Farm

So this is a post that I started a while ago, that I thought I would finish.

In October we had a Fall Party out at the farm. This farm has been in our family for 42 years. My grandparents lived on this farm for about 38 years together and then Granny lived there for another 3 1/2 years. Then when Granny moved to town, my parents bought the farm.

Since they have owned the farm, they have really just cleared a lot of brush and some 'junk' trees as my dad calls them. They rent the farm land and the farm house. However, the farm provides us with so much fun. Some people have been camping at the farm. Some people have been fishing. Some people have been hunting. Ryan and I just like to go out and walk around to enjoy each other and God's beautiful creation.

Thinking of how much I enjoy the farm, I am reminded that all of my farm experiences have not been so great. I am going to share two farm stories with you. When I tell you these stories we are going to be forever closer and you may think that I am not the farm gal that I think that I am. You also may think that I am not very smart.

When I was in elementary school I had a good friend that lived on a farm. I loved going to their house where we would ride 4-wheelers, play in the barn and care for pigs and sheep. Late spring, when I was in the 4th grade I went to her house on a Saturday. Jenny and her brother Justin had to walk their 4-H sheep before we could do anything else. I was fascinated by anything that was happening on their farm and the walking of sheep wasn't any different. I had seen people walk dogs, but not sheep.

I followed them to the barn to harness the sheep. They were walking three sheep each, so I said I could take one or two. They gave me one rope that was attached to a sheep and we headed out of the barn and down the driveway. The first few minutes were spent trying to get all six sheep to move. I don't think that God created sheep to be harnessed and walked, or to be shown a county fairs. They just don't like it in my opinion and here is why:

My little lamb that I was trying to walk, simply did not want to walk. Jenny and Justin seemed to be doing just fine. If one of their sheep would stop they would touch the tail quickly and the sheep would start walking again. I kept pulling on the rope and the sheep was just fighting the walk. By this point, there was no walking going on, I was pulling the sheep.

So I asked what they were doing with the sheep's tail to get them to move. Justin said, "Oh, well it is kind of gross, you probably will want to just keep pulling the rope." I said, "No, just tell me what to do so that the sheep will walk." He said, "Well, you just lift the tail up and then stick about a inch of your finger into their butt hole really fast and that gets them to move." Being the city girl that I was, this was soooooo gross and I couldn't believe anyone would do this!

After asking a few questions about this process and seeing the very believable demonstration, I turned back to my little sheep determined to get him to walk, and determined to prove myself as a farm girl.

Lets just say, the lamb did move, and he moved very fast! Jenny and Justin laughed until they cried. I went and washed my finger.

In case you ever need to walk a sheep you just pull up on their tail. No prodding is necessary.

Second story:
My grandparents did not have many animals on the farm, but they would have a few here and there. My grandfather had talked about getting a few cows but hadn't really contacted anyone about buying some. My great uncle, who raised cows, called one day and said that he had a calf that he needed to find a home for. The mother didn't want the calf and the calf was going to need to be bottle fed for a while. Well, having three grand kids that would love this process, he said he would take the calf. I was probably 12 years old.

We quickly named her, "Daisy." However, she was not as cheerful as her name suggests. She was nice at first, but she turned rather feisty. One weekend, my grandparents were going away and my mom and I had to take care of Daisy. As I recall the first day or so went fine. We were keeping Daisy in the barn, because she had been known to get out of the field from time to time.

This particular day we went out to feed and water her after my mom got off work. (She was still in high heels and dressed up, that is a important part of this story) When we pulled in the driveway, there was Daisy standing in the middle of the yard looking like, "Oh, no, I've been caught!"

We stopped in the middle and that is when the fun began. Basically, we spent about a hour 'chasing' her. It must have looked like a circus act. A business woman and a little girl chasing a cow. Daisy would run really fast one direction and wait for us to catch up and then she should sprint to another area of the yard. I am guessing that this went on for about an hour. Finally Daisy stopped and walked into the barn. She was thirsty. We shut the barn door. After all of that, she stopped when she was ready to 'stop playing.' After that we all decided that Daisy was a little too smart to stay at our farm. She was big enough to go back with the rest of the cows!

Thankful

I know it really isn't thanksgiving time yet, but I have just been thinking about how thankful I am for what God has been up to in our lives. Here are just a few things that I am thankful for:

My wonderful, amazing husband! God has given me everything I need in a mate through Ryan. He is my perfect match in so many ways.

