosunae)?
Kindness is community justice.
It consists of those who stand side by side and realize that they have the wealth and power of God and who by birthright are His noble men and women called to act bravely, morally and rightly to all those they stand together with.

What is "goodness" (chrestotes)?
Goodness is the Heavenly City.
Goodness consists of useful, honest, worthy, trustworthy and beneficent citizens who furnish what is needed in their city, including needed answers from the heavens through bold proclamation, whether warning or direction, and who consult the heavens to furnish the needed answer. It consists of citizens lending, giving and borrowing among themselves as needed. It consists of citizens who use items as needed, who are endowed with what they need, who indulge in the things of God, who experience and suffer, who are subject to God, who live under His name, who treat each other fairly, who are wont to be themselves but want for nothing, yet who need, yearn after and are used by God.

No wonder Jesus said who is good but God.
~Shannon

Be-Lated St. Paddy's Day Post

2006-03-20T21:40:00.000-08:00

Sigh... I feel like such a failure. I neglected to post on St. Patrick's Day. And yet, I know that I'm not because unlike most of my friends, I AM Irish and don't need to make up for any insufficiencies on the most holy day of the year. So to all my non-Irish friends, I pardon you for your non-Irishness; I hope you wore green on St. Patrick's Day. If you drank a non-Irish brew on Friday then I'm not your friend anymore. ~Michael

But seriously, for St. Paddy's Day, we went to our friends the Morrissey's house and enjoyed a nice night of fellowship, beer and rude limericks. You could tell it was a Christian party when there were at least twenty beers left at the end of the night. I took 2 Harps and 2 Guinness home as parting presents. It's good to be Irish!

But this post could never be complete without my salute to Patrick himself. If you haven't read it, read How the Irish Saved Civilization, by Thomas Cahill. It really is a good book and less absurd than it sounds. Patrick, born Patricius in Romanized Britain, became an Irish slave, escaped after 6 years of service and returned some years later as a missionary to Ireland. He loved the people fiercely and gave his entire life to the salvation of that country. What I love about him is his approach. He concentrated moreso on love and peace rather than on sexual sin (which is no small thing still). The Irish always fought amongst themselves up until Patrick. By his death, most of the country was converted and peaceful, though still willing to fight if needs be. (We're warriors at heart!) Patrick was a great cross-cultural missionary because he was humble and was in awe of God. We owe a lot to this man because his service brought about much good in Europe in the years to come as his labors gave birth to a missionary movement during the dark ages. Patrick indeed was a Saint. He was also a great theologian and wrote one book called Confession. I've yet to read it, but it sounds really good.

Ok, that's my St. Paddy's Day post. If any of you drank non-Irish beer last Friday, really, I'm no longer your friend... really.... ~Michael

PS - ok, so I was joking, but seriously, what's wrong with Harp and Bass? At least they have taste! Whereas Coors is colored water and Bud gives people with taste a headache.

A Loved One's Loss

2006-03-09T20:03:00.000-08:00

This is Mutuyimana Clarisse, my Compassion child from Rwanda. I just received a very sad letter from her, but to give it proper context you need to know that her father was killed during the slaying between the Hutus and Tutsis. I can't remember which tribe she is from right now. Her mother remarried and she has two younger brothers. The letter I received from her told me that her mother had just passed away. I was shocked when I heard it. In the last letter, she mentioned that her mother was sick, but I figured it was only a cold or the flu. But no, her mother is dead. What shocked me even more was my own reaction. It really shook me up. I even cried a bit. Not out of fear of losing my mother. Not because I distrusted God. Just because... she's my sister and she has just lost her mother. I really experienced compassion with her.

If anyone thinks of it, please pray for her, her step-father and two brothers. I don't have detailed info about her family's economy, but letters I've received make me think that her mother earned quite a bit of money for the family and so life will not only be lonlier, but also have less financial support.

