A view from the nest

2009-02-10T16:07:00.000-08:00

It's Pammie's 16th anniversary free of cancer!! To celebrate this awesome event...

Make a donation to Children's Medical Center of Dallas.
Make a donation to Camp Esperanza, the summer camp for children with cancer.
Make a donation to the Make-A-Wish foundation.
Give thanks for all the wonderful medical advances in the world today that were non-existent even 20 years ago.
Give thanks for all the doctors and nurses in pediatric oncology who have chosen their careers because of their compasssion for seriously ill children.
Give thanks for friends that stand by you through the difficult times.
Give thanks for employers that show compassion and understanding through those times.
Give thanks for the body of believers all around the country that show support through prayer.
Give thanks for your family that surrounds you with love.

And give thanks to our Almighty God who is the ultimate Physician, Comforter and Savior!

For all of this...and more...we can kiss our healthy child today.

2009-01-13T05:44:00.000-08:00

The bed in the hospital room at Zale Lipshy University Hospital wasn't too bad. I'd rate it better than the chair/bed at Children's Medical Center. The pillows, though, were pretty non-existent. They really don't want you to spend too much time here, and that's fine with Bob and me. The coffee is definitely not Einstein's or Starbucks. And the food...well, I have never tasted good hospital food for patients. However, the medical care here is excellent, and that's what really matters. Bob's prostate surgery went "exceedingly well" according to his surgeon, Dr. Claus Roerborn, head urologist at UTSouthwestern Medical Center. He used the daVinci Robotic Surgery System. I told Bob he had Edward Scissorhands work on him. The surgeon controls the robot from a 3-D monitor a few steps away. It truly is amazing. According to the doctor, this system allows just minimal blood loss, a better ability to spare nerves, and a quicker recovery for the patient. Dr. Roerborn confirmed the first two, and we are waiting now to see how Bob recovers. Pain meds helped last night. (Another wonderful medical advancement!) He rested somewhat comfortably and was able to sleep. He woke up cheerful and alert this morning. I wish I could say the same for me! Bring on the coffee. We may be able to go home later today. It all depends on Bob and what he can tolerate. They want him up and walking first. Recovery from this type of surgery usually means off work for three to four weeks, which for Bob will seem like an eternity. I'm sure he'll be on the computer and the phone quite a bit from home. We will be waiting anxiously for his pathology report that will tell whether all the cancer was removed. We should know something by Friday. Again, as always, trusting God for good news.

Wii and Mii

2008-12-27T08:03:00.001-08:00

So where are Grandma and Grandpa? Oh that's right. They're out on the porch playing Wii bowling and golf. And what's this I hear? Becca knocked out her father in boxing???

We never had Atari, Nintendo or XBox at our house. We didn't even get cable until the kids moved out of the house. But I have to say...this Wii thing is a lot of fun. My brother Rob gave his kids WiiSports as a Christmas gift. He had the smarts to have them open it at Grandma and Grandpa's house in Florida with the family all around. Yes! It's been on every day since Christmas morning. My parents have the perfect spot for it, out on their screened-in Florida porch. We don't need a big screen TV to enjoy this game. We've played bowling, golf, tennis,baseball and boxing. Boxing is too intense for me first thing in the morning. Bob and Becca worked up a sweat and I banished them to the showers. As soon as they relinquished their controllers, Grandma and Grandpa took over. If you're not playing, you're in the audience. The difference I see from past video/DVD games, is there can be more family participation and involvement. My brothers are thinking of starting up a Tuesday night bowling league, originating from Atlanta, Savannah, and Dallas. Of course, that would mean we'd all have to get a Wii. After the fun we've all had this holiday, a Wii may be in our near future.

One negative...we are all sore from playing these multiple sports. Becca's thinking she may be getting tennis elbow! Bob's out running now to get in shape to box some more. Fanatical? Well, maybe just a little. But I'm sure that once we get home and are faced with work and house stuff, we'll forget about playing the game. You think?

Mom, Dad, Mickey & Minnie

2008-12-18T04:43:00.000-08:00

We're spending Christmas in Florida this year, and I can't wait. Even though I was brought up a Yankee, I've learned that my body does so much better in warmer weather. Not hot weather, but nice, cool 60-70 degree weather. Love it. According to weather.com, that's what we should be expecting down there.

But besides the warmer weather, I look forward to spending time with my family. It's been a rough year for my folks. Dad had quadruple bypass surgery in February, from which he's recovered well. Mom had a knee replacement and is still bothered by the after effects. They finished off the attic space above the garage to accommodate more of the grandchildren. The space will get used as two of my brothers and their families will be there as well as Bob and I, along with Pam, John and Becca. There will be 15 of us, sleeping in every nook and cranny, but we love it. We've done this for many years. I remember a year when my youngest brother, single at the time, had to sleep on a cot in the small entry way by the front door! It works when the family gets along! And we do, as long as we're not playing Trivial Pursuit or Pictionary. Then it gets a little intense. We mainly stick to Rummikub or Dominoes. Not as competitive.

This year Bob and I decided to take the family to Disney World before heading down to my parents' house. We made this decision back in the summer, and now are very happy we have a fun distraction before the new year. Bob's prostate surgery is scheduled for January 12th. He'll be down at UTSouthwestern Medical Center for a few days. We feel very good about the procedure. We are blessed to be in a city with great medical care. But we also know that our Great Physician will be with us. We have a lot of people praying for Bob.

So we are off for the holiday. Going to see Mickey and Minnie first. Can't wait to see all the lights. Disney is magical. You can feel like a kid no matter what your age. We've got our itinerary thanks to John who has been thinking about this trip between law finals. I told him I just need to see Buzz Lightyear, Pirates and the Haunted Mansion. And of course, the Castle all lit up.

Wishing everyone a most blessed Christmas! May you feel the hope and peace that comes from knowing our Lord, Jesus Christ.

2008-12-07T19:07:00.000-08:00

Instead of being one long journey, life seems to be made up of a series of journeys. You travel down one road, reach a fork, need to make a decision on which way to go and continue on your way. Sometimes the decision is an easy one. The choice is clear, because maybe the other way is obviously blocked and impassable. Sometimes the decision is not yours to make...it's already been made for you. Then there are times when the decision is difficult, because the choice is not clear. While standing at the crossroads, the paths that are in front of you may appear to be the same, but we really don't know where they are leading us. Here's where we step out in faith. It's easy to say we have faith when the road is clear and the journey seems to be going smoothly. But it's a whole different ballgame when the road's a little foggy and the bumps in the road are rough and jolting.

We are now traveling down a familiar road. One we journeyed about 16 years ago. We learned a lot on that road back then. It was rough and difficult at times, but we had the best traveling companion, Jesus Christ. He never left us. He stayed with us through all those visits to Children's Medical Center. He was and is The Great Physician.

We are again asking for His services. A week ago, Bob was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The good news in this is that we caught it early, and there are treatment options that could yield good results. Choosing the right treatment is the difficult decision. So we will be researching our options to help us in that decision.

We are praying that God would direct us to the right doctor. We feel blessed that we live in an area with excellent health care. Our options are great, but we need His help in making this choice. We have already seen God's hand in this situation. It's amazing.

We know the power of prayer, and we are asking our friends and family to lift Bob up in prayer. Christ knows our needs, but prayer is a form of worship, and we are here to glorify Him.

So our prayer is that while we are on this journey, though rough it may be at times, may we always remember that Christ is our traveling companion, actually going before us and guiding us along the path. May He be glorified in whatever situation we may find ourselves.

He will never leave us nor forsake us. Blessed be His name.

2008-11-29T14:35:00.000-08:00

This has to be the prettiest fall season we have had here in north Texas. The trees have kept their color for the longest time. The colors are brilliant. The reds are the deepest and brightest ever. I'm amazed every day as I travel down the roads. The colors just lift my spirits. I love this time of year.

Today Bob and I traveled out to Rockwall to witness the marriage of a longtime friend, Mary. We met Mary and her husband Kim when our firstborns were just babies. Another couple, Bob and Beth, had brought us together in a bible study. We did a lot together those first years, including being pregnant at the same time, each with our second child. But then as life happens, we moved to the west side of Dallas (Flower Mound), while they moved to the east side (Heath). We didn't see each other much, but kept in touch with cards and letters. Four years ago, we got an unexpected call telling us that Kim had died from a heart attack. He was only in his early 50's. Mary was too young to be a widow. The funeral, sad as it was, was a reunion of sorts, with Bob and Beth coming in from North Carolina.

When the invitation arrived in the mail last month, announcing Mary's upcoming marriage, tears of joy were shed. The ceremony was at the same church in Rockwall where Mary had held Kim's funeral service four years earlier. The bride and groom were extremely happy. Their story is an amazing testimony of God's faithfulness. Mary and Richard...we wish you all the best. And thank you, Lord, for bringing the joy back into Mary's life through this new life partner.

May Thanksgiving blessings abound for you this wonderful season!

Monday Morning

2008-10-27T05:05:00.000-07:00

It's Monday and I really wanted to stay in bed this morning...at least for another 30 minutes. The weather is cooler and it's great sleeping weather. But I had a dream that I was late for school, so no sleeping in this morning. Why I am writing this blog, I don't know. My mind's been a little scattered lately. Lots floating around up there.

I'm missing Becca who is with my folks in Florida right now. She's there for a little comforting support for my mom whose knee replacement surgery didn't go as smoothly as she had hoped.

Have a lot of prayer requests out there for family members who are going through "life stuff."

It's funny how young couples are having the same money issues as most young couples have had in their marriages. But it's amazing to see how they deal with money problems when they bring God into the equation.

I'm loving my bible study in Ephesians right now with a fabulous group of ladies. I can't miss a Tuesday night.

Looking forward to this weekend and catching up with Dave and Penny.

I love the word "serendipitously." It makes lifes interesting.

Lately I'm thinking...why is change so hard for everyone?

Well, got to go. School is waiting and I can't be late.

Happy Monday!

An Anniversary to Remember

2008-10-24T16:46:00.000-07:00

It was 34 years ago today. The setting was the Rutgers Student Center on the campus of Rutgers College, News Brunswick, New Jersey. The movie "Jesus Christ Superstar" was playing at the student center. The guy was an electrical engineer and the girl was a psychology major. The hair was a bit different than today. He had chops, and she had straight hair down her back. She was nervous, and if asked, he'd probably say the same. The night ended with a kiss on the stairs of her all-girl dorm.

October 24, 1974...our first date.

A Public Service Announcement

2008-10-05T06:30:00.000-07:00

Get rid of your debit cards.

That's my advice to everyone after our family has been violated a second time in two months. My card number was used only once for $400 at a department store in Mexico. I was inconvenienced as I had to go into my bank to sign a fraud statement. The money was put back into my account within 10 days. A new card number was sent to me. In the meantime, I used a credit card.

Bob just came back from a business trip to Asia. He spent his birthday in Vietnam. He came home Saturday morning pretty tired. Saturday afternoon he gets a phone call from our bank's fraud alert department. Someone in New York, in just three hours at Macy's department store, spent $2658 with Bob's debit card number! Yeah. That's a chunk of change. Right out of our account. As Becca said, someone's walking around with some nice shoes. They used the card 9 times in 3 hours. Happy Birthday Bob.

We feel violated. We feel mad. We don't feel safe. You work hard. You put your money in a bank where you think it's safe. This really stinks. Bob will be inconvenienced now. He'll have to call the bank on Monday. (Why do these things happen on a weekend when you can't get any help?) The bank won't be able to do anything till all the charges post. All NINE of them! He'll have to leave work to go sign a statement, and then we wait till the bank "investigates." Whatever that means. This is a lot of money, so it may be a criminal investigation, who knows?

Whatever, it really stinks.

Bring it On!

2008-09-18T17:06:00.001-07:00

I absolutely love this time of the year. The weather is gorgeous. Nice and cool. Crisp, clean air. As opposed to the heavy, humid, ozone-filled summer air. People are out and about, walking, running, riding their bikes. Love it. And today I saw an air balloon. Sure sign of better weather. I was out in the yard (imagine that) and I heard this strange noise. It was strange, but strangely familiar. Then I heard the neighborhood dogs barking. Looking up, I saw it. Right over the house. And then all of a sudden I got nostalgic. Our first dog, Mindy, always barked at air balloons. I smiled as I remembered how Bob and I would hear her bark and know for certain that air balloons were in the sky. She had this characteristic bark just for air balloons. Wow. It's been a while. Anyway, this weather is great and I hope you are getting to enjoy it.

What fun!

2008-09-08T15:44:00.000-07:00

This "Yearbook Yourself" craze has hit our home, and from what I can see from Steve and Mish's facebook, they found it too. So just for fun...

This is me in 8th grade (minus the makeup and wrinkles!).

This is me in my senior year of high school. Same hair (minus the bangs).

And this is the picture Becca wants me to put on my facebook! I did have glasses like that though, but not in the 50's! Too young, ha ha!

2008-08-20T05:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back at school this week. Summer is officially over. It's been nonstop since we got home from Portland. All I can say is...I wish I was back on the beach in Manzanita. Can you blame me?

2008-07-25T05:20:00.000-07:00

Today is one of the reasons why I don't want to retire in North Texas. Apparently this July is one of the hottest on record. I just received my electric bill with service dates of 6/10-7/10. Bob and I were not at home for most of that time period. We set the thermostat on 80 when we are traveling. Yet I received the highest electric bill in the 22 years we've been in this house. And we don't have a large house by FloMo standards. It kills me to pay that bill.

But now, to add insult to injury as the saying goes (I think)...on one of the hottest days of the month, our a/c compressor stops. We have no air conditioning in our house. And there's 5 people here right now. Five pretty sweaty people. Very soon, cranky people. Bob and John thankfully left this morning for air conditioned offices. Pam, Becca and I will brave the heat. Poor Becca. She has the added sweat-making back brace, complete with foam and plastic surrounding the upper half of her body. And she can't go in the pool. I thought about sleeping in the pool last night, but I didn't think it'd be safe.

Well, the a/c guy is coming out today. I'm looking forward to air conditioning, but not to the price of a new unit. Our old unit gave us a good 17 years or so. We had to fill it with freon on several occasions, and we knew it would soon have to be replaced. But why do these things always happen at the most inconvenient time? Please don't tell me character building.

Simple pleasures

2008-07-17T05:48:00.000-07:00

It's funny how your perspective on things can change when you travel abroad...things I appreciate about my home in FloMo...

> a shower with great water pressure with a shower head that doesn't have to be held in my hand as I wash
> a shower with a door
> a shower that doesn't have me hurdling to get into it
>face cloths
>soft toilet paper (Okay, I'm obsessed with the bathroom issues.)
>good restaurant service
>fast restaurant service (There are times when I just don't have 3 hours to eat lunch.)
>strangers who smile at you as you pass by them, just to be friendly
>men who have the courtesy to let a woman out of the elevator first
>no smoking laws in restaurants, even when eating outside
>a Chick-Fil-A sweet ice tea
>road signs in English! They really help, believe me.
>a church community that is alive and thriving
Just simple things really.

2008-07-11T06:28:00.000-07:00

A few funny stories from Italia...

Bob and I hopped on a tram to take a ride into the center of Milan. About 10 minutes into our ride, we heard a screech and some scraping noises. The tram stopped and one of the conductors got off to inspect a parked car that just happened to have its nose on the tram track. Remember I told you that cars are parked everywhere?? Apparently the tram driver saw the car, but decided to see if the tram could squeeze by. Obviously not. So one of the drivers got off to go look for the car owner in the bar across the street. The other tram driver sounded an alarm to alert anyone nearby that just may happen to see what was going on. After some minutes, a very harried young man ran up to the car, with a look of apology on his face, hopped in and drove off. The tram then started on its way again. We eventually made it to our destination.

After getting off the tram, we decided to get something to eat before we sightseed. We spotted a decent looking cafe across the plaza and had lunch there. Before we left, I made my way to the "toilett." I should have thought something was strange when a "gentleman" (and I use this term lightly) was walking towards the bathroom in front of me and already undoing his belt and unzipping his pants. There was only one door marked "toilett" and I was unsure about entering, much less following this man into the same room. There was an English-speaking man behind me who assured me that this was indeed the correct room. I wasn't sure of what I would find as I opened the door. What I discovered later was a communal room with two sinks and stalls with doors clearly marked men's and women's. What I didn't expect though was the man in front of me deciding to use the sink instead of the stall. I immediately turned around and got out of there as quickly as possible. The English-speaking man behind me just shook his head and continued into the toilett. Before entering later, I had Bob run interference for me!

Our sightseeing trip to Milan was short, but we were able to see the duomo and the main plaza in the city. The visit was complete with a taste of gelato.

When in Rome...

2008-07-09T01:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, well, I'm not actually in Rome, nor do I plan on being there this trip. But I am in Italy, though northern Italy, which I hear is very different from southern Italy. Probably like comparing a Yankee and a Texan. In the few days I've been here in Milan, I have made these observations. Forgive me for generalizing a bit, though, I don't think I'm that far off.

When in Italy, to be like a native, I would ...

> have to drive fast and crazy. Forget the road signs, of which there are way too many (and who can read them anyway?) and just drive however you like. No one follows the rules of the road. As long as you don't kill anyone, you're okay. Taking a taxi anywhere in the city is like going on a ride at Six Flags, complete with the strong grip on Bob's hand. The cabbies drive anywhere they like, even if the road belongs to the trams. Riding the tram rails, slamming on the brakes inches from the tram. Oh yes, now that's a taxi ride.
> have to park my car in a different spot every day. Parking is a real problem in the city. Cars are parked everywhere. Literally every empty possible spot. That could mean on the grass somewhere, or on a sidewalk. And the cars are nose to nose. If you can't parallel park, forget it. I think I'd just park my car once and leave it there forever. I'm not sure I could get in and out of the spot without damaging it or another car.
> have to smoke. Italians love their cigarettes. Tobacco bars seem to be on every corner. The country is in the process of passing smoke-free laws and that won't be very popular. So people congregate on the sidewalks and in front of restaurants and smoke.
> have to love to eat late and linger over a meal. The whole "eating late" idea is prevalent in Europe, but taking 4 hours to eat a meal is not something we are used to in the states. Last night we went to eat in the center city of Milan. The restaurant was in a very pretty area along the canal. The Romans had built the canals centuries and centuries ago. Our reservation was at 8:00 pm. Menus consist of about 4-5 courses. We didn't leave until midnight. It wasn't that we took that long to eat. Service is slow. Italians are not in a hurry (unless they are driving). Eating is expected to be an "experience worth enjoying." So at midnight, upon leaving the restaurant and hailing a taxi, one would see that the city was still wide awake. On a weekday, stores were still open. People were still walking around as if it were 7:00 at night. Crazy. I will tell you that my body is not used to getting in bed at 1:00 am and waking at 7:00 am.
> have to love my native language. Italians love their language. They seem to talk louder and more demonstrative. Not as many Italians know English. I found that out a few times on my excursion into the city yesterday. I walked into a tobacco bar to purchase a tram ticket. The shopkeeper didn't understand me and called over a younger female assistant. Her English was very limited though she was probably in her early 20's. While I was walking around the city, I had a few people come up to me and ask me something in Italian. They couldn't understand me and I couldn't understand them. I didn't enjoy that feeling.
> have to engage in PDA. Oh yes, Italians are romantics or so I've heard. PDA is everywhere, and across all ages.
> have to love graffiti. There is graffiti everywhere! It seems that not one building is spared. It's all over the city. Some of it is art actually, but much is just writing. I have to say that it takes away from the beauty of the city and gives it a "dark" feeling.
> have to love wine. No problem there. Bob and I were introduced to a new drink that we are surely going to have to find in the states. But you can only drink so much of it...

