AAAHHH! I Forgot My Idol Post!

This is what happens when I try to multi-task too much! I am distracted by my newly acquired sunburn and I forgot to write this part.

* David Cook - Have I mentioned that I just love him? I actually really enjoyed his first song. I thought it was fun and energetic...and I was in a total minority on that, at least where the judges were concerned. I thought his second song was flat out AMAZING. He is wonderful, and though I desperately want him to stay, I know if he goes too early just like Daughtry did, he'll do just fine.

* Syesha - I thought her first song was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed seeing that fun side of her. But as soon as I heard her talk about getting the choreography down that the judges were going to be all over her for imitating. I thought the gown she wore in the second song was beautiful and I thought she did a nice job then too. I agree with the judges - she's getting better and better here at the end.

* Jason - Oh brother. I think Simon could be right - pack your bags, Mr. Castro. The hair was driving me NUTS on the first song and I thought the song itself was horrible. I thought he did better the second time, but comparatively speaking...he didn't perform in the same league tonight.

* David Archuleta - good on both songs, as usual, but I continue to see nothing earth shattering about him, and I still think there's something about him that couldn't hold the charisma he needs right now. I guess I don't want to say he's too young because there are others who are younger and do fine, but he just seems to lack some of the energy and maturity that some of them have. And to hear him sing a love song was just funny to me because he IS so young. But it was a smart move. All his teeny bopper fans will go crazy for him.

I think Jason's the man out. OR if everyone rushes to save him because of what Simon said, it could be Syesha, because I'm still not sure how strong her fan base is. OR it could be a "gasp" moment and be either one of the Davids. How's that for a definite opinion?

Twenty-Two - the Last of the Lost Years!

WOW I have done a lot of posting today. I am about halfway through posting my trip to Kansas pictures, and they are in backwards order below. If you want to start with the first post and work your way up, the title of the first one is "Indiana to Kansas...All in a Day's Flying." I have posted through her open house and will pick up again tomorrow to hopefully finish the trip.

BUT the day is coming to a close and I still have much to do, so in the meantime, I wish you a happy National Beverage Day. My choice was a caramel frappe, but a new girl made it and it was so awful. I had to come home and doctor it up. Oh well. It was a happy celebration anyway.

I think 22 was the last of the lost years...I can't find a single picture of that birthday. At least not a picture I recognize. :( Starting shortly after that birthday, I became a religious scrapper, so the rest of them should all be safe and sound in albums. But the month of May the year I turned 22 was a very busy month. My friends Mike and Faith got married, I moved into a temporary apartment, I was preparing to move into a more permanent house, I traveled to Delaware for Christina's wedding....and THAT was a photo taking day, so here's the closest to 22 I can get. 22 and 2 weeks or so.

Open House!

Cassie's open house was the night before graduation, and I thought it was a really fun time - even though I didn't know more than a handful of people. :)

Here is Cassie with one of her good friends - one of two who always calls me Aunt Bekah. I love being adopted out!

And here's the other one that always calls me Aunt Bekah!


Remember how I told you I fell off the "no pop" bandwagon? Here's my first sip - HEAVENLY.

The overflow of party guests ended up in the garage. It was way too windy and chilly of a day to sit in the "yard."

Cassie with one of her graduation gifts - a very cool K State blanket!

Turning 30 - Phase 1

Since I won't be able to be with Lori, Jeff, and Cassie on my birthday, we went ahead and celebrated it a little bit early. Right before Cassie's open house, we had "Turning 30, Phase 1."

SWEET!! A George Foreman! I had mentioned to Lori that the one I had was way too small for a meatatarian like me, and I really wanted one with the removable grill pans that can go in the dishwasher. Good thing she has a better memory than I have!! GREAT gift!


Miss Cassie and me...just killin some time during the thirty-fest.

The official group photo for the birthday album.