I started reading CS Lewis' The Problem of Pain a few weeks ago. I still haven't gotten past the second chapter, but I remember a point he made, though I won't quote it. He said that if God were to make sure that no bad thing ever happened again then He would effectually eliminate free will. He would also elminate any product of the fall which is a boon our flesh will bear until all things are renewed. I like what Lewis pointed out. It seems true to me. It basically takes the problem of pain away from God in the sense that He might be the source of it. It's by His gift to us of free will, rather, that we endure pain and malady. It may not work for everyone or every situation, but it brings me peace about my sister's loss. It helps me understand that God can fully love us all but not be bound to remove every source of discouragement or discomfort from our lives. In some cases, we might not fully blossom into a full-grown child of God without it, although I don't suppose you could tell that to a child who has just lost their parents, huh? ~Michael

Severely Loved

2006-03-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

I'm being a bad student right now. I'm in the middle of my Latino Health Class and writing a post for this blog. But then again, this is the second or third time I've learned about tuberculosis and seeing how I'm infected with it (not active, don't worry) it ceases to impress me any longer. But I have learned something new today. TB is not contractible through food or other objects, only through the air via "droplet nuclei." They estimate that 1/3 of the world population is infected. Crazy, huh? It's not much of a problem in the US because we've dealt with it for the past hundred years and have systems in place to address the issue. But countries like Russia, Brazil, and East Asian and African countries aren't so prepared. A little more info: 1) the stuff they inject under your skin is dead mycobacterium Tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes the illness. 2) Testing positive only means that you've been infected at one time; you could have latent or active infection or you might have just developed antibodies to it or another mycobacterium. 3) If you test positive once, you're assumed to always be positive, so you have to get a chest x-ray each year like me :(. 4) Treatment is usually INH (isoniazid), a nine-month long once/day pill.

In more important news, I'm loved. I have an amazing God who has blessed me with my loving wife and really supportive friends. Sometimes I forget this and feel alone at times. It sounds corny, but it's a really good discipline to keep: count your blessings, name them one by one. So here's some props: Shannon, Erik, Jimmy, James, Noah K, Noah K, Ben, Terrance, Zach, Steve, Jon W, Jon L, Neil, David, Josh, Matt, Tyson, Chris W, Payshun, Chris W, Chris B, Adam, Sean, Emmet, Patrick, Mark... To all of you: You're fierce friends and I love you all. I thank God for every one of you. ~Michael

My Wife is Hot

2006-03-06T10:48:00.000-08:00

We went to the zoo yesterday after church. It was really fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't want to leave. My favorite animal was the Mandrill, a baboon-like creature pictured to the right. Their faces are so extravagant. It looks like God sculpted it really, because it has a wash-bucket textured coming from it's eyes down to the nose. They're also the ones with the colorful butts.

Another cool animal was the Tapir. It's apparently related to the horse and rhinocerous, but it runs like a pig and has a nose more similar to an anteater in my opinion. May the anteater is related to the rhino also...

But the hottest animal by far the entire day was the Shannonius McManus. Her keepers have given her a new haircut and she looks very danerous and alluring. Below is a picture of this rare species in her native habitat. ~Michael

Michael's New Job

2006-03-01T19:03:00.000-08:00

It was a great first day at Alvardo. My position is a "Patient Care Assistant" or PCA for short. It's technically a CNA, but since I don't have my CNA license, I'm a PCA. Confused? Well you're lucky. There are 28 pages of approved acronyms in the Alvardo handbook (all but about 100 of which I won't have to know until I'm a RN next year).

So it was my first 12-hour shift. It wasn't too bad either. But I never saw the light of day. It was dark when I left for work and dark when I left. Crazy. I guess I really am a night owl. But I'm super tired now, so I'll be heading to bed soon so I can return tomorrow. It was really fun getting to take care of patients. I realized, finally, how horrible it is to be a patient. You'd think that being in the hospital, you'd just love all the attention, but when people are there, they're at their worst: in pain, confused, and scared. All that combined makes life miserable. Most of the patients I cared for might have known where they were, but not many really had a concept of how they were doing. Pain was their focus as opposed to their emotions or mental well-being. I really don't want to be in the hospital as patient, but mainly because I know I wouldn't be able to enjoy all that attention which I'd be paying my kid's college tuition to receive. ~Michael

PS - I almost threw up today, but kept it down at the last moment. Poop really stinks when it's been inside someone for 3 days. ;p

New Horizons...