Bob and I are going to have an opportunity to sightsee a bit in Milan later this afternoon before we go back to Germany tomorrow. There's a Duomo (cathedral) and some other interesting sights. Apparently Leonardo DaVinci's original Last Supper is displayed somewhere in the city. We're sure there are some pretty areas of the city. We just need to explore.

Ciao!

2008-07-08T02:36:00.000-07:00

Are we ever to old to learn something new? I hope not.

I am sitting here in a hotel lobby in Milan. It looks like any "normal" hotel lobby that we would find in the states, except that the language is clearly different. I'm in a foreign country and I can't understand the language. I don't like this at all. It makes me feel separate...alone...different...even ignorant. And what makes it worse...most people speak English. Yes, most western Europeans can speak at least two languages, their native and English. Bob's German colleague, Stephan, whom we are traveling with on this trip, speaks German, French, Italian and English, and all very well. He says he dreams in English, not even German. Crazy! I can't even imagine dreaming in another language.

So can it happen? Can I even learn another language now? What will it take for that to happen? I bought a European phrase book in the airport. Common phrases for 14 languages. Do you think that's a start??
Auf Wiedersehen. Au revoir. Ciao!

The Pain of Being So Far From Home

2008-07-04T11:28:00.000-07:00

I just feel the need to blog this and say how blessed Bob and I are to have the family and friends we have in our lives. Most of you know already, since I've been emailing all day, that Becca fell off a ladder at Pine Cove and fractured a vertebrae in her back. Playing "commando" of all things. Her duty was to be on the tower (20 feet high) with a megaphone. She loves that job. Well climbing up the ladder, it decided to give way, and down she went, landing with the megaphone hitting her head. So Bob gets a call at the office in the UK. (Did I say we were in London on business??) It's 3 a.m. Texas time, 9:00 am London time. I come into the office at 10:00. He doesn't want to tell me. I see this look on his face. I can tell something is wrong. He tells me Becca has called and that she's okay, "but..." My heart drops to my stomach. I get the sketchy details and of course, want more. But we are across the ocean and it's 4 in the morning in Texas. Good luck. Lord, I am now very thankful for Bob's blackberry. I initially hated the intrusion it had in our lives, but now am grateful that it can easily connect me across the ocean.

I am so thankful for the friends and family who offered to handle this for us in our absence. As of this writing, Dan and Donna are picking up Becca from Pine Cove. They are driving her car home and taking her to their house to recuperate temporarily. Pam asked for a week off from work, most likely without pay, but willing to work whatever over-time she needed to the following week. She will stay at our home with Becca.

I praise God for the family and friends He has surrounded us with. I know He has Becca in His hands. The pain of being so far away is still there, but we are comforted. Again, His faithfulness never ends.

A Wedding in Tennessee

2008-06-23T16:57:00.000-07:00

Ryan Russell married Susan Benjey this past weekend at Deer Run Lodge just outside on Nashville, Tennessee. Bob and I were fortunate to share in this celebration. The wedding took place outside in a beautiful setting of tall trees. Deer Run reminds us a bit of Pine Cove. Maybe that is why they decided on the place for their wedding. It was lovely. The couple were gorgeous and very happy. It was a delight to see.

Sharing this time with friends, Bob and Kellie, along with Dan and Donna, made it very special. We even had time on Sunday to cruise around Nashville and do some sightseeing. A stop at the Pancake Pantry, a Nashville tradition, was a treat. Bob and I flew back with the Riskeys, and after many years of flying, we finally were piloted by one of our own American Airlines' friends, Jon Vise. He said he'd be "gentle" and he was, a very smooth flight back home.

Tennessee was absolutely picturesque, but it's good to be back in Texas.

A Trip Down Memory Lane, Part One

2008-06-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

Bob and I are up here in the northeast visiting family. We flew into the "lovely" Newark Airport, rented a car, and drove up to Ridgefield, Connecticut to stay a few days with his brother, Jim, and his wife, Randi. We paid $8.00 to cross the George Washington Bridge into New York City, but driving up the highway along the Hudson River had some very pretty sights to see. Bob's sister, Suzanne, and her husband, Ray, drove in from the Boston area to spend the night with us. It was a very fun reunion, filled with great food, wine and conversation. Randi enjoys cooking, so we were treated to some wonderful meals. We stayed two nights at their lovely home in the woods of Connecticut, touring the quaint, old village of Ridgefield, filled with homes built in the 1700's. A bit different than FloMo. Just had to add the picture of Cooper, Randi and Jim's bearded collie. He's a 49 pound bundle of hair. Very sweet and lovable. I think I may have a new breed of dog to love.

After leaving Jim and Randi's, we headed to New Jersey and drove through my "hometown" of Old Tappan. My folks moved there from Queens, New York, in 1958, when I was 2 years old. We lived in the house until they moved in 1975, just before my second year of college at Rutgers. The picture here shows the house after my folks added the addition. The original house was half this size. The yard was filled with trees my dad had transplanted over the years. I guess the new owner didn't like trees, so he cut them all down. How sad.

It's funny, how when you see places later in life, how small they appear compared to how you remember them. Growing up, I thought we had all this property, as my brothers and I, along with all the neighborhood kids, played games in the yard. Back when we didn't have video games and computers. I lived in a neighborhood filled with kids. A good, Catholic neghborhood. We had a small family with only 4 kids. Most everyone had more, and we had multiple families with 10 or more. One family, the Muth's had 13. We never saw the mom. Wonder why?

We stopped in at the neighbor's across the street from my old house. Mrs. DiMola has lived there since 1953. She raised 6 children in
the house. We chatted for a bit. If we had more time, I could have probably learned all the "dirt" in the town. At the age of 84, she was still sharp and active. It was fun to hear about the old neighbors. We drove by my old high school, Northern Valley Regional, and it appeared as if no improvements had been made in the 34 years! Even the football stadium was puny, of course when compared to our Texas high school stadiums. But apparently, according to Mrs. DiMola, they did add astroturf! The stands were the size of our middle school stands.

The town had changed quite a bit over the years. Gone were the vegetable farms, replaced by neighborhoods filled with huge homes costing well over half a million and more. Older homes were torn down to build the McMansions. Mrs. DiMola said that any home for sale that was more than 30 years old could be demolished for a newer home. Again, how sad.

After our visit to Old Tappan, we drove to Bogota, New Jersey to see Bob's first house. He lived there until he was 10, before he moved to Bridgewater where his parents now live. Again, things looked so small now compared to when we were MUCH younger. And there is some comfort in the fact that some things never change. Like some of the rooms at his parent's house in Bridgewater. They appear frozen in time. As I sat in his folk's living room today, in Bob's grandmother's rocking chair, I thought back to when 31 years ago I sat in this same room for my wedding shower. The years do fly by.

Isn't School Out Yet?

2008-06-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

It's strange. It's June. And we're still in school. Something new for Texas. In years past, we didn't go back after Memorial Day. Summer started at that holiday. But this is different. We've been in school for two weeks after Memorial Day. The kids are tired. The teachers are tired. My brain is fried. I want to come home every day after school and just lay down. It's too hot to be in school. I know I'm whining, but please let me me. Just two more days. Then I'll be okay. Summer vacation officially starts June 6th.

Bob and I have some plans to see family this summer and that's always nice. Planning on visiting Steve and Mish in Portland in August. I think that will be a good plan. Should be a lot cooler up there in August than in Texas. The Texas heat seems to be more of a pain the older I get. I'm a 70 degree girl. 60's and 70's. Those are my temperatures. Kind of like the decades.

So here's to a cooler summer! Do you think we have a chance?

30th Wedding Anniversary Weekend

2008-05-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

Today is Bob's and my 30th wedding anniversary. And if you are expecting me to say it...yes, I can't believe it's been that many years. Amazing. We wanted to get away for the weekend, so we traveled back to Granbury to stay at a favorite bed and breakfast called The Pomegranate House. Betty and Tommy Potts are the most gracious owners and hosts. We had stayed here once before for only one night, and liked it so much, that we came back for three nights. Tommy and Betty have a special for returning guests, three nights for the price of two. We took advantage of it on this Memorial Day weekend. We are very glad we did, because Tommy and Betty recently sold the Pom House and will have their last weekend as hosts the very next weekend. They have opted to move to be closer and more available to their grandchildren. Obviously running a B & B doesn't allow for free time with family on the weekends and holidays. The Pom House is great. There's five rooms, two in the house, and three cottages. We stayed in one of the cottages. They're comfortable and private. Tommy and Betty serve you coffee on the porch every morning around 7:15 or 7:30. Breakfast is at 9:00, and it is unbelieveable. Way too much delicious food. We enjoyed visiting with the other guests over breakfast. There were two other couples that were staying the same amount of time as us. Then other couples came in for either one or two nights. One morning we sat for over two hours at breakfast, just chatting with some other couples. We didn't have an agenda, so we weren't in any rush to take off. Betty always had sun tea ready on the porch any time we dropped by. And at night, Tommy had a fire going on the backyard patio. One night, Bob and I just sat on the double swing and just enjoyed the outdoors. Let me just say, it was really hard to go back to work this week.

Bob and I very much felt wonderfully relaxed. Like I said, it was a no-agenda weekend.We needed exactly that. We leisurely walked through the stores in the historic Granbury square. They even have a trolley to take you right from their doorstop into the square. There's a drive-in movie theater that was showing the new "Indiana Jones." Other guests went and said it was a fun experience. Bob and I weren't as excited about sitting in a warm car, and will opt for watching that movie in stadium, rocking seats in air conditioning. We did, however, take the Granbury Riverboat dinner cruise, complete with a nice meal and entertainment. Lake Granbury is part of the Brazos River, and unlike the lakes near us in Flo Mo, there are a lot of houses all along the waterfront. A mix of permanent homes, retirees, and weekend second homes. Very beautiful areas.

One night we ate at a place that came highly recommended called "Let's Eat." It's about 15 miles west from Granbury in Bluffdale. It's a hole-in-the-wall. A concrete, cinder-block building in a town so small you'd better not blink as you are driving through or you might miss it. Apparently the chef (and owner) used to work at The Mansion in Dallas. He got tired of the rat race in the city and moved out to Bluffdale. He's won the State Beef Cook-off the last two years. The place will only hold about 30 people tops. It has a few booths and then a long, communal table. The kitchen is in the same room. They clip the orders on a string with clothespins. The menu is not what you'd expect. Dinners range from 11.95 to 24.95. The fish of the day was sea bass. Bob and I, who never really eat a big beef dinner, ordered the rib-eye. Oh my. It was delicious. The sides were also wonderful. This place opens at 6:00. You can't walk in before that, because the door's locked. He opens it when he's ready. You'd better get there early, because there's usually a line forming outside. If there's not enough room, you can wait across the street at "The Greenwood" and they'll call you over there. The Greenwood is another experience in itself. An old tavern/Texas dance hall/honkey tonk. Oh yeah. You just gotta see it to believe it.

Our 30th wedding annivesary was low-key and relaxing. Just a time spent together. Not very different than our 30 years of marriage. If someone asked us what was the key to a long marriage, we'd have to answer, a faith in Christ, as number one. It is our faith in Christ that has given us the joy on the mountain tops and the deliverance through the valleys. God blessed me with a man who has been my best friend for 34 years. As we toasted our anniversary at Parma's Restaurant this evening, we looked forward to another 30 years!

2008-05-22T05:11:00.000-07:00

Missing my family...and wishing they'd blog. Or call. Or email. Just keep in touch. Love you all!

Another Great Milestone

2008-05-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

On May 10, 2008, the Davis family reached another wonderful milestone. All three of our children have now graduated from college. We are so very proud to say that Becca graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor's degree in Communications. Congrats to you, Becca! The world is an open door to you. May you walk through that door with your head held high, supported by an enormous amount of love from your family and friends.

Homecoming

2008-05-07T05:15:00.001-07:00

Well, he's not quite like the prodigal son. He didn't go off and squander the family fortune. But he's coming home...even if just for a week. And we are going to celebrate. Steve and Mish fly in this afternoon from Portland. We haven't seen them since Thanksgiving. Becca hasn't seen them since they left in August. Too long. So we're a bit excited and praying that the storms don't mess up their flight. We'll have a busy time with them. Becca's graduation and birthday. Mother's Day together with my mom. Don't remember the last time I spent a Mother's Day with my mother. What a blessing to have family together! Even if just for a short time. :)

A TAKSing time

2008-05-01T05:09:00.000-07:00

It's been a TAKSing week. Tuesday...Math, Wednesday...Reading, and today...makeups for those who were absent, along with 5th grade Science. Yeah, my sciatic nerve is flaring up from sitting on my butt all day watching students take a TAKS test. I guess it could be worse. I could be taking the tests. It's a trying week for all involved. The whole school can't take a recess. It's been gorgeous outside, but no recess because it may cause noise and distraction for the test takers.
I am so looking forward to Friday!

And next week my beloved children are altogether as we celebrate Becca's graduation from Arkansas!! My parents are flying in from Florida. Haven't seen them since February when my Dad had quadruple bypass! But now, praise God, he's recovering and converting the attic over the garage into living space! So, next week can't come soon enough.

The New Camp

2008-04-17T05:09:00.001-07:00

This was the first year of Camp Briarwood, the new option for 5th grade science camp. For many, many years, the district has sent 5th graders to a week-long science camp in Oklahoma, either Camp Classen or Camp Goddard. I think they'd been doing that for almost 30 years. My kids all went, Steve to Camp Goddard with Bob, and the girls to Camp Classen. It was a great experience. I was able to go the last two years as a teacher, and though it was a lot of work, it was a very fun and rewarding experience. But for whatever reasons, and I'm not sure anyone really knows, the district decided not to continue this tradition. Instead, we now take a 15 minute bus ride to a camp in Copper Canyon. We don't spend the night, just one full day and a regular school day. This was my school's week. We were there Monday until 7:30 pm and then Tuesday until 2:00 pm.

I've just got to say...it's definitely not the same. Not even close. The camp is nothing like Camp Classen or Goddard. Small and lacking the amenities and activities. The teachers were disappointed. The trails were not marked well. The cabins with bathrooms needed updating. The toilets didn't work properly. Not good when you have 100 kids with you and only a few bathrooms. We only get one meal provided, dinner on Monday night. The rest is provided by the school and lunches are brought by the students. The district pays a lot of money to this camp, and I personally think it's not worth it. The highlight of my trail was the farm animals. These are actual petting zoo animals (they run a business from this, hmmmm.) but we couldn't pet the animals. I think that was my hardest job. Telling 100 kids that they couldn't pet the adorable little goats and other assorted animals that poked their heads through the fence to be petted. It was hard for me.

So I'm waiting for the survey that I hope will come from the district. I've got some feedback that I'd like them to read.

Speaking of storms...

2008-04-04T05:20:00.000-07:00

Ah, spring time in Texas! Isn't it wonderful? So at around 3:00 in the morning, I thought we were being attacked. No, really. I've never heard such pelting on the roof. I jumped out of bed, yelling to Bob to get up because I thought the windows were breaking. In my living room of the house, the room with the highest peak and least amount of attic space, I thought for sure that any minute I was going to have rain coming in on me. The noise from the hail was so loud. It was deafening. Then, to make the morning even more exciting...the tornado sirens go off. We turn on the TV to see a very colorful radar screen with the heaviest and darkest color right smack in Lewisville and Flower Mound. As if we didn't already know. I asked Bob if we should get in the closet. He grabs his laptop and puts it in the closet, but we just stand there and watch the TV. I walked around the house, trying to see out the windows to make sure our trees were still standing. We've had such bad luck with weather and trees this year. The inch or more size hail covers the backyard. I'm thinking I'm glad I didn't plant new flowers yesterday, but hoping my impatiens will last through the night. I suppose if we had children living at home, I'd be worried about them and they'd be in the closet...with the laptop! The sirens finally go off, and we go back to bed. The alarm goes off a few hours later. Oh thank God it's Friday!

Thought for the Day

2008-03-31T05:21:00.001-07:00

From my morning devotional:

"Jesus Christ is no security against storms, but He is perfect security in storms. He has never promised you an easy passage, only a safe landing."

Happy Monday!

Seeing Old Friends

2008-03-29T17:26:00.000-07:00

There are numerous advantages to living in the same place for so many years. One of which is getting to "do life" (as Brent McKinney says) with many people. Last night, while dining at one of our favorite Thai restaurants, Noodle Swing, a couple, Russ and Mary, happened by on their way out of the restaurant. They stopped to chat, and ended up sitting for a bit as we had so much to catch up on. We met this couple and their three children when we attended another church some years ago. While we were at that church, we were all involved in a "puppet ministry" and made a trip one year to other areas of Texas, using puppets to spread the gospel. Our children were in middle and elementary school, and it was a lot of fun.

So when they stopped to visit with us, it was as if the years between had disappeared. It was comfortable, and I liked that. We enjoyed our chat, and as they left, we said we needed to meet again...perhaps at Noodle Swing, a favorite of theirs also.

We've met a lot of people over the years living in Flower Mound. Too many to keep up with on a regular basis. But it's fun to be able to see some every so often and catch up on life. Life in FloMo...it does have its advantages.

From the Other Side of the Pond

2008-03-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

I'm blessed that Bob's job gives us the opportunity to travel abroad. As a young adult, many years ago, I wouldn't have thought I would be able to do this. The usual mode of travel as I was growing up was the family station wagon, plastered with stickers from all the states we had visited going across the country. Think National Lampoon's Family Vacation with Chevy Chase. We didn't stay in Hiltons, but rather Motel 6 or Howard Johnsons. If we weren't in a motel, we would be camping in our huge family tent. There were six of us and sometimes a friend or two. Was it fun? Oh yes! Loved it, but hated the unpacking when we got home. Worst part of the trip.
I didn't take my first plane trip until I was a teenager. I went with one of my brothers to visit a great aunt in Chicago. Then I didn't fly again until I was in college. My children, however, started flying when they were about 4 months old. It's what we did because the grandparents were so far away. All my children have been abroad now. They had passports as teenagers. So different from my youth. They've been to Mexico (though that's not really abroad!), Holland, Greece, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland, Belgium, and now the UK.
Pam, John and Becca accompanied Bob and I to London over spring break. Bob and I have always wanted to travel abroad with the "kids." Ideally we wanted Steve and Mish to come along, but new job situations didn't allow this trip. We told them they are next in line!
We had a great time. London in March is cold and rainy, but we didn't let the occasional drizzle ruin our trip. Apparently a lot of other people felt the same way. London was very crowded. More so than when Bob and I were there last June. We moved around a bit. Stayed in London two nights, then in a B & B outside of London for two nights, then back to London. The kids got a taste of riding the "tubes" and hopping buses all over the city. Poor Bob had to work most of the time. I suppose someone has to pay for the trip! But we enjoyed spending what time we did have with them, eating great food, seeing some wonderful sights and just being together in a new and different environment. John now has a taste for English Breakfast tea. I'm not sure he liked the fish and chips as much. The fish is whole and not skinless. Becca would have shopped till she dropped if her credit card (and me) would have let her. Pam would have stayed in the museums all day if her family had her stamina! But we had a great time and I am looking forward to more trips in the future. It was amazing that John, Becca and I all had the same spring break. What a blessing.

