Drawntotreason's Xanga

Guess who's back?

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:24:06 GMT

Here is my little Charlotte at 7 months. I am falling more in love with her each day. So, I haven't posted here in a while. I've been super busy and facebook is a bit more functional and there is less talking with facebook (something I try to avoid doing on-line). Things are going well for us. I am applying to grad school this month (the Institute of Christian Studies in Toronto) and I started a course on John Milton's Paradise Lost today. Prairie (bless their hearts) asked me to teach Medieval Philosophy next semester, so I am trying to start preparing for that. We just moved to a nice Prairie house and are enjoying having a backyard. Our summer went well. We went camping on the San Juan Islands with Erin's family and we went out to see my brother James and his wife Nikki in Abbotsford. My brother, Josh Richardson, and I went and saw Radiohead last month (see top left picture). It was the best show I've ever seen! I am reading a lot of Emmanuel Levinas lately and getting into selfhood and ethics. Anyway, just thought I would provide a quick update. I hope everyone is doing well!

Charlotte Nicole Bonney

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 18:20:37 GMT

Charlotte Nicole was born on Saturday at 7:13 p.m. She was 19 inches long and weighed 6 pounds and 2.5 ounces. She has tons of really dark hair. We are home now from the hospital. We were there for 5 days! Erin definitely went through a lot that day (January 19, 2008). She was induced, she received an epidural, a spinal, she pushed for 2 hours, and then the doctors told us Erin would need a C-section. Needless to say, Erin is really sore and in a lot of pain. I keep reminding her that she did so well and that it was worth it because we have a beautiful daughter now! Charlotte is starting to sleep better. She slept for 6 hours last night! The doctors tell us she is healthy, which is awesome. Erin's parents are here and they are helping us out lots with the baby, cooking food, and helping Erin. We are a happy family!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 06:19:35 GMT

Maria, Erin and I just finished watching the movie Reign Over Me. It is a thought-provoking film about an old friend attempting to help his friend, who lost his whole family in an airplane crash (9/11), process his grief. They both end up helping each other (we are all in need of loving friends). The movie depicts an element that often does not exist in relationships, namely, patience. Often family members and friends of those who have lost loved ones expect them to overcome their sorrow quickly. And in some cases people end up in psychiatric institutions as a result of not being able to do just that. Anyway, Erin and I put together our crib today! Got to get ready they say! Don’t know the time or day, best be getting prepared! Today was a cleaning and organizing day as I arrived home from Montreal late last night. I got to tour around Old Montreal yesterday. I used the subway system, which was fun considering my French is practically non existent (the way to the airport was fun too because my taxi driver couldn’t speak English). I visited the Notre Dame Basilica which was incredibly beautiful, and walked down the cobblestone streets in Old Montreal. This last trip was 13 days long, so I am excited to be home. Now all I have to do is make sure I do my homework instead of reading John Caputo’s new book: What Would Jesus Deconstruct? Erin is feeling pretty uncomfortable these days, but she is hanging in there. The baby is moving around continuously. Looks like she might just break lose any minute now. I can’t wait until she comes! Got to get ready!

squash, unworthiness, moose, bladder, eyes open, traveling, love

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 03:50:44 GMT

Here is Erin at 26 weeks. I think her belly resembles a squash. Erin has informed me that there are many different types of squash. So I have decided it looks like a pumpkin. For the record, I cannot wait to see my daughter and feel the weight of unworthiness and inadequacy. I cannot wait to hold her in my arms. Anyway, I have been writing and thinking about ethics a lot lately and what it means to authentically love my neighbour and decenter myself for the other, but I am not a big blogger type, I use xanga more as a way of informing friends and the collective whoever that stumble on my page. I appreciate everyone's thoughtfulness (Ashleigh, Hannah, and Steve's posts for example) but I would rather preserve deep conversation for when I meet you on the street. I would rather use the Internet to tell you that Erin and I saw a huge moose by the hospital in Three Hills last week. So, our little girl is moving around lots and enjoys kicking Erin's bladder. Her eyes are now open and she can recognize and distinguish different sounds. I talk and sing to her all the time. Erin finally received her Bachelor of Arts degree two weeks ago. She is excited about not having to do school ever again. Well, this week I start traveling again. I will be joining the Christian College University Fair Tour on Thursday. We are working our way west (Kelowna, Abbotsford, Victoria, etc.). I get to go to Vancouver Island, so that will be nice. Also, I know someone in every city on the tour, so it will be nice to catch up with people like Barry Sommer, Daniel Enns, Jordan Vantol, and Chris Brambleby. Anyway, here is the quote for the day: "For if love is the measure, the only measure of love is love without measure." John D. Caputo

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 04:39:45 GMT

Here is Erin at 22 weeks. I can't hug Erin without bumping into baby first. I felt the baby move this last weekend. It was amazing. Erin says she does summersaults in there (restless like the rest of us). I think all she does is sleep and plan her escape. I've started telling her stories and last Friday we took here to her first concert (Mutemath and Pilate). I am convinced she is going to be a poet or musician or a philosopher. Erin says she will be girly and play with dolls and that I need to love her selflessly (even if she doesn't become my little poet, etc.).

