Greetings from the Great NE

The Great Northeast, that is.

The east part is obvious, but looking at a map, one notices just how far north we really are. More in line with parts of Alaska, than anywhere else in the US. I am sure that our days are about to get dramatically shorter, and shorter as fall approaches. Even though there isn't a whole lot of posting going on right now on janesfamilyletter, we both enjoy the tidbits of news from home that are relayed on the Blog. Windy only teaches one day per week, for an hour and a half, so we thought she would have plenty of time for relaxation and other scholarly projects, but that hasn't been the case.
She found out, as she was walking into her first class, that the semester will end on November 21, instead of December 20. This is due to the fact that there are seniors in the class, and they are given class breaks to complete internships. Windy had to completely revise her syllabus (that took her two days to make), on the fly, during the first class. Eliminating pieces of the class has created more work, instead of eliminating it. Additionally, she has been working on a visa application for Russia so that she and a student from CCU can visit St. Petersburg in two weeks. And, she has been working on our residency visas, as well. Combine that, with the multitude of other things that go along with teaching a new class, walking everywhere, not speaking the language, the general bureaucracy of Eastern Europe, and not knowing more than three people, and you've got quite a busy little schedule.
The boys and I are having fun with home-schooling, and going on adventures. Cade seems very fond of the public transit system. Every bus that passes is announced by its number, and its destination (if he has already memorized it). He has only been on one, round trip bus ride, but it made an impression. Someday, I'll write about the bus ride that I had alone. It made quite an impression on me, as well. But it left me with a new resolve to get a bike while I am here. Seriously. Heath is also having a blast, but in a much different way. He isn't really interested in new cultures, or experiences. He just wants to play with the other American kid we know, and hang out with the family. Nothing new for him, thank you very much.
You may recall the "tower castle" that is above the Cathedral. These pictures were taken along the walk to the tower. It takes about 15-20 minutes to get to the tower from our apt., depending on your level of motivation. The "Hill of Three Crosses" is a hill to the east of the apartment. Three Christians were martyred there several centuries ago. Locals put up the crosses at the beginning of the 20th century to memorialize them. The Soviets tore them down. Then the locals replaced them, again. I think this is the third set of Crosses, now that the cycle as repeated itself a few times. The hill is higher than the Tower, and less than a mile away, but the view of Vilnius is not as good, in my opinion, as it is from the Tower. Worse yet, the paths up to the Crosses are littered with trash, glass, and detritus of all sorts along the way. Whereas the path to the Tower is a nice cobbled, walk. The local teenagers seem to hang out in the woods along the paths at night, and the trash is the byproduct of that. A sad impression is left with the tourists who undoubtedly flock up the hill each year. It would otherwise be a lush green, wooded walk, leading up from a river to a nice view of the city. I added a picture from the path, and a picture of the top (with Cade as a perspective marker).
The other is of an older building/wall just before you get to the top of the hill upon which the Tower sits.
The cobbled walk of the Tower path.

Gigi

I found this shop in Florence, but due to the fact that I lost the cord to Windy's camera, I haven't been able to post it until now. It reminded me of someone, but I forget whom...

:)

Whales in the underbrush

Well, here I am in the fountain square WIFI spot, where an environmental crisis has ensued. A humpback whale has beached itself in the shrubs behind me, and we cannot leave until Cade finds it again. I always knew his habit of pretending to blow up his toys and throwing them into the air would come to a sad end, and now it has. It reminds me of the story of the chicken: Have you all heard it? One day, during potty training, Cade started screaming bloody murder from the bathroom. We rushed to his assistance, to find him on the verge of plunging into the toilet. Stopping him just in time, we finally deciphered his screams to indicate that the chicken from his little toy barn had just been flushed. For weeks he feared the potty, reasoning that if it could steal his poopy, and his chicken, who knew what else it would rob him of? He also feared the drain in the bath, hysterically snatching his toys from the jaws of death every night at bathtime.
How has school been coming for all of you kids out there? The kids are loving "Daddy School". They especially like racing up and down the stairs to be the first to get the vowel or number that Daddy designates. Heath asks to go to school with eagerness every morning. I really feel sorry for their next teachers. We'd love to hear from you.
Ah, the whale has been rescued. No need to call Greenpeace.

Oh Well

Our Bekins load was delivered yesterday & our phone was connected. It's a good thing because I had a bunch of calls to make about things needing attention. All these little details and mistakes are frustrating. Our wonderful kitchen counter has a crack in it in front of the sink - (they came and fixed it the next day & it looks fine). The sales person who sold us the dryer in Payson told me we didn't need a conversion kit for propane - but we do(this in a town where everyone uses propane!) so now we don't have a dryer to do the laundry I expected to do. The Sears manager said they will pay for the conversion kit as an apology.

