Merry Christmas to All

For the first time in many years, our entire family was together on Christmas Day. When we gather together, there is certainly no food shortage. After opening gifts, we headed to the tables packed with food & piled up our plates & stuffed our bellies. There was so much to try, I never even made it to it all! For several years, we have made it a ritual to spend time in singing Christmas carols/songs. Everyone tells their favorite or names one they like & we sing song after song. Doing so, is by far, the highlight for me each year. I think it's interesting to see what songs people choose too. I discovered that my cousin, Micah, & I share a love for the same carol--O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Once the singing had come to an end & my cousin Josh & his family were headed out, my cousin Chanda & her family were coming in. Perfect timing for a group/family photo. Haley set up her tripod, got us all posed, set the timer & we grinned big. Only bad part was my cousin Darren & his family had not arrived yet. So, we lacked 3 in the picture. I laughed as my little cousins tried to pull me up off the floor. I don't think they realized how heavy I am! We then picked our seats for our annual BINGO session. Each family purchases 10 $1.00 items, wraps them up & the winner of each BINGO round gets to pick a prize. Amazing how we went from giving pens, paper, etc. to everyone pretty much purchasing food items for prizes! I had my 4 year old cousin Adri on my lap & helped her play her cards along with mine. We each finally won & got our prizes. The time had come for Chanda, Mike & the kids to head back to KY, everyone else was ready to go & all that was left was to clean. Everyone pitched in to wash dishes, dry them, move tables, put chairs back, etc. We gave our hugs, wished one another a Merry Christmas once more & that was the end of Christmas 2007.

T'was the Night Before Christmas

For as long as I can remember, our family has had a dinner together on Christmas Eve & then took time to drive around & look at Christmas lights. Several years ago, we were told about a house nearby with many lights set to music. We have went there for the past 3 years or so. Each year, the show improves more & more. After my grandpa joined us & we ate Johnbenghetti (an old family recipe...noodles, hamburger, cheese, peas & pimentos), we all packed in the van for the ride over to Avondale. There is a pic of that house on the slideshow. Don't think that my dad would go to such great lengths in decorating! Once finished riding around, we returned & grandpa went on his way. We sorted all the presents out & began to open them. My wish was to receive nothing for Christmas (I felt that people had spent more than enough on me thanks to my job loss & time in the hospital) & I said I wished I could just pay my bills off. You'll see the picture of me holding up a gift from my parents (a book) with a less than pleased look on my face--that's why. I was upset that anyone had bought me anything at all despite the fact I liked the gift. So, I received an MP3 player, a portable DVD player, a book, a sweatshirt, money, a bracelet & a check from my sister to pay off one of my medical bills. When I saw her check to me, I got choked up & began to cry. Her intent was not to upset me but to give me exactly what I wanted...money to pay off bills. One of the gifts that meant the most to me was not one I opened up on Christmas Eve but days earlier when the notice arrived via snail mail for my sister & I. Some time ago, I had received information on supplying gospel packages (clothes, hygiene materials, toys, the New Testament, etc.) to children in China through Voice of the Martyrs. Knowing full well that my parents were not going to not get me a gift for Christmas, my request was that they just supply those kits to the Chinese. I was delighted to see that they had fulfilled my request. Perhaps, because of their donation, many Chinese persons were able to hear about the gift of Christ for the very first time this Christmas. I believe everyone got what they wanted this year & then some...including my mema & her Moon Pie ice cream. She is the epitome of having a sweet tooth with a diet consisting of Diet Dr. Pepper, cookies, pies & cakes. She once ate 8 double-decker Moon Pies in 1 Day. When my Dad saw the ice cream in the store, he knew he had to get it for her. Goodness, what fun we can have!!