Our healthy, beautiful daughter. I am amazed at her growth and development in just 8 months.

Our family and extended family that continually provides love, support and humor to our lives.

Incredible friends!

Two great jobs.

Shelter and clothing.

Health.

Our relationship with God.

The simple things in life.

God's beauty through His creation.

Music.

There is so much more. I take so many things for granted. I want to appreciate each stage in our lives and thank God for bringing us here.

It is so easy to complain in life. We want more things. We want the weather to be nice. We want money. We want new jobs. We want different cars. We want new and better homes. We want to look better. We can get to a place where nothing is good enough. Instead, look around at what you have been given, and be thankful.

I guess there were two main things that made me start thinking about thankfulness. First, I do not make it a habit to watch Oprah everyday. However, I do catch it from time to time. Yesterday, a family was on that has had a major life change in the last year. The family consisted of a dad, mom, and 4 kids. On August 16, 2008, Stephanie and her husband, Christian, were flying across Arizona when the small plane they were on crashed into the desert. It exploded on impact.

Christian and Stephanie made it out alive…but just barely.

When the plane hit the ground, Christian broke his back and ankle, yet he still managed to wrench the door open and help Stephanie escape the burning wreckage. Christian saved Stephanie's life that day, but for the next three months, no one knew what sort of life she'd be able to lead.

When flames engulfed the plane, Christian was burned on his face and neck, while Stephanie suffered severe burns on more than 80 percent of her body. She was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and for the next 10 weeks, doctors kept her in a medically induced coma while they treated her burns.

While Stephanie was in the hospital, there was always someone at her side. Siblings slept on the floor, her mother spoke words of encouragement, and they all prayed for her recovery.

Then, in November 2008, Stephanie woke up.

Stephanie says she had a vision while she was unconscious, and she was given a choice. "[I was] with somebody who told me that I could choose to live and have a hard life, you know, embarrassing at times and painful. Or, I could just stay there, and there's lots of work I could do there too," she says. "But I thought of my children and my husband, and it was easy. An easy choice."

Since Stephanie returned to her Utah home, very little has been easy. For the first few months she was home, she says her children didn't want to look at her or touch her. (Ages 8,6,4,and 2)

Her scars may never heal, but Stephanie says it gets a little easier every day. Despite constant physical pain, she still manages to make lunches, bathe her children and celebrate life and love.

Her story made me just stop and thank God for the life he has given me.

Secondly, the new David Crowder Band song has also made me think about thankfulness. Here are the lyrics:

He Loves Us

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us,
Oh! how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And Heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

just a few thoughts on numbers

First, some have asked when I will know anything about the Real Simple essay contest. It says, "The winner will be notified by phone on or around January 3, 2010." So, I guess they have a lot of reading to do and I have to wait.

I am a big numbers person. Not so much numbers with math problems, but numbers with other things. I like to count down the days until something is going to happen. I had our wedding count down started from the day we got engaged. I tried to do a count down when I was pregnant with Elyse, but she was 11 days late, so that didn't work out so well. I do count downs until Christmas starting in sometime in October. I am always counting the days until vacation or the number of days we have left on vacation. The same is true with money and other random things. For instance when I was teaching in the brick and mortar school I would count the number of class periods in the week. At Miami Trace I would teach 35 periods a week and I would have 10 free periods a week for planning and lunch.

However, I tend to take it to the next level. I will count the Hours and Minutes too! I really take the whole counting thing a little too far.

The day Ryan left for Europe I knew that he would be gone 10 days or about 240 hours which is 14,400 minutes. And throughout the time he was gone, I would recalculate the new totals.

This weird counting of things does not relate to a love for math necessarily, but rather an odd fascination of amounts, time, and percentages. For instance I am fascinated at the number of hours we spend doing things in our life. IE: sitting at traffic lights-12-15 hours depending on how much you drive, sleeping- 227,912 hours etc.

When I am trying to occupy my time with something I will count things. Counting ceiling tiles. (Yes, I know I could just count the length and the width and multiply) Counting lights in a room. Counting certain cars, trucks or SUVs. Counting the stairs that I am climbing. Number of steps it takes to get somewhere.

I also enjoy the USA Today's snapshot which is in the left corner of the front page and also on the front of the life section. This includes percentages based on research or responses gathered in surveys.

Research studies with numbers are equally as intriguing. (Sometimes the Dateline, 60 minutes, or 20/20)

Well, here are some of my most recent figures.