The Bekins men broke our computer desk as they took it upstairs - we suggested removing the top first but they poo poohed that - and a carton is missing that contains all our lamp shades and our brass lamp. But I suppose a few mishaps go with the territory. We love this house.

Wed 6th

We've all been sitting on the deck under the balcony watching the lightning & hearing the thunder (lots of it - one brilliant bolt was pink) - watching it get closer and closer. Then it started to pour & boy did Gigi get her wish to see some rain. Mont thoroughly enjoyed his thunderstorm and didn't even have to chase it this time. Glad this came after the furniture & washer/dryer were all delivered & the phone installed.

He enjoys also watching the solar inverter data readout. He reports that we are generating about 16 KW daily - running the meter backwards (I also got a 28' exgtension ladder and am calling it my birthday present. M) There is a monstrous sassy blue jay with white face markings pecking corn out of a pie dish on the deck rail.

OK - eat your hearts out - Here I am sitting on my balcony writing on the computer using the outlet I wired and installed. The little pygmy nuthatches are very friendly and busy eating the bird seed I put out. I'm waiting for Mont to call me to help lift the medicine cabinets he's installing in our bathroom. It's a beautiful day! We love this house! We love being here!

A week in the forest

Hi - I wrote something almost everyday we were in AZ - and now can't figure out how to import it to the Blog. I guess I'll rewite tomorrow when I'm not so tired.

We had a wonderful time - so did Eddie - but now we're home and unpacked and tired!

We loved reading everything on the blog from Lithuania and SF. You'll hear about AZ tomorrow with pictures.

The band at their show last night

1. Jordan,Brad, Nika and I on the cable car
2. The sourdough turtle that kept us happy waiting for the cable car

1. Mark on the ferry from SF to Sausalito

2. All my boys posing under the Golden Gate Bridge during a GoCar stretch break

Some pics :-)

1. Jordan and Brad in a GoCar
2. Jordan and Jake looking at the Bay Bridge from the waterfront behind the Farmer's Market

San Francisco Wrap Up

Hello! I hope that everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. We are home from San Francisco. Sunday, Mark, Jan and Denise joined us. We had a late breakfast at Cliff House, above SF's only sandy beach. It was a normal breezy, foggy SF day and we enjoyed the spectacular view while we ate the popovers the restaurant is famous for.

In the afternoon, it was 3 hours in "Go Cars." Picture an "Autopia" car from Disneyland. Then shrink it in width and length, just enough to accomodate two adults squeezed side-by-side. Then replace the steering wheel with handlebars like a scooter. And imagine wearing a crash helmet. And make it yellow. And put a speaker and a GPS system inside it. And imagine the seat to be about 1/2 inch of foam over hard plastic. And imagine driving the streets of SF for 3 hours in one, guided by a GPS-directed narrated tour of the city. That's a Go Car. It was a fun novelty and a great way for Denise especially to see the whole city in one outing. But everyone agreed that once was enough and have no desire to repeat the experience. It was FREEZING. At one point Jordan and Brad got a gun pointed at them and a -ahem- gentleman said something about them being about to be held up, when the GPS voice announced "MAKE A LEFT TURN HERE." So they did. And apparently the gentlemen in question felt they were not worth chasing in their little yellow toy car. The car Nika and Denise shared was a little slow on power so everytime they hit a hill, Denise had to get out and push. So it was fun, in a manner of speaking, but not anything we're dying to do again.

Dinner was in North Beach- SF's Italian nieghborhood. The menu was so exotic, Jordan wouldn't even order anything, and he's usually pretty adventurous about food. Even the pizza was "Arugula and Goat Cheese." The gnocchi was "oxtail stew." Not a kid place. But the neighborhood was lively and interesting. And the sights of Union Square at sunset, where Mark and Jan were staying, was all that you'd expect of big city sophistication and splendor. It feels the most like NY other than downtown SF. Jake was happy to ride cabs to and from the restaurant so he didn't care what the food was. He just drank his Roy Rogers with extra cherries and tickled his grandad the whole time.

We made it home yesterday. The kids were back to school today and my first day of teaching is tomorrow. I'm feeling very unprepared psycholgically- I've enjoyed so much just being home all summer. But I'm excited for what the next 9 months hold. This will be a very exciting year for us...

Love you all.