2008-02-11T05:07:00.000-08:00

A GPS only works when you put the right address into it. I know this is stating the obvious, but it was confirmed to us this weekend. Bob, Pam and I were on our way to a wedding in Lancaster for Sarah, a friend of Pam's whom she's known since Camp Esperanza days. We were already running late as we didn't anticipate the Dallas traffic. Of course, we should have known better, but Bob did a great job of maneuvering through the stop and go traffic on I-35. We were about 10 minutes behind and hoping the wedding started late. We got off I-35 and onto another highway when we saw that the exit we were supposed to take was now closed. So we got off at the next exit, hearing in a British voice "recalculating, recalculating." Speeding down a two-lane country road (Lancaster is pretty rural.), we finally heard "turn left, arriving at address..." We turned, passed two old ranch homes and then saw a sight that immediately threw me into panic mode. It couldn't be. It wasn't. The church. Right out of "Little House on the Prairie." It even had a crooked wooden cross right over the door.

Pam, being the ever so clever girl, says "Stop. I have to take this picture!" Meanwhile we are now 12 minutes late. We backed up (the road had ended), and turned to go back, somewhere. Thank God for Baptist church steeples. There in the distance was a tall, white steeple. It had to be the church. I looked at the invitation and repeated the address. 805 E. Third Street. 805???Bob had misread the fancy script on the invitation and put 305 into the GPS. He probably wasn't wearing his reading glasses at the time. We raced over there, jumped out of the car, ran into the church and quietly slipped in the back just in time to hear them say their vows. Thank goodness the church was big and full of people. The wedding was lovely...and short. The bride was very beautiful. The reception was in a very large, nice room at the Waxahatchie Civic Center. All the people serving the food were friends of the family. It seems that years ago, a group of friends made a pact to help out at each other's children's weddings. That included doing all the decorating, flowers, food etc. It reminded me of what weddings must have been like at say...305 E. Third Street, the little white wooden frame church...on the prairie.

Besides the wedding, we had a pretty busy weekend with Pam. We brought Toby, our foster dog, to the Adopt-a-Pet. We had him groomed just days before to "show him off" and apparently it worked. He didn't even make it into his crate at the AAP, before someone was interested in adopting him. Of course, Bob and I had only good things to say about him. I told Bob we need to be in sales. He said, "I am." Oh, yeah, that's right. Gabby, the other dog we fostered for a bit, also got adopted. It was a sad day for Bob, but I think he'll live. We agreed to wait a bit before we commit to another dog. Fostering Toby was an experience. Bob and I both lost a pair of shoes. I have some upholstery to repair yet. But we nursed him back to health from a car accident, so we feel pretty good about that. I think next time I pray for a dog, I'm going to be very specific!

Just want to say...spending time with adult children is great. It's amazing how much they remember about their childhood that parents forget...or did we even know to begin with? Alot of memories have been made in 22 years in FloMo, and I'm very thankful for that.

2008-02-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

So now it's February...I haven't blogged since the end of December. For many reasons. Not much to blog about unless you think the following is blog-worthy...

We've been fostering dogs, one to start, then added one, now back to one. It's been an experience. At times I thought Bob and I were certifiably crazy. No, not just thought we were, knew. If anyone knows of a family with kids who want a very happy, affectionate, playful medium-sized dog, we have him. He'll be at the Adopt-a-Pet at Petsmart on Saturday the 9th. He came with the name Elvis, but we renamed him Toby.

I was sick with daily headaches, starting at Christmas time and lasting into January. Thankfully, they have subsided thanks to physical therapy and medical massage therapy. Apparently I have three herniated disks in my neck that could most likely have been causing the headaches. Oh, the pleasures of aging! As the headaches subsided, a cold followed. And just when I thought I was on the mend, a sinus infection developed, necessitating an evening trip to the local "doc in a box" for a steroid shot to the butt. All in the family...if you've read Pam's blog. Oh the hazards of being a teacher!

The up and down weather's about to drive me crazy. I know it's a factor in why my cold and sinus infection came and hung on. Today is absolutely lovely. Can it just stay like this for at least a week?

Pam's coming in tomorrow for a wedding to a friend she met while going through cancer treatment. We are looking forward to spending time with our middle "adult child." These times are very precious to me. I just wish there were more of them, but I'll enjoy everyone I get!

Looking Forward to 2008!

2007-12-31T13:38:00.000-08:00

To say I'm thankful 2007 is over is a slight understatement. Looking back (which is something I've been told we shouldn't do) it hasn't been the best of years. Though filled with many blessings, it was also filled with a lot of moments that brought to mind I Peter 5:7, "casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you." Lots of health issues, and although, thankfully none life-threatening, enough to make one mentally and physically tired. Superficial scars are just that, superficial. In the grand scheme of things in life, they don't amount to much.

Just a bit of what I have learned from this past year...
that again and again, our God is faithful in all circumstances.
that my eyes need to always be focused on Him and not turned inward.
that though people may disappoint, God does not.
that to have a friend, you need to be a friend.
that friendship is an investment of time.
that I love spending time with my children and I miss them when they are not around.
that I am blessed with a husband who again and again demonstrates his love for me.
that spending time with my extended family will be a priority in the new year.
that sometimes the only thing you can do for someone is pray for them, and that's okay.
that I am scarred and full of flaws and imperfections, yet God has covered me with his grace.

So I will look forward to 2008. I am hopeful to see what God has in store for me. I can only pray that in whatever circumstances I find myself, I can see them as God wants me to see them. With love, with hope, with joy...through knowing Him.

Happy New Year to all of you.

2007-12-20T05:08:00.000-08:00

Well, it's less than a week before Christmas. I haven't finished the shopping. Becca is home from Italy. And I still have two more days of school. Sorry...haven't had time to blog.

2007-12-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what is worse...having your beloved family dog of nearly 14 years pass on...or telling your child, who is thousands and thousands of miles away in a foreign country, of the news and hearing her cry and not being able to hug her and comfort her. Either one is not a whole lot of fun. Realizing that it's a part of life that all of us as pet owners will most likely have to experience, well, that helps a bit, but it's still very sad. Life goes on with cherished memories, and we have many, many great ones of which we can be very thankful. Our dear Molly, our rescue dog in the spring of 1994, passed on suddenly, almost overnight, as her body just shut down. We loved her and she loved us. We hated to tell Becca while she was away in Italy, but we thought best to prepare her before she comes home this month. Life just sucks sometimes. How can you feel such joy one minute, and such sadness the next? But we were called to be resilent, to persevere, to go on, taking with us the wonderful memories, knowing God has more blessings in store for us as we seek Him. Our vet sent us a wonderful card with a saying I'd like to share...

We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle...we would still live no other way.

Pray for us as we seek to find another dog. Molly can't be replaced, but we can offer a good home to another dog. We look forward to that. Becca, I hope you can too.

More Spectacular Views of Oregon

2007-11-25T06:41:00.000-08:00

Walking Harley through Laurelhurst Park, just a few blocks from their home

Laurelhurst Park, surrounded by early 1900's "Old Portland" style cottages, very expensive!

A view of downtown from Mt. Tabor, not too far from their home.

Multnomah Falls

In front of Steve and Mish's apartment

Steve at work at Peet's Coffee and Tea

We love and miss you, Steve and Mish!

A View of Oregon

2007-11-22T07:51:00.000-08:00

Cannon Beach...about 1 1/2 hour drive from Portland. Beautiful, wide, sandy beach. Quaint seaside town with great homemade clam chowder in a bread bowl.

The band picture. The three of them were like little kids climbing on the rocks looking for sea creatures. Bob did get some great shots of sea anenomes.

Haystack Rock...a wildlife area. Steve and Bob climbed over to it and read the sign. Can you see the white sign on the rock? It's really a large sign the height of Bob.

The waves were crashing in on the rocks. Reminded me of Pirates of the Caribbean.

This is a picture of Mt. Hood at sunrise from our hotel room. I can't believe I'm saying this...but I'm really happy that Steve and Mish moved here. I miss them terribly, but it looks like a great place to be starting out their life together. I know we'll enjoy our visits to see them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Day Three and Four in Portland

2007-11-21T07:11:00.000-08:00

Well, I got a little behind in blogging here in Portland. We've been out and about and getting back to the hotel late. We still haven't gotten used to the time difference. It gets dark here pretty early. The sun starts setting just after 3:00. So by 5:30, we're feeling like it's 9:00 at night. The weather has been getting better every day. It's still cold here by Texas standards...in the 40's during the day. That's bearable when the sun is shining, but pretty cold when it's raining and windy.

Steve and Mish have been showing us more of the city. There's some beautiful green areas for walking and biking. Portland is an old city, with old houses that have a lot of character. Some way too much character. The houses are from the early 1900's. If they were in Dallas, they would be torn down for a Mc Mansion. But here in Portland, the neighborhoods just keep going. You may have one house that has been updated right next door to one that really needs help. Mostly wood frame houses which surprise us since it's so wet and rainy here and wood rots. There's need for a lot of upkeep on the homes. The more expensive neighborhoods have stucco houses with very interesting slopes to the roofs. Prices here are comparable to city prices in Dallas, anywhere from 200's for a 2/1 to well over a million. Steve and Mish will have a hard time finding a place to buy within the city, but there's always hope for a fixer-upper.

There are a lot of independent businesses here. And LOTS of coffeehouses. Dress here is extremely casual. You can wear what you want and nobody notices. Portlanders do not seem to be very fashion-conscience. You do need to own a good pair of boots here. We have found people to be pretty friendly. Driving is interesting. There hasn't been too much traffic like we see in Dallas, but you need to drive cautiously. Pedestrians and bikers seem to have the right-of-way and they just walk/bike wherever.

I have to say, that living in the city is nice in that you can just walk to the grocery store or dinner. Steve and Mish live in area just across the river from downtown. Once you cross the river (and there are several bridges, some of which look a little scary), you don't feel like you are in the city. You have the conveniences nearby, but feel more like you are in an older residential area. Portland reminds Bob and I a lot of the northeast. You could look around and feel like you are in any old town in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts. But this morning, as we awoke around 6:00 am (remember it's 8:00 in Dallas), we looked out the window of the hotel to see the most beautiful sunrise with snow-capped Mt. Hood in the distance. I couldn't see that in N.J.

Pam and John flew in last night and today we are all going to Cannon Beach. Bob rented a 6 passenger van so we could all drive together. Tomorrow we have plans to see Multnomah Falls. Then it's back to Dallas and San Antonio on Friday.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Portland Day Two

2007-11-19T07:11:00.000-08:00

We started off our Sunday in Portland going to church with Steve and Mish. They are attending Imago Dei, a non-denominational church community led by Rick McKinley. It meets in Franklin High School, an old brick colonial-looking neighborhood school. The athletic pictures lining the halls were the old black and whites dating from the late 1940's. The auditorium where the service was held was filled with the old movie seats, and had a balcony. The congregation was a diverse group, but the majority were young 20 and 30-somethings. The atmosphere was definitely relaxed, and come as you are. Unfortunately Rick McKinley was out of town, so we didn't get to hear him preach. But the message was very good and we enjoyed the entire service. It was obvious to see that this church puts a lot of emphasis on community outreach. I think that's one of the reasons Steve and Mish feel drawn to it. They have already met friendly people through their community group.

After church, we went to brunch at a french cafe that Mish has been wanting to investigate. She said there's always a line. There was, but it was worth the wait. We all decided Steve got the best meal, as we all tasted off his plate. After that, we ventured downtown to the Pearl District. Portland is divided up into "districts", each with its own personality. The Pearl district has the trendy city lofts and the great shopping. We went to Powell's Book Store. What an experience! It is the largest independent bookstore I think in the country. Massive and overwhelming. I forget how many floors there were, or how many rooms. But the most interesting room was the Rare Book Room. We stayed in there a while, looking at books, some behind glass doors because they were so old. The most expensive book...the Lewis and Clark Expedition book, dated 1814, written by Lewis and Clark themselves...and the price...$35,000! Another book was $16,500. It was dated 1542. There were first editions of familiar books like "The Hobbit". I think that one was $9,000. To be placed in the Rare Book Room, the book had to be over $100. Many of the books were either first editions or editions of books that had limited printing. Many were signed by the authors. Needless to say, it was incredible to see the titles. I just can't believe we came out of Powell's without buying anything. But we are going back when Pam and John come into town this week. So who knows?

After Powell's, we drove to Washington Park, a beautiful hilltop area overlooking the city. It has the arboretum, rose gardens, zoo and many walking trails. It also has some absolutely gorgeous homes with great views of the city. Just beautiful. It gives you the feeling that you are in the country, but it's right in the city. We drove through other areas of town before we ended up at one of Steve's favorite stores, REI. After that, we came back to the apartment, parked the car, then walked a block or two to a restaurant for dinner. The meals were wonderful. Bob and Steve got a soup that was to die for...Spicy Curry Butternut Squash. They wanted to bring home a gallon of it. We topped off dinner with a stop at Ben and Jerry's, which is almost in Mish and Steve's backyard.

So our first day in Portland was fun-filled. We are planning more sightseeing. Mish is working Monday, and Steve goes in at 1:00. Bob and I will venture out on our own. We have the GPS with us. We still have to go grocery shopping for Thanksgiving dinner. Meaghan and Jay will be joining us, so we'll have eight.

Oh, did I say it's been raining since we got here?? But like I said, life in Portland keeps going. Rain is a fact of life here. People jog in it, walk their dogs in it, walk around without umbrellas in it. I did have to borrow an umbrella from Mish. And I bought a warm hat at REI. I'm from Dallas. I'm a wimp in the cold and rain.

Over the Mountains and Through the Woods to Portland

2007-11-19T06:41:00.000-08:00

Bob and I arrived late in the evening on Saturday at Portland Airport and were greeted by the hugs we were waiting three months for...from Steve and Mish. Well, it seemed late, but it was only about 6:40 pm. The two-hour time difference has been setting us back a bit.

It was a long day on Saturday. We had a 4:25 pm flight out of Dallas. We planned to leave for the airport around 2:30. Our original plan was to get up and finish last minute packing, clean up around the house, and just get a few things checked off a list before we left for the week. You know, the usual before you leave town. Well, instead, we had our wood floors put in that morning. We had been without flooring in the dining room and entry way for three weeks. The floor was supposed to be installed three weeks ago, but the lot color did not match correctly with the same floor we put in two years ago. The store manager and floor rep tried to find the correct match and finally did this past week. So the floor was scheduled to be put in early Saturday morning. We told them that we had to leave for the airport and that everything had to be finished by 2:00. They assured us it would be and that they would even send an extra crew to help. Okay. Well, Saturday morning at 9:00, one guy shows up. Only one. We called the store. It seems no more help was on the way. So Bob helped. And the guy that came worked like crazy. He did a beautiful job and finished by 1:45. We were out the door to the airport by 2:30. We were already tired. Thankfully the airport was not very crowded for being right before a holiday. We breezed through security. The flight was direct to Portland and four hours long. It was a packed flight with no empty seats. Unfortunately, the flight was one of the bumpiest we'd ever been on. The seat belt sign had to remain on most of the flight. But it was so worth seeing Mish and Steve at the end of the trip!

It was dark when we arrived, so we couldn't see much of Portland yet. We drove to Steve and Mish's apartment and were greeted by a very excited Harley. Their apartment is very cute. A cozy groundfloor unit in s small complex wrapped around a courtyard. It's located in a residential neighborhood just a block from the main street and stores, and best yet, Steve's job. It was fun to just walk from their place and take in dinner at The Italian Joint just a few blocks away. It was raining, but as we are finding out, rain doesn't keep Portlanders from going about their usual business.

We are very glad to be here and see the home Steve and Mish are making for themselves here in the northwest!

Find Your Wings

2007-11-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

I heard this song on the way to school this week. I had to grab for a pencil and a tissue at the same time. I mentioned to Bob that I heard a song that expressed so very much how I feel about my adult children. He found the lyrics and I wanted to share.

To my dear children, with much love, Mom

It's only for a moment you are mine to hold
The plans that heaven has for you
Will all too soon unfold
So many different prayers I'll pray
For all that you might do
But most of all I'll want to know
You're walking in the truth
And if I never told you
I want you to know
As I watch you grow
I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings
May passion be the wind
That leads you through your days
And may conviction keep you strong
Guide you on your way
May there be many moments
That make your life so sweet
Oh, but more than memories
It's not living if you don't reach for the sky
I'll have tears as you take off
But I'll cheer as you fly

By: Mark Harris - Find Your Wings
From the album The Line Between The Two

Kids are Cool

2007-10-31T18:48:00.000-07:00

Kids are definitely more honest than adults. Yes, I find that out most days at school.

Yesterday I got my hair cut and colored. It's a bit darker than I'm used to. I was apprehensive about walking into school today. You never know what kids will say. They notice the little things. And they say what they think. Unlike many adults I know. I thought that if I got any negative remarks I'd just tell them it was part of my Halloween costume. I'm going "goth" this year.

Well, the girls are the first to notice. Some of them can remember exactly what you wore a week ago Friday. But somehow I can't get them to remember their multiplication facts. Very strange. Well, I got a few "You got your hair cut" and then nothing else. Hmm...then I had two of my students discussing my new color and whether I should keep it or not. One said yes, the other said no. Okay, by this time I'm not feeling very good about this new look. Later in the morning, I walked into my fifth grade classroom and all eyes turned to see me come in the door. Eyes widened as I tried to look inconspicuous. Fat chance. One of the more talkative boys looked at me and said "you changed your hair!" I just smiled and turned my attention to the other teacher in the room. (She was talking to the class.)

All day, not one adult mentioned my new do. That usually means that either they didn't notice (though it was quite different) or they were just being polite and didn't want to lie and say they liked it. Okay, I can certainly live with that. I've been in that same position before.

But back to kids...as I'm leaving school today, walking through the cafeteria, one of my fifth grade boys yells out my name to say goodbye to me from across the room. I wave goodbye to him and start out the door. But all of a sudden, he's alongside me and asks "Mrs. Davis, did you get your hair cut?" I said "yes" to which he replies with a big smile, "It's very cool!" I thanked him, but I really wanted to hug him. Like I said, kids are cool.

The Weekend

2007-10-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

There are just never enough hours in a weekend. A friend of mine at school said she saw a t-shirt on a student that she wishes she had to wear...except at school. It read " School - the annoying thing between weekends." I actually like my work (at school), but I love my weekends. Maybe because I'm around kids all week (or adults all week), but my time on the weekends is precious. And since I'm an emptynester, I seem to have more control over what I do on the weekends. You did read the word "seem," right? Yeah, we really don't have as much control as we think.

This weekend, Bob had his account manager from China in town for training. He flew in on Saturday, and Bob picked him up from the airport. We wanted to take him to dinner and asked him what food he would like to eat. His answer...Chinese. So we went to P.F. Chang's in Grapevine. I think the gentleman was disappointed. Apparently his Mongolian Beef was nothing like what he is used to in China. He was extremely polite, but you could tell P.F. Chang's just wasn't as authentic as we would have hoped. Today, Bob picked him up for lunch, and then by his request, Bob took him for a tour of the Gaylord Texan. That place is always a big hit with non-Americans.

In between hosting this Chinese gentleman, Bob and I spent a good deal of time doing yardwork. The price of home ownership. Well, you know how one project leads to another? We had bought some shrubs at the Home Depot Landscape store that's going out of business in Lewisville. We planned on planting them along the fence by the pool. Well, wouldn't you know it but that's exactly where some sprinkler heads are located. So...this weekend, Bob dug trenches and re-routed the sprinkler pipe and heads. Not an easy job when there's tree roots all over the place. But he did it, and planted the shrubs. While he was tackling tree roots, I was planting five flats of pansies and a host of other plants I got at Home Depot Landscape (second weekend in a row, but my last trip, honest!) Now I haven't done much yardwork since my surgery 9 weeks ago, so needless to say, the yard needed it. But my body wasn't used to it yet. Sunday morning was tough. Bob and I both ached. We do not have great "weekend warrior" bodies we had years ago. Well, maybe I never had one at all. Anyway, we are going back to work tomorrow with aching backs and shoulders, and a slew of mosquito bites. So much for a weekend. I still need to clean the house. Oh well...I guess there's always next weekend. Unless something more interesting comes up!