I have save us about $1800 this year by breast feeding and making my own baby food.

By the end of one year of Elyse's life we will have used about 2,788 diapers. (Just imagine the diapers for twins for one year, 5,576) I will have spent about 456 hours feeding her. (which is about 3 months of 40 hour work weeks)

I will save you from all of my other crazy calculations, but lets just say that there are many, many more! Does this make me a math geek?

growing up

So, as I stated from the beginning of this blog I am not a great writer. However, it is something that I enjoy. I have never been one to write and then share it with others, but that is what a blog is all about.
This post is my entry into a REAL SIMPLE life lessons essay contest. I have been thinking about submitting an entry for the contest all summer. I have known about it since May. Really though, why wouldn't I wait until yesterday to start the essay knowing that entries are taken until tonight at midnight. So, it was written last night and this morning. Here is the rough draft, I have a few more hours to finish it. I am not expecting to win, but the $3000 and a two day trip to NYC is rather enticing and I liked the topic.

Topic: When did you realize that you had become a grown-up?

Essay:I can’t wait until I am older

At 29 years old I still have days that I feel 12. Or maybe it is days that I wish I were 12. I still, on occasion, act selfish and want my own way. There are days that I do not make our bed and I really have no remorse or guilt from not doing it. Even though our house is clean, I often leave things out and do not put them back where they belong until the next day. I am sure all of us grown-ups don’t always act as grown-up as we should. Nevertheless, I am a grown-up.

As a child I can remember thinking, "I can't wait until I am older." I had that thought so often during my childhood and adolescence. I can honestly say I am still not quite sure that it happened all in one day or through a series of events, but I think it was on September 20, 2006. I think that was the day I became a grown-up.

I believe that four events or times have defined my passage into adulthood. Each event was unique and special in its own way. Maybe growing up happens in one day for some, or maybe it is a journey. I am not sure, but here is how it happened for me.

When I was young I thought that being taller in stature was a sign that I was a so called grown-up. I was sure that a sign of being a grown-up was easily recognizable by one event. I knew that once I could touch the pew in front of me at church without any bend to my arms or wrist to reach the wooden back of the seat was a sign that I was a grown-up. At about age 14 I was able to stand at church to sing with my arms extended down to barely touch the pew in front of me. However, I was not a grown-up.

So, I had to set my attainable grown-up goal on something else. I decided that I would be a grown up once I had my own car with a trunk. Now, you may be saying, "What, why a car with a trunk?" I want to tell you, I have absolutely NO idea why I thought this. Maybe I thought of this step as something that was very independent. Maybe I related the trunk to grocery store shopping, and running errands. I am honestly not sure why I thought that this was a big step in becoming a grown-up. I drove one of my parent’s cars once I turned 16, and then got my own at age 18. Driving my own car, with a trunk during my senior year of high school did not make me a grown-up.

Once again I set my sights on something else that would make me a grown-up. My next milestone was bill paying. Can’t all grown-ups be defined as bill paying people? Again, this milestone came and went and I was still not a grown-up.

After I graduated from college, I was still unsure of what I really wanted to do in life. After one year of three part time jobs I went back to school to get my masters degree. During this time I didn't really think about growing up too much. I had the tall stature, the same car with a trunk, and paid bills. I even owned a house of my very own. I got married when I was 25 and still felt like a child at times until, the 6 months after our wedding that is when I really became a grown-up.

As my husband and I sat at the funeral home with his siblings and their spouses to make funeral arrangements for his mother Ellen just 12 weeks after our wedding, I knew I was a grown-up. September 20, 2006. We were the adults in this situation. Both of my husband’s parents were ill when we started dating and when we got married. His mother, Ellen, was fighting breast cancer for the second time and his father, Steven was bed ridden with multiple sclerosis. Ellen had attended the wedding, but was very weak. I think we were so happy about our marriage that it was hard to imagine the coming days and weeks of caretaking and what the inevitable future held.

We went to Hawaii the day after the ceremony for our honeymoon. The day after we returned from our honeymoon Ryan's grandmother passed away. Eight weeks later, it was his mother. Another six weeks and Ryan had ankle reconstructive surgery from a basketball injury that put him on crutches for 10 weeks. It would be 3 weeks of calm before yet another storm, Ryan's father passed away. The first 6 months of marriage are a blur.