The International Church of Vilnius (duplicate from Petrie's Progress)

It's amazing how quickly you make friends when you are in a community of people who, like you, are cut adrift from their homes. Yesterday we went to the International Church of Vilnius, an ELCA church with services in English. There was no Sunday School for the boys, and I was a little worried about them paying attention and being quiet, but the music was so beautiful that Cade was entranced (he loves the violin) and, as for Heath, I gave him my watch and he learned to buckle it 18 different ways during the service. Buckling, I have discovered, is a quiet activity.

At any rate, afterward we met the director of the American School,Jeff, his wife Sara, and (here's the big thrill) their 6 year old son, Jackson. It was like winning the lottery for the boys. I also met a lovely young German woman who is teaching at my university and doing translations for a missions group here, and plan to meet her for lunch on campus next week. After church, we had lunch with the American School family and the pastor, who has only been in Lithuania as long as we have, and--this thrilled Kyle--is an avid cyclist. I am going to lose count of our blessings on this trip if they keep coming so fast. To make good things better, we discovered that the American school has a children's library with English books and all sorts of free afterschool activities and classes for those expatriates who can't afford tuition, like us. So today we are going up there to enroll the boys in Tai-Kwan-Do, perhaps a computer class, etc... I'll bet we meet some MK's (missionary kids)in those programs. Jeff says there's one missionary who is homeschooling a dozen children here in Vilnius. (That even beats Alex Probst's record). We are still seeking a violin teacher for Cade, too.

But, back to the church itself. It is so beautiful it is hard to pay attention to the sermon. Not only does it have the soaring, painted, scrolled, gold-leafed ceilings of all the churches here, but it has a series of statues depicting the life of Christ that rise behind the altar, from the nativity, through the last supper, and crucifixion, until he ascends to heaven in a statue suspended from the ceiling. Everything is beautifully kept and restored. Beyond that vertical mural of statues, there is a horizontal series of statues as well, encircling the space behind the altar. Six life-size representations of prophets and apostles. I haven't figured out who is up there yet (see, I did try it listen to the sermon), but I will, and I may make Kyle take pictures of them, too.

At any rate, it is nice to already feel we have a church and friends, too. I am writing this from the faculty reading room at VU, listening to the fountain in the courtyard, staring at the beautiful ceiling, and having a pretty serene moment. However, I have not yet met my students, so who knows what culture shock that may bring. I am fully prepared to want to run to McDonalds and watch an American movie Wednesday night, to remind myself that I do fit in somewhere, if my first class is too awkward.

San Francisco Day 1

We're in San Francisco for Labor Day weekend with Mark's family. It's the first time we've all been in the same place since Brad's wedding- but we aren't all here yet. Mark and Jan had a wedding to attend in Carmel so they are on their way here now with Denise and should get here before bedtime.

Today was a fantastic SF day. Mark was already here on business and the boys and I flew in yesterday afternoon. Last night we ate dinner at Brad & Nika's favorite SF pizza joint and had a long brisk walk both ways.

Today we got an early start and took a long, cool, foggy walk from the top of Nob Hill (whereBrad and Nika live in a fantastic 1908 flat) all the way down the Farmer's Market on the water. It is a very upscale yuppified marketplace where the vendors have actual permanent, indoor stores- more like a mall that's only open on weekends and sells mostly food goods. For fruit, wine, cheese, pastries, oils, etc., it's fantastic. We had fresh croissants and fruit which were all delicious. Huge organic O'Henry peach..mmmmm. Jordan tried his first fig and loved it. He said "The flavors are dancing on my tongue!" Mark bought yogurt that they serve in ceramic cups with organic spoons made from potato starch. Jordan and Brad entertained us by managing to down their spoons after the yogurt. :-p

We took a taxi from the Market to pier 41, cramming all 5 adults and Jakie into one cab! Highly illegal, I'm sure, but it was only a mile. From there we took the ferry across the bay to Sausalito, where we were amazed at the complete climate change from foggy to bright sun and clear sky. In Sausalito we walked along the marina and found some benches to enjoy our picnic lunch of fresh baguettes with salami and brie cheese- all bought at the Farmer's Market. Several wasps kept trying to enjoy our sandwiches as well, but Brad managed to kill them one by one by slapping them with salami. He said, "I'm glad I got it pre-sliced!" We enjoyed a stroll through their downtown area near the bay (similar to Catalina) before riding the ferry back across the bay.

