Are You Ready for Some Footbaaaaaaaall?!

Chad & I have been in the midst of a loooong football famine - it's literally been years since we've been able to sit down, crack open a cold one (coke, of course) and watch some good ol' NFL Monday Night Football. So we were a bit giddy when we found out that one of the cable sports networks was rebroadcasting this year's Super Bowl a few hours after it ended. Not having time to rustle up even some hot wings, we scurried over to our kiwi parents' house to sponge off their cable TV. They were actually quite interested in what was going on, and finally understood how I feel watching rugby, where it looks interesting, and you get the general aim, but the details escape you. Chad was able to field most of their questions effectively, with yours truly even coming up with useful info on the whys and wherefores of gridiron.

The balmy weather and lack of snacks and team sweatshirts were a little disconcerting, but the UPside was that the rebroadcast was commercial-free, and they even cut out the segments of the game where nothing significant happened. Even so, just the highlights ran 2 1/2 hours, so we were happy little hamsters. While some of you might bemoan missing out on the extravagantly expensive creative marketing offerings by various beer & car companies, my main concern was: when the heck are you supposed to go to the bathroom?! This problem was largely avoided in the end, as both of us had caught up on the way the game went in advance, so we pseudo-psychically knew when there was a minute or two of leeway.

Our analysis: We wanted the Cardinals to have won since we tend to pull for the underdog, but they brought much misery on themselves through silly penalties, and frankly, Pittsburgh just outplayed them. And also, Kurt Warner never smiles. I was glad to see him in another Super Bowl (and that his wife grew out that hideous butch haircut of hers) but the man has lost his ability to make facial expressions since leaving the Rams.

Kurt Warner having just thrown an interception that was returned 100 yards for a touchdown:


VS.

Kurt Warner having just thrown a touchdown pass to give his team the lead in the Super Bowl.


I guess it doesn't matter much since they probably don't offer Saturday Night Live hosting gigs to the losing quarterback.

And now, I wish you all the best and truly sympathize as you enter the difficult stretch that is life beyond football season (no, the pro bowl does not count).

Here Comes the Bride (so why isn't my flash going off?!?!)

Ah, the wonderful world of wedding photography...

Last weekend, Chad and I had the privilege of photographing the wedding of some friends of ours. While the day dawned bright and beautiful, the not so beautiful side effect was the fact that the temperature soared into the nineties in a country where air conditioning is NOT a given. As camera-stalking melting people who had to get dressed up despite the heat and humidity makes this job a labor of love, it's a good thing Chad loves doing it as much as he does.

And now, a commentary on wedding photography in general, from someone who has spent a little time in the trenches:

If you peruse most photographers' wedding website galleries, what you'll find highly under-represented are the obligatory formal portraits that are feared and loathed by both the photographer and photographees.

On the one hand you have the wedding party and families, who honestly don't want to stand for hours with frozen smiles while you take essentially the same picture endless times, yet can't pass up the opportunity to get a family photo with everyone gathered and (mostly) nicely dressed for the first time in 10 years. Then you have the poor photographer who really can't do much with the bulk of them creatively to make them more than just a record of who was there on the day - all while trying to achieve the impossible job of making everyone look good at once.

The reason this is such a herculean task is that the average person has no idea how to be photographed well. Really, it's quite shocking. You'd be amazed at the little things that they do: standing practically hunched over, refusing to adopt even a remotely pleasant expression, forgetting to put down random objects they're holding, and even chronically NOT LOOKING AT THE CAMERA (?!?!). My primary job as photographer's assistant is to try to counteract this phenomenon as much as possible, but even then, to harp on it until everyone in the shot is presentable means it would take three times as long, and they might possibly assassinate me out of hunger and boredom.

The wedding this weekend was not even full of especially difficult characters, and went off quite well - it's just the nature of the wedding beast.

That said, we had a wonderful time capturing the highlights of two people celebrating their love and commitment to each other, and can't wait to do it all again in late May! Unfortunately in that instance, I'll have to scale back my responsibilities - being on your feet for 9 hours when you're 8 months pregnant is for masochists only. Should also be good times trying to find a flattering dress for the event when you're as big as a house!

The Silly Season

...the Kiwi term for the holidays.

Well the end of the year was a gas, and about 100 miles an hour at times. Starting in late November, I was tasked with developing and writing the Christmas program for church, all to be completed amidst our frantic preparations for overseas guests. I was a little terrified at first, as dialogue is not something I've ever remotely attempted. The bulk of it was done with Chad and I playing news anchors for Surfside World Report, calling ourselves Charity Churchmouse and Evan Baxter (of Bruce Almighty & Evan Almighty movie fame). We reported on the various signs of the impending birth of Jesus in modern-day format, incorporating an astronomer, three foreign dignitaries (magi/wise men), and some (modern Kiwi) shepherds. It ended up being a lot of fun, as well as well received, so that was gratifying.