2006-02-27T21:37:00.000-08:00

It seems that my time as house-husband is coming to an end. This Wednesday, at 6am, I will begin my new job as a Patient Care Assistant (PCA, aka CNA) at Alvardo Hospital. I'm pretty excited about this. As soon as I found out that I would be starting I received a big sense of relief. Having little to do save for house cleaning and preparing meals was beginning to gnaw on me. I had little purpose but adjusting to married life (which is a good purpose to have). But now I feel almost rejuvenated. At the same time I feel a bit scared too. I will be taking care of as many as 11 patients at a time. By care I mean to say taking vitals, assisting in ambulating (walking), emptying bedpans, and giving bedbaths (oh, what fun!). It's not a glamorous job, but it is the very basics of nursing and it's also the thing that any nurse who is a good nurse would like time to do because these are the times when you get to know your patient and are better able to care for them on more than just a physical level. So I'll start at 6am and leave work at 6:30pm. Crazy, huh? My first 12 hour shift right off the bat. I guess it's the new standard for nursing; 12-hour shifts.

I checked out some computer projects that a friend has been working on: Wilson Saunders. His website has the current games that he is or has been working on. I have to say that I'm very impressed. He brings a lot of elements to his creations: creativity, artistic precision, good interactivity, realistic animation, a fun experience and a challenging scenario. If you go to his site, definitely play "It's Raining Orcs." "Mallard Massacre" has really nice graphics too if you want to see his coding ability.

This weekend my parents came up from El Centro and had lunch with Shannon and me. We went to the Olive Garden and had some nice conversation. Here's a picture of Shannon with them with their Jeep Liberty - Freedom Edition. ~Michael

Best Date Ever!

2006-02-22T11:36:00.000-08:00

Shannon and I just had one of the best dates ever last night. We grabbed a foot-long italian BMT from Subway, put some hot tea in our thermos and headed down to SeaPort Village. Sadly, the sun had set before we even left (the driving point of heading down there), but we pressed on and ate by the water-side. The sandwich and conversation was great. Our jackets kept us warm and I didn't burn my tongue on the tea. Afterwards we got an icecream cone at Ben & Jerry's and read the main part of a chapter from Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre.

For any who think British books from the 18th (I think) century are boring, this book beats expectations. It was slow at first, but it has loads of satire, which I love! It's two main targets are the religious elite and the aristocracy (the notion of which was absurd then and it is now). We're just passed the middle where the book is very romantic. I know that Shannon was really blessed as her romantic side was more than pleased last night. It's so cool to be able to see when your wife feels loved as a direct result of something you've done.

On the carride back we began to talk about aristocracy. I mused over whether it is really gone or not. I think we both agreed there's a sense of entitlement to white Americans to be considered middle class if not upper-middle. And yet so many minorities are stuck in the lower to sub-poverty line classes while we sit idly by and comment on social surroundings. Back in Brontë's day, you were born into your station and there you stayed unless perchance someone leant you a hand up or you soiled your reputation and fortune. In American Society, I believe the notion is that "No one is fixed in their station, however it is up to you and solely you if you are to climb up in society. No one is going to help you out. You have to pick yourself up." I have no application of this, but I did think it a somewhat significant observation at the time...

Tonight our new mattress comes! We ordered a Serta high quality mattress and I believe we got a pretty nice deal on it. So we're stoked! Because our backs have been killing us. Our bed has had it and we can't put up with anymore. Sweet dreams for us tonight! ~Michael

"I'm the Cock of the Rock!"

2006-02-20T11:08:00.000-08:00

For anyone who has seen Celebrity Jeopardy, you may have wondered what Sean Connery was referring to when he made such a bold statement: the title of this post. Well, there is a small South American bird similarly named. And how have I come by such keen and valuable information? I gathered such information from our very own Wild Animal Park. That's right, the McMahons are humble members of the San Diego Zoological Society. And you can be too! For a mere $86 a year you can have free access to both the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park as well as 2 free passes for friends and a year subscription to ZooNews. Well, if that doesn't sell you, maybe these photos will:

The roaring (well, it was more of a yawn) of a male lion.

A lorikeet eating nectar from Shannon's hand.