During these 6 months of heartache and joy I grew into adulthood. Maybe it was because we felt somewhat responsible for his younger, but grown siblings. Maybe it was because we were missing that older and wiser family link. But I think it was because I realized that no one is invincible. Our time on earth goes by quickly. Only God knows the number of days we will be on this earth. This time made me think of one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” Time is really not in my control. I don’t know what tomorrow holds. I just live each day.

Childhood is easy, growing up is hard, but the journey is when we grow.

Keep Up So You Don't Have To Make UP

WOW! It has been way too long.

After my last post I started my new job. Some may say that I am working for a slave driver. That isn't really the case, but it has been busy!!!!!!

I told Ryan that my new job feels like I went to training for three days to learn a new language and now I need to use it everyday to teach children. It is a different culture and teaching online is way different than teaching in a brick and mortar school. I will save you all the details, but on my first day I has 78 e-mails that needed an answer right away!!! Along with classes to teach, assignments to grade and phone calls to make, it was just a bit overwhelming.

Now things are falling into a routine and I am understanding expectations. I am learning how to juggle Elyse, our 7 month old that is crawling everywhere, being a good wife, keeping our house clean, making dinner and my job.

I am also learning that I have to stick to my schedule. Work time is work time and family time is family time and me time is me time. With my desk being in the dining room (that is another story for another time) it is easy to just sit down and work for a few minutes all evening. I am trying to be able to close my computer by 3:00 everyday. However, it is a GREAT job and I am so thankful God provided it for me so that I can stay home with Elyse.

Which, all of this rambling brings me to the whole point of this post.

My dad has a saying, "Keep up, so you don't have to make up." Over the last couple of weeks I have thought of his voice saying this MANY times. I have thought, I can't keep up. How can I keep the house clean? Work my job? Take care of Elyse? Cook dinner? Be a good wife? Find any down time? Do laundry and fold it? Be a good friend? How would I ever add another child to this craziness. (this is NOT an announcement about another baby)

The answer is, keep up so you don't have to make up. This really applies to ALL areas of our lives. (I am preaching to the choir by the way.) I may think of this line when I have gained a couple of pounds, or my relationship with Christ isn't what is should be, or my house is a mess, or my relationship with Ryan feels strained, or I go running and I am tired quickly.

There are so many things in our lives that pull us so many direction. There isn't enough time to get everything done.

God has reminded me in Ephesians 1 that I was created to bring GLORY TO HIM. That is my main job. That is my whole purpose!

11-12It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

13-14It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.

15-19That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!

20-23All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.


Do you ever feel like this?

Even though these verses can't cure all of my juggling, I find comfort in these words.

And, even though I am RUNNING, I am trying to keep up so I don't have to make up.

Vacation Pictures

So, I am not sure why this has taken me so long. However, here are some of my favorite vacation pictures from our trip to New England.

Breakfast

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Here are some of the reasons why.

1. I love coffee. I admit, it is an addiction. When I was pregnant it was so disgusting to me. I was repulsed by the thought of it. However, my love for coffee it back. Most of the time I drink it black, but I also like a plain latte too.

2. Cereal, almost all kinds. You can keep the Raisin Bran.

3. Milk and Juice are two more favorites that come with breakfast.

4. Some times I make pancakes on Saturdays. By the way, here is the recipe I use.

Yummy Pancakes (they are as easy as the mix, just try them!)
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
1/4 to 1 cup of milk (depending on how you like your pancakes. I use 1 cup)

Mix and fry.

OK, back to the list.

5. Fruit, eggs, bacon, oatmeal, grits, toast, french toast. Okay, I think it is safe to say I just like breakfast food!

My family knows that I love breakfast. So, for my birthday last week my mom took me to my favorite place for breakfast. The Sunrise Cafe in Yellowsprings

Now on to the reasons I love this little place. First, they have great coffee. Second, everything is organic and fresh! Finally, they have the best pancakes on earth. Go to the website and just look at the picture of the pancakes. They are THIN, not thick and they have really crispy edges. They are served with melted butter and maple syrup. They are just outstanding!

Crawling and Cereal

It is hard to believe that Elyse is 6 months old and she is crawling already. As my neighbor says, 'she is doing the Desert Storm.' Indeed, it is a very fast army crawl. Her little arms and legs just move as fast as they can.

Last week, she was doing nothing Monday-Thursday. She was rolling around, but not moving. On Friday, a switch in her little body must have switched on. The switch said, "I have got to move." And move she does. She wants to move all the time!