Silly Girls

I always enjoy spending time with family and even more so during Holidays. Weeks ago, my cousin called to say that she, her husband and their kids would not be able to come up for Christmas afterall. Her husband, Mike, is in the ARMY based at Ft. Campbell. After 3 suicides/deaths in his unit within days of one another, his unit was told that they would not be allowed outside of a 60 mile radius (60 or 70) from the base between that time period and their deployment time (more to come on that in a future blog). Days before Christmas, he and some of the other soldiers received a pass to leave the base. Thankfully, they were all able to come for Christmas. They arrived in St. Louis at around midnight on Friday evening. My Grandpa's birthday is December 23rd so we all went to lunch to celebrate with him. Afterwards, my 2 young cousins, Rose and Adrianna, decided they wanted to come home with Haley and me. On our way home, I had Haley stop at Dairy Queen to get them ice cream as a special treat. As we rode in Haley's car that is in desperate need of new shocks, the car bounced non-stop. I laughed till I almost peed in my pants when Adri (4) said, "This car is bumpy, you have bumpy wheels!" The fun continued as we sang "Rudolph" numerous times at Adri's request. We made it home and both girls were great helpers as Haley and I had some more cleaning to do before our mema and uncle from AL arrived. Once I cleaned, I began helping them make a reindeer ornament but we had to stop shortly after we started as we did not have the right kind of glue. Both girls accepted that news just fine and moved on to finding a game for us to play with one another-SORRY. Chanda (their mother, my cousin) hesitated on sending Adri with us, asking me repeatedly if I was sure it was OK for her to come along. I told her she wouldn't be any trouble and as expected, she was not. I had a blast with my little monkeys!!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

As many of you know, snow is not uncommon here in St. Louis. For years, I have been able to see snowflakes fall from the sky unto the ground. Then, in talking with people from different parts of the country or world, I find it so interesting to think they never see snow where they live. Many, still, may have never experienced the sight of a blanket of white fluffy snow. Though I see snow each year here, it never gets old to me. I love this time of year...colder weather, warm blankets, cozy sweaters. Several weeks ago, we knew that snow was on the way. As we (my parents, my sister and I) sat inside watching t.v., my cousin arrived to tell us that there were huge snowflakes coming down. Immediately, we rushed outside with a camera for a fun time of picture taking. Something about the snow that just brings out the kid in me I guess. That snowfall didn't amount to much in the end but it was still fun. Since then, we've had both a round of ice and more snow. More pictures on the way soon!

*Note: Those pink pants in the slideshow are not pants I wear out in public! They're pajama bottoms!!

Here We Come A Caroling

Several years ago, my family and I began to make it a tradition to ring bells for the Salvation Army at least once during every Christmas season. We did so right after Thanksgiving at a local Super Wal-Mart. Each year, we carry books of carols and Christmas songs with us and sing while we ring. In all the years of shopping during the Christmas season, I don't think I have ever seen anyone singing or doing anything else other than just ringing the bell. People seem to enjoy seeing us do so as we help to get them into the spirit. Though the temperature has been a bit on the chilly side many times, we still enjoy taking time out to go and ring for such a worthy cause. We will go to Dierbergs (a local grocery store) on December 18th to ring for our final time this year. In addition to this, we have went the past two years to my mom's place of employment (with HUD housing) to carol for the senior adults. Last year, I had a ball when we went there to sing. Afterwards, I spent time talking to a lady who was born and raised in London whose parents were from Ireland. She sang "Christmas in Killarney" for me from beginning to end. I was pleased to see her face there once again this time. Unfortunately, she exited out right after the songs and I was unable to speak with her. I did, however, enjoy conversing with a lady originally from Montana. We talked about the Rocky Mountains, the Tetons, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, etc. I agreed with her as she said, "there's a reason they call the west God's country." She told me tales of chasing buffalo's as a youngster. The two of us and a few others discussed the many ways the world has changed since they were kids. I so appreciate hearing the stories these older people eagerly await to tell. I look forward to returning next year to spread a little Christmas cheer. Whether I'm ringing bells or singing for the elderly, nothing do I love to sing any more than Christmas carols.

Preserving the Red, White and Blue

November 11 is by tradition, the day in which we recognize Veterans of the United States military. Hopefully, we remember and express our gratitude towards these individuals on more than just one appointed day a year. I have been fortunate enough to have known some of these outstanding persons that have worked hard to defend our freedom(s) here in America. Whether having just listened to a World War II veteran speak briefly or having sat down and conversed with those that have served in Iraq recently, my appreciation for these are one and the same. I pray that we would always take time to simply say thank you to these brave men and women when we encounter them. Though thank you seems so inadequate, it means a great deal to those that deserve to be thanked.