And some of the largest horned-cattle I've ever seen!

We went to the Wild Animal Park on Saturday and studied in a warm greenhouse (it was a very brisk day outside up in Escondido). We had a very nice time. I must confess though, I struggled with just enjoying my time. I feel that God's been leading me in practicing enjoyment as a rule for my life. I don't know when it started, but I became task-oriented some time back and now I struggle with enjoying life. Maybe I'm saying it more dramatically than reality presents itself, but it has been refreshing to remember that every moment of life is just as holy as the next. Every breath breathed is a gift of God for our own enjoyment. Of course, there is a responsibility left to us that we may find our fulfillment in God rather than in His gifts, but I think I'm starting to fear that less and in a healthier manner than I have in the past. I feel like God is giving me a greater hunger for life and I hope that it only grows so that I would no longer desire to wallow in a slum making mud pies but instead yearn more and more for that holiday at the sea. ~Michael

The Splish-Splash of Little Fins...

2006-02-10T14:26:00.000-08:00

That's right! The first addition to our family is now at home! We just adopted a cute Betta named "Red Baron." He's super cute and lives in our monument jar. The rocks are from places that Shannon and I have gone together, like Bolivia and beaches in the US. We also have some sand from Moonstone Bay up the California coast. But don't worry, we've cleaned them and got the water tested at Petco (for free!) where we purchased our new son. (Petco is a pretty cool place actually; they have a lot of resources to first-time pet owners with free FAQs available in store.)

In the Old Testament, the wandering Israelites and their forefathers set up rocks as monuments to signifacant events, usually acts and signs of God's love toward them. We decided about two years ago to adopt this custom to remind us of God's testimony of provision and love for us. So we've written down dates of significant events that have occurred in our lives together. God is really awesome. I'm glad that we've adopted this custom.

Chris Baron gave a sermon on monuments at our church about a year ago. It was a very powerful testimony of God's power in Chris' life and a challenge for us to remember what God has done for us. I know that I usually remember the bad things that have happened or my failures. It really is a discipline that we must develop to remember the good God has given us. If we don't do this, then we will find ourselves far more susceptible to the lies of the enemy and miss out on the joy that God offers us. ~Michael

A Pleasant Surprise...

2006-02-08T17:17:00.000-08:00

I've recently begun reading Tolkien's The Silmarillion. I had just finished The Hobbit, but I didn't feel like I was prepared to read The Silmarillion. I heard that it was kind of a boring read: lots of history and names, kind of like "Numbers" from The Bible. But I have to say that I've been pleasantly surprised. I think I first took a liking to it because it recounts creation more than once, something that "Genesis" does. I also like the way that Tolkien has set his world with a main "God," but with lesser spiritual beings and Melkor (Morgoth) as a Satan-like figure but with greater power. Also, the way that Tolkien separates Elf from Man, the dealings between the Valar and the origins of the Dwarves and Ents are very intriguing. I feel thoroughly satisfied reading it. A pleasant surprise indeed.

I'm currently at San Diego City College with Shannon (she works here on Mondays and Wednesdays). I made some Shepherd's Pie for dinner and brought it with me when I came. I'm getting pretty good at making this meal, which really gets me stoked. I was thinking about Irish cuisine while I was preparing the pie: I don't think it is at all under-rated (since the food isn't gourmet); I think it's really earned the popularity that it does have though. Irish food is extremely cheap to make. The ingredients are mainly ground meat, onions, potatoes, salt, milk and some other garden veggies. The most sophistacated ingredient I used to make the Shepherd's pie was Worchestershire Sauce! One bottle costs less that $3 at Food 4 Less. My hat goes off to my ancestors. They have perhaps the least glamorous cuisine, yet it tastes so great and is well-liked by many.