More Tour O Town

We kept driving around town, and it was my first chance to see "FEMA-ville." It is much smaller now than it first was. Jeff said in the beginning, there were about 300 trailers, and each time someone moves out (either moves away or moves into a new home) they remove the trailer. There were several empty spaces throughout the area.

Interesting thing I'd not thought about with this FEMA thing. This had been an empty field, and before they could move in anything or anyone, they had to put in roads and driveways and run electricity and plumbing and phone lines and ALL of that for all 300-some trailers. I guess I never thought about how much pre-work had to go into it.

And since this IS tornado alley, they also had to create some sort of storm shelter for all the people living in the trailers. This was the solution: buried box cars. There were several of these scattered throughout FEMA-ville.

This is the picture of what the high school will look like when it is actually built and isn't housed in portables anymore.


Our tour concluded with a visit to the Care n Share store. It's kind of like a very small Goodwill and is run by the Ministerial Association. It was their grand opening day, so they had cookies and everything! :) I found this tie that I TRIED to talk Dad into buying...he wasn't having any of it. He did, however, stand very patiently for this photo. (It's a Kansas City Chiefs tie if you can't see it very well.) He's such a good lil sport, that Dad.

Rebuilding a Church

I was AMAZED at how far the church has come! Jeff and Lori's church broke ground on Palm Sunday (I think) and already they have the major makings of a building! The church is being rebuilt on its original site and Jeff says the floor plan is very similar to the original.

This is the sanctuary wing. The closest end will be the front of the sanctuary and the back is toward the back of the picture.

This is the offices/classrooms/fellowship hall wing - it's got a little more work yet to be done.


The boards and beams were such a beautiful sight!!

This reminds me of those pictures from last year of the beams scattered throughout the yard. Not now! They're new and back to work!

This is standing at the back of the sanctuary looking out toward the other wing.

Trip to the Big Well

Jeff took us on a "driving tour" of the city. We started out at the main tourist attraction in town - The Big Well. If you're not familiar, Greensburg sports the world's largest hand dug well - and fortunately, since wells are located underground, it wasn't destroyed by the tornado! :) The gift shop that accompanied it was destroyed, but it has rebuilt in this cute little building that I'll someday have a picture of...meanwhile I have this photo under the new sign. The years on the sign represent the time frame between the digging of the well and the tornado.

And yes - a very windy day.

The well is actually underneath that metal structure behind me and to the left (the picture's left, not my left).

I tried to take a picture down into the well, but my flash wouldn't show how deep it really goes. It is possible to go down inside it, but it has not been open since the tornado. Lori said they actually had a fence around the whole thing until last week.


Here's Cassie and my cousin Emma looking down inside the well. This is the same metal structure that was around it before the tornado. A few (ha!) paint chips, but otherwise in good shape.

Opening Gifts

Saturday was a very full day...and it started with a really yummy brunch that Lori made for us. After brunch, Cassie opened her presents that came from family.

Here she is with her new necklace...

And the all important cooking kit for college. I was really excited about that one.

Indiana to Kansas...All in a Day's Flying

My trip to Kansas began on Friday. My sister Julie, my Aunt B, Jeff's (he's my brother-in-law) Mom, and I flew together. Or we tried. Valiant effort.

I was scared to death to get through airport security because I am "that person" who always has something go wrong. Once I got through that with no problem, my blood pressure went WAY down. We got to our gate and I overheard the ticket agent saying that the plane they had just boarded was overweight and men would have to be pulled from the flight. Re-enter high blood pressure.

Our flight was delayed when we got there and got delayed again while we waited. Fortunately we had a couple hours of layover in St. Louis, but the longer we waited, the more I worried about making that connection at all. I know...me? Worry? Shocker.

We made it to St. Louis with about 2 minutes to spare only to find out THAT flight was delayed too. Good thing because it was the WORST flight I've ever been on. I felt SO sick. It was incredibly rocky and I just wanted it to be over. (Safely of course.)