I am so thankful for a healthy baby. When I look at her I think about the following verses:

Psalm 139: 13-18

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I'd even lived one day.
Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
God, I'll never comprehend them!
I couldn't even begin to count them—
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!

On another note, we started cereal about 3 weeks ago. She started like a champ and gradually declined. We have tried, cereal and warm water, cereal and breast milk, cereal and apple juice. All of it would go in and back out again. So, yesterday I thought I would try really cold water and cereal. It was ice water and cereal. She loved it! She ate the whole bowl. Tonight I made about 4 veggies into baby food and put them in the freezer. I wonder if I will have to give her ice cold veggies too?

Salsa

I really like homemade salsa this time of year. Everything is so fresh!

Recently, some people have asked me how I make salsa. The answer is that I make it a few different ways. Sometimes I make a more basic salsa and other times I make a corn and black bean salsa. Here are recipes for both types.
Basic Salsa

8- Tomatoes (Roma tomatoes are best)
1- Medium Onion
2-3 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 of a bunch of Cilantro
2 T Olive Oil
1-2 T Lime Juice
1 t Salt
1 t Pepper
1 T Sugar
Hot Sauce to taste

You can change the amounts of anything based on taste and what you like the best. And I like everything chopped small, so I use a food processor to chop and blend everything.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

1 can of White Corn, rinsed and drained
1 can of Black Beans, rinsed and drained
6 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
5 Green Onions, chopped
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1/4 c. Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 c. Olive Oil
1 t Garlic, minced
1/2 t. Cumin
3/4 c. Cilantro, chopped
Hot Sauce and Salt to taste

I put everything except the Corn and Beans into the food processor. Then combine the two parts.

If you try them, let me know which one that you like the best!

Yard Sale and Kroger

First, I would like to say that I am sorry for being such a bad blogger. Maybe I am not really a bad blogger, but I think I should do it more often. I most certainly have enough to write about, but I just have not had a spare minute. This week I cleaned out our house to get ready for the yard sale, had family over for dinner, unpacked and did laundry from vacation, cleaned the house, worked on some homework (I am taking two classes), ran a million errands, took Elyse for her 6th month check up, went to Columbus, filled out paper work for my new job, finished a big project for Miami Trace and so much more. It has just been a crazy week!

Elyse is 6 months old! She weighed 16 pounds and 4 ounces. She was 25 1/2 inches long. At the appointment she had to get two shots. When the nurse gave her the first one she let out a LOUD scream and by the end of the second shot she was done. It was like the switch had been flipped. Ryan and I joke that she is able to go from 0 to 60 very very fast!

Okay, on to the yard sale...

I have had a few yard sales in my life time. When I was little, my baby sitter was my great grandmother and my great aunt. THEY LOVED YARD SALES! I would hate to think about how many we went to. They loved going to them and they loved having them. If you have read this blog from the beginning then you know about my self-professed poor memory. However, I have to believe that I can remember seeing the same junk that continued to cycle. I think they would buy junk at one yard sale, then have their own yard sale and someone else would buy it and on and on until they probably ended up with the same junk they once had. And let me clarify, 'Junk' is that item that one person sees as trash and you see it as that one item that you really need to have. There are many more things I could say about yard sales, but I will try to keep this short. Here are a few thoughts on yard sales:

1. Whenever my dad sees a yard sale he says, "I wish I could buy everything there and get rid of all of it for them." HE HATES CLUTTER and that is what a yard sale is to him.

2. Why is it that the biggest piece of junk that you price, the one that you think should go in the trash, is always the first to sell?

3. One mans trash is TRULY another mans treasure.

4. You've gotta love the people who bargain at a yard sale. Today multiple people held up items that were priced $1 and asked if I would take $.50. (I will take anything, I just want to get rid of it)

5. Why do I always think I will make much more than I actually do?

6. I had one lady today that came three different times. I had the same junk out all day. I am not sure why she made three trips. I did not receive any new shipments.

7. Another lady told me that I had a high priced yard sale...I didn't know what to say to that.

8. One lady held up a blanket and asked me how many times it had been used.....really?!

9. A friend of mine came by today. As she was shopping, a old lady with LOTS of questions about yard sale items thought it was my friends yard sale. So my friend had the privilege of answering all of the questions.

10. Don't have a yard sale and try to take care of a 6 month old at the same time....what was I thinking?! Actually, she was very good and the neighbors were GREAT help!

Okay, enough about yard sales on to my KROGER experience. Please make sure you are sitting down when you read this next part...it is GROSS!!!