A few weeks later some of Chad's family (Dad, Mum, Jill, & Megan) popped by for a couple of weeks just before Christmas (thanks again to Jeff & Teri who held down the Sachse fort all by themselves so they could come!). Last year, after an unexpected and very soggy midwinter move, we happened into the big ol' house we're currently renting, so we were all pretty spaciously accommodated, despite all using the same shower - a big hot water heater helped.

We dragged them around to meet all of our NZ friends and family, who were delighted to meet them, and got to show off a little why were STILL here over a year longer than originally planned. The local beach was a great favorite, where continual surfing lessons by the Chad yielded some impressive newly acquired wave-riding skills by Jill & Megan.


Then it was off to the Coromandel Peninsula, an area of peaceful beach communities and rough roads (most of which have only been paved within the last decade). While dragging six of us and a 15-foot camper over a small mountain range, Pedro, our (mostly) trusty 18 year-old SUV blew a radiator hose, and we ended up eating lunch in the camper on the side of the road while Chad called in reinforcements to rescue us. A couple of his professional connections cheerfully came and picked us up, depositing us on the beach in scenic Pauanui to play the afternoon away while Chad snagged the necessary part and put Pedro together again. Which, by the way, is SOOOO attractive in a man ;)




One day was spent on a hike that took us through 500 yards or so of an abandoned mine shaft, that's now maintained by the Department of Conservation. We were all a little claustrophobic at the thought, but it turned out to be quite manageable and fun, as the conditions were perfect for glowworms, who sat glowing merrily just over our heads the whole way.


We also spent a day in the Cathedral Cove area, made recently famous by standing in as the gateway to Narnia in the Prince Caspian movie. We did a bit of snorkeling before lunch in Gemstone Bay, then filled our tummies and continued on to the featured attraction. The Cove is definitely more beautiful in person, if only because you know you have the thrill of actually being there. The afternoon was very fine, so the vivid golds, blues, and greens all around us did nothing to spoil the atmosphere.



We all had a great time and were sad to see them go. Pictures of the bulk of our adventures can be seen at: http://picasaweb.google.com/chad.lehmann


In order to keep us from being sad & lonely without our family on Christmas, we were invited to a round of Christmas Adam (called so because it comes before Christmas Eve- duh!), Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day celebrations. We were grateful to feel so loved and included, but dashing hither and yon for 48 hours after just getting back from the airport, we were knackered by 3 pm on Christmas Day! Christmas night was spent snarfing leftovers and watching Home Alone 2 on T.V. - very Norman Rockwell :)

The Patience of Job?

We told our church friends we were expecting our bub in the context of a short message and video I gave at Sunday night church, which I've posted here if you care to have a look & listen.

The message was entitled "The Patience of Job?" and centers around insights I gained reading the book of Job after I'd had a miscarriage and my body went a little haywire such that we weren't sure we'd be able to have kids.

I'm no professional speaker, of course, so just try to listen fast - I do tend to speak quickly.

P.S. I recommend listening to the audio first, as it lays the groundwork for, and introduces the video.


"The Patience of Job?" Audio

Bun in the Oven

Appropriate, I think, as I do love to bake.

Well, it's official - yours truly has spent the last three months or so growing a whole other person! Yep, Baby Lehmann will be making an appearance sometime in early July, so I can say goodbye to sleeping through the night, and say hello to a kind of love that I'm told is more like a force of nature.

We've actually been wanting to have children for a little over a year now, but suffered a miscarriage last November, and some not-too-encouraging symptoms thereafter. While normally quite a private person, I felt led to tell the core membership of our small church and have them begin to pray for us. Well wouldn't you know it, the Bub is due almost exactly nine months since that day! Thank you, Lord!

I found out the day before Chad's birthday, and thus he got the news upon opening one of his birthday presents:

Surprise! You need to start saving for a college fund!

And here is a picture of our sprog:

Cute in a pixely and large-headed way, no?

Around half of the Lehmann family got to come over for a visit a month or so later, so we got to tell them as soon as they dragged their deliriously jet-lagged selves off the plane. To make things extra fun, I put in on a sign in Mad Gab lingo (props to Kayt for that idea), which read as follows:

Hay gas watt? Cherry teas half ink abe abe bee!

It took some of them longer to get than others.

When I told my mom on the phone, she was very happy and emotional, and kept apologizing for tearing up, but I assured her it was way better than her saying "Neat. Gotta go watch Matlock now."

At any rate, we're stoked, and our family and friends are stoked, so this is going to be one well-loved baby by the time s/he makes an appearance in about 6 months - which will be in New Zealand, as we're still having a blast here and are entitled to free maternity and baby care (very budget-friendly). Should be good times :)