Just a Thought

2007-10-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

Measure thy life by loss not gain,

Not by the wine drunk, but by the wine poured forth.

For love's strength standeth in love's sacrifice,

And he who suffers most has most to give.

I don't know who wrote this, but wanted to share it this morning. Just four little lines, but lots of meaning. We should not be afraid to suffer, for through suffering we can be made in His likeness. Our Lord gives us the victory. May you see His hand holding you up through the daily grinds that could easily bring us down.

A Case for Using Sunscreen

2007-10-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Growing up as a teen, I didn't use sunscreen. In fact, I did the total opposite. I lathered myself in baby oil and baked for that much desired tan. Though New Jersey wasn't known as a land of sun and sand, I spent a good deal of time on the beach at Montauk in Long Island. It's near the place where they "filmed" the movie Jaws. I can't tell you how many times my skin peeled from sunburns. Well, fast forward 30 years, and I'm paying the price.

I have preached to my children about the dangers of not wearing sunscreen. But alas, the ultimate golden tan is still cherished by many. So maybe if they saw what I have to go through now, just maybe, that would change their minds. Yesterday I had to have a very tiny area of skin cancer removed from my nose. Well, it appeared tiny. Today I had to have the plastic surgeon repair the area. No small matter anymore. The plastic surgeon seemed like a nice guy with a good sense of humor. He showed me some before and after pictures. I told him if they were gross that I didn't want to see them. He said too bad, that it was all part of the deal. The pictures were gross, but I'm glad I saw the after picture. It's going to take at least two surgeries to get it right. I have to go back next week to get the stitches out, then come back in another 3 weeks for another surgery. All because of one, little spot that appeared a year ago and didn't go away.

So right now, half my mouth is numb. A stop at Smoothie King was good. I've got gauze bandages covering half of my left side of my face. I'm writing this blog under the influence of hydrocodone, so please don't hold me liable for anything that doesn't make sense.

Bottom line: Be smart. Use sunscreen. ( As told in a loving, motherly tone of voice.) :)

Scratch, Patch and Dispatch

2007-10-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought how much time you have spent waiting in a doctor's office? It's got to be one of the most unpleasant places to be. At least that's what I'm thinking as I'm sitting at this moment in a waiting room at UT Southwestern Medical Center. This area of town is way too familiar to me. I've either been the patient, or have been the parent of a patient, which I have to say is worse. Either way, it's not a fun way to spend the day.

I'll not bore you with the details, but I'm here at the Clinic for Cosmetic Dermatology. I'm not getting a nose job, but the doctor is working on my nose. My nose is so numb that I can't breathe out of the one side. My upper teeth are numb too. Thankfully though, I'm not having any dental work done. The procedure takes awhile. They numb you up, scrape, and then you wait to see if they got it all. I'm hoping I don't have to go back in. Then it's off to wait in the plastic surgeon's office for the "repair work."

They wouldn't let me eat past midnight, though I'm not sure why. I've been thinking all morning about having something really big to eat for lunch...or dinner, depending on when I get out of here.

I made sure Bob got the VCR set up to tape "The Office." We just better get home in time for that.

Office Buzz

2007-09-28T04:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, so what did you think of "The Office" last night?

Do you think Angela will break up with Dwight?
Do you think Ryan will miss his office mates?
Do you think Michael will end it with Jan?
And then there's Pam and Jim...were they not cute??

So...

Shredding the Past

2007-09-24T17:36:00.000-07:00

I spent a good part of this past weekend shredding my life. Well, not really. But I did go through a lot of old files, shredding papers and filling up a few large garbage bags. It felt really good. Like a cleansing. I'm really trying to minimalize my life. It's really amazing how much "stuff" we kept "just in case we ever need it."

Was it really necessary for us to keep all our tax returns since...1978? Oh my, what were we thinking? We don't need any of Steve and Pam's old pay stubs, though it was fun to remember all the places they worked since middle school. Old check registers...trash. They do say a lot about how you live your life. Receipts for items we no longer own...shredded.

One thing I came across that I thought was particularly funny, my resume from 1979. How young and inexperienced was I to list my weight on my resume. Of course, if I weighed that now, I'd love to put that on a resume! Just kidding. I know better.

I'm not sure if it's because Bob and I truly feel like empty nesters since Mish, Steve, Pam and John all moved away, and Becca's over in Italy for the semester, but I want to clean out all the "stuff" that has accumulated over the years. Now I have had many garage sales, but there's always been those items that we've held onto "just in case." Well, I'm feeling like it's time to unload. I have this fear that the attic is going to fall into the garage. I don't think the kids are going to want the old crib. Or my old desk that I've had since I was little. Can you say IKEA?

I'm trying to convince Bob to have a garage sale. It takes a lot of convincing. He doesn't like having them. But he's a good sport and will get up in the attic and bring down everything to sell. I'll do my part and make sure he doesn't have to put anything back up there.

I feel a few pounds lighter already. :)

TGIF

2007-09-14T04:53:00.000-07:00

It's been a week. This was my first week back to school and I have to say, I'm really tired. The first few weeks back to school are normally very tiring. I know I am very fortunate to be able to stay home during the summer. I get to "sleep in" until 7:00 perhaps. So it's been more difficult getting up with the 5:30 am alarm. I was still wearing my brace this week, so walking around school and being up on my feet more wore me out. It's also emotionally tiring at first. I have new students who read below grade level. My job is to get them reading AT grade level. And I get to choose how. Since I didn't have these students in the past, I'm not totally familiar with their abilities and learning styles. So I try one reading program and I'm already not happy with it. Plan B next week. I don't want to waste any time. I really don't have that luxury. These students are two or more grade levels below where they are supposed to be according to No Child Left Behind, and they are expected to take TAKS on grade level in the spring. Yeah, right. Oh, that's a whole other blog topic...

So Monday was my first day back, and as I came home after school, driving into my cul-de-sac, I see that my 21-year old live oak tree has split in half and is lying on the neighbor's driveway. I was sick. We planted that tree when we built the house. It was absolutely beautiful. Huge. Towering. It shaded most of the front yard. Now it's gone. Bob, and two great neighbors, Steve and Bob, got their chain saws out Tuesday night and went to town on it. Bob is a Carrollton firefighter and his boss heats his home entirely with wood. So my 21-year old tree was going to a good home. Bob and Steve came over again on Wednesday and cut some more. Meanwhile, our tree guy, Greg, who is very reasonable, came by Thursday and took the rest of the tree down. It's taking him two days to haul everything off. It was that big. Bob's wife Melissa asked me if we'll replant. I hesitated at first. I really don't expect to be in this house 20 more years. I don't think I'll ever see a tree in the front as tall as that one. Did it really matter? But then I thought, I'd like to replant two in its place. It's kind of my gift to the next homeowners.

So, it's been a week. But it's Friday. I'm not wearing my big leg brace anymore. And Pam and John are flying in this evening for the weekend. We'll celebrate her birthday that was a week or so ago. Steve called yesterday from Portland and they are really enjoying the city and their new home. Becca called from Italy last weekend, and she's having fun riding vespas around Florence with Albanian soccer players. Yes, all seems good for today. Happy Friday!

A Gift Bestowed from Above

2007-09-06T05:30:00.000-07:00

Twenty-four years ago, I arrived at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas at 3:00 in the morning. It was Labor Day weekend. How appropriate. I was big and quite swollen after a long, hot, pregnant summer, and I was ready to meet my second child. My labor with Steve had been a very long 28 hours. My obstetrician, Dr. Doty, had told me that my second labor should be shorter. How much shorter, well, he didn't know, but even cut in half, it was still long. Back then, Bob and I didn't know the sex of our baby before the birth. Most of my friends didn't know. Sonograms were only done when there was a problem. So it was always a surprise to us. Having a son already, we were hoping for a girl.

My labor was pretty intense. This baby decided that she wanted to come out into the world with her head up. No looking down for this child! She was "sunny-side up" as the doctor explained. Great, but all that did was give me extreme back labor pains. After nearly eighteen hours of labor (see, it was shorter!), our beautiful daughter was born at 4:23 in the afternoon, September 6th, 1983. Weighing in at 8 lbs. 13 oz., and measuring 20 3/4 inches long, the nurses were astounded that I carried such a baby on my petite 116 lb. frame. Yeah, I was a lot smaller then! Of course, I didn't weigh that little when I delivered, but you get the idea.

Pamela Sue was gorgeous, with lots of dark brown hair like her brother. She was a serious baby the first 18 months, and then turned out to be extremely sociable as a toddler. She loved being with her older brother who made her laugh all the time, except when he would pull her out of her baby seat and drag her around the house before she could crawl. Once she could walk at 9 months, she was all over the place. She adjusted easily to new places and new people. Extremely outgoing and intelligent, she was reading books to her classmates in kindergarten. She was a model student, loved by her teachers and friends. She was adventurous, and not one to hold back from a new experience. She tried many sports and other activities and excelled in them all.

It's hard to describe Pam's life without mentioning her struggle with cancer as a child. Why, because the experience has shaped her into the young woman she is today. I don't have enough fingers and toes to count all the times I have been so very proud of her in her lifetime. But the way she handled herself throughout her cancer treatment is at the top. Now we all truly believe that God's hand was on Pamela the entire time. He orchestrated, but she obeyed. Her obedience and faith developed her into the woman she is today. She is compassionate and loving. Intelligent and passionate. And a woman seeking to know God more.

Pam is truly a gift from God, as all three of my children have been to us and those that know them.

Pamela Sue, Pamela Sue
Don't know what I'm gonna do,
My Pammy, My Pammy Sue.
'Cause I love you girl,
Yes, you're my Pammy Sue!

Happy 24th Birthday!

Small Sweet Victories

2007-08-31T07:20:00.000-07:00

I went to my orthopedic doctor yesterday and he scared me. Well, actually, he meant to motivate me. And it worked. After taking out my stitch (Yes, only one long stitch. Truly amazing!), he was interested in seeing how my flexibility in my knee was doing. So I showed him how far I could bend my knee. Then he tells me that if I don't get to a certain point in two weeks, he will have to manipulate my knee under anesthesia. Now that's not going to happen if I can help it! So I left his office a bit worrisome but determined. I had a PT appointment right after my doctor visit. I walked in and told my therapist that I am just going to have to work harder because I am not going to have someone bend my knee like that. He laughed and said they use a hammer while I'm asleep. Okay, 'nuff said. One of the hardest exercises has been getting on the stationary bike. I will never take for granted the fact that I can ride a bike! Up until yesterday, I could only rock back and forth. I wasn't able to make a full revolution. Very, very frustrating. But I said, up until yesterday. Yes, I finally was able to go all the way around! You should have heard me when it happened. I think everyone in the room did. Oh, for the small victories. Praise God.

I just have to share another answer to prayer. And this one is so sweet. Becca emailed from Florence to say that she is getting along wonderfully with her new apartment mates. There are six of them sharing three bedrooms. We had been praying that she would meet a Christian girl while in Florence. Well, her roommate, Natalie, is a Christian. Becca and she have already bonded and are going to a non-denominational, bible fellowship church in Florence on Sunday! How awesome is our God!

I had a wonderful thought this morning. Bear with me if it seems like I should have known this before, but...we are not singular entities walking around this earth. If we have loved as God wants us to love, then parts of us are all over the world. I realized this morning that I am well-traveled. I have parts of me all over the place...Florence, San Antonio, Portland, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and oh, so many other places...and of course, Flower Mound. Because of the love God has bestowed upon me, I am able to love others. And my love does not stay with me, but goes out with those I have loved and multiplies. Now I know this is not profound, or some new thought, but it brought a smile to my face this morning...as well as a tear.

Untitled Due to Lack of Imagination

2007-08-29T06:37:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure about blogging today. My thoughts are scattered, random and may seem pretty self-centered. I hate that. I'm trying hard not to think about what's happening around me, but it's not easy. But then who said it should be easy?

I woke up this morning frustrated with the leg brace that I pretty much wear 24/7. It's hot. It's bulky. It makes it uncomfortable to sleep. But I can't walk without it...yet. I'm supposed to be doing my strengthening exercises several times a day. I probably get in one workout right now. I know that doesn't help my progress. I go to PT three times a week, and I get frustrated with that fact that I can't even make a complete revolution on the bike. So we're working on the patience...

I woke up this morning feeling alone. Bob's had the most demanding week at work. The board of directors are in town for meetings all week. He's been trying so hard to juggle the responsibilities there and at home. I am so very thankful for him. I know he wants to be at home helping me, but he can't be here. He left this morning after making me a breakfast of eggs and bacon to heat up when I'm ready to eat. He put the coffee on. He set up my ice machine and motion machine. He's leaving work early tomorrow to take me to my doctor appointment. He's being the husband and friend I need right now, and I feel blessed.

I woke up this morning thinking I would rather be the caregiver than the one having to be cared for. It was hard this past week and a half, laying on the sofa, needing others to wait on me. But I think they felt good to feel needed. Don't we all want to feel needed?

I woke up this morning with a thought, "God, I know others have it so much worse than me." Here I am at home feeling sorry for myself for all sorts of reasons. Then I read in a devotional about bearing crosses and how God knows exactly how much we can bear. The crosses He gives me to bear throughout my life are given to me, not to make me suffer for suffering's sake, but to suffer for Christ's sake. So that He may be glorified through me. So that's been my prayer this morning. Through all the "pain" of dealing with the surgery and rehabilitation, with the feelings I have about Steve and Mish moving away, with Becca and her own struggles and being across the ocean, and with my own feelings, how can I glorify God?

Just after my injury, Mish left me this little note of encouragement. I have had in on my fridge every since...
"When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions. Wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full face. The "worst" is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return...His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. (Lamentations 3:28-32, The Message)

I woke up this morning thinking I should write down all my blessings. It would be a very long list.

Everyone's Moving But Me

2007-08-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

I'm not moving very fast these days. I've set up camp on the sofa in my family room. Bob did take me out to Einsteins this morning for coffee. Didn't want to miss another Saturday morning date. But now I'm back home, leg up in the motion machine, ice packs on and meds taken. Now what? Well, I'm watching Becca pack for her semester in Florence. She's a good packer, having had much experience with all her travels with soccer. She thinks packing is over-rated since it's only taking her about an hour to pack for four months. My guess is she will probably forget something. But she has told us that Italy is not a third world country. She's leaving Monday and will return December 16th. I'll miss her, but I keep reminding myself she's just off at school.
Steve and Mish leave the very next day. Yeah, it's going to be a rough week for me. I am excited for them. They've got this darling apartment picked out and waiting for them. They have family up there already in Jay and Meaghan. Portland is supposed to be a great place to live, and I know they will love it there. Does that scare me a bit? I'll be honest, yes. I want them to be very happy there. I am praying that they find a church and a group of friends to hang with. I'm praying that Steve finds a job that he loves to go to everyday. The typical "mother's prayer list" goes on and on. But included in that prayer list is the hope that Bob and I can get used to not seeing them on a regular basis. They've spoiled us. They started off their marriage less than mile from us. They visited us weekly, popping in with Harley either on bike or on foot. We ate together, we played together, and sometimes we just sat and did nothing but have a sudoku "quiet time" together. I am very thankful for these past two years. I know that our relationship is stronger because of these moments, and I know that no matter how far away they move, we will always be close. Seeing them will just take a little bit more effort, but I know it will be well worth it. But keep this menopausal mother in your prayers this week as her first-born and only son takes flight. It'll be a bit tough and emotional, made more so because of the fact that I am not so mobile and have little to keep my mind busy. I am determined though to rehab enough to be in good shape to trek all over Portland come Thanksgiving time!

A Lost Weekend

2007-08-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

I went home Friday afternoon with a reconstructed knee, and alot of anesthesia pumped into it. So aside from being tired and not being able to move around much, things looked okay. Bob got me set up on the continuous motion machine (Michelle said I looked half machine, half human!) and he waited on my every need. That was Friday. Well, by about halfway through the night and into Saturday early morning, the anesthesia was finally wearing off. That's when the lost weekend began. That period of time when you don't really know what day it is, what time it is, or whether you're wearing appropriate clothes in front of people. But then none of that really mattered because all you can think about is how awful you feel now that you've done this to your body. I don't do well with anesthesia, or most strong drugs for that matter. They just mess me up. And I was having to take three kinds: a pain pill, an anti-nausea pill and an antibiotic. It wasn't until Sunday, after I talked with my mom, that I was convinced to take the full dose of pain killers. Mothers really do know best. I was only taking 1 pill when I should have been taking two. Believe me, it did make a difference. Of course, I pretty much slept the time away, but hey, it lessened the pain. So anyone who might have stopped by this weekend would have seen the half-human half-machine person sleeping on the sofa with her mouth hanging open. Lovely sight.
I went back to the doctor on Monday, and though I was hesitant to look at his handiwork when he unveiled it, I peeked and it didn't look too bad. I started physical therapy yesterday and that will be a lengthy process. The anesthesiologist asked me right before my surgery if I wanted to see what an acl surgery looked liked. I must have looked at him with this really dumb look, thinking why are you asking me this now. Then he pulled up his pants leg and showed me his scar while he was swinging his knee back and forth. Yeah, then he put me to sleep.
So after that lost weekend, things are on the upswing. I'm recovering at home with Bob and Becca tending to me. We've watched alot of TLC's What Not to Wear, seasons 1-3 of Will & Grace (can't find any seasons after that), played sudoku at all hours (Mish & Steve, that was the best gift!) and just sat around or slept. It's been strange, especially knowing I'm supposed to be at teacher in-service this week. Oh well. I'm thankful to my wonderful friends who have made us dinners. That's one less thing Bob has to think about. He's been trying to work from the house this week. Lots of distractions to say the least. It's going to be tough next week as we see Becca off to Italy on Monday, and then Steve and Mish off to Portland on Tuesday. We will miss them so much. I've had my share of physical pain this week, but I know it won't overshadow the emotional pain I know I'll feel. I love my family, and though we give our children wings to fly, we always want them to come back to the nest. Sometime.

A Verse to Remember

2007-08-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

I memorized these verses a long time ago. And I've brought them to memory many, many times in my life. See, I need to be reminded over and over again.

C.H. Spurgeon wrote this: "When God made thee a believer, He meant to try thee; and when He gave thee promises, and bade thee trust them, He gave thee such promises as are suitable for times of tempest and tossing...His Word of promise is meant to be tried and proved...use God's promises as everyday sources of comfort. Trust the Lord whenever your time of need comes on."

"Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Lord, I know I've got to trust. And I know you've promised to keep me in your hand.

Like Daughter, Like Mother

2007-08-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

This is just a short post to ask for prayer for my mom. She was supposed to come to Dallas to help me after my surgery. Well, she went bowling yesterday and somehow messed up HER knee. She can't walk and is in pain. She will need an MRI to access the situation. Just as she has been all my life, she was more concerned that she couldn't come out here to help me. Plus the fact that she and my dad have a trip to Paris planned in October! So please be praying for my mom, Bobbie. She's a great mom and grandmother.

The Hands of a Surgeon

2007-07-31T06:34:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why I'm always amazed that a certain devotional I've read on a particular morning seems to be so applicable to my life. But I just had to share this.