The reason I brought dinner to Shannon is because we're leaving to go an Alumni Intervarsity Worship Night. That's right! We're now old enough to have reunions! (My HS renunion is in 2 year!!!!) It'll be nice to see how the ministry is going (it's a Christian ministry at UCSD for the one or two non-UCSD alumni reading this blog). Shannon and I both served the fellowship well and I can remember the year of prayer in fourth year there just before the ministry seemed to explode with fruit. Ecclesiastes says that the greatest thing for man is to be able to be satisfied with his labor. I think I'm really going to enjoy tonight seeing what fruits our labors have borne. ~Michael

Brother's Birthday

2006-02-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

We went up to Palmdale, the residence of Shannon's father, step-mother and step-brother. It was Evan's, said brother's, birthday party this Sunday. We had a great time on our journeys and while we were there. Shannon read chapters of the Hobbit to me while we drove there. We had some great food (crab legs on Friday and Pork Ribs on Saturday). I played some video games with Evan. We enjoyed pizza on Sunday. We drove down and arrived at David Drake's for a Super Bowl party @ 4:00pm (we made really good time in getting there).

Some observations from the weekend:

God is always growing us, but it seems to never be by making us feel guilty. Sure, this is Biblical truths (2 Cor 6 I think...), but it really helped for me to experience this. The last couple years have been a struggle for me in letting go of childish things. In using the word "childish" I am referring to video games, but only relative to how I use them. I've really struggled with addiction of them over the last couple years, but I've also been learning about grace more and more since. This weekend gave me an insight as to what is unhealthy for me and always it comes down to the attitude of the heart. (I hope this can apply for various parts of your own life, reader.)

As I've matured it's been a struggle to "let go" of video games because they were all I knew about satisfaction. However, as I've learned more about love and grace through my relationship with Shannon via God's provision in my life, I've come to acquire a taste for richer things. I hope this sounds Lewis-esque if any of you have read The Weight of Glory. Video games were good for a time and I still enjoy them, but I feel like I've put all my investments in them rather than in something better. I went with what I was secure with rather than taking a risk with something new, an enterprise of great risk, but also of great reward: love and relationship. Anyway, before this becomes too long, what I've discovered in me is a greater desire for something that lasts. This whole time, even though I've known it all along, I was just scared of taking a risk in relationship and allowing it to satisfy me.

Another observation: cowardice is bad and it robs yourself of life and joy, not to mention it robs others of the gifts you have to offer. It's mentioned as the first sin of those who are thrown into the lake of fire in Revelations (that's sobering!). I've felt very strongly lately that I've been a coward in stepping out into things I'm scared of: marriage, love, school, responsibility, finances. But God's message to us is one of assurrance. We're supposed to treat His Word as a promise. He is always with us. And what suffering or humiliation can really compare with the loss of His friendship if we choose to doubt His Word? I don't want to live in shame or fear anymore. I feel like God really desires His children to shine with courage. It seems that this whole life is all about us overcoming lies, temptations and fears to prove to the darkness that God's Glory is better.

Finally, it's amazing what you associate with being married. Sunday at the birthday party all the kids were playing games and I was enjoying conversation with their parents. Weird!!! I feel like I'm not allowed at the kids table anymore at family gatherings. I'm married. This experience and my wife calling me out on some faith issues on the way home yesterday really made me feel married. It's a good feeling. ~Michael

Mike's Chow

2006-01-29T19:26:00.000-08:00

They say that necessity is the mother of all invention. To a graduated, sometimes employed 22-year old it meant making meals out of what I had at my disposal. One such creation was the Italian Quesadilla. It's like a normal quesadilla, but with sauteed sausage, onions and spaghetti sauce. It may sound gross, but trust me, it tastes great!

But then there are success stories like... Ah, who am I kidding? I just want to prove to my friends that I can cook! The picture posted is a sumptuous simmering serving of Mike's Chow. During the year that I staffed for InterVarsity I didn't have a lot of money. Inspired by my roommate Dave's stirfry, I decided to make my own stirfry-like dish. I didn't really succeed. Instead I sort of made a suped-up bean dip. But it started out like stirfry. I just took what I had lying around: hotdogs, onions and beans. Hey! I was hungry! And it only sounds bad. It tastes great! So sauteed the hotdogs and onions, then added some pinto beans, simmered it for a while and then mashed 'em with a fork. I added some salt and pepper for more flavor and ate it with chips. It was really good. So I made some more later.