From there, we walked another mile or so down to Fisherman's Wharf where we waited in line an hour to ride the cable car back up to Nob Hill. We entertained ourselves in line by eating the large sourdough turtle we had bought at Boudin along the walk to Fisherman's Wharf. It was worth the wait because there was no way Jakie was going to walk all the way back after the whole day. Dad, you will appreciate what a great day for Jakie it was with a taxi, a ferry and a cable car all before dinner.

Once back in B & N's flat, we took a catnap and turned on the USC football game. We took a halftime break to eat at B & N's favorite Chinese hole-in-wall, where we ate too much, but at least we had a long uphill walk home afterwards. Now we're watching the end of the game and waiting for Mark and Jan to arrive with Denise. It's been a long day and we're a little sunburned, but we've seen a lot of the city and it's been a great day.

I'll post again tomorrow for day #2....

Happy Labor Day weekend!

Lenin is coming...

Jordan must be on a cosmic wavelength with the drunk-at-10am Lithuanian dude. This is the shirt he picked today.

I've informally decided to do a pictorial series on Jordan's T-shirts. We can psycho-analyze them....

Regarding the first shirt ("Math is Alive in 2005"): Jordan said that it can be both a joyous declaration and yet also the affirmation of a formidable foe. Both explanations may simultaneously exist and the shirt may be giving voice to either one, depending on the psychological state of the wearer as well as the unique set of circumstances that may synergize at various points throughout the sun-cycle which may prompt either neurological interpretation. For further exploration, refer to Windy's high school essay, "The Egocentrical Illusion of Adolescence" which may contain some enlightenment on certain facets of the issue.

Now here's a REAL first day of school!

It's the first day of school in Lithuania, and, as such, some sort of national holiday. There are parades down all the main streets, opening ceremonies at the schools and universities, and the little children all march off to school with a flower for their teacher. As a teacher, I think America could learn from such spirit and enthusiasm.

There are students chanting their school names in the streets, an orchestra practicing the mambo in the square by our house (and, yes, I intend to make Kyle mambo if there is dancing later. Heath and Cade will need no encouragement. To them, Life is a mambo, and they have already memorized Dean Martin's "Papa Loves Mambo" from a CD Kyle made them.)Also, a drunk-at-10a.m.-but-friendly-and-harmless man had a chat with Kyle in his favorite WIFI spot (the one with the little fountains for the kids)this morning. The man told him that "Lenin was coming" later. We are not sure what this means, as the Lithuanians generally do not like the Soviets. Perhaps they will burn Lenin in effigy? If so, be assured that Kyle will take pictures.

It is amusing writing this at 5 a.m. Western Coast Time. Kyle's dad called us at 1 a.m. our time last night. But Kyle was happy to hear from him regardless. So, y'all have a good day now...

Oh, and, no pressure, but the peanut butter situation is getting a bit desperate. We checked ond last store yeaterday (a "hypermarket" which has everything you can get here, and there just isn't any.)Please send Skippy or Jif--creamy style. I don't want to have to put the kids on rations. Any kind soul who does so will be amply rewarded in Lithuanian amber.

Here's a funny one

Mont is getting hired as I write this - and promoted on Monday.

I thought he'd started his new job on July 1st. ???? So did his boss. The new position was Electrical Inspector I - he'd been Combo Ins. II. But the position was for a I and he took it knowing it would mean a temporary cut in pay back to I level. His new bosses assured him they would try and hurry him into the II level. So early this week he turned in his application for the II level. Yesterday he got a call from personnal asking him if he had decided not to take the new position - which he's been working for 2 months now.

So now he is on his way to fill out the forms for being hired as a Elec I and on Monday he'll be promoted. I'm not sure what pay level he's been getting because he's always had a bit of overtime - or hrs off. or something other than a straight pay check since he started in July. I suppose I could go figure it out but.....

Thought you'd all enjoy the story of bureaucracy & paperwork in the big city.

"Camping" with our Naughton Grands :-)

PTL!! - Our 90+ degree "weekend camp out" with A,C,J & Sarah at the Inn was perfectly sandwiched between cool fall-like days & was GREAT fun!!! Grampa Mikey picked them up in Dallas as Darc was in charge of a BIG church BBQ & thus couldn't meet us partway & I had gone to bed afterwork about 1:30am so needed to be able to sleep in to be ready for our precious "larks"! (Yikes! Caleb "scared" us - he slept in til 7:10am! ;-) We swam in the wonderfully warm pool both before AND after our pizza feed, then the 3 younger kids swam/played again for an hour in the am before leaving. I'll let the pics speak for themselves! M&M

ho hum but here I am

Hi----
Life is full of excitement here. Lets see - we picked lots of green beans, are enjoying tomatoes (from Mary). This will really get you - we bought an automatic cleaning kitty litter. We've arranged to get the front windows replaced -hopefully before cold weather (Oct)? I broke the next to last crank trying to open the window one day so its getting to nip & tuck. Maybe my back won't freeze this year.