So after the yard sale, I cleaned the down stairs and then went to Kroger to get just a few things. As I was walking into the store, I saw and heard a lady yelling at her three kids. If I were guessing I would say that they were around ages 5-8. I heard them talking about watermelon as I followed them into the store. Once inside the lady called someone on her cell phone and began completely ignoring the kids. Well the kids took off for the open container of pineapple samples. After using their hands, and not the provided toothpicks, to eat all of the pineapple they followed their mother to corner of the produce section.

She was still talking on the phone and ignoring them while placing some pre-sliced watermelon and pineapple in her cart. The kids had each picked up a toothpick at the sample stand. (prepare your self....this is when it gets really GROSS) I really could not believe my eyes. I saw the little girl stick her toothpick into a bright orange pepper, pull it out and lick it. Then she choose a strawberry, then a packaged pineapple, then an orange, then a tomato. IT WAS LIKE A CAR CRASH. I wanted to look away. I wanted the mother to notice and repremand her. I wanted the toothpick to fall to the ground. I just watched as she continued to poke the produce with her toothpick, lick it and do it again.

Some of you will not understand the rest of this story. However, if you deal with children often, I think you will understand. I tell Ryan sometimes the 'teacher' in me just comes out! As the mother walked on back to the meat department, leaving her little 'pokers' to prod in MY produce, the little girl, in slow motion raised her toothpick to a bag of grapes. She poked and licked again as I yelled, "HEY! That is so gross. People are here to buy stuff and you have poked your little toothpick into other peoples food. How would you like someone to do that to your food? Are you going to buy everything that you have poked with your toothpick? Don't do that any more!" I wasn't yelling, but I was stern. It was the teacher voice. They all ran to their mother.

I am sure they told on me.

Moral of the story, watch for small holes in your produce!

Vacation and a New Job

Well, we are finally home from vacation. We went to Niagara Falls; Burlington, Vermont; Bar Harbor, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island; Mystic, Connecticut, and then spent last night in Pennsylvania before driving the rest of the way home today. We drove a total of 2,600 miles! (with a 6 month old) I will post some pictures soon. So, now Elyse has been to a total of 11 states and one other country, Canada. Her passport picture is hilarious!

We really enjoyed our time together. That was our first big car trip since we have been married. However, we had to stop about every 2.5 or 3 hours because Elyse needed to eat and get out of her car seat. And with Ryan being 6'4" he doesn't exactly fit well in a car. So, even with frequent stops, we made the most of it and had a great trip. We traveled around the first week and then stayed in a condo the second week. Here is where we stayed the second week, http://www.oceancliff1and2.com/ We were not too familiar with Newport before we went. The city is well known for their mansions, www.newportmansions.org/ Even though we did not walk through any of the mansions, we were able to enjoy them from the outside on the cliff walk, www.cliffwalk.com Names like the Kennedy's, and the Vanderbilt's built these homes and lived here in the early 1900's. It was just a great place for a week of relaxing!

While we were on our road trip, I accepted a new job. This is a long story, but I will try to make it short. After Elyse was born I searched for a job that would allow me to stay at home with her and still work in some capacity. I really enjoy teaching. I also know that for me I would not be able to stay at home all of the time without having something to call my own. So, I looked for teaching jobs online. I didn't hear anything for a long time and finally the first week of July I had an interview with ECOT, www.ecotohio.org This is the school that I really wanted to work for if I was going to go this route. They said that it would be a few weeks before I would hear anything from them. They called the following week and offered me the job.

Even when they offered me the job, I didn't know what to do. I have loved my job at Miami Trace. They have been so good to me and I really like the people I work with. But, I also really love my daughter. I was torn by this decision. I felt like God had provided this wonderful opportunity for me to stay at home with Elyse and still work from home. I had prayed from the beginning that if this was meant to be that God would just open the door. Then, He did.
All of that to say, I now teach for ECOT, from home. So, now I am a teaching from home mother.

Vacation

We left on Sunday, July 12th for a two week vacation in New England. We are traveling to Niagara Falls, NY, Burlington, VT, Bar Harbor, ME, Boston, MA, Newport, RI and a few drives through NH and CT.

In our family vacations are serious business.

Let me introduce you to the vacation notebook. I know what you are thinking, why don’t you just call the local travel company and let them set things up for the trip. You make a simple phone call and they do all the work. They get the airline ticket and the hotel rooms and the renal car and tell you all the sights to see. First, I agree that it is the easy way.