I Have a Maker

Yesterday, we received word that after battling Pancreatic Cancer, 37 year old Dave Oellermann had went home to be with the Lord. Dave leaves behind a wife and a 12 year old daughter. While everyone rejoices that Dave is pain-free now, I cannot begin to fathom the grief that the family is experiencing in losing their loved one. In trying to write a few words of encouragement to that family, the song "I Have a Maker" came to mind. I recall hearing the song earlier this year for the very first time. My fondness towards it grew even stronger after my stroke and job loss. In times where I felt many things (anger, disappointment, sadness, fear, angst, etc.), it seemed that I would walk into church and this is the song we would do on that particular day. I had many days when I would just cry and cry - many times, no one would even know. I would hear this song and be reminded though that I was not accidental, God did form me and did so with a distinct purpose in mind. Even when the tears would fall and I would try to hide the pain, He saw every drop that ran down my face. He knew the hurt within me. There is one thing that has sustained me and that is my hope in Christ; knowing that even through my trials, He will not fail nor will He leave me. He has carried me through. I pray that even though little Haley's earthly father has been separated from her for a while, she will know the love of her Heavenly Father who will remain.

Flying Oats

Every Tuesday night, my aunt, uncle and cousin come to watch a couple of t.v. programs with us. From time to time, we will make meals for one another. I graciously volunteered to cook for everyone this evening. I determined what I would prepare and went this morning to buy the necessary ingredients to make this spectacular meal (or awful..we'll see!). When I returned home, I began to place all that I had bought in it's proper place. I opened up the pantry doors and out came the Quaker Oats. Unfortunately, the container was well on it's way to the ground before I could send it back up to safety. Within seconds, half of the oats that WERE in the container, were all over the floor. I, immediately, yelled. Those darn oats made me so angry! Knowing that I could not leave the mess on the floor, I decided I should vacuum them up. If you have never tried vacuuming oats, I would not recommend doing so. For those unaware, oats fly-especially when you try to vacuum them up. My mess that was contained to a small area of the kitchen had now reached not only the kitchen but the breakfast area and laundry area! Even worse, the oats seemed to break into smaller pieces. I did not recall us having a broom here so with fury, I set out to use newspapers to sweep up the mess. Realizing that trying to do so would take hours for the amount of oats that were all over as well as the location of the oats, I decided to search for a broom. To my relief, there was a broom in our garage. Finally, my mess was cleaned. All of that trouble because someone must not have placed the lid of the oats on tightly. I ought to beat them with a wet noodle! Actually, mid-way, I began to find the whole event very humorous. Lesson of the day for me? Should I have a mishap with oats again, I WILL NOT bring forth a vacuum cleaner near them! The picture above is after I had cleaned up some of the mess.

Trick or Treat

Halloween in the eyes of this child (well, I guess it has been a few years since my childhood) meant one thing and one thing only: lots of candy! Churches hosting alternatives on Halloween was not often heard of when I was a kid. My sister and I would dress up each year and head out to fill our bags or pillow cases full of sugar (much of which wound up under our bed only to have never been touched by the following Halloween). My parents never allowed Haley or myself to dress as anything scary (ghosts, witches, monsters, etc.). I remember being a ballerina, a princess and many other "cute" things. Unfortunately, times have changed immensely and it is not as safe as it used to be for kids to go door to door trick-or-treating. Thankfully, many churches are seeking to offer activities on Halloween night. Last year, I went with my family to take my three small cousins to our church for the Light the Night Festival. There were many different games,carnival rides, inflateables, food, candy, prizes, raffle give-away and so much more. Each child received a bag when they entered. At each game, they would receive candy and prizes. I recall Ian (my 9 year old cousin) looking at me at one point and saying, "Man, this is awesome Heather, look how much candy I have!!" I looked and there really wasn't more than three or four handfulls of candy in his bag. I laughed at I thought about how funny it was that he thought he had a ton of candy while really, he had nothing compared to our stuffed pillowcases as kids! The kids loved it last year. Sadly, my cousins are now living in KY so they were not here to go again lastnight. However, I signed up to help out at the church. I spent the night working the Baseball Ring Toss came and had much fun looking at all of the little kids in their darling costumes. I believe the most clever I saw was a homemade TinMan costume worn by a little guy. I really enjoyed myself and look forward to participating again next Halloween. I am so glad that our church offers such and is able to reach out to the community in a special way.