We have only had one hissing fit today - this time I scolded Spanky - 'cause Eddy was behaving. She looked rather shocked and shut up! Yesterday when he chased her under the bed I chased him with a rolled up newspaper and he's behaved better ever since - eyeing me suspiciously when he was tempted to tease her. We're trying to give both of them lots of love. Maybe we have progress. Spanky is grey and white now because she had taken to hiding in the fireplace - which made me realize someone had burned a fire in there and it was full of ashes.

We found out there is no propane in our propane tank as we thought there was. They never delivered it!! There was just the bit they had in when installled to check the lines. The office gal said, "either this week or next week they would deliver to that area." It's hard for me to believe she didn't know the schedule which makes me believe it will be next week and we won't have hot water part of our stay there but she was afraid to say so. Someone in that office goofed up when talking to me and filling out our paperwork initailly.

Well so much for our excitement. Sorry no pictures of cats or tomatoes. But we have picked some avocados!!!!! :-)

And the big one too...

1. Last day of summer
2. Jordan full length, fuzzy- sorry. Try getting a 17 yr-old boy to pose for multiple retakes.
3. Jordan's chosen 1st day shirt- his favorite thrift store find.

By Gramma's Request

Okay Mom, here they are...
1. Jakie in his classroom listening to the teacher (back left, wearing brown)
2. Jakie hugging his teacher goodbye
3. After school swim lesson

Duplicate from "Petrie's Progress"

Impressions of Vilnius
Living in a foreign country is a series of small victories in minor skirmishes between you, yourself, and your environment. For instance, I got lost twice on my way to the "american center"(the cultural affairs arm of the embassy, where the diplomats/attaches take good care of us) this morning (skirmish), but I did eventually find it (victory). I was scolded at the grocery store yesterday for not paying for my grocery bags (skirmish), but managed to explain that I had indeed done the correct thing by bringing used bags from home (victory). Yesterday I discovered there is a juice bar on our block. Those who know me will understand why this was so exciting--I am missing my homemade morning smoothies, and there is not a berry to be found in the stores. We also took our first family outing with the boys scooters yesterday. You should have seen them trying to emulate the tricks the skatboarders were doing. My nerves were quite frayed by the time we went home, but everyone's skull is intact so far, and I think I remember the word for "hospital." It is hard being surounded by a language you mostly cannot understand, but I have become fluent in two Lithuanian phrases "I don't speak Lithuanian." and "Do you speak English?" Actually, I do speak Lithuanian--like a one year old, I can say single words like "hello," "goodbye," "thank you," "milk," "airplane," and "apple." It would be so easy not to learn any Lithuanian at all, because everyone under 30 here speaks excellent English, and those over 30 speak it pretty well, as does the educated class of people who are over 40. So I am trying to discipline myself to use the Lithuanian word first, before I reach for the English.

It is exciting to be in a European city again, with all the cafes, the art, the bustle. Vilnians are very proud and active culturally, and there will be much to see. I have already marked up the opera and ballet schedules--the National Theater is in our neighborhood, and I can't wait for the fall season to start. Kyle found the National Philharmonic yesterday and is excited to go to some performances there, too. Can anyone say the Lithuanian word for "babysitter"?

Other observations from my four whole days of info gathering: Lithuanians are very tall. This explains their procilivity for Basketball, of which they are very proud as well. Everyone, from the cradle to the grave, can tell you who the national team is playing, and what its ranking is. Today I walked into an office, and everyone was up from their desk watching a game on TV. They all went and sat down again when I came in and I felt like I had spoiled their party. This tendency to great height, along with the fact that all the women wear high heels all the time, has pretty much nixed my hopes of blending in. I dress like them already--you should see all the little corduoroy blazers round here--but I am far too short and too round from the hair on down to pass for one of them. I may either come back with straight hair and a prodigious collection of stilletos, or just start wearing a shawl over my head, clomping around in my sensible walking shoes and passing for a babushka. Right now, babuska is looking more likely.

My dwarf-like qualities aside, we are all well and fine, and enjoying the adventure. There's enough to see and do to last way past Christmas, but we will still return then, because we miss you all. If you want to write a real, old fashioned letter, or to send some peanut butter for the kids (we can't find any, and even the Costco jar can't last forever), our official address is:

(See Petrie's progress...)