Well, we actually enjoy all of the planning and research.

Last summer Ryan planned our entire trip to Europe; from hotels to flights to eating establishments to sights to see to trains. ALL OF IT! Before our trip he complied a one inch portfolio binder of travel and sightseeing information. He also had 2 Rick Steve’s travel books full of markings and highlights. The man was a picture of a fully prepared traveler.

So, this year it was my turn. How could I ever Iive up to this standard of trip planning perfection?

Now let me introduce you to a 'Walters' vacation. This type of vacation requires little planning. It could range from; my dad coming home from work early on Friday to tell us that we were going to Chicago for pizza that evening; to a surprise trip to NYC for New Years; to going to New Orleans for the Olympic Track and Field Trials. Don't get me wrong, BOTH TYPES OF VACATIONS ARE WONDERFUL, just very, very different!

So far we are on day two of our trip. I have completely failed in trip planning if you compare the hours I have spent planning verses what Ryan would have spent. Don't get me wrong, I have a notebook, but it really isn't up to par. It has missing details, information and directions are absent.

However, I did just have a baby a few months ago and she has taken up the majority of my free time. Also, I think Ryan was born to be a trip planner. Currently he is mapping out the direction we will take to get from VT to ME tomorrow. I really love vacationing with him. It is just so nice to get away for a little while.

We are having a wonderful trip so far. Elyse has been an angel, especially in the car.

Sunday morning we had breakfast with my parents and then left for Niagara Falls. We even went across the boarder to the Canadian side. (Elyse had to get a passport. It is hilarious!) Then we spent the night and got up this morning for the even longer drive to Burlington, VT. It was a beautiful drive! Tomorrow we will head to Maine!

Vacation story to be continued....

HAPPY 4th of JULY!

I absolutely love Independence Day!  It is my favorite holiday.  The day just combines so many of my favorite things into one day.  The sun, fireworks, grilling out and swimming makes the 4th of July my absolute favorite!  We went to a Red's game today (the 5th) and then had a cookout tonight at my parents house.  Here is a funny story....

Happy Anniversary, Ryan!

Today marks three years since we walked down the aisle!  It is just crazy how fast time passes.  When I was little and I would hear people say that, I just thought they were crazy!  

In high school I made a list of qualities that I wanted in a husband.  I prayed that God would provide a mate that would be the desire of my heart.  I am thankful and amazed that God provided my list in the form of Ryan!  

The last three years has been a wild, incredible ride and I am excited for the other journeys that God is planning for us.  Here is a little run down of the last three years of married life, the good, the bad and the ugly...at least what I can remember.

• July 1, 2006 Wedding Day
• July 2, 2006 We went to Hawaii for our Honeymoon.
  
• July 14, 2006 Ryan's Grandma Barber passed away the day after we got home from our honeymoon.
• In the fall I coached the High School Cross Country Team.
• I finished the last year of my Masters Degree during our first year of marriage.
• Remodeling Project #1- new siding on our house and added a bathroom downstairs.
• September 19, 2006 Ryan's mother, Ellen passed away after a couragous battle with cancer.
• Ryan was an assistant Varsity Girls Basketball Coach in 2006-2007
• November 18, 2006 Ryan had reconstructive ankle surgery and was on crutches until the second week of January 2007.
• December 2, 2006 Ryan's Father, Steve passed away from Multiple Sclarosis.  
• February 2007 Macy, our cat, found us.
• I coached Boys Varsity Track in the Spring of 2007.
• March 2007 We went to NYC for a long weekend.  
• June 2007 We took Christoph to Washington DC and to NYC for a week.
• June 2007 We took a group of students to London, Paris, Florence and Rome for 10 days.
• 2007-2008 Ryan was the Head Varsity Girls Coach and I was the Boys Track Assistant
• July 2008 We went to Germany, Austria, Prague, Venice, and then a cruise to two Greek Islands, Turkey and Croacia
• October 2008 Remodeling Project #2 We had some rooms in our house painted and a new bathroom put in upstairs.
• October 2008 We went to Colorado to visit our dear friends Beth and Zach and another friend/brother Raphael.  
• 2008-2009 Ryan was the Head Varsity Girls Coach.
• January 26, 2009 In the middle of basketball season we had Elyse Ellen Day. 
• May 2009 Remodeling Project#3 New two car garage (in progress)
• June 2009 Ryan took students to Paris, Florence, and Rome.