Oh my, oh my!

Crystal was in town again this weekend. So, we spent the day hanging out and had planned to attend a concert this evening. We had a rather eventful and entertaining time tonight. We ate dinner at Chili's beforehand and not long after we were seated, Crystal said, "Heather, don't look right now because it will be obvious but sitting over at the bar is a guy in a bunny costume and a guy dressed as a pimp." Sure enough, they were ready to go trick-or-treating (or so it appeared). Not much time passed by before she informed me there were more that had entered in dressed in costumes. The whole bar area ended up being filled by these Halloween dressed big kids. There was a convict, the Pope, Bat girl, Spiderman, a Caveman, Napolean Dynamite, a mobster, a princess, etc. Once the bunny stood up, we realized that he was actually dressed as a bunny coming out of a hat (like the magic trick). He began to head our way & stopped at our table & began conversing with us. Crystal asked if they were going to a party afterwards & he told us they were not...they had just come from work. Crystal asked if they wore those to work & he said, "Yes." We asked where they worked & they were from Pappas Toyota. I was sure to ask how many cars they sold today. He said that didn't matter. He proceeded to tell us he needed to go to the bathroom but was unsure how he was going to work that. Crystal wished him good luck. Crystal seemed to think he was hitting on us. The "pimp" stopped by to say hello too. If dinner was not enough to handle, the evening only got better (or worse..however you want to look at it!). We headed to a nearby church to hear the Children of the World International Children's Choir (comprised of orphaned and disadvantaged children from around the globe-singing songs in English as well as their native dialect; also sharing testimonies & trying to raise awareness to the AIDS epidemic that has left many of them orphaned). After arriving, we discovered that they were not putting on a concert but were just doing a few songs for the church's Saturday night church service that began at 6:00 (I thought I had read online that the "concert" began at 7:00)-we arrived at 6:40. We were informed that they would probably do a number or two at the close of the service. We waited out in the lobby & once we saw the kids head in, we followed. Though we were disappointed, we were glad we were able to hear them sing-even if it was only one song. They sang, "I am a Promise" and as soon as the tiny Asian girl began her solo, Crystal and I were already almost in tears. They finished and the kids ran up the aisles hugging people on the ends of the aisle. I was fortunate enough to get a hug from an adorable little Asian boy. After our very quick time there at Calvary, we headed back out to the car. I am currently driving my cousin's car as he is working on my car. I opened the door and the lights began to flash & the horn was sounding. I realized I had somehow managed to set the alarm off & had no clue how to shut it up. Immediately, I was panic-strickened. Crystal & I got in the car & she advised me to start the car. I attempted to do so and did...but it just died. We were pushing every button we could find & the drama continued. Meanwhile, we both were trying to not be noticed or seen as everyone passed by (kind of like playing hide & seek--only our object was to never be found!). I was trying to reach my cousin's cell and got no answer. I tried he & his wife's home and left a desperate voice mail message pleading with them to call me back. Crystal suggested that I call my aunt. I called to tell her our dilemma & she began to advise me on what to do-Crystal & I had to get out of the car-that was the first step. Crystal was bent over double laughing (trying not to pee in her britches), I was laughing & thankfully, in the midst of my conversation with my aunt, my cousin called. He was instructing me on what to do when a man walking by looked at Crystal & said, "Hey do you know your car is going off?" Crystal, unable to hardly answer him because she was laughing too hard said, "Yeah I know, she doesn't know how to get it off!" Finally, PEACE...no more noise! My cousin asked where we were & I told him. He thought it was humorous & said, "All those people are probably walking by thinking-Look at those two girls trying to steal that car!" The evening presented quite a tale to tell & I'm sure we will not soon forget the humor of it all. My, oh my..what a time!

"I'm Gonna Be A Superstar!"