As I continued to make this "chow" I augmented the recipe. I started using green pepper, black beans (which I believe to be superior to any other bean), brown sugar and salsa. Add a little cheese and you have a white man's attempt at Mexican food gone horribly awry. But hey, my wife is 1/4 Mexican and she loves it. I made it for her on our 1st monthiversary of dating and here we are now, married. I think that speaks for itself. So here's the recipe if anyone wants to give it a try. (I was gonna save it and start up my own restaurant someday, but I'm giving up on that dream...)

Ingredients:
1 onion (any color)
1/2 bell pepper
3-4 hotdogs (kilbasa or polish sausage is preferred)
1 29 0z can pinto beans
1 15 oz can black beans
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 Cup salsa
1 tsp ground pepper
grated cheese (jack and cheddar preferred)

Directions:
Chop Onion and hotdogs and sauteé in greased pan til golden brown or to your liking. Add beans with liquid into hotdogs and onions. Add chopped 1/2 bell pepper, pepper, brown sugar and salsa to mixture. Allow mixture to simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add water if necessary so that mixture does not burn. Mash beans in mixture until it is no longer watery. When mixture is thick, remove from heat and allow to cool 3-5 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and/or grated cheese.

I recommend adding/removing or altering ingredients. It's a lot of fun and it tastes great! ~Michael

A Great Translation

2006-01-29T13:45:00.000-08:00

Shannon and I watched Batman Begins last week. I must say that it was perhaps the best comic-to-movie film I've ever seen. (I'm not sure if that's saying much though) Don't get me wrong; I loved X-Men 1 and 2, Spiderman was pretty good, never saw FF or Hulk (though they didn't seem too great...). But I loved what they did with Batman Begins. Christopher Nolan, the director, did a great job in bringing the Dark Knight into the 21st century while staying true to the character (for the non-comic fans, Batman is over 60 years old, though he's probably only aged 15 years since his inception in the comics.) The plot was very sound, the acting was superb, the casting was great (except for maybe Katie Holmes; nothing personal, she's just too young for the part she played), and everything just really meshed together.

I found it very redeeming after Joel Schumacher's two horrible attempts at a comic-y Batman movie. I'm still trying to open-mindedly compare this movie with those of Tim Burton. His first movie was definitely better than the second (though DeVito was great as the Penguin). I honestly just don't like Tim Burton, so I'm very biased. (My reason why: I read a really bad history on the goings-on of the upcoming Superman movie of which Tim Burton at one time was at the helm. The writer gave the very strong impression that Tim doesn't like anything light-hearted unless it has a very dark underside. He assumedly had Superman in a black suit without superpowers and an unexploded Krypton.) Anyway, I'm trying to be fair to him... I think he really captured the darkness of Batman in his movies, much like Daredevil did (which I think was much better than movie watcher's gave it credit; it really caught the darkness of the character, which is much like Batman in the pursuit of justice while employing bruit force and fear... Hmm... come to think of it, it sounds like Daredevil is just a ripoff of Batman... sigh). However, I think think Nolan's movie brought in better casting and more character's to support the script, not that Nolan has much to do with that since he's only the director. What Nolan did do well was capture the darkness while also correctly applying the lighter side of Bruce Wayne and developing the character. He seemed more human than Michael Keaton's Batman (though he played that character very well, perhaps better than Christian Bale, but Bale's script was better in my opinion).

Well, in conclusion, Nolan's movie was the best. Burton gets honorable mention. Joel... we'll just try to forget those movies were ever made... sigh. ~Michael

PS - I'm still learning how to critique movies, so insight is welcomed. If it sounds like I don't know I'm talking about, then I probably don't. But no apologies if your a Schumacker fan!

the past week...

2006-01-29T12:39:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a while since the last post. Since then, Shannon has worked a bit at the preschool she works at: Canyon Rim Children's Center. Meanwhile, I stayed home, cleaned the dishes, made the bed, sanded a shelf a when I found time and brought Shannon lunch on the days she worked. When Shannon doesn't work, we generally take care of odds and ends such as getting her name changed, getting a new Driver's License for her and figuring out Car Insurance (which brings me a small rant)...