All the last minute changes meant none of us had eaten (other than random snacks) all day long. That drive to Lori and Jeff's was the longest hour and a half of my life. I thought about eating my shoe, but then I thought of Lori's cooking that was waiting on me...and I refrained.

The rest of the family made so much fun of the four of us during dinner because we didn't talk, we didn't chew...we just INHALED our food. We had seconds before everyone else had finished their firsts.

Hurry up and take the picture, Mom! I am trying to EAT! You're withholding my fat grams!

After dinner, we celebrated Lori's birthday. Her birthday was actually Sunday, but she wanted that day to be about Cassie and her graduation, so we celebrated early. Jeff and Cassie got her a lot of the same things they gave her last year on her birthday...but those were not so much seen again. Hopefully the new lot-o-gifts will stay.

I gave her this basket for her basket tree.

Graduation Preview

Someday when I get a different computer, I too can live in the age of providing pictures WITHOUT standing at the Wal-Mart photo kiosk. :)

My sister emailed these to me. I'm assuming they were taken by some family member of another senior...someone sitting more in the center than I was.

This is my girl delivering her valedictorian speech. I was SO stinkin' proud of her. Can you imagine giving a speech in front of so many people and cameras and you know, the leader of the free world? (He's paying close attention...good for him!)


And here she is receiving her diploma...


The official photo....

Twenty One...Living on the Edge

WELCOME HOME TO ME!!!!!!

I had the most incredible weekend traveling out to Kansas and watching Cassie graduate from high school. I just spent 1/2 hour at the SLOWEST Wal-Mart photo kiosk on the planet (yes, I have timed them all) so tomorrow I should have pictures for you. But for as much fun as I had (many stories yet to come), it is SO good to be home. Both Kaegan and Braeya met me at the door, so I think they might have missed me. Braeya usually shows up at the door...looking for food. Kaegan may or may not show up for another hour or more, so I guess his immediate appearance should make me feel good.

Anyway, I'm home and scurrying in under the wire to post a picture and announce that today is Great Lakes Awareness Day. I only chose that one from the list because of my Great Legs story (scroll down a dozen posts or so for that one...I'd get the link but I'm too tired). So happy Great Lakes/Legs day! :)

What did you do for your 21st birthday? Well I lived way near the edge (I think, anyway - I'm back to guessing based on hairstyles) and went to Cracker Barrel with my parents. :) I distinctly remember being bummed because I finally had acquired a boyfriend in my life, and right before my birthday, he had a death in the family and had to travel home for a couple of weeks. So not only did he miss my birthday, but he missed the big birthday! So my parents stepped in and bought me...well, probably a chicken salad sammich.


Well until tomorrow I leave you with this "hmmm" moment. I opened the mail while the computer warmed up, and one thing I received was a packet with some curriculum in it. I started pilfering through to find the article I wrote (they send a complimentary packet each time they publish something of mine) and I found a title that matched something I would have written...and my name was below it...and the picture matched the title...and the first line said, "My wife and I don't have a life."

I have a wife?

How long was I gone? What did I drink for that 21st birthday?

I continued reading.

"We have two small children." Well, yes there's Kaegan and Braeya...but something tells me the wrong article is attached to my name. Either that or I still haven't really adjusted to the altitude...

Twenty...With New Friends! (and another holiday)

Since all of my high school friends had scattered in their various directions for college, my twentieth birthday party had an entirely new set of friends to celebrate with me!

The thing I love about it is that I'm still close to almost everybody that was there...and it's ten whole years later! I'm really thankful for the great friends I made in college.


Looks like I was having some issues with the Capri Sun pouch...

And in other news on this FINE day...it's National Orange Juice Day. I can't have orange juice, but I definitely could go for a big bowl of orange sherbet!

Bits for Sunday, May 4, 2008

Normally I write to you from my little office in my house...alternately shifting left to right to see around the cat that chooses to park in between my face and the monitor, completely prohibiting me from seeing anything I'm typing. I jump up every now and then to run into the next room to see what is happening on whatever TV show I happen to be "watching" at the time.