Love and best wishes,
Windy

1st Day of School

Jakie started pre-k today. He's just realizing that it's EVERY day. He's not sure about that.

Jordan started his senior year of high school. Yay! Waaaah! Yay! Waaaah! I know you moms get me.

Love to all!

So I've been absent...
We finally got high speed internet this week and my whole life has changed overnight! haha, but true. Wow, I can't believe the difference! I used to have a lot of trouble posting anything here because it took so darn long, but now I'm back if you'll have me. :) I'm even going to try downloading a picture. (Wow! That was fast!)

WILD fun at Wildlife Safari!

Hi! Grampa & I had a ball with Kelsey, Monique & Emma on our "Grandparents Camp Out" near Roseburg last "weekend", Sun./Monday! We had ALL been together at D&G's for the afternoon FUN joint BD celebration of Amy (13!) & Josh that afternoon so left from there. Cut an hour+ off the drive down - always helpful when one has a carload of kids ;-), but they traveled wonderfully & we sang our lungs out once it was too dark for them to read! ;-)I have always LOVED singing on road trips & was surprised at the Girl Scout songs I could yet recall! - Care to join us in a chorus of "Boom boom ain't it great to be crazy", anyone? ;-) Soo with that intro, I'll "let" a few pics speak for themselves! More later! mc

In LT

Hopefully, this will work. Internet has been poor,at best, so far. We are here, we are safe, and someday I will figure a way to post some pictures. Windy is meeting her university contact tomorrow. We ahve an apartment that is only a 2 minute walk from the University. More when I have more time, but I wanted to let you know that we are here and everything is great.
Does anyone post on this bad boy anymore?

Are you sure this is my brother?? This ended in a standoff and a few swings - Skylar then tioptoed off and sat with his back to Eddie. Spanky continues to be very upset and nasty. Mommy, Mommy come get me - no one here likes me.

The Singing Room

One more from me: Jakie is often confused by the distinction between the living room and the family room. He's come up with his own solution. He is now referring to the living room as "The Singing Room." I like it. :-)

Back to life. Back to reality.

We just had an idyllic little getaway weekend. We went to a great campground just 15 minutes away from our house with the trailer- just us. Saturday, we slept in, Mark went for a run, we rode bikes to the pool and swam, rode around the campground (a big one), came back and had lunch, then a long nap in the comfy breeze, rode around some more, Mark and Jakie swam more while I read, rode back to the trailer, grilled up some hamburgers for dinners, lit a campfire and made smores...

No laundry, or housework or homework. Just lazy happy days hanging out. Of course it's all waiting for us at home. But we decided we need this at least once a month, just for calm, fun family time.

Now back to life... :-)

from Windy (via Heidi)

I've copied this from Petrie's Progress for an update...

Although last night it didn't look like it would happen, what with being up until 2 a.m. finalizing all our moving out, cleaning, and packing those last three novels, 16 DVDs, and two toys we decided we couldn't leave without. The combination of moving out of a house and leaving on a journey showed its complications when we were stopped at airport security, the guard explaining that he had seen a "huge pair of scissors" in our duffle bag. Kyle kept chuckling and chiding the guy on his joke in these sensitive tiems, while I kept saying that I had intended to pack my thinning shears in the checked luggage (in case they don't understand crazy thick hair in Eastern Europe). Turned out, it wasn't a joke OR thinning shears--it was indeed a "huge" pair of kitchen scissors, thrown into anything that would hold anything in the frenzy of moving. Whoops. Ironically, they were still small enough to go on the plane, but we told him to keep them, as we were traveling internationally later. So he did. Kyle, however, has filed away the useful tidbit that you can take scissors on a plane if the blades are less than six inches long. "You have got to be freakin' kidding me; no Carmex, but you can't have 6" scissors. Imagine what I could do with a pair of those!", he said. I would rather not.

We are in New York now, for a five hour layover, or grudge match, as it were. We'll see who will prevail: mom, who is determined that those five hours will wear out the boys enough to make them sleep all the way to Rome, or the boys, whom no amount of exertion ever manages to fatigue. But so far, the trip has been idyllic, in my opinion. They even served the very kid friendly lunch of cheese pizza on our first plane. I felt pretty smug about it. The boys also befriended a 9 month old baby, sharing toys with her, while I held her so her mommy could use the restroom. It really took me back to all those flights I made alone with the boys, with Heath strapped to my chest, Cade on one hand, and Cade's carseat dragging behind me. Boy, it makes flying with a 4 and 6 year old seem easy. They also amused themselves so magnificently: Cade surmising our location from how the clouds looked (Chicago must be the dark cluds), and Heath trapping his little plastic animals in between two cups and pretending they were in a rocket ship. (which blasted off all the way across the aisle at one point.) Then Cade insisted on reading the safety brochure to us all seven times- "so we would know what to do". Kyle kept saying "that's my boy."
Kyle got to sit next to an Irish man who was returning from the Sturgis Motorcycle ralley.