"He...guided them by the skillfulness of his hands." Psalm 78:72

My thoughts over the last few days have been consumed with making a decision as to which surgeon and what procedure to have for my acl reconstruction. For anyone who knows me well, they would understand that I tend to make decision-making more difficult. I look at all the options, but then vacilate. It drives Bob crazy. He's a "just make a decision and move on" kind of guy. I'm always questioning. Anyway, back to the devotional.

"When you are doubtful as to your course, submit your judgment absolutely to the Spirit of God, and ask Him to shut against you every door but the right one..."

I think He shut one door for me. Two weeks ago I went to a massage therapist that was recommended to me by my chiropractor. She knew about my injury and mentioned that she had other clients that had knee surgery by local doctors. Unfortunately these women were not happy with their results. I asked her to find out the names of the doctors so that it would help in my decision-making. She was happy to do that, and yesterday, she phoned me with the info. It turns out that all three women had the same surgeon, and he happened to be one of the two I was considering. I think I just heard a door slam.

"God guides us, often by circumstances. At one moment the way may seem utterly blocked; and then shortly afterward some trivial incident occurs, which might not seem much to others, but which to the keen eye of faith speaks volumes. Sometimes these things are repeated in various ways, in answer to prayer. They are not haphazard results of chance, but the opening up of circumstances in the direction in which we should walk." (F.B.Meyer)

The internet is great when used properly. I have been on it alot, researching about acl surgery. Now, bear with me as I get a little scientific here. There are really four ways you can repair an acl using grafts. The most common way is to use a piece of your patella (kneecap) tendon. Another way is to use the hamstring tendon. Or you can use an allograft (from a cadaver). And still another way is to use a quad tendon. The last two are not recommended, so the choices are the first two. Surgeons have their preferences. I went to see two docs, and one only did patella graft, while the other only used hamstring tendons. That didn't help me much. I called around to other orthopedic practices in Dallas, but unfortunately, I am a workers' comp patient, and very few docs take those cases. So I can't get past the receptionists. I did, however, get on one website, Texas Sports Medicine, that includes the surgeon who is the team physician for the Dallas Mavericks, Dr. Souryal. He is an expert in the field, and specializes in acl injuries. I guessed he knew something about this. And would you believe this? He actually had an email address and way to contact him directly. I didn't see that on any other website. So...I sent him an email and asked the question...patella or hamstring? I really wasn't expecting an answer seeing that he must be a very busy surgeon. But I got one from him the next day! He told me he would gladly see me and that he prefers patella grafts.

"If you go to Him to be guided, He will guide you...He will show you only into a way where, if you go cheerfully and trustfully forward, He will show you on still farther."

Reunions

2007-07-24T05:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes pictures can say it all...

Sunset at Cape San Blas
Becca and cousin Amelia
One of my favorite couples.
The grandkids

We just love this place!

We're Off to See the Family!

2007-07-11T06:07:00.000-07:00

After 12 years, my family is getting together for another reunion at the beach. Back in 1995, we all ventured down to this relatively unknown area on the Florida Gulf Coast called Cape San Blas. In fact the area is known as the Forgotten Coast. It's in the Florida Panhandle, but hours away from the crowded, more popular areas of Destin and Fort Walton Beach. My parents liked it so much, they actually bought a piece of property back in 1995. They later built a bed and breakfast on the property, which they ran for a few years before selling it for a nice profit for retirement. My parents now live in a small town called Lecanto, about an hour north of Tampa. There my dad gardens (he has the greenest green thumb of anyone I know!) and has taken up oil painting, like his own dad and uncle. He does amazing work, and my brothers and I are all standing in line for one of his paintings. I'm the oldest, so I think I should be at the head of the line!! My mom volunteers at a local elementary school. She always was a good reader! She frequents the town library, and has started in a Curves program. I'm very proud of her.

So on Friday, Bob and I, along with Pam, John and Becca, will make the drive down to the Cape. We plan on stopping for the night in Mobile, Alabama, and possibly visiting the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola, Florida. We had been there before in '95, but a new section was not completed, and it looked like it was going to be awesome. Mish and Steve left today, by air, to visit some friends in Miami. They will be renting a car, and driving pretty much the whole length of the state on Saturday. About 9-10 hours worth of driving. But hey, it's a first for them. A new adventure. My brothers are coming in from Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Savannah. There will be 22 of us at this beach house. Yes, it appears big from the picture. But just in case it gets a bit crowded, Steve and Mish are bringing a tent! The families have been emailing "The List" back and forth, adding and signing up for the necessary items. I think we'll have enough food for the entire summer. As well as adult beverages, which might be quite necessary with that many people in one house for a week! But the house is right on the beach, with one of the most beautiful state parks right behind it. They'll be plenty of space for everyone.

Though the house has wireless, I may not be blogging next week. Hopefully the weather will be nice and we won't be inside much. Enjoy your week!

Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Again...in September!

2007-07-05T05:45:00.000-07:00

Enough already! I'm waterlogged. The mosquitoes are setting up camp in my backyard. I want to move. I had a river running through my yard this week. A big 'ole frog came out of the garden and stayed on the patio, just watching the water rush by. Smart guy. He might have ended up in Dallas. It was not safe. I had water features in my backyard that I never even paid for. A few waterfalls over the rocks and shrub bed edging. In the 21 years we've lived here, I don't think I've ever seen the water flow so fast and hard on the property. My driveway has been a continuous mud puddle. Bob got out yesterday, again, to shovel the dirt that washed out of the garden onto the driveway. Prior to all this rain, back in the spring, we had planted a new shrub bed. Bob rented a tiller and prepared the soil. We planted a few things, but the bed wasn't complete. Then the rains came. And came. And came. Those poor little shrubs and trees couldn't take it all. So yesterday we had to bring back two dead trees to Lowes. I've also got some dead azaleas to bring back to Home Depot. I'm not replanting until the fall!

But we did get a nice little reprieve last night, just in time for fireworks. We didn't go see any, but we could hear them from the house. Bob and I went to see "License to Wed" yesterday afternoon. Cute, but definitely one to wait till DVD. Not one of Robin Williams' best works. If you're a fan of "The Office." you'll see Jim, Kevin, Angela and Kelly in the film. They pretty much play similar roles in the film as in the TV show. Wanda Sykes has a small funny spot, but she's definitely used more in "Evan Almighty," which, by the way, was very enjoyable. I know the reviews for that movie were not very good, but who really follows the critics?

Well, I hope we dry out soon. The cooler temps are nice, but the humidity is nasty. I really don't want to have to move!

Transitions

2007-06-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

If you ask most people, they will tell you that they don't like change. Why is that? Any theories? I have a few of my own, but I won't elaborate yet.

My family is going through some major transitions right now. Why everyone at once? Steve and Mish are moving to Vancouver, B.C. I've been reminded by Marj P. (Mish's mom) that it's only for graduate school, and we should view it at that. Seeing it in that light, yes, it doesn't seem like a major change. I've had all three children go off to schools that required some traveling time to see them. For two years in a row, we didn't see Steve much because he went right from Texas Tech to working at a camp all summer. Yes, he's going off to school, albeit a plane ride away. (And I've already checked fares on both Southwest and American!) But what makes it a bit more difficult for Bob and I is that he and Mish have lived just down the street now for a year and a half. They've been able to pop in, with or without Harley, just to say hello or to see what snacks we had laying around the kitchen. (Usually not much!) They've been a great help to us in many ways. Okay, so I'm being a little selfish here. BUT...I know they need to make this move. And it will be good. I'm excited for them to start off somewhere fresh as a couple. This experience will grow their marriage. Twenty-nine years ago, Bob and I did the very same thing. Now the difference is, we never lived as a couple close to our parents. We graduated from college, got married two days later, went on a honeymoon, and then moved from New Jersey to Texas, where we have been ever since. It required a major adjustment for us, but with God's amazing help, we worked through it and have grown closer to Him and each other because of the experience. We didn't have family here to fall back on when things got tough, though they were just a phone call and plane ride away. Bob and I had to depend on each other...and after becoming Christians, on our Lord. So, I see this move for Steve and Mish as a good one. I will embrace it, because I love them both very much, and I want them to be seeking God's will. They both believe that this move is part of His divine plan. And...like I said...they'll only be a plane ride away! To an area of the country I have never seen before. So, let me check my calendar. :)

Well, I'm not through yet. Then there's the other couple, Pam and John. Talk about transitions! They are leaving the city they have loved, Austin, for another, San Antonio. John will start something new, law school. Pam is in search of another job. It will be "tough" in the sense that she is leaving a job she absolutely loves, and will probably be comparison shopping as we say. They are both leaving a church, and many friends that have become part of their lives over the years they have been in Austin. And John will be leaving a home in Driftwood, while his only sibling, his sister Beth, moves with husband and daughter to Oklahoma. Does it seem like everyone is moving?? But as I said with Steve and Mish, this move will be good for John and Pam in strengthening their marriage. They are moving to a new city where they will seek out a church as a couple. They will build a home, atleast for the next three years, in San Antonio. I'm excited for them also. Okay, can I say also that I'm glad they are still in Texas? For now. Only God knows where they will all be years from now. They may not be like their parents who have stayed put in one place for so long. Of course, Bob and I thought we'd only be in Texas for five years! Yeah.

Okay, bear with me. One more transition. How can I leave out Becca? She's at Pine Cove right now. One more week of camp. Haven't been able to talk at length with her about her experiences there, but hoping and praying for transformation. Praying that God is surrounding her with people who will confirm in her His truth. She is planning on studying abroad in Florence, Italy this fall. Still haven't got the passport yet, though we applied in February, but it should be coming soon. Hopefully in time for her student visa. Another transition. One we are hoping will produce growth and maturity in spirit. I suppose we should hope that for all of our life experiences.

So how do you handle the transitions in your life? Anyone have any verses that they'd like to share that help them through these changes?

The Right Response

2007-06-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

Something I read this morning:
"I think that I can trace every scrap of sorrow in my life to simple unbelief. How could I be anything but quite happy if I believed always that all the past is forgiven, and all the present furnished with power, and all the future bright with hope because of the same abiding facts which do not change with my mood, do not stumble because I totter and stagger at the promise through unbelief, but stand firm and clear with their peaks of pearl cleaving the air of eternity, and the bases of their hills rooted unfathomable in the rock of God. Mont Blanc does not become a phantom or a mist because a climber grows dizzy on its side."

It's embarrassing to admit this, but my mood this week has been one of unbelief. I'm home from a great trip abroad with my husband. Now I've let my mood sink. Jet lag may have something to do with it. Waking up at 4:00 in the morning doesn't help, but really, I'm letting my acl injury steal my joy. The negative vibes are everywhere. I've started trying to rehab my knee, and it hurts. I feel broken, physically and emotionally. And this makes me mad. And scared. I'm afraid of what I need to do to "fix me." And then I remember...with a little help...

At the 5:00 service Sunday night, Dave suggested we read 2 Chronicles 20: 1-30. So I turned to that this morning after reading the above in a devotional. It was obvious to me that I had previously read this passage, as I had underlined and astericked the whole thing. The passage relates about Jehoshaphat, whose situation looked bleak. He and his people were faced with an attack by their enemies, who definitely outnumbered them. "Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord." (20:3) That was the right response. Jehoshaphat knew God. "O Lord, the God of our fathers, art thou not God in the heavens? And art thou not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in thy hand, so that no one can stand against thee. " (20:6) "Thy will hear and deliver us." (20:9) "O our God...we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; not do know what to do, but our eyes are on thee." (20:12)

And God said, "Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's." (20:15)

Wow.

And God said, "Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you."

Wow.

And how did Jehoshaphat respond? He fell down and worshipped the Lord. He praised Him in a very loud voice. And said, "Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting." (20:21) "And Jehoshaphat was at peace, for God gave him rest on all sides." (20:30)

Peace. Rest. These can be ours. These can be mine. Always. God has not changed because of my mood. His promises are everlasting. What will be my reponse to Him today? What will be yours?

Back in the States

2007-06-23T14:03:00.001-07:00

I'm blogging from the Admiral's Club in the Raleigh-Durham airport. Bob and I are waiting for our flight to Dallas. The flight here from London wasn't bad at all. We were very lucky to get the bulkhead seats again for the extra leg room. But we're going to fly first class on the last leg to Dallas! Yeah, I'm excited. Bob upgraded, and technically, since his flight was the only flight we paid for (mine was on his miles), they usually only upgrade the paid ticket. But again...we lucked out. Yes!

Last night we stayed at the Hilton at Gatwick Airport. We were given a brand new room. It was lovely, and nice and quiet. But when we checked out, we gave them a list of things that needed to be fixed in the room. The bathroom sink leaked on the floor. Two lights needed new bulbs. The shower door didn't close properly. And the shower hose almost fell off the wall. Nice room, but...

So after flying six different legs on this trip, we'll be glad to climb into our own bed tonight. Traveling is great, but it's always nice to come home.

Stockholm

2007-06-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

I think I may have a new favorite city. Just a few pictures of Stockholm, the capital of Scandinavia.

A typical cobblestone street in Gamla Stan, the Old Town, founded in the 13th century.

One of the pedestrian-only shopping streets going from Gamla Stan into the city centre.

At the Vasamuseet (Vasa Museum), the warship Vasa, built in 1628, was salvaged after 300 years in the Stockholm harbor. It sank on its maiden voyage in 1628. It was supposed to be the world's mightiest ship.

Just a view across the canal from our hotel. Sightseeing cruise ships are all over the harbor. This canal freezes over in the winter!! Rock solid! That's how cold it gets here.

The tower in the background is of one of the oldest churches. In it are the burial vaults of most of the Swedish monarchs.

Built in the late 1800's, these buildings house the Swedish government and Prime Minister's offices. Very typical of the style throughout the city.

The square that was the scene of the Stockholm Bloodbath in 1520. Some 80 people were beheaded here. (And we just had dinner at a restaurant there!) It was a major meeting place, with a well built in the center of the square in 1778.

There is much to see in this city. It's pretty clean and did not feel very crowded. Though expensive by U.S. standards, it appears to be cheaper than London. Most people speak English, and for the most part, have been very friendly. There are alot of tourists here, particularly Spanish and Italian. The weather was great today. Bob and I had to wear layers as the temperatures were in the 60's. The winds off the water can make it seem cooler.

Well, tomorrow will be our last day in Stockholm. We are going to try to do a bit more sightseeing before we leave for the airport to go back to London. We are thinking of taking a boat cruise around the canals. We'll see what the weather is like in the morning. Adjoo!

Swedish Fish Anyone?

2007-06-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

Bob and I, along with his business associate Paul, took a flight on Ryan Air to Stockholm this morning. Ryan Air markets itself as the cheapest airline in Europe. Well, you get what you pay for. Yes, the fares are cheap, but you don't get much for the ticket price. The airport is not Frankfurt Main, but Frankfurt Hahn, an old U.S. air force base almost an hour outside the city. You can still see the old air force barracks and family housing. Not very pretty. Ryan Air charges you for your baggage. Any refreshments on board will cost you. There are no magazines; not even a holder for them behind the seats. You walk out to the plane to board it, even in the wettest weather. No seat assignments; first-come basis. Since I had the brace on my leg, I wanted to be able to pre-board. The older gentleman at the gate with the sour face said I couldn't because I didn't have a priority ticket. He even gave an elderly lady with a walker a hard time because she didn't have a priority ticket either. I waited until a young lady came to the gate, and then I asked again. Atleast she said I could board after the priority ticket holders, but before the rest of the passengers. This was the first airline that didn't let me pre-board because of my leg. The flight was fine otherwise. Did you know they can sell lottery tickets on the plane? And the money goes to charity? Yeah, no free food, but you can buy lottery tickets on Ryan Air. As we touched down on the runway in Stockholm, passengers started clapping. Odd. Isn't the pilot supposed to land the plane? Do they not usually do that with Ryan Air? Hmm.

Well my first impressions of Sweden is that it is a land of forests and lakes. At this time of year, it is very green. But apparently in the winter, it will look barren. It's cool here, literally. The winds are strong off the water and the air temps are in the 60's. People here think that's balmy though. Again, as in Germany, lots of bike riders. They have their own bike paths through the city. We are staying in Gamla Stan, the Old Town. It is filled with old buildings set along long, narrow cobblestone streets. Very picturesque. Across the street from our hotel is one of the many canals that make up Stockholm. In fact, Gamla Stan is an island connected to the city by bridges. Bob and I are hoping to do a little sightseeing tomorrow. I think we will take another bus tour since the walking may be too much for my leg. We can see a larger area by riding those double-decker buses. Bob had a business meeting today, so we just went out to eat when he got back to the hotel. We had really good gelato here. Seems many Italians have populated Stockholm and brought their own ethnc foods to the region. Many more people speak English here than in Germany. And that's soooo helpful!

Well, hopefully the weather will be nice tomorrow to get some photos of this beautiful city. I still can't believe I'm here.

Palace Smalace?

2007-06-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

So today I got to visit the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, the summer residence of the kings in the 1800's. It really has nothing to do with nymphs. It doesn't look all that spectacular from the outside, though it is rather large. But it has the usual Baroque ornate appearance on the inside. Complete with paintings and ceiling frescos of naked baby angels. Lots of portraits of the kings and their queens. One wing of the palace was the king's, while the opposite wing was the queen's. One of the rooms of the palace was particularly interesting. It contained about 50 or so portraits of women, women the king at the time thought were the most beautiful women he had ever seen. The same painter was commissioned to paint each of these women's portraits. The women were from all walks of life, ranging from a lowly shoemaker's daughter (I thought she seemed one of the most beautiful.) to the most aristocratic. I was able to hear some of the stories about a few in particular. Very interesting. One of the kings that lived in the palace during this time period was King Ludwig II. He was a very strange man. One of the largest and most elaborate castles in all of Germany, Neushweinstein, was built for him. This is the castle that was the model for the Disney World Magic Kingdom castle. Bob visited it many years before while on a business trip. Back in 1998, on my first trip to Europe, Bob and I were able to visit another of Ludwig's castles, Lindehof. Lots of gold and glitz everywhere. But this guy had a very disturbing life. Could that be why he never smiled in his portraits?

Just some other thoughts on Germany:
- the Germanic language is hard to understand when the language you've learned in school is a Romance language
- credit cards are NOT always accepted, so you'd better have euros handy
- the tram system (train) is great and seems so much more convenient for all ages. I saw lots of middle school/high school age kids use it and thought how smart that they don't have to have a car and pay car insurance! Wish we had this system in the US.
- EVERYONE rides bikes here. All ages. I saw women wearing long skirts riding bikes. And men and women in their 70's and up. And the bikes are not necessarily new or in great shape. People don't even lock them up. Wish we had this mindset in the US.
- Not every place is handicapped friendly. I had to climb alot of stairs with my brace. We were on the 4th floor (top) of our hotel in Munich. The elevator (lift) only went to the 3rd floor. We had to lug up the suitcases using the stairs to get to our room.
- A/C is non-existent, as is ice, period. Drinks come lukewarm. I am sooooo craving a Chik-fil-A sweet tea right now. I never drink Cokes at home, but I've had a few here because they've been somewhat cold in the glass bottle.
- the sun is up and bright at 5:00 in the morning. What's up with that?
- Lots of churches here, but pretty empty. Antje told me that the Catholic church automatically deducts 10% of your income is you are a member. Hmmm.
- The countryside is very green and lots of things grow here. Seems every town of decent size has their own brewery...or more. Hops grow on the hillsides as well as grapevines. Bob and I were told that the Germans don't consider beer as alcohol. They think of it as "liquid bread." Yeah, okay. Whatever.