Today I write to you from another office...on a guest computer...staring out a window at the dirt where a yard will soon be and looking across the street to the makings of a new house. Looks like they're about as far as the basement right now. All around are fragments of trees left from a tornado that happened a year ago today.

I remember that day...it was actually a Friday. I remember having my parents over for dinner, and I remember kicking back to watch whatever was on TV while Braeya the birthday girl played with her new kitty toys. I remember the phone ringing and the thought of "oh that can't be good at this hour." And I remember the news my Dad delivered...of a tornado here in Greensburg, Kansas.

This morning at the community church service, the gentleman who delivered the benediction shared a story he'd heard of some people visiting overseas...London, maybe?...who tried to explain to people where they were from here in the States. They said they were from Wichita, Kansas. The people over there wanted to know how far that was from Greensburg. So much for anonymity! Today this little town was overrun by trucks sporting satellite dishes, dozens of police cars, guests from everywhere, and even the President himself.

We didn't come out here for the President though. We came out here to watch my niece graduate from high school. Originally the graduation was scheduled for next weekend, and a couple of months ago, we were told the date had been moved up a week, but the reason was top secret. So we went about changing our flights and hotel reservations and all of that...and about a month ago, we found out that the President's visit was the reason for the date change. Apparently next weekend he's a little busy marrying off his daughter...

I remember my high school graduation. I remember the duct tape colored robes and the extreme nervousness of walking across that stage and waving to my family on the sidelines.

This was NOTHING like that. Not only were the robes a much more appealing color (colors, actually...red and blue), the entire ceremony was...unlike anything I could have imagined.

We had to be shuttled to the site, because cars weren't allowed within a certain distance of the building. No purses allowed, so I wore my coat to fill up the pockets with batteries and cameras...and my photo ID and ticket. No one got in without the appropriate combination of both. We had to go through metal detectors (and I managed to avoid the additional wand search) and sit in our assigned seats. Ours happened to be next to the White House media area. We sat in a row and leaned out of the way of the dozens of secret service personnel.

Definitely not your typical graduation, but it was such a great time. I am so proud of Miss Cassie, who not only graduated, but she delivered a wonderful co-valedictory speech. I was so nervous for her. Public speaking is not my favorite thing. I can't imagine doing it in front of the President and a dozens of media cameras. She did an amazing job - I was super proud, amid my photo taking. :) (Oh come on now, you'd expect nothing less.)

So no...not a typical graduation, but no less cause for celebration. Cassie, I love you and you did a GREAT job not only today, but this whole past year. You have handled this with a dignity I don't even possess. I'm very proud of you.

Well, I can hear the voices of family in the other room, and I better be social while I can be...so I'll wrap this up. I leave with the words of this song that we sang in church this morning...because it best sums up today's summary of this past year.

Blessed be Your name, when the sun's shining down on me...when the world's all as it should be, blessed be Your name...Blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering...Though there's pain in the offering, blessed be Your name...Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise...You give and take away...My heart will choose to say...Blessed be Your name.

One Year and Five Months

That's how long it has been since my last drink of Coke - or pop of any kind.

One year five months and three days, to be exact.

Until today. I was overcome by the presence of the red and white bottles in the cooler at my niece's graduation party, and I just had to have a little tiny taste.

HEAVENLY.

But I only drank about 1/3 of the bottle - and I was done. I don't need any more. I can go another year and five months, probably, without having it again. But it was still REALLY REALLY good.

Nineteen on the Go and A Couple of Holiday Options!

I couldn't decide between two different celebrations for today so I'm suggesting both. Today is Hug Your Cat Day (and I can't even see my own precious kiddos for the occasion. :( It is also National Scrapbook Day - and you have no idea how excited I am about that! I won't be scrapping, but I sure will be taking a ton of pictures to scrap later!!