So, so far, all is well. Many, many thanks to the many of you who have prayed with and for us about this journey. All the hassles of wrapping up our life in the U.S. have faded in the fun and anticipation of it.

Love to you all--
Windy

The fireworks have started

Eddie was a very unhappy cat by the time he arrived here. 2 days in 2 different cars - no more Kyle or Windy, and a house he'd never seen before on this end. He has been very unpleasant every time the other cats get near him and they have reciprocated! Mont & I had quite an interrupted nights sleep last night. At one point I had to break up a scuffle between Eddie & Spanky - though I'm not sure if they were actually hitting each other or the chairs in between them. It was dark and the wee hours - but definitely noisy. They won't let us cuddle them to soothe them. Hope they'll settle in soon.

There are pics of the new house - all clean and shiny for the first time - on the photosite - or will be as soon as I get off here.
I loved being there - was hard to come home again.
Can't wait to go for a whole week with Mont & Gigi the first week in Sept.

shy visitors

I was sitting on the deck with my friend, chillin' and looking for wildlife, when these 2 elk came by. They stopped their progress and the lone one came over to check us out. He watched us for quite a while before heading back to his friend and they eventually munched on their way. They have huge racks. We saw 2 does with a young one the next day as we drove along the Rim Road in the dense forest area, a well as 8 or 9 others.

On Wednesday, Marilyn & I took Sarah to the Oregon Zoo & I thought this was a good shot of her. Amy was going to come but ended up having to school shop with Darc - amazingly, Amy HATES to shop in any way shape or form! Caleb & Josh had church camp, sigh, so missed out this round & N&T are returning today from their trip to "Washington George" toDAY (Emma's version of Wash DC! :-) so we didn't get to "borrow" them either, sigh. (PLEASE PRAY for N&T's return trip with the newest flight threats as they are routed thru Chicago today, THANKS!) ANYway, it was really a wonderful day with Sarah!! We went after Marilyn's am dental appointment and stayed very late for us since Marilyn had to be at work at 8 AM the next morning. Before meeting D & G in Salem, we brought Sarah back here and showed her the pumpkins that are growing in back Those were two big eyes looking at them! (She LOVES her Grampa's "pumpkin patch" :-) Then we picked a few apples, another of her joys, for her to take home. A very good day. MB - & MeeToo :-)

excited...

Well, I've been awake since the weee hours packing the car and going over lists in my mind (as I lay in bed). I am a wee bit excited about heading to the finished house tomorrow. At the last minute yesterday a friend called and said she could go with me after all. I had decided the time alone to pray and meditate and exercise would be wonderful - but I'm equally glad for company and help with the drive. It's a bit intimidating to know I have to take so many little things with me to really begin to make it a house. I suppose I could plan to run into Winslow to Walmart on Sunday - but who wants to leave that beautiful house and forest to shop - esp in Winslow - which is not exactly the sweetest looking place in the States.

Soooo - everytime I sit down to make a list my mind goes blank on all the things I thought about laying in bed. Otherwise I'd be completeing my lists and not writing on the blog.

I think I'll sleep better tonight once the car is packed ready to leave. The things that will fit will be in and the rest will have to wait for the UHaul. And - hey - we've been surviving just fine in our camping out mode but one hates to ask a friend to be less than comfortable.

I was also thinking last night it won't really seem like my home til I've heard the giggles and little feet running of the kids. Jakie will hopefully be able to be there before too long - but Cade & Heath will be a while. (How about sending off your family to Europe after recent news- UGH).

Walking Point Loma

Just a little 'brag' for those of you who know PL well. Friday eve Dad & I walked down to Sunset Cliffs and back - all the way to the end where the road ends at PLNU.
Sunday eve we decided to take a little walk - and ended up going through Fleetridge area to the old Albertsons (recently closed) and then down Talbot to walk above Shelter Island and channel views. Then we walked through neighborhoods til we ended up almost to the Naval Electronics Lab, then over to PLNU and home again. Lots of hills. Friday night we were sore -not Sunday - guess the old joints adjusted. It sure is a wonderful place to get your exercise. I always hate the hills while going up, though.
We might just about be walking off the stress we are under lately as everything wraps up with the house and we try to decide what we need to make it livable, and how we'll get it there.