I love traveling. I love seeing other parts of the world and learning about other cultures. I appreciate the similarities and the differences. But I love coming home. I love living in the U.S. and wish more people would appreciate the freedom and conveniences that we have in our country. I feel very blessed. I don't need a palace. I've got a home.

A Day at the Museum...in Munich

2007-06-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

Today while Bob was working the laser show exhibition, I went into the City Centre of Munich with Antje, a friend of a business associate of Bob's. She's a great traveling partner as she is German and speaks English very well. We took the tram(above ground rail train) from right outside the hotel into the city. Our first stop was the Art Museum. It has been a long time since I visited an art museum, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself on this visit. With my headset on, I was able to hear commentaries on some of my most favorite impressionist paintings. My Art History class at Rutgers, one of my favorites, didn't fail me. Renoir, Monet, Manet, Cezanne...make note to self to tell Bob that we need to visit the Dallas Art Museum. After the museum, we took another tram into the Marienplatz, the main pedestrian shopping center in Old Town Munich. Even though it was just Monday, the area was very crowded. We ate at a little cafe just outside the Glockenspeil. We walked afterwards to an open-air market that is frequented by the locals. Here you can buy all kinds of foods and other items. Very interesting kinds of meat. Some I know I would never even try. Bob is more daring, so I'm sure he would. I have to say, the smells around the market were wonderful. If you like pork, you are in the right place. I think they use every part of the animal. Appetizing?

So now back at the hotel to take a little rest before the guys come back from the show. We'll go out to dinner at some point. I'm hoping to try a little Bavarian cuisine. Bavarian food is tasty, but a little on the heavy side. I'm sure it builds strong bones! Yeah, right.

Tomorrow Antje and I may head off to Nymphenburg Palace, just a tram ride away outside of Munich. Then we will meet up with the guys in late afternoon before heading by car to Weisbaden, about four hours away. Weisbaden is the home of Antje and Paul, Bob's Marlow associate. Bob and I will spend the night in a hotel there, and fly out Wednesday with Paul to Stockholm. Until then!

One Day in London

2007-06-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

Well, we only had one day in London, so what to do on a Saturday in the city? We decided that since I couldn't walk very fast, taking a bus tour might be our best bet. There's a few bus companies that do the city tours. Two of the most popular are The Original Bus Tour and The Big Bus Tour. We decided on the latter one. You've seen these buses before. They are the double-decked red buses. Other big "tourist" cities have them. It really was a good choice for us. On our trip to London last June, Bob and I were able to see many of the big tourist sights. But to do that to that required alot of walking and really two full weekends in town. The bus tour gave us a chance to see alot of the city, some parts we hadn't gotten to on foot before, and it was most enjoyable not having to walk with the brace. The weather was a bit rainy in spots, so at those times, we just moved from the top deck to the covered bottom one. A ticket on these buses allows you to hop off and on all throughout the day. There were actually two long tours, the red one and the blue one. They overlapped a bit, but if you took both and didn't get off the buses, the whole tour took over 4 hours. We did hop off at one point to go into the Churchill Museum and War Rooms. That was a very interesting exhibit. The war rooms are located below the Treasury Building. This is where Churchill conducted business during World War II. There's also a wonderful interactive exhibit all about Churchill. Highly recommend it.

London seemed extremely crowded this trip. I don't know if it was because I felt I couldn't keep up with the crowds or what. But Bob agreed it was much more congested than last June. Well, then we found out that it was the Queen's 81st birthday, and there was a big parade and celebration that morning which brought a huge crowd into the Buckingham Palace area. Lots of important people besides the Queen were in attendance, including Prince William and Margaret Thatcher. The police were out all over the city. But I think London would be crowded anyway. Bob and I both decided that London has New York beat hands down in the shopping department. The bus tour brought us through shopping areas that we hadn't seen before and there is definitely more shopping here than in New York! And again, everything is very expensive. We went into a big department store called Selfridges. It's not quite as big as Harrods, but also not as pricey as Harrods. Some interesting facts about Harrods Department Store: it employs over 6,000 people! It has its own water and electric company! It has 11,000 lights on the front of its building which are illuminated every night, making for a very pretty sight. Yes, Harrods is quite an experience. Only people with a huge amount of shopping stamina should enter its doors. My big purchase of the day was actually at a Boots Pharmacy where I was able to find (on sale too!!) a face/wrinkle cream that you can't find in Target since it was on the news in the states. Target can't keep it on the shelves, and it's been out of stock for awhile. You can't even order it online. It's made by a British company called No.7. So I thought I should be able to find it over here. Yeah, that was my big purchase, but I am excited!

We ended our evening with dinner at an Indian restaurant back in the Notting Hill area of London. The next morning was an early one as we had to catch an 8:00 am flight to Munich. The alarm went off at 4:30. Not fun. Then when we got on the plane, they couldn't get the engines started (British Airways), so we had to sit for awhile. When they finally got the problem solved, we had missed our take-off slot, so we had to wait another hour. Things got better after that though. The flight was short (under two hours) and we got picked up by a business associate of Bob's. He invited us over to his home for a barbecue where we spent a lovely afternoon with great food and drinks. Now at nearly 11:00 at night, Bob is working on an"ops review" that needs to be into the office sometime tomorrow. The hotel is nice, but no A/C, and Munich is a bit warm tonight. Hopefully sleep will come soon. Aufviedersehn!

Pictures from Lindfield

2007-06-15T13:51:00.000-07:00

Just some pictures from the quaint village of Lindfield in the UK.

The duck pond in the middle of the village. Very pretty old houses around the pond.

Typical style home in Lindfield. Beautiful gardens! This house actually had grass and flowers growing on the roof.

This house was called "The Old Place." It had an actual thatch roof. I think the sign said King Henry VII stayed here.

Looking from the pond into the village. The main street, High Street, was a major road back in medieval times.

This was our inn called "Limes", named for all the lime trees that lined High Street. The first floor is a bistro. Bob and I stayed in the room just above, overlooking the street. Just next door was the bakery, established 1796. It was a very popular place at all times of the day.

Well, we're in London right now. Just chillin' in our room. Will have just Saturday to see some sights. Then onto Munich. Till then...cheers!

Back in the UK

2007-06-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

Bob and I left Dallas on Tuesday, flew nine hours, and arrived in London at 9:00 in the morning Wednesday. Having a brace on a leg affords you a few advantages when flying. I had a wheelchair from our car to the plane. We had bulkhead seats which gave me the extra leg room. The flight attendant used three serving trays to keep my leg elevated for the flight. Getting off the plane in the London airport, I was greeted by a gentleman who drives those passengers in the terminal that can't make the long walks. I sat next to a woman flying from Honolulu to Greece who had hurt her knee also, but opted not for surgery. She advised me to go for the surgery. Easier said than done. Bob and I were picked up at the airport by the manager of the UK office, Tim. Driving was nice, but have you seen the cars in Europe? They're half the size of U.S. cars. Getting in and out with the brace is a trick, but one I'm perfecting.

We are staying the first two nights in a lovely, quaint village called Lindfield. It was founded in the 1300's as a medieval market village. Our inn is actually just 4 rooms above a bistro. The place is owned by a young couple. The outside of the inn is old, like the town, but the inside is very modern. The main street through the village is called High Street. On both sides of the street are buildings from the 1700's mostly. It appears that every house is named "____House" or "______Cottage." They seem to all have beautiful gardens. Everything grows here. Flowers grow even through rocks. While Bob was in the office today, I took a walk through the town. There's a pond in the middle of the town, and it is home to lots of ducks, including a mother duck and her five ducklings the size of my palm. There were two women sitting at the edge of the pond, sketch pads in hand. They were a picture themselves.

People here walk alot. They buy their "daily provisions" at the local store, which is very, very tiny compared to Tom Thumb. The village has its own butcher shop, complete with sausage hanging up in the window. Next door to our inn is a wonderful bakery that has been in existence since 1726. There was a line of people out its door this morning. Air-conditioning is rather non-existent here. Windows remain open, and there are no screens on the windows. Lace curtains in the windows are everywhere, and people seem to try to keep the original look to the homes. Not much remodeling, or refronting as they say, to the outsides of the structures. It makes for one very pretty village. Apparently Charles Dickens used to frequent this town.

I had the real English fish and chips today for lunch. Here in the UK they give you the whole fish, battered of course. I wasn't expecting that, so something new. I didn't have fish and chips the last time we were here, so I made it a point to order it this trip. I think once was enough for me.

Bob and I leave for London Friday evening. We'll be there until Sunday morning when we take a flight to Munich. We are hoping to be able to see Robyn Eubanks, who used to live in FM and now is a missionary in Germany.

So that's that from the UK. Oh, it's nice and cool here right now. Enjoying the change!

Well, here we go!

2007-06-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

So the bad news first: (that's what I usually ask for when someone asks, "Do you want to hear the good news first, or the bad news?" I tore my ACL. Yeah, pretty good. I saw the MRI and it's just a floppin'. My MCL is partially torn. Everything else looked fine. The orthopedic is pretty conservative. He told me he would do nothing for atleast three or four weeks. Then it's my decision about having surgery or not. He said many people can live without a working acl. I told him I like to dance. He said then I'd probably need the surgery. So right now, it looks like I will probably be scheduling surgery in August after planned vacations. I'll be back with PT for a few months. The brace will be my partner for awhile. Oh well... Okay, so in my last blog I said I was NOT going to Europe with Bob. Well, we are both leaving tomorrow. Yes, I decided that if the orthopedic said it was a go, I was going with Bob. We had planned this trip as a couple, and brace or no brace, I'm in. It took a little convincing from a bunch of different people (and some prayer!), so now I'm packing. We shortened the original trip a few days, thinking that I would be a bit more tired. My knee aches some and if I'm not careful how I walk, a sharp pain reminds me. But I've got my meds, ipod, and sudoku book, so I'm ready for the plane. Bob even bought me one of those cushy neck pillows. I'm going with no expectations and no agenda basically. It's kind of nice. We know we won't be doing the major sightseeing we did last June, but that's just fine with us. We will be moving around a bit because of business, which makes me somewhat nervous. Bob got us the good seats on the plane because of my knee. And we are flying alot, to London, to Munich, to Stockholm, then back to London. I'm just excited about spending this time with Bob. I'd rather be hobbling around in Europe with him, than sitting home in muggy Texas without him. So off we go. I'll keep you posted.

Accidents (@#$%) Happen

2007-06-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

Yeah, my summer plans have taken an interesting turn. Now I've been told by my daughters that when I use the word "interesting" it's usually in a negative manner. You might say that's true in this situation.
Monday morning I felt very industrious. I decided to go over to my new room at Valley Ridge and try to do some organizing before August rolled around. You see, this summer we get two extra weeks because the state decided to make a mandatory start date of August 28th. I wanted to use every bit of my August doing something fun, and that didn't include setting up a new classroom. Since Bob was in Mexico this week, I thought it would be a good time to jump start the new room. Now I consider myself a hard worker, but I'm not necessarily the most careful. I sort of go at things like a bull. And I don't like to procrastinate. Oh, and did I say I'm not very patient? Anyway...it took a little skill to put up some wall decorations, well, actually a word wall, in my class. It required that I use a chair, one shelf and then a 4 foot high bookshelf to reach the wall. Are you getting the picture here? Yeah. Well, all was going well until I made a huge mistake. I stepped back, expecting to step on a chair only a short step away, when actually, it was alot of space away. I had forgotten to step down onto another level before the chair. Yeah. Not a pretty sight falling through the air, over the chair, and onto the floor. Even better yet, when I knew immediately I couldn't stand up. I crawled out of my classroom to the hall, which was empty since I was the only teacher crazy enough to be there working. There were, however, construction workers lurking about because of our new wing in process. When I didn't see anyone, I called out "hello?" A man peered around the corner and I yelled "Would you please go the office and get my principal. I fell and I think I broke my leg." He went quickly and my principal came with wheelchair and another teacher right behind her. I called Mish, my darling daughter-in-law, who ran out the door and into the car, with Aleve in hand. In the meantime, I called the Riskey house and got Dan on the phone, asking him about Baylor Grapevine ER, knowing Donna had been there before. We don't go to Lewisville if we can help it. Since my stress level was naturally a bit elevated, I closed my conversation with Dan with "love you, bye!" I got off the phone and my principal asked, "Was that your husband?" I immediately replied, "OH NO! I just said "love you, bye" to my friend's husband!!" We all had a good laugh as I got into the wheelchair.
Mish came quickly and whisked me off to the ER, fighting bumper-to-bumper traffic on 121 and 114. She put the hazard lights on and drove most of the way on the shoulder of the road. Playing classical music, she hoped to calm both of us as the rain poured down in the traffic. At Baylor, x-rays showed no broken bones, so with knee stabilizer on and crutches, and prescriptions in hand, we left the ER. As we were driving out, Dan and Donna were driving in. Dan was so hoping to come into the ER and be asked if he was my husband, to which he wanted very much to say "No, I'm her lover." He couldn't wait to see the reactions of both the nurse and myself. Very funny guy!! That's why I love him...AND Donna!! But not in THAT way.
Now, all of this would be just an interesting way to start the summer, except that...I was scheduled to travel with Bob to Europe on a business trip on Monday. Yeah. Not likely to happen. I went to the orthopedic today and will get an MRI tomorrow. Most likely an MCL, but not ruling out torn cartilage, so says the ortho doctor. But this monster of a leg brace if not very condusive to sightseeing around not-so-handicapped-friendly Europe. So it looks like Bob will be traveling alone again.
Good things will happen again. I've been blessed to have an absolutely wonderful daughter-in-law in Mish who has been working like a dog these past few days helping me. She will make a wonderful mother. I have the best friend in Donna who cooked us a great meal last night. What a blessing we kept saying as Mish and I ate it together. I have a awesome daughter in Pam who got someone to take her workshift so that she could come in a day early on Thursday night to help out. And I have a husband who I know will do what he can so that a trip like this will happen again. He cares for me and wants to share life with me. And right now, I'm so very glad that he is the kind of man who wants to serve the Lord by giving his time on a mission trip. He left not feeling very well, but I'm praying that he's a bit more careful than me!

The Best Mother's Day Present...Ever!

2007-05-11T05:06:00.000-07:00

Twenty-one years ago, I received the best Mother's Day present. The date was May 11, 1986. Now I had to wait 9 months to see this wonderful gift, but she was well worth the wait. Well worth the morning sickness. Well worth the swelling. Well worth it all. At 8:07 p.m., after some nine hours of labor (the shortest by far for me), my beautiful Rebecca Leigh was born. All 8 lbs. 9 oz., and 21 inches of her. She was ready to be born. She had been a kicker and mover the entire pregnancy. It was a definite forshadowing of her personality. Active, yes that she was...and is. She took on her brother...and anyone else in her path. Happy and smiling, she didn't stay mad for very long. With a great sense of humor, she brought joy and laughter to our house. We have loved her and she has loved back. Every Mother's Day I am reminded of the wonderful gift God has given me...Happy Birthday Becca Boo!

I'll Have some Dirt with That Please

2007-05-02T04:54:00.000-07:00

Caught on CNN yesterday...So the company that makes Reef sandals now sells a sandal that contains its own flask in the sole. Retailing for about $46, the sandal has a screw on the side that opens into a thin flask. Supposedly marketing to the hiking group. Yeah, well, I've got alot of questions about this product, as did most of the people they interviewed on CNN. Is is really comfortable to be walking around with a flask on the bottom of your shoe? Reefs have been known to be very comfortable sandals. I have a pair, and they are great. But I can't imagine they would be with something stuck underneath your sole. How much "liquid" can they really hold? You'd need to have a size 15 for the amount of water a hiker might want. And...how many high schoolers and possibly, mid-schoolers, might think this is a great way to bring some other kind of refreshments into school? The dollar amount of $46 seems high for some, but not for the kids in this affluent area. But bottom line...would you really drink out of your shoe? Do you know where that foot's been?? Really. Oh yeah, great product.

Just have to say. Went to a Ranger-Yankee game last night. Great seats. Great company. Great handmade pretzel. Great hitting. 14 hits and 10 runs. Unfortunately, all were for the Yankees. The rookie Yankee pitcher had a no-hitter going into the 7th when he suddenly hurt himself and had to be pulled. It was a shame. I was actually rooting for the Yankees. (Sorry, Dan and Donna.) It seemed like a third of the stands left when they realized they wouldn't see a no-hitter. The Rangers did manage two hits after that. But it was fun, even though it seemed like we were surrounded by Yankee fans. Now I am a transplanted Yankee (though my roots have grown pretty deep here in Texas) and I was a Yankee fan growing up. We even went on a elementary school field trip to see a game at Yankee stadium. But I still feel like you've got to root for the home team, even when they stink. So though the better team won last night, I hope they don't win tonight. I'll support the home team, especially when they are the underdogs.

Never Dull Moment Part 2

2007-04-20T05:20:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I had to give my students the 5th grade Science TAKS. We had only been testing about 30 minutes when I hear this blood-curdling scream. One of my students was gripping his mouth, while tears were running down his face. It appears that while "munching" on a lollipop, not sucking on it like you should, he pulled out a tooth. There in his hand was his tooth embedded in a wad of lollipop. I did my best to console this child, although I had to smile and chuckle a bit at the whole scene. It was rather funny. The whole class took a break from testing. Not much was going to be accomplished at this moment. I sent the student down to the nurse so he could retrieve his "tooth fairy treasure chest." I'm not sure if the tooth and the lollipop could fit in the box. I'd let the nurse handle that one.

So now it's Friday. No more TAKS tests!! And only 5 more weeks of school!

Never a Dull Moment Around Kids

2007-04-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

I just never know what I'll find some days at school. That's just how it is working around kids.

Today I was going to give a Reading Alternative-TAKS test. It's called an SDAA II, State Developed Alternative Assessment. It's an alternative test for those students in special education. Yesterday, it was the Math SDAA II. Tomorrow it's Science TAKS. Yes, three days in a row. Crazy. I'm not sure who in the Texas Education Agency thought it was a good idea to give special education students three consecutive days of testing. Anyway, this is the last year for the SDAA. Starting next year, all students will take some form of the TAKS test...on grade level. Oh, but that's another topic for a blog someday. My ADHD is kicking in. Sorry. Back to my original story line.

So, I walked into my portable this morning, a little later than I wanted, and needing to get set up to start another day of testing. I wasn't in my room very long, when about five very excited fifth graders come knocking at my door. They asked if I had a box. Why? I asked. For the bunny! One of my students had "found" a wild bunny on the way to school. After I found a box for the poor creature, my student asked if we could keep it in my room today. I told him no, of course not, since we were testing in my room. I think you could hear the groans all over school. He tried to convince me that it wouldn't be a distraction while he was taking his test. Yeah, right. This coming from one of my most ADHD students. I told the kids that I'd call the Animal Control office and get the name of the "Bunny Lady." There's a woman who takes in all kinds of rabbits and rehabilitates them before letting them free in the wild. I knew this, because many years ago I had accidently mowed over a rabbit nest. (Ask my kids about that one. That's when we found out we were allergic to cedar chips.) I saved two out of the three bunnies, and had the opportunity to actually bring the bunnies to this woman's home. She used to live in Lewisville, but now lives in Carrollton. Her house was a sight like none other I have ever seen. Rabbits everywhere. What a scene. I am thankful there are people like that in our world. So I called Animal Control and they said they'd come by the school and pick up the bunny to take to the "Bunny Lady." I thought the kids would be sad, but they were actually very grateful to me for taking care of their precious bunny. They seemed happy knowing this woman would care for the rabbit.