Nineteen...my first year to be "out on my own" for my birthday. I apparently did make it back home for gifts. SHOES!!

I had the BIGGEST crush on Mark Lowry at this stage of my life. As you can see, I was pretty excited to have this new video to watch!

Eighteen...So Embarrassing - and Sibling Appreciation Day!

My eighteenth birthday came about a week before my high school graduation, so I had a whole lot going on in my mind and life! I was in the middle of enjoying one of my last lunches with my friends at school when the balloons and camera showed up. That wasn't embarrassing. It was the top of the lungs SINGING of everyone at my table and the instant silence of the cafeteria that made me do this:


Home was far less humiliating. :) Oh and just one word: PERM.

If you're celebrating the merry merry month of May, today is Sibling Appreciation Day!

I'm not sure Hallmark makes a card for such an occasion, but maybe you can send an email of love??

Seventeen?

Judging from the amount of zits and the length of hair and the curl of the bangs...I'm calling this one seventeen. I think I'm right. :)

Ahhh...into the journaling already!

Apparently after lunch I was going to an interview. :) Just kidding. I see the bows were still around...

Happy Birthday Cheerios!

As I said on Sunday, I'm spending the entire month of may in celebration...and today is Cheerios day! Apparently they made their debut back in 1941, which makes them a respectable 37 years older than I am.

I love Cheerios - specifically the apple cinnamon kind. So today I think I'll celebrate by having a nice big bowl of them! :)

Sixteen Candles

I did that just for you, Sarah. :)

Before I say my thoughts on turning sixteen, Idol, and anything else that pops into my head, I have to say this. I'm not normally the sort of person who pops up with random praises out loud. When we're in church and the pastor asks for praises and testimonies, I am not the person who stands up. It's not that I have nothing to say - it's just that I'm not normally a jump up and talk sort of person. But today I have to jump up and talk for just a second. I'll leave out the details, but God answered a HUGE prayer for me today and He did it in a way I never saw coming. And in the middle of the whole massive joy of the whole thing, I realized I'd just been given a glimpse into the kind of mercy and grace Jesus has for me...and I'm so thankful. So YAY GOD! Thank You, Thank You, Thank YOU!

Okay - well my sixteenth birthday was well observed, and I am SO embarrassed to say that all the photos (and candles, though WHY I would have kept them is beyond me and mine) - are firmly encased in a BAD BAD PHOTO ALBUM! The kind that all the Creative Memories people tell you will kill your pictures. Shame on me! I know better than this! Guess I better hurry up and do a 16th album.

Really it's not that much different from fifteen. MAN my hair was dark though. I also enjoy this half asleep look that I sported through much of my teen years.


Just as a little side note/laugh...I had another friend party when I turend 16 and I offered my guests a quiz about me. A quiz which I now look back upon with GREAT eyerolling. I will not even tell you some of the questions because they are so ridiculously sixteen that I can't even admit to them. But here were some of the crazier ones (alongside the changes that a nearly doubled life span bring about):

* What is my favorite color? "Rose, but pink is an acceptable answer." Okay well now I guess it would be "Plum, but purple is an acceptable answer."

* Who is my favorite famous athlete? "Dan Jansen." Phats, I put that in there JUST for you. Now my answer would be, "Um, there are athletes?"

* What housework do I detest with a very great passion doing the most? "dusting woodwork." My answer today would be "Dusting woodwork, but now I'm in charge of the house so I just don't do it! Ahhh the joys of being the adult."

* What age would I be happy to be forever? "21." Are you KIDDING me?? PLEASE don't make me redo that year or be stuck in it forever. My answer now? "I have no stinkin' idea."

And the tie breaker question, which just blows my mind now: How many pen pals do I have? Answer? FOURTEEN! Clearly I did not have cable.

So there - laugh away. Phats, you can STOP laughing at the Dan Jansen answer.