Cobra Commander

Introducing "Cobra Commander" - a Christian Hardcore/Grindcore band. They had their first live show last night and it went really well.

Grindcore is essentially really hard rock- the drums go hard and fast, not really melodic- just more guitar chords and really driving rhythm, fast tempo. They don't really sing, they sort of grunt- this is Jordan's role in the band. I really can't stand the style of music, but they are actually pretty good. In need of polishing, but good in essentials. Hopefully this will be a fun thing for his senior year. Practicing hard and performing on a stage are really exciting and I'm glad Jordan's having a chance to experience the work, time, nervousness, sweat, hope, disappointment and triumph that come with any kind of performing.

The hair was fun while it lasted, but it got shaved off this morning (Senior pictures are coming up!) and he shaved his face clean as well, that's always a momentous occasion.

I was really worried that the whole thing would be icky- slimy guys, bad scene, etc. But the guys are pretty solid Christian guys with nice families. We got to meet the other parents last night at the afterparty we hosted to celebrate their first show, and we really enjoyed talking with them about kids, Christian ministry, etc. The guys started calling me "Band Mama" last night. :-)

The bass guitarist dedicated the show to Jesus Christ between songs. They were most excited that someone came up after the show to give them a business card and potentially offer them a spot on the program for a Christian skateboard company's skate demo show, that they wanted Christian hardcore bands for. They haven't been able to get the booking confirmed yet this morning, but they're hopeful.

Jordan, Blake and Garret are busy in the garage turning the minibike into something else. At first it was going to be a driving toilet, then it swtched to a 2-seat driving ice chest, and I don't know what it is now, but I hear a motor and a hacksaw out there...

Love you all.

One Big Happy family

Yesterday I bought a wicker hassok with a top cushion to function as either footrest or table in the new house. Mont set it in the living room til we can take it.
Spanky walked into the living room -we were all 3 there watching the Padres lose - she sort of startled - I thought she saw a bug flying. But she spotted something new - perused it, jumped on it, sniffed around, and lay down on it. Pretty soon Skylar strolls in to join the cozy family group. Spanky spots him, goes in to defensive mode, glaring at him over the edge of the cushion. He wanders around looking confused and hurt, gets too close again and Spanky lets fly a big spit at him. Then she settles in to glare at him. Fortunately he found consolation with Gigi.
I can't wait til Eddie joins the fun!

Yuck, Yuck, Yuck

Evie, considering Mark's daring rescue plunge, suggested I post an account of my early airport days.
I was working at Lindberg Field for a private aircraft service company. During the summer we provided full ground service for many Marine Corps Reserve charter flights. In the middle of the night a Lockheed Constellation arrived. This was an old 4 engine piston-propeller sleek beauty with a classic triple vertical stabilizer tail. They were designed with very high ground clearance. My job was to service the lavatories and I had the "honey bucket", a tongue-in-cheek nickname for a very large malodorous trailer tank with a 4" flexible hose to connect to airliners' holding tanks. Since the Constellation was so long-legged I had to teeter atop the tank under the holding tank dump port, while rotating the hose connector into the locked position, then pull the dump lever and wait for the contents to rush down into the honey bucket, then reverse the process. Maybe I had to stretch too far, but when I pulled the dump lever the hose connector fell off and the entire load emptied upon my disbelieving head and shoulders before I could react. Needless to say I was sent home immediately. Fortunately it was about 1:00 AM and I could let myself into the garage for a stripdown laundry tub washdown before I slipped into the house for a long shower.
That old Connie wasn't done with me yet, though. After the flight was offloaded it was towed to a parking area and the main landing gear wheels chocked until it was time for the reservists to go home. After all the men were on board and their gear stowed in the baggage holds it was discovered that the wheels had squashed down on the chocks from the added weight and the chocks could not be jerked out. Solution: Station Monty under the fuselage and crank up the engines, then the pilots revs up the engines and the bird pushes forward enough to unload the rear chocks, Monty rushes under the inboard engines and jerks the rear chocks out, then jerks the front chocks after the plane rolls back. The first part worked. The rest of the plan did not, as I couldn't make my feet move until another worker was sent in to bring me out and finish the job.

Photogenic

Don't you wish you were this good-looking?

The Queen's new crown!

Here we were last night, just trying to enjoy the Thursday evening concert in Wilsonville, when this fellow (who is very active in Wilsonville - chamber, etc) made Marilyn this addition to her hat. Not only has Mark been elevated to Counsellhood, but Marilyn has become Qween Marilyn the 1st! MB