So all this happened before classes started for the morning. Just a little excitement on a testing day. But that's what makes it fun to show up at school everyday.

Fruity Surprise

2007-04-12T17:03:00.000-07:00

I have the best kids ever!

I came home from school today around 6:00 pm. On the way home, I was thinking that I really should stop at the grocery store because we were sort of low on "snack foods" (comfort foods, really) in the house. I was ravenous, but I was also too tired to stop. Even though I had off Monday, it seems like it's been a long week. The students don't want to be in school. The teachers' patience is growing slim. And my students still have three days of state testing next week for which I need to prepare them. Yeah, right.

So when I got home, I headed right to the refrigerator to see what I could find. And lo and behold, there's this beautiful "edible arrangement" sitting on the top shelf in the fridge. About two minutes later, Steve calls and asks if I could get him a drink from the refrigerator. Funny Steve.

Apparently my wonderful children got together to get me this birthday gift. Steve, Mish, Becca, Pam, and John...thank you! I love you all and just wish you were here to help your dad and I eat this! You're all the best and I thank God for your loving and caring hearts.

Change is not always good

2007-04-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

Since I had the day off on Monday, I decided to update my iPod with new music. Becca had given me a gift card to iTunes, but I hadn't taken the time to buy some new songs. Anyway...I thought I'd go through the charts, the top 100 songs from the years past, starting with the 60's. It was fun to see what the top songs were from my "early years" (when I first listened to music on my transister radio), my high school years, college years and then "young married years." I mean, I'm spanning decades here. There was alot of music.

But I made one observation that was somewhat sad. As I got closer to the more recent years, the number of songs with explicit lyrics increased tremendously. Before the 1980's and most of the 1990's, I don't think there were any on the top 100 with explicit next to the title. But the 2000's were filled with them. Why do we need this? Does it make a song more marketable? To whom? It just saddens me because at this rate, the majority of songs on the top 100 charts in the future will contain lyrics that not only do not edify, but tear down and demean. So sad.

Well, I did get to update my songs with a mix of some "golden oldies" and some newer music. My playlist is very eclectic. Rather bizarre actually. But it sure makes exercising on the eliptical machine go much faster.

Is this really Texas???

2007-04-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

It's Easter weekend in Dallas, and it snowed. Yes, real flakes, though of course it didn't stick. But it was fun to watch for the moment. It made me laugh, for the moment. Then I thought of all the planting I wanted to get done this weekend. I still bought plants, but they're all in my garage, waiting for the normal spring weather. Bob and I have lived in Texas for 29 years, and we can't remember it ever "snowing" on Easter. It was cold, but we still hit Home Depot and Lowe's garden areas, along with Calloways and Strong's Nurseries. The real die hard gardeners were there braving the cold, believing that 70 degree weather was just around the corner. I actually got some real bargains at Lowe's in Flower Mound. They put ALL their plants, flowers and trees 50% off this weekend because of the weather. Most everything was still viable and would do just fine, so it was a good deal. Now I have even more to plant. What was I thinking?

Well, there were times today that Bob and I were rethinking our plans on attending sunrise service tomorrow. Apparently it's still on, though I imagine there will be fewer people there. Today I thought of all those moms who went out and bought cute Easter outfits for their children, only to have to cover them up with coats they'll have to dig out again. I was brought up in New Jersey and Easter outfits usually included a coat and Easter hat. It was still cool there that time of year. In fact, I can remember having a blizzard on my birthday in April. But this is Texas and we're not used to cold weather in April. Today at Home Depot in Lewisville, the sales guy, Roy, was from Chicago. He said he was out in a t-shirt today. He said this weather was "nothing like up north." Didn't know why anyone was complaining. He thought it was great. Yeah, well...it's April, and this really is Texas. So bring back that 70 degree weather. I've got a garden to plant.

Happy Easter everyone! He is risen! He is risen indeed!

One reason I love being a teacher

2007-03-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

Kindergartners make me smile. For one half hour each day, I go into a kindergarten class and work with one student. I sit down at his table that he shares with three other classmates. One of the students, Zach, always gives up his chair for me. You know, those really little chairs. As I sit down next to my student, his classmates start telling me, all at the same time, what work my student needs to finish. (It takes him a bit longer to finish his work each day.) They tell me, just like they were the teacher, exactly how he is supposed to complete his classwork. I smile. They are all so cute. The only girl at the table, Clara, is 6 going on 20. She's adorable. Anyway...today was an especially eventful day. My student finally colored "in the lines!" Yes, he has always "scribble scrabbled" as his tablemate Nathan would say. But today, I thought, I'm going to get him to focus and show him how to color without scribbling. Amazing. He colored within the lines...well, sort of, but close enough. He took his time and tried really hard. Nathan was so excited for him that he started yelling out to his other classmates, "He's coloring in the lines!!!! Look, he's coloring in the lines!!" Okay, now you have to imagine what it's like in a kindergarten classroom at 2:00 in the afternoon. There's 23 kids all over the room, doing all sorts of activities. It's centers time. Mass confusion. And unfortunately the teacher was absent today and not able to witness this historic event. The sub really didn't understand the significance of my student coloring in the lines. But I did and so did his tablemates and other classmates. But most importantly, he did. If you could have seen the proud smile on his face, it would have made you smile. I did. And that's one of the reasons I just love teaching.

Trusting

2007-03-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

Don't steal tomorrow out of God's hands.

I think I try to do this all the time. I'm not a very patient person when I'm afraid. When I'm worried, and I ask God for help, I'm not very good at waiting for the answer. But I know there are lessons to be learned in the waiting. Trials can be long. Somehow short trials don't have the same lasting effect. I know all of this, but it's still hard.

Yet, I'll wait. And pray. And wait more. And hope. And I know my prayer has been heard. And He will answer it...in His time. Because He is a loving, faithful God.

Spring Break!

2007-03-19T15:54:00.000-07:00

It was officially spring break for me at 3:15 this past Friday. Yes, I'm 50 years old and I still get very excited about spring break. That's because I teach, and I get a much needed break in the middle of a hectic spring semester. But I don't head down to Padre Island, or Destin or any other "party" place. Definitely too old for that, though I am reminded of a few spring break destinations of the past...
- when I was in high school, going on a cross country family car trip from New Jersey to Colorado Springs to see my dad's brother and his wife. All six of us in the family station wagon, my dad, mom, three brothers and myself. No seat belts that I can remember. The station wagon with the third seat that faced out the back of the car. (It made one of us carsick.) We stopped in every state, going and coming, plastering those ugly state decals all over the windows of the wagon. Yeah, we really looked like Chevy Chase in Family Vacation. But it was fun. Never had been west of Pennsylvania before. And definitely never where they wore cowboy hats and boots. We were New Jerseyites, from right outside New York City. We had car trouble in Tumcumcari, New Mexico and were taken for a ride by some auto mechanic there. Had to spend the night in some dive of a motel that had donkeys right outside our window. But what great memories of that trip.
- When I was in college, going south from Rutgers in New Jersey to see my folks in Florida. It was me, Bob and five other guys, all in one car, driving straight through to West Palm Beach. Took us 24 hours and as soon as we got to my folks' house, the guys all jumped in the lake. I think the car was ready to explode. It was pretty nasty.
- After marriage, with kids, driving down to Florida to take in the warm waters of the Atlantic and enjoy my mother's wonderful cooking. We made that trip many times. Their house was always relaxing for us. Bob particularly enjoyed the couch glider on the porch! That was his spot after the long drive there.
- With teenage kids, skiing in Colorado, and trips around Texas. Winter Park, Colorado has some fond memories that still make us laugh. It was in Colorado that Bob first found his love for skiing.

But this spring break is an example of how life changes. How you adapt to the lifestyles that come as families grow up. Becca came home today from UArk. The three of us will leave for Austin in the morning where we'll meet up with Pam. She and Becca will have some sister time for two nights while Bob and I head off to the Hill Country. We're staying in Comfort, TX. We've never been there, so we're excited about exploring some new sights around Texas. Then we'll c0me back to Austin and visit with Pam and John for two nights before the three of us head home again. Becca will go back up to school, and Bob and I will go back to work.

We're thankful that we can do this. Thankful that our kids want to spend time with us and each other. So we still get to make spring break memories. Even after all these years.

Have any spring break memories of your own?

26 years ago...

2007-03-13T05:07:00.000-07:00

26 years ago, at 9:04 pm, after 28 hours of intense labor, my first-born child was born. Like many new parents in the early 80's, Bob and I did not know the sex of our child prior to the birth. Sonograms were usually only performed if there was a suspected need. We had an "old-fashioned" doctor in Dr. Robert Doty in Richardson. (He passed away several years ago, some years after he delivered our third child, Becca.) Bob and I really wanted a boy as our first child. Of course, we would have been just as happy with a girl, but for some reason, I thought a boy would be nice as an older sibling to the girl I hoped to have also. And I thought it would be great for Bob to have his oldest be a son. (Both turned out to be true.)

So on Friday the 13th of March, in 1981, at 9:04 in the evening, our 7 lb. 15 1/2 oz., 21 inches long son was born. We named him Steven Charles, after my brother Steve and Bob's father Charles. A funny little fact was that I was also born on Friday the 13th (in April) and born at the same time, only in the morning.

We brought home our first born, placed him in his bassinet and sat down in the living room of our house in Richardson. Bob and I looked at each other from across the room, and simultaneously realized that we were now parents and had to take care of this little human being. We were only 24 and 25. We immediately called his mother. I think she was on the next plane from New Jersey to Dallas. She stayed for a week or so, and then my mom took the next shift. By then, we were ready to take on this new adventure. And what an adventure it has been. Steve was your typical active boy, playing with the guys in the neighborhood, coming home all scraped up and dirty. As a toddler, he pushed the limits. We broke a few wooden spoons. He was athletic and artistic, curious and funny. (Mommy, I'm full.) His teenage years were like being on a roller coaster at times. (And I don't like roller coasters.) But he has turned into a young man that has made us extremely proud. A man searching to know God. A man with a heart for people. He's still athletic, artistic, curious and funny. We love him and are very thankful that he came into our lives 26 years ago.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE-O! ( By the way, I gave him that name.)

On the top

2007-03-09T05:20:00.000-08:00

My devotional this morning had to be shared...

"Crushing weights give the Christian wings. It seems like a contradiction in terms, but it is a blessed truth. David out of some bitter experience cried: 'Oh, that I had wings like a dove for then I would fly away and be at rest.' (Ps. 55:6) But before he finished this meditation, he seems to have realized that his wish for wings was a realizable one. For he says, "Cast they burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.'

The word "burden" is translated in the Bible as "what he (Jehovah) hath given thee." The saints' burdens are God-given; they lead him to "wait upon Jehovah," and trust. The burden becomes a pair of wings and the weighed one "mounts up with wings as eagles."

This is a picture I needed to "see" today. The load we think will crush us was sent to lift us up to God. My place is not beneath the load, but on the top.

Looking Up

2007-03-07T05:08:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I thought I'd better lighten my tone and mood. Seems I got a few people worried with my last blog. Sometimes you just have to vent. But I am in a much better mood today. Bob's coming home today after being gone for a week and a half in Japan and Singapore. The house has been quiet. I've kept myself very busy, but I've missed him. I don't think I'd be one of those people who like living alone. The first few days of having my schedule all my own is nice, but it gets old after awhile. So I'm looking forward to seeing him later today!

And after talking with my daughters in the last few days, I realized (again!) that there are blessings to be found in the midst of trials and tribulations. All of a sudden some really cheesy lines of some oldies just popped into my head. Keep on truckin'. Gotta believe.

Hope you all have a great day!

It's war

2007-03-05T04:52:00.000-08:00

I'm in a battle right now. Maybe not a physical one, but definitely a spiritual one. Everyone has most likely been through them in their lifetime as a Christian. As long as we are living in this world, we will need to do battle. The devil is alive and grabbing hold. Right now he's holding onto someone I love dearly. And I don't want him to win this. He's on one side, I'm on the other. I'm reaching out and trying to grab hold of my loved one, trying to pull her out of his snare, but the grip is weak and I feel like I'm losing my footing. Why do I feel like this? Is it doubt? Am I trying to do this on my own power? Everything I believe tells me I cannot win this battle on my own strength. All of my past experiences in dealing with the devil tells me I need the Lord's power. I can grab hold of my loved one, but it is God's strength and power on my side that will win this. Now am I patient enough to wait for that time when God will extract the evil stronghold? I don't feel very patient right now. I'm worried and scared. I don't feel like I have on my whole set of armor to do battle. The battle may be long, but I can't grow weary. I can't back down. Too much is at stake. But God knows that. He knows my heart. He knows my loved one. He loves me. He loves her. She's his child. He brought her into the world. She belongs to him. He won't give her up. It's a battle and it's war. But God is up for it. And he will be victorious!

Chalk, anyone?

2007-02-23T18:58:00.000-08:00

This week hasn't been much fun and it's bummed me out a bit. After going to the doctor over a week ago for some stomach ailments, he wanted me to have a CT scan. Naturally they don't do these procedures at convenient times. I was required to fast four hours before the procedure. Okay, I can do that. But the harder part was drinking the nasty, chalky barium sulfate solution the night before and the morning of the scan. So do they really think we'll think it tastes better just by putting a picture of grapes on the bottle and calling it a "berry smoothie?" Please. Remember when you were a kid and you held your nose while drinking some nasty tasting medicine? Like that was supposed to take away the taste? Well, take my word for it. It doesn't work. After my morning cocktail of barium, I headed off to Imaging Specialists where I was greeted with 2 1/2 big cups of some bitter lemon-tasting drink. I had to drink all of it before the scan. I was so hoping it would taste like Starbucks. No luck. The prep for the scan took so much longer than the actual procedure. I can look back now and grin because the results came back normal. I have to say I was a bit tense until today. I still have some other tests to run, but hopefully none that require drinking more nasty tasting solutions.

With that said, I'm looking forward to March. Spring. Warmer temps, freshness in the air. Spring break. Yes, it's been a week. TAKS testing last Tuesday made for a long day. I was giving the test to one lone student (he is able to verbalize his thoughts, so he had to be all alone in a room, with me of course.) He didn't finish until 3:45. We started at 8:30. Broke for 1/2 hour lunch at 12:50. Yes, a long day. But I finally learned how to play Suduko. My AP gave out crossword puzzles and Suduko puzzles to all those teachers administering the tests. She knew we would eventually go nuts without some mental stimulation. It helped pass the time. Next TAKS test: April. I know this is NOT why I got into education. Having your time consumed by teaching for a test is not why I wanted to be an educator. I'll be glad when this NCLB expires.

Well, Bob and I just got back from our dance lesson and he's off packing. Not because of the dance lessons! No, he's off to Japan and Singapore. I'll miss him. The house gets too quiet. Molly's 13 now, and basically just goes from one bed to the other. So she's really not much company. I may borrow Harley from Steve and Mish.

Spring break can't get here soon enough! I'm ready.

Our Weekend

2007-02-18T17:40:00.000-08:00

So I guess it's about time for a new blog entry...

Saturday started out with a freebie, and a fishy story happened along the way. What? Explain you say? Okay, well, Bob and I went to Einsteins for our usual Saturday morning bagel and coffee. We're hooked right now on the Dutch apple bagel. It's really sweet and tasty and not like your usual bagel. It's one of the "top-shelf" bagels and worth the extra cents. Well, when we got there, they were out of the Dutch apple. It would be about 12 minutes or so for the next batch. We were offered some other sweets while we waited. No, we said, we'd just wait for the bagels. We got our coffee and sat down. We didn't think 12 minutes was all that long a time to wait, but apparently the Einsteins manager thought we shouldn't have to wait that long. So he gave us our coffee and bagels for free. Yeah, that was nice of him. He didn't have to do that, but he knows we come in there almost every Saturday. Bob and I were hoping that an Einsteins would open up closer to home in all the new stores on 407 and 2499. But then we'd have to start all over again becoming "regulars."

After Einsteins, we ran a few errands before catching up with Steve and Mish at their indoor soccer game. It was their toughest game. They were playing the first place team that was really, really good. Steve and Mish's team is in second and only lost to this team. It was a fast game and fun to watch, though our team did get beat. But we enjoyed seeing them along with Mike and Marj P. who were there to cheer them on also.

After the game, Bob and I had another errand to Home Depot and Lowe's, our homes away from home it seems. We ran into Home Depot, got a few items and while standing at the check out, I noticed a bag of Swedish fish. I couldn't resist and rang the bag up along with our other items. It was then that I remembered I was supposed to look for a plant hanger that swivels. So I told Bob I'd go out to the plant section, look for one and meet him over there. My opened swedish fish bag in hand, I walked over to home and garden, eating swedish fish along the way, and found my hanger. I met Bob at the check out (I never bring in my wallet when I shop with him. It drives him crazy. Oh well.) It turns out the plant hanger was so old it didn't have a bar code to scan. The young man at the register says, "Let me have your fish." I said, "What?" He said, "No, let me see the fish. I'll give them right back." He knew I wasn't going to give up the fish!! He took the bag, scanned it twice, and said, "Okay, you just paid for another two bags of fish." So instead of the higher price for the hanger, it turned out to be $1.78. We thought that was very nice of him. So that was our fish tale for the day. Bob thought we should next go out and look for furniture and see if we could pay with the swedish fish.

After all our errands, which made us seem like we were sitting in the car all day, we decided to go on a walk and get some great air and sunshine. The weather's been so cold we hadn't ventured out much lately. So even though the wind was blowing strong, Steve and Mish and Harley (in his collegiate sweater), joined us and we took our 3 mile stroll through Lewisville. We enjoy our time with them, catching up and hearing about their week. We know this time is fleeting. God-willing, they will be up in Vancouver later this year and strolling through some better scenery. So Bob and I will cherish this time that we have with them now.

It was a good weekend. Didn't get done all that we set out to do, but got to do some things we hadn't planned on. Bob got to help a neighbor in need with a water leak in his sprinkler system. (something we have alot of experience with!) Weekends go by so fast. Months go by so fast. Years go by so fast. The other day I asked Bob, "How did we get to 50 so fast?" Today I thought it's hard to believe that Steve and Mish and Pam and John have been married over a year already. Wow. So we are trying to cherish times together, and laugh at the funny happenings like swedish fish paying for things.

So it's been an interesting week...

2007-02-03T16:08:00.000-08:00

Nothing really out of the usual. If you call having a bobcat hang around your classroom a usual occurrence. Yes, this week we had one. I had one. Right outside my portable. In the middle of Lewisville. It was Thursday. The weather's been cold and ugly. The cat probably just wanted in the school for warmth. He (or she) was spotted right outside the doors leading into the school from my portable. I didn't see it personally, but it was spotted by our school nurse and another teacher. Animal control was called, but they didn't catch it. It was last spotted loping through the parking lot. Oh well. So the rest of the day, and Friday, teachers were required to escort students in and out of the building to the portables. That was a pain, especially since the weather was so cold and wet. Trying to keep my ADHD students out of the snow was another challenge. Somehow fifth graders cannot stay on the sidewalks when there's snow on the ground. So just going in and out of the building this week took more effort. I'm really not sure what I would have done had I come upon the bobcat. Of course, I have a few male students whose testosterone level went up a bit, and they were ready to run home and get a gun. I had to explain to them the consequences of bringing fire arms to school. We saw some rather large pawprints in the mud and snow around the portable. Earlier in the week, I had some telltale muddy pawprints going up the ramp to my portable door. So who knows how long the cat's been around. I just want it to be gone by Monday so we can get back to normal...whatever that is.

I Hate the Cold!