Idol talk....Oh my poor, poor Brooke. I just felt awful for her and if I hadn't been in the middle of a big project that required a lot of concentration, I'd have had a meltdown in her honor. I hope she does a great job anyway - so go get em, Miss Brooke!

Fifteen/Idol/Greensburg

If Idol can pack a whole lot into one hour, I can pack a whole lot into one post.

Apparently wedding trumps birthday because AGAIN for fifteen...NOTHING. Sigh. BUT...my sister got married around that same time, so maybe we were all just engrossed in that. I don't even REMEMBER turning fifteen, but I do remember the wedding. And that is where this picture was taken...at my guest book post.


Okay - on to Idol. Two songs tonight! Livin' on the edge. As a generalization, I'd have to say that I liked round two much more than round one. I would also like to take this opportunity to say at this point I officially like them all. I don't think there's ever been a season where I liked everybody before the top three. I think at this point each of them could have a really fantastic career in their own avenue, and they're diverse enough to have that opportunity without getting in each other's way. Who do I think would make the best pop star Idol? David Cook, hands down.

* Jason Castro - He's cute and quirky in his own way. I can't see him being the official idol, but I think he'd good. I wasn't blown away by either of his songs tonight. I think he could be in trouble. If they do a bottom two, I think he'll be in it. Will he go home? Depends on if he has enough fans.

* David Cook - Okay first of all, WHAT was Paula thinking in her comments after round one??? She thought he'd sung twice? Or was that David Archuleta that she said that for? Either way, good grief! David was very very good on both songs. As I told Sarah, he could sing Leviticus to me and I'd be happy.

* Brooke - I wanted her to do better on the first song than she did. I enjoyed the ending but the rest of it was kind of like that one week and the sun song. I l-o-v-e-d her second song though. I think she's got the personality for those slower, deeper ballads and needs to limit her "fun songs." Not that she's not a fun person, but when she goes that way, it always seems awkward to me. If they do a bottom 3 instead of a bottom 2, I think she'll be in it. But I think her fan base is strong enough to keep her in another week...unless everyone rushes to save Syesha and they forget about keeping Brooke safe.

* David Archuleta - Okay HERE is my deal with him. I do not discount his AMAZING voice. He's good. He's very very good. But he's so YOUNG. And that's okay...young people deserve to win too. But as they've said before, every week he does the same thing. And everything about him is always predictable. I'd love to see him get more maturity on him before he breaks out into the scene. I actually thought the first song was the best I've ever seen him in the relaxation "performing" mode. Still, he'll be fine.

* Syesha - I really like her as a Broadway performer, and I didn't realize that until last week. I think that would be so perfect for her because it could blend her two loves of acting and singing. I thought she did a good job this week and I think maybe Simon saying she's in trouble could actually spike the votes for her. But I would still list her in the bottom 2 with Jason just because she's been there so much that I question her fan base.

In OTHER news, not related to Idol or my impending trek over the 30 hill, I just wanted to give a Greensburg note. I've not really updated a lot on that lately just because I think my sister wants a break from hearing about it, and she reads my stuff. So I've tried to give her a break. BUT with this coming Sunday being the one year anniversary of the tornado, I wanted to say that the Early Show (CBS) is broadcasting some segments from Greensburg each morning this week. I watched it today...I'm not normally a morning news girl, but if I do watch, I'm a huge fan of the Today Show. So watching the Early Show was strange and somewhat painful, but I got to see some sights, anyway. And also, the May 6th issue of Woman's Day (strawberries on the cover) has an article about a family from Greensburg. I thought I'd seen all the jaw droppers I could see when I looked at the pictures of Lori's house and then when I saw things first hand, but WOW - the picture with that article is unREAL. This woman and her two kids were hanging onto a toilet and it was literally the only thing left in their house. Amazing. I found the article online but the picture from the magazine is not in the online article, so that is not helpful to this particular story.