So Shannon accidentally collided with another car on the 1st of December, 2005. It's been almost 2 months and things still aren't figured out. If we hadn't made some calls this past Wednesday, things would probably still be moving rather slowly. Anyway, long story short, the damage done the car was minimal, less than $750, which is good for us, because it means that Shannon won't get a point on her driving record. The other driver is claiming injuries that seem (to us and the insurance company) to not match up with the damage incurred on the vehicle. Well, the other party's insurance was in lapse on the day of the accident. By California state law, that driver has no right to claim injury against us now. So the case should be closed, right? Wrong.

Said driver now has an attorney who is attempting to petition a claim (or so I've been told). I know I sound pretty stone-cold to the other driver. But really, I do sympathise with them. I would hate to have back or neck injuries. It messes everything up (in fact, osteophathy an alternative medical approach predicts that most ailments occur from unaligned bone structure) and you feel like a wreck. The reason this all bothers me really is because it's so impersonal.

I called the driver up to see how they were and see if there was any way to speed the process up. They were really cold on the phone, gave little information, offered no condolensces to us... (since their actions might cost us money as well). It was really discouraging. It's times like these when I struggle with condemning all of American culture. It's so easy at these times to criticize every minute detail of our culture and do nothing but complain. The main point that came up for me was that our culture is so unfriendly. We don't respect people enough to settle things face to face. We depend upon the court and government to decide our lives... But I digress.

This experience gave Shannon and I a really tough choice in following Jesus. We had to decide to love the other person in spite of their actions. We had to decide to not become bitter. We had to decide to truly love humanity which seemed more ugly, if possible, as a result of this experience. Most of all, we had to choose to trust God to provide and fight for us rather than claim our "rights." It was really humbling, but also very encouraging to see that God's way is not our way, but that it is much better.

Having just read what I wrote, I suppose our lives might sound sheltered, but I think these are the daily struggles of most people in America. The majority of us may not suffer from demonic possession, persecution or starvation, but we still must choose to follow our Lord in the simple things. I used to think that following Jesus was a life full of life-threatening experiences... and it is! but not how I imagined it. The life that's threatened in our day to day experiences is the life of joy. We must endeavor to choose to live the life of joy by faith and not fight for the scraps that fall off the table. The world in which we live paints a picture of "every man for himself," but these are not the ways of the Kingdom. Our Holy Nation is one of provision, love and acceptance. Everyone watches each other's backs and so we don't have to fight for ourselves. God's hands are always providing good gifts to His children and His children love Him by giving their love away rather than hording it or anything else from someone who has slighted them. The older I become the more simplistic the gospel appears, less dramatic I suppose, but definitely more applicable to daily life. I think I'm coming to see that life is less about the dramatic moments that "define" me and more about all those pesky decisions I make that mold me.

Anyway, we just got home from church and Shannon has made me lunch (yah!!). I'll probably post some more later today. ~Michael

Shannon's Second Post

2006-01-22T18:12:00.000-08:00

Just kidding...
I guess I was just trying to be witty...I always feel like you have to be witty or say something clever in order to write a post. My clever thought for the day is that I like being married and I really enjoy spending time with my husband. And so I think I will go spend some time with him. And sleep. I really like sleep, especially these days. I just cannot seem to get enough of it. So, I think I may go do that as well.
Maybe tomorrow I will come back with a legitimately clever thought.

Shannon's Post

2006-01-22T18:09:00.000-08:00

Aparently I have several posts to do in order to catch up with my new husband, or so he informs me. So, here is my first post.

The Post to End All Posts

2006-01-20T12:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, well maybe the title is a slight exaggeration. I was flipping through the Bible (I never know what to read) and came along Habukuk. Shannon and I received a Couples NIV Bible and it had a quote from Thomas á Kempis on Habakuk 2:20:

But the LORD is in his holy temple;
let teh earth be silent before him.

Thomas says that if we want to speak, we should be content to be silent (that made me ask if I should ever teach or give my opinion ever again, thus the title of this post). Or if we want to lead, we should first learn how to follow. There's a lot of wisdom in this I think. As I thought about this, I read Hab 2:20 (for I had not yet read it). It hit me like a ton of bricks. All of a sudden I felt a weightiness about me. I somehow sensed the Lord's presence and was convicted that I have not been taking Him seriously. The verse really struck a chord in me. I saw how I been treating God like a "to do list" instead of the creator of my soul and the universe.