2007-01-18T16:28:00.000-08:00

So I went to get my nails done today. It's pretty much the only perk I allow myself for working full-time. I used to say it was because I had alot of meetings with parents and other staff and handled alot of papers. No really...it's because I like to have my nails done. So I went after school and was heading home around 5:15. On the way home I'm thinking about relaxing tonight at home in front of the fire, watching some TV. Thursday night is our only "TV night." We watch our favorite shows: The Office, Grey's Anatomy and ER. Yeah, it's a chillin' out night. We love it.

But tonight may be a little different. And all because of the #@%$ whatever cold!! I walked in the house and heard a dreadful noise...running water. Not a good sound in the middle of winter when no one has been home since 7:30 am. I quickly run to the bathrooms. No overflowing toilets. Okay, next? I go out the front door thinking the sprinklers are on. Nope, not on. However, the loud noise of rushing water into the cul-de-sac does unnerve me a bit. So I run out to the side yard where the pool is. There it is! As I'm standing in ankle deep water, I see a broken sprinkler valve spewing water into the yard like an open fire hydrant. The cold weather caused an obvious crack in the pipe. What do I do next? After panicking, of course, I call Bob. Poor Bob, he's an hour away and he's got a wife yelling FLOOD! Now I know I've got to turn the water off... somewhere. He says, "call Steve." I'm thinking, okay, I'll call him, but I'VE got to do something quick. Becca's bedroom (on the other side of the broken valve) was already flooded. Her carpet was soaked. So I quickly put on a pair of boots and go over to the broken valve to see if there's a way to turn off the water. I can't find anything, but I do get totally soaked in the process. I run over to the shed, grab a shovel and run over to the water main valve in the front garden. I have to dig some dirt off the top and then realize I need a tool to open the box. I run to the garage and get a screwdriver and run back. (Do you see I'm doing a lot of running?? All in very soaked jeans and sweater.) Oh, and it is just 40 degrees outside. I get the box opened and turn off the water. Then I go back into the house to survey the damage. Becca's carpet and padding are soaked. I think Pam's room got spared, though her closet was damp. Don't worry Pam. I got your wedding dress box out in time. A call to Allstate just gets their after hours recording. Of course, everything always happens after office hours. Steve calls and I tell him I didn't need his help but thanks anyway. I actually could do this on my own. Though it was a funny sight.

After realizing that I couldn't move any furniture until Bob got home, I put on a fire and decided to relax. Bob and I should be used to this. In our 28 years of home ownership, we have had numerous issues with flooding water. So as I write this blog, Bob is in Becca's room with his wet-dry vac, soaking up as much water as he can. Next, the fans will come down from the attic and will be going all through the night to dry out what we can. But we've got to get this done before 7:30. Wouldn't want to miss any of our shows.

Oh, now back to my nails...garden gloves aren't the best thing to put on wet fingernails right after a manicure. Oh well...

Pine Cove, Second Time Around

2007-01-15T06:27:00.000-08:00

Bob and I spent this past weekend at Pine Cove with about 78 high school kids and some other adults. Though the weather was absolutely horrible in that it rained hard the entire Saturday, it turned out to be a wonderful weekend. And it was a No Agenda weekend. But I have to say, that both of us had our doubts about going that Friday. We knew the weather was not going to be great. There were talks of ice storms for the weekend in the Dallas area. It seemed like it would be so much easier to just stay home, keep a fire going in the house, and just be comfortable. Rest, relax, maybe get something done around the house. You know...

We were trying to figure out the last time we had gone to Pine Cove with the high schoolers. It has been quite a few years. Becca was in high school then, maybe even Pam. We stayed in what was the old Shores camp (now called The Bluffs). At the time, that camp was the newest and the cabins were much better than any cabins at Pine Cove. The new Shores camp, where we stayed this weekend, was under construction and almost completed. It looked to us then that it would be a beautiful camp right on the shores of Lake Palestine. And it turned out to be just that. A huge, long dock with an upper deck, nice dining hall, bigger gym with more equipment, sand volleyball court, a tennis court, huge pool and great two-story cabins with porches. Great place. Great setting. So when it started to pour Friday night and last all day and through till Sunday morning, outside activities were curtailed. There was, however, a mud/sand football game in the sand volleyball court Saturday night that some kids couldn't resist. Wet, muddy clothes give off a wonderful odor in a warm cabin.

Choosing a cabin is the first major activity when you get to camp and something that could affect the whole "tone" of the weekend. Cabins are never assigned. The kids get to choose when they get off the bus. The second floor rooms, with a nice view of the lake, are always a favorite. I thought it would be fun too, except I learned real fast that it wasn't much fun to have to drag a heavy dufflebag up all the steps. What was I thinking? Mish and I had talked earlier, and we thought we'd room together with whatever girls came into the cabin. So I unloaded my stuff and started making up my bunk. I put up my towels and toiletries in the bathroom. I quickly made myself at home. Then I went downstairs to see what was happening next. Well, it turns out that we had more girls and another cabin had to be opened up and they needed an adult in the room. I accepted. I went back upstairs, collected all my things, went back downstairs and then up the stairs again to another cabin. It turned out to be a cabin of sophomore girls. My girls from bible study. I knew this was where I was supposed to be. God knew as usual.

The weekend weather turned out to be a blessing. Cold, hard rain kept us all together. Either in the dining hall playing games (our domino game and Steve and Mish's Dutch Blitz card games were hits) or in the gym playing hockey. (Bob's a little sore after that game.) We couldn't really scatter. So what happened this weekend was what should have happened...kids of all grade levels playing together, talking together, fellowshipping together. We got to know some kids we didn't know before. I got to talk more with my sophomore girls. Some of the girls actually planned early morning bible studies. About six or seven girls got up Saturday and Sunday at 5:30 to get together before breakfast to study the Bible and talk. I have to say that it was really hard to pull myself out of bed at that time after only having gone to bed four hours earlier, but it was so worth it. It was a student-led study and I loved it. I'm glad I didn't miss it. I really admired their dedication to learning God's word. They even had another study later on Saturday right before dinner. It was great.

Though the ice storm didn't hit the Pine Cove area in East Texas, apparently the Dallas area got some icy weather. Because of the potentially bad driving conditions in Dallas, the weekend was cut short a bit. Instead of the planned departure time of 9:00 pm on Sunday, the buses left around 2:30 that day. Bob, Becca and I left camp at 10:15 am. Becca needed to get back on the road to head up to Arkansas. The roads in Dallas turned out to be just wet. It wasn't below freezing, so there wasn't any ice on the roads. Becca left for school at 1:45 and though she hit ice up through Oklahoma, she made it safely to Fayetteville in great time. Praise God.

So the No Agenda weekend turned out great. Bob and I were glad we went and got to spend the time with our family (Steve, Mish and Becca) and a bunch of our church family. New and old friends. Steve shared the leader responsibilities with our youth pastor, Brent. I watched and admired Steve this weekend as I saw again and again the gift he has with working with kids. He and Mish make a great duo. Together, I know they will reach alot of students for Christ. It's so much fun to watch and be a part of that at this time in our lives.

So today's a holiday, and I'm off from school. Bob's work had a delayed opening due to the ice that accumulated on the roads overnight. The trees are bending over with the weight of the icicles, but the sun is out and hopefully it will warm up.

Oh, how I wish it were a No Agenda week!

A thought on prayer

2007-01-04T18:43:00.000-08:00

"Pray till you believe God." I read this sentence this morning and it made me wonder...how have I been praying? Mark 11:24 says "When ye pray, believe." Again, I thought, do I not believe God will answer my prayers? Do I only hope God will answer my prayers, or do I know he will answer them? Knowing is different than hoping. Knowing is freeing. Knowing and believing lead me into rest. "For we which have believed do enter into rest." (Hebrews 4:3) I seek that restful place, that place where even though storms may be surrounding me, I can find a peace. Knowing God, knowing that He will answer my prayers, knowing His promises...it's what calms the unrest in my heart. For that I will always be thankful.

Here we go a Christmas shopping

2006-12-16T04:45:00.000-08:00

So here it is the last weekend before Christmas. I've got a long list of things to do, and I'm up at 6:30 on a Saturday. I didn't purposely get up this early, but I guess this is sleeping in when I usually wake up at 5:30 during the week. My mind told my body that I had things to accomplish today. I don't think Bob's mind told his body yet...he's still sleeping. But then he hasn't yet adjusted to the time change. He was in Japan and Vietnam for a whole week. He got home on Tuesday and went right back to work on Wednesday. So he's been a little weary. But we have a date at Einsteins this morning, so I'm sure he'll be waking soon. What lies ahead of him the rest of the day may be a bit daunting...last minute Christmas shopping. In the crowds, with the traffic...oh what fun it is to ride...on I35 today! But off we'll go because this is what we do. Last minute stuff. We didn't exactly plan right. We've never been those people who start buying presents in the spring and are finished before Thanksgiving. Where's the Christmas spirit in that? There's no Christmas music (although it does start playing in the stores earlier and earlier.) And I am crazy enough to think that Christmas shopping down to the wire is a great test of patience. And don't all of us need a lesson in that? I'll let you know how we do in another blog. So off we'll go, list in hand, coffee and panini filled, dashing through the crowds, laughing all the way, ha, ha, ha! Isn't that how the song goes?

It's trimmed and...beautiful!

2006-12-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

Well, it's finally done. The Christmas tree is fully decorated now. It's no longer that bare, embarassed tree sitting in the corner of the living room. It's in full bloom. And I mean full. Yes, we have alot of ornaments. Just ask Mish. She and Steve came over last night and helped me put the last two big tubs of ornaments on the tree. We unwrapped and unboxed the ornaments together, commenting on many of them of course. We have collected all sorts of ornaments over the years that paint a picture of the different activities and stages of our family life. The oldest ornament on the tree is one I confiscated from my parents. It's a tiny cloth stocking that says Merry Christmas in "old type" lettering. It was mine as an infant. So it's old. We have the "First Christmas Together" ornament from 1978. We have the handmade ornaments from when the kids were in preschool. The one Christmas tree with the "floating head of Steve" really made Mish laugh! We have soccer ornaments galore since all three played the sport for years and years. We have basketball, volleyball and football ornaments. Lots of skiing and snowboarding ornaments. Some of my favorites are from a family trip to Red River with the Riskeys. Many of the ornaments on the tree are from the Riskeys. We have exchanged ornaments with our dear friends for many, many years. Many of them are personalized and dated. We have ornaments displaying the musical talents of our children: pianos, guitars and drums. We've got motion ornaments like the disco ball and merry-go-round. We have ornaments from some of our favorite movies like Casablanca and It's a Wonderful Life. And we have the "Chuckie" doll ornaments! Mish found them and screamed. They are actually an old version of Raggedy Ann and Andy, but they've always looked scary to us. One is missing a hand now. I'm not even sure when or where we got them. They're old too. We don't throw them out because they make us laugh. Mish hid them somewhere on the tree. She wants Becca to search for them when she gets home. There was the deer head ornament that we couldn't find. I was beginning to think we might even have another box of ornaments still up in the attic. (Mish and Steve were hoping not!) But then, just as we were closing up the tubs, there it was. The deer head! I put it up in it's rightful position near the top of the tree. Just underneath the handmade angel that tops our tree. It was made by Steve in third grade at Timbercreek. Still holding up after all these years. Well, I could go on and on. It seems that every ornament on our tree has a special story to it. That's what I love about our tree. It may not be the most beautiful tree as far as trees go. It's old and it's shedding. It's not the tallest tree. It's not flocked and themed like alot of trees these days. You won't see it in House Beautiful. But it's filled with more memories than I can write down. And every year, as we take out each ornament, a memory comes back to mind. We've built memories into that tree every year. As that Master Card commercial goes, the tree is priceless. It really shouldn't have to go back into "the box" every January, hauled up into the attic to stay for another year. But it will... along with a few more ornaments from this year.

Another question.

2006-11-30T05:11:00.000-08:00

So where's the snow?? Were we teased again? I haven't been out yet, but it looks like just rain. Cold and rainy. Oh well...I really didn't want to lose a snow day in the spring. But a late start to the school day would have been nice.

Question.

2006-11-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

So here's what I'm asking myself today...just how much Christmas decorating do I really want to do?? Sad to say, I'm not really in the mood. The tree was brought down from the attic on Sunday and Bob put it together with the white lights. Now it just sits, like a lonely soul in the corner of the living room, beckoning me as I walk by, "please put something on me, I'm bare." But, alas, my schedule is so busy this week, I really don't have time for it.

I really do need to get some Christmas spirit. Any suggestions?

A Break from Tradition

2006-11-26T18:18:00.000-08:00

After 14 or 15 years in a row (I have forgotten the actual number), our family did not celebrate Thanksgiving with our longtime friends, the Riskeys. This year the Riskeys decided to take advantage of the week off and go on a family vacation to California. Donna and Dan were feeling that the opportunities for vacations together with their children may be fleeting. So off they went. And from what I heard from them when they returned, it was a most enjoyable time.

Thanksgiving dinner, well the bulk of it anyway, was left in my hands this year. We didn't have Donna's famous red jello or her yummy mashed potatoes, but we had most everything else we've had all these past Thanksgiving dinners. I did have to call my mom and get her recipes for the stuffing and gravy. And I have to say, Grandma Blanda's stuffing recipe was a hit. Steve already told me that I have to make the stuffing every year. I wasn't able to get my usual Butterball turkey in time, but the Honeysuckle White was fine. And even though "Uncle Mike" was not here to share the cranberry sauce with me, I found some others who enjoy it as well...Michelle and her dad.

We had nine around the table this year...Bob and I, Steve and Michelle, Pam and John, Becca and Marj and Michael Parenteau, Mish's parents. It was a very nice relaxing, family time. We ate alot, watched the Cowboys beat up on Tampa Bay, and played some games. We also watched lots and lots of "The Office", season 2 plus deleted scenes! Not exactly a Christmas movie, but it made us laugh. Meaghan, Mish's sister and her fiance, Jay (Steve's best man at his wedding!), came over later to play games. Steve and Mish introduced us to a new card game called Dutch Blitz. It's fast and furious. Meaghan,Becca and Bob are all really good at it. Oh, and I have to add that if there was ever a "Friends Trivia" game on TV for money...well, Becca would be rich. I think out of about 50 or more trivia questions, she only missed a handful. She didn't even have to think about most of the questions. Unbelievable.

The Friday after Thanksgiving has always been the day that Donna and I went out shopping, without children in tow, at the wee hours of the morning, only to return at 10:00 at night, exhausted, with Christmas shopping finished... or close anyway. But since she wasn't around this year, I decided to take the break and not deal with the crowds going after the not-so-real-sales. Instead I took the girls, Pam, Becca and Mish, and we left just before lunch and did some shopping for them and significant others. Vista Ridge Mall was our destination, as we tried to stay close, and surprisingly, it was not overly crowded. We took a break and had a nice lunch at La Madeleine's. That's where the most crowds were. Eating out. We got some fun "girl" time in together before we headed home to meet up with the "men folk." They had just returned from an excursion to Rei and Cabela's. Yeah, that's the guys' idea of shopping.

On Saturday, Pam and John headed back down to Austin, and Becca headed back up to Arkansas. Steve and Mish headed back down the street. The house is alot quieter. I miss them. I am so very thankful for my family.

Looking back, I always enjoy Thanksgiving because of the time we get to spend with our families and friends. We are very thankful that we had been able to keep our Thanksgiving tradition with the Riskeys going for these many years. We treasure the great memories that we have made. When can traditions start? Any time. Maybe it's time to make some new ones. The young couples will start their own. I just pray that I can still be part of theirs. Maybe as long as I keep the stuffing recipe under wraps...

Back from camp

2006-11-10T15:06:00.000-08:00

A week at Camp Classen...
great hiking weather, beautiful fall foliage, 100 excited kids and...skunks. Yes, it was a wonderful week at fifth-grade camp. We hiked Turner Falls and roasted hotdogs and marshmellows on fires we made there on the top of the mountain...in the dark. Very fun. The next three days were filled with hiking trails, archery, boating, orienteering, challenge courses, and field games. I was on the "lake trail" for the week, an almost 2-mile hike around Lake Classen. We stopped along the way to teach such things as the water cycle, erosion, water purification and biodiversity. Later in the week, I took a group hiking to a waterfall near the lake. The kids loved climbing on the rocks, and of course, many came back pretty wet. Inevitably one or two students fall in the water. We boated on the lake in rowboats and canoes. A few times I was just the passenger in the middle, trying to keep the canoe from overturning! Most of the time I just got splashed by the inexperienced paddlers. We did have a moment when some dads had to go out and rescue some boaters. It was windy on the lake and the girls weren't strong enough to compensate. Their rowboats ended up clear across the other side of the lake in the marshy grasses. The snake man, Mr. Martz from Briarhill Middle School, was there again with his collection of BIG snakes. I still didn't touch one. But it was alot of fun to see the fearless kids with the snakes. One night was Bingo and lanyard-making. There really was not much "down" time at all. We went from breakfast to hiking, from lunch to activities, from dinner to more activities. This year, again, I was responsible for dispensing the medications. Every morning and every night. I have to say that I'm feeling very good that I now know the names of all the fifth-graders, save two or three girls that I'm still not completely sure of their names. For the most part, it was a good group of kids and parents. We did alot of hiking that required the help of some of the dads. Some slick, vertical, rock-climbing where we needed strong, steady hands. We had one student in a wheel-chair and another severely-disabled. It was great to see their attempt at participating in all the activities, but better yet, to see the support they got from their classmates. The teachers at camp were the same from last March, with the exception of our assistant principal who came this time. But this week was even better. The teachers seemed closer, and we had more fun as a group. We stayed up way too late talking after bed checks. By Friday morning, I had to drag myself out of bed at 6:30. Sleep was not something we got much of this week. But it was a great experience. Oh, but did I mention skunks? Yeah, the camp had alot of critters coming out at night. I got harassed most of the week because I didn't want to get sprayed by the skunks. Imagine that. I really did run in the opposite direction. It made cabin checks at night very interesting. We had 15 cabins to check, spread out all over the camp. Skunk-sightings were numerous. Despite that excitement, it was a week of wonderful memories. I loved on some kids, and they loved on me. I was in my element. Being outside, campfires, s'mores, camp songs, canoeing on a lake, stars at night... and kids having alot of fun. And the school district is ending this opportunity. The teachers were sad. The parents were sad. But most of all, the kids were sad. Future fifth-graders are being cheated out of a tremendously fun opportunity to see science in nature. Oh how I want to scream "Are you kidding me? Can you not see how great this is? Do you even know what this is all about??"So this is the last fifth-grade class to make these camp memories. Well...we'll just have to think up another way.

Off to Camp...Again...Last Time

2006-11-05T07:12:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I leave for Camp Classen with the fifth graders. This will be bittersweet for the teachers and some parents. It's the last year for overnight camping in this district. Too bad. It really is a great week for the kids. I guess the opinions of the students, parents and teachers didn't make a difference in the decision made by the school board. I have a teacher friend who has gone to camp the last 10 years. She attended the committee meetings and voiced her opinion. The majority were in favor of camp. But it really didn't matter. The decision was made. Can you tell I'm a little bitter?
But I will look forward to this week. Though it may be rainy and muddy, we'll have a good time. Though my sciatic nerve flared up on me Monday and I'm on a steroid pack for inflammation, I'll have a good time. (Gotta be able to hike those trails!) It's all about the kids and making memories. So off to camp I go again. Pray for good weather. Pray for painless hiking (for me!). I hope I have lots of fun stories to blog about when I get back.