Her belly is getting bigger!

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 21:47:12 GMT

Erin is documenting her pregnancy. Here are the latest pcitures (14.5 weeks), and, yes, her belly is getting bigger! I am getting pretty excited as the days go by. I know that there will be some major adjustments to our schedule and life when little junior gets here, but I know (with certainty) that having a child will be such a blessing!

We are going to have a baby!

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:58:57 GMT

Well there you have it, Erin's belly at 9 weeks. Not quite a balloon yet, but she is starting to show. We found out two weeks ago that we are going to have a baby and we are excited. We meet with the doctor soon and then we will have an official due date (probably January sometime). Right now I am at home sick getting ready for my trip to California (I leave tomorrow). Erin is at work with a stomach ache and box of crackers.

I am turning 25 tomorrow

Thu, 03 May 2007 02:41:28 GMT

This is the birthday card my parents sent me; I just think it fits me perfectly! Thanks dad, very thoughtful card. I have been making music mixes since I received a stereo with two tape decks back in the 5th grade. Throughout high school and college I always had to have a mix for every trip and occasion or whenever a multitude of new releases came out. Anyway, wicked card. In a lot ways I can't believe I will be 25 tomorrow. That means I have lived a third of my life. There is still so much to do, so many books to read, people to meet, classes to attend, time with family and my kids (future), classes to teach, so many more joys and inevitably more pain. I am thankful for these last 25 years and for God's grace in my life. Right now my beautiful wife is making me cinnamon buns! Tomorrow Erin and I are going to Calgary for her Immigration interview, which means (hopefully) she will be receiving permanent residence here in Canada. At night we are having friends over for a barbecue and cake. Should be good times.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 22:24:39 GMT

This first picture is of our good friends the Richardsons (for those of you that do not know them). They are from Alaska and we hang-out almost everyday now. Joshua is a folk singer and critical thinker and Rosie is a hairstylist and is very similar to Erin so we get along well. Good times. This weekend has been good. It was graduation here in Three Hills. On Friday the some of the class of 1957 were here and I gave a group of them a tour of Prairie campus including our new building, which just opened (we are moving in in June). One couple spent 25 years in Pontinanak, Indonesia where I grew up so that was cool and another lady knew my parents and my grandfather! Ron Richardson was the distinguished alumni, he wrote Peacechild, which is now a movie and on DVD. Yesterday Erin and I and the Richardsons went to the Bad Lands and barbecued (see above pictures). It was fun. Josh and I talked about our futures and plans for obtaining MA degrees while the ladies walked around taking pictures. Right now it is raining in Three Hills and I am listening to classical music about to read Zizek, the crazy Slovenian philosopher. The grass is getting greener so I suspect summer is on its way.

"Kierkegaard thinks...that one should not try to base faith on historical scholarship, but he does not think this means that faith must be emptied of historical content. Furthermore, Kierkegaard maintains...that belief in the historical incarnation of God as a human being...is essential to genuine Christian faith." - C. Stephen Evans

The Present Moment

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 05:09:39 GMT

Here are some new pictures of Erin and I in case you forgot what we look like. Well, life is good, work, hanging out with the Richardsons, playing poker, reading, drinking tea, writing, watching the Office, etc. This last weekend was busy for us. On Friday Erin had a party for her admission assistants at our house, we ate pizza and watched the Office (the best show ever). After we went to Scott Courtin's music recital, it was amazing (jazz, blues, and funk). On Saturday Erin had her first professional gig as a photographer. See www.nathananderin.blogspot.com for pics. On Sunday Mr. Davis, Nebraska, Erin (drawings and paintings), myself and others were a part of the spectacular Art Show in the Loft. Steve and BJ sang a get rendition of a Josh Ritter song and Joshua sang new songs. I read some new and old poetry. Below is my newest writing. It is inspired by Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Sartre, and Camus. It has to do with the present moment. I wore a watch last week and during the middle of the week I realized it was broken, so when Steve asked my the time I responded in a similar way as the fictional character in the writing. Enjoy.

Existentialism in a nutshell

“Excuse me, sir, do you have the time?”

“No I don’t sorry.”

“But you are wearing a watch.”

“Yes, that’s true,” I answered, and after a moment of hesitation I said, “It is merely symbolic. I wear a broken watch to remind myself of the immanent nature of existence, of the present moment, that I exist in the here and now, that every moment is new, and that I am condemned to freedom, free to interpret, free to make choices, free to give existing objects their essence, their very property, free to create and to exert my will over anything that would limit or take away the ability to become a self. I wear this watch to remind myself that I walk alone with this dreadful responsibility, that I am an unfinished process of becoming and that I must assume responsibility for every moment in my life. I wear this broken watch to remind myself that faith is not merely adhering to a set of doctrines, but rather faith is a conscious way of life, and my living before God cannot be reduced to ethical terms for I exist in absolute relation to the Absolute. I wear this watch to remind myself that I do not know and cannot know everything about my existence, but I live with this absurd reality with joy knowing that I will who I will be.”