I am so thankful, most of all, for the life partner God has given me.  We have experienced extreme joy and heartache together.  He has taught us lessons, given us courage, showed us His love, and continues to walk with us through this journey.

  RCD, I love you

Confession

I do not know nursery rhymes or kids songs.  I know parts of them and then I make the rest up as I am singing or saying them to Elyse.  Our poor daughter!  I am really going to have to work on this.  This morning I sang, "I'm a little tea pot short and stout.  Here is is handle.  Here is my spout.  When you tip me over watch me shout. Da Da Da Da Da Da Dat."  (The last part was sung to the Jeopardy jingle)  She still smiles at me when I sing, but there is no way she is ever going to learn all these songs and rhymes at this rate. 

On another note here are some other family facts:

• We have a cousin that moved to LA to be an actor and has been in some commercials.
  
• I have a uncle who attempted to become a professional wrestler when he was in his 20's.  His stage name was, "The Jolly Green Giant". 
• My cousin Jennifer works for M Night Shamolon.
• My grandmother always told us that we were related to Pocahontas.  I am not so sure about that one...

And yet another note: 

Please pray for my friend David Wenzel.  Here is his blog if you are interested, www.jumpdavidjump.typepad.com

We went to Cedarville University together and he found out last week that he has an inoperable brain tumor.  He is so upbeat about the whole situation and giving glory to God!  The blog is very funny and well written if you have time to read it.  

THANKS in advance for your prayers!  

Reunion

Today is the Walters Family Reunion.  Ryan isn't really sad that he is going to miss it, but I would like him to go with us.  Here are some fun facts about the Walters Family.

• My grandmother told my grandfather while they were dating that she wasn't sure if she wanted any kids.  (It seems that some where along the line she really did a 180)  
• There are 10 kids, and my dad is number 9.  As one of the youngest and he has nieces and nephews his age.  
  
• Which brings me to another point, some of my grandmothers oldest children would have been pregnant at the same time as her.  
• My Great-Grandmother lived to be 103 years old, and my Grandmother was 92.
• All 10 siblings are still living ranging in ages from 78 to 54
• So, Grandma Walters was having kids for about 24 years, that means she was pregnant for about 90 months of her life!
• They lived in Ohio until my dad was about 8 years old and then moved to Tucson, Arizona.
• Let's just say that there are more cousins than I can count.
• The second child was Joanne.  She was born a healthy little girl, but at the age of five she contracted Spinal Meningitis.  When she was healed she still had the brain of a five year old.  The fever from the disease really effected her.  She looks to be about 50, but she is really 76.  After my grandmother passed away, Joanne went to live in a group home where she still lives now in Urbana, Ohio.
• Mike, #7 lives in New York and Mary Ellen, #4 lives in Arizona, everyone else is in Ohio.
• There is so much more I could tell you about this crazy family, but I will close with this.  In 1983 my grandmother published a book about her children and their life raising 10 children.   I tried to find a book cover to post, but this is the best I could do:

Walters, Dorothy W.

Overview

Works:	1 works in 1 publications in 1 language and 4 library holdings
Classifications:	br1725.w35,

Publication Timeline

1980| |1990

Key   Publications about Dorothy W Walters   Publications by Dorothy W Walters

Most widely held works by Dorothy W Walters

God, grit & greenbacks by Dorothy W Walters( Book ) 
2 editions published in 1983 in English and held by 2 libraries worldwide 

 

Audience Level

0				1
	Kids	General	Special

I am glad to see that there are still 2 libraries worldwide that have the book.   After she retired she wrote this book and then went on to become a missionary on an American Indian Reservation in Arizona.  She spent her entire life caring for others!  What a legecy she has left us!   She was Proverbs 31:10-31

 A good woman is hard to find,

and worth far more than diamonds.

Her husband trusts her without reserve, 
   and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously 
   all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, 
   and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places 
   and brings back exotic surprises.
She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast 
   for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it, 
   then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, 
   rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work, 
   is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, 
   diligent in homemaking.
She's quick to assist anyone in need, 
   reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn't worry about her family when it snows; 
   their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing, 
   and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected 
   when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them, 
   brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant, 
   and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, 
   and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, 
   and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her; 
   her husband joins in with words of praise:
"Many women have done wonderful things, 
   but you've outclassed them all!"
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. 
   The woman to be admired and praised 
   is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves! 
   Festoon her life with praises!