In light of this realization I feel really joyful. I'm happy to think of what awaits Shannon and I as we journey to God's Kingdom together. I see us now struggling through the smallest things, whether it be tiredness, pathetic lies of lust or the stresses of a performance-minded society. God really puts everything in perspective. He's so amazing. I feel like today is a turning point for us. And instead of judgement for me or Shannon, I just feel hope and grace. That brings me to another "epiphany:" When we correct ourselves it brings judgement and fruitless toil; When God brings correction, it brings freedom, fruitfulness and joy.

Oh yeah, the pic is of a banana bread I just made for Shannon. She's so lucky! ~Michael

musings on love...

2006-01-20T09:24:00.002-08:00

So... it's been almost three weeks since the "I do's" and I've learned a lot about love since then... not that I understand anything I've learned or anything though. I suppose I could fit it into a 3-point sermon though if it pleases you...

1. TAKE IT ALL TO GOD. This is one I was assumed to have learned a while ago. Well, guess what. I didn't! This relationship/love thing can get pretty foggy sometimes and being young and trying to figure out the world and who I am makes matters worse. If you don't keep a close eye out you'll find yourself hopelessly lost and confused not knowing which way to go. But every time I've found myself there, God has been beside me. Everytime I look to Him my fear melts away, the deeper issues of my heart get addressed and I find that I'm right where I need to be once again: in His counsel. (Which reminds me... I still need to spend some solid time in the Word today)

2. PRAY FOR YOUR SPOUSE. There's this little book called the Power of a Praying Husband. It was written by a woman so it carries more weight for me than if a man had written it. In the book it outlines some basic items to cover in prayer regarding your wife. I find that if I pray for Shannon a lot of good things start to happen. 1) Shannon feels more loved either because of the power of the prayer or simply because she knows I'm praying for her. 2) My heart becomes connected to Shannon. I begin to see her more clearly through God's eyes and I find myself drawn more to her side. 3) You begin to fight the lies of the enemy. I don't think this topic is specific to women only; we all hear lies from the devil. As we live with our spouse we begin to hear the same lies they hear whether because our spouse self-actualizes them (yeah physch!) or else because we're afraid they might happen. Either way, praying for your spouse gives you authority over the lies they deal with. And husbands, probably the biggest lie you'll face is that your wife is demanding (aka: high-maintenance, bossy, a "nag", etc.); it's not true: she only needs to be loved. 4) You begin to care more about her needs than your own. This is a big one and leads me to the last point.

3. LOOK NOT TO YOUR OWN DESIRES BUT THOSE OF YOUR SPOUSE. Yesterday, I spent a lot of time on the computer. Most of it was just wasted time. Some of it was trying to make this post. Anyway, I could have been cleaning up the house and making it look more welcoming for her when she came home from work. When she did come home, the living room was untouched from this morning, the bed was unmade and some dishes I had missed were laying on the counter. And Shannon was tired to boot. Now, I'm still kind of unclear on what expectations are legitamite, but one thing I am certain of is that if I want to show her I love her, then I'll clean the house and make her feel welcome when she comes home. That may mean staying off the computer the rest of the night, making a meal, etc.

I realize that most men come home to their wives and yes, I am soon to get a job of my own (I interviewed yesterday at Alvarado Hospital for a Patient Care Assistant position). But I'm sure you can all figure out a way to apply this to your own life as we all vary in specifics but all made of the same spiritual fiber having been made by the same God.

Well, that's one lesson for today... I have a lot more posts in my head, but I'll let them ooze out it due time. ~Michael

Our new Blog together...

2006-01-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

It seems like it was only yesterday... Shannon and I both had our xanga accounts and were letting people know how we are. And suddenly our perspective entities underwent a merger (of the matrimonial type) and now here we are with our very own blog together! The "Love of the Irish," for that is what we are(!) will tell of all the epiphanies, wimsies and quandries we have of life as we travel this road of grace towards love together. Enjoy and please(!) don't use discretion. ~Michael