I have always loved to sing even from a very young age. As kids, my sister and I would sing constantly. So much so that we received many microphones as kids and also got a few singing machines through the years. Oftentimes, we would put in a cassette tape and record ourselves singing all kinds of things. Last week, I decided to make use of one of those singing machines that has been left untouched for a while. I turned on the mic and sang some songs to some accompaniment tapes. While in the basement doing so, I came across an old cassette tape. I carried it up the steps and listened to it in it's entirety. I was rolling on the floor because I was laughing so hard. The tape was one that Haley and I had recorded at least 8 years ago, possibly even 10 or 12 years ago. What a grand entrance we made - burping! Let me share with you, just a few of the things on the tape...Haley saying excitedely, "I think Jase is home!" (Jase lived down the street and Haley's crush for a while), the two of us bickering back and forth, us sounding like dead dogs howling on some of the songs, Haley telling me to sing a song she knows, me asking Haley if she can't sing with a better tone quality and so much more. At one point, Haley yells, "Yo, yo, yo...what's up G-Funk?" Haley also gives a weather update during the midst of all the other entertainment. Later, my voice is heard saying, "Miss Spectacular, Here she is!" (and I was talking about myself) while Haley asks, "Heather, who are you talking to. No one's gonna listen to this!" I reply with, "Yes they are, I'm gonna be famous!" Anyway, listening to us sing praise and worship songs, old hymns, goofy songs, rap, etc. just brought back many good memories. Though I would run around as a kid with that microphone in hand singing, "Celebration" and "I'm So Excited" and my Mema just KNEW that I was going to be a singer one day....I am not. I'll just have to relive those moments through the old tapes!

Choo-Choo...Chuggachugga...Choo-Choo

5 arrived, 4 went in and only 3 came out. OK, so here's the scoop. Yesterday, my parents, aunt and uncle and I went to another corn maze. This particular one was in St. Charles County and it was a locomotive theme. 1 person chose not to go into the maze and another quit before we were done (though we commend them on sticking it out as long as they did). We began with a piece of paper with 18 questions (which we had to get the answers to), pictures that had to be found and so forth. None of the items were in order. For instance, the answer to question 2 was not near the answer for question 1 yet 11 was. Fortunately, we had a map to tell us where each number was-it was just a matter of getting there. We were nearly to the end but we still had several items missing. As we looked at the map, we realized those items were all towards the beginning of the maze. We had to walk all of the way back through the maze to get those last few items. We came out at the entrance and one of the workers said, "Did you all do the corn maze because you're coming out where you started?" He was sure we must not have finished. We showed him our paper with each item completed and explained that we somehow had missed the first few things (we were not looking at the map when we began) and had to work our way back to them. He was rather impressed. He said very few people ever complete the entire thing. My Aunt Cindi said she thought the paper said that if you complete it all you get a free hamburger (it did not). The worker went and told the girls working the food counter to give each of us something for free! We definitely got our exercise in. The trail all around is 8 miles and of course, we certainly did not go down every path to complete 8 miles but we did walk a good bit and even backtracked. We were in there for about 1 hr. and 45 min. Once we were done finding our way through the maze and learning all about steam engines and railways, we met up with the 2 that were out waiting and we all went for a short hayride. I hope to return to this particular farm next year as I felt they had set things up really well. They said they are considering making the maze the state of Missouri next year and the checkpoints will be different cities in MO. So, 2 corn mazes in 2 days for me. I think I have 1 more that perhaps I'll try out next weekend.

"Corny" Cardinal Fans

While my best friend, Crystal, was in town over the weekend, we decided to go try out a corn maze. We headed out to Moscow Mills to try to find our way through the Cardinal's maze. We had quite an enjoyable time despite getting lost once. There were 9 checkpoints that we should have come to. We, however, only made it to 4 out of 9 as the checkpoints were not shown on the map. So, unless we would have went down every single path, we would have never have known where the other checkpoints were. Lucky for us, no prizes were involved for completing the task. Had there have been, we would have been jipped. Anyway, a good time we had.

The Itch Has Been Satisfied

Unable to really come and go as I so please due to a lack of transportation (my car is out of commission right now and has been for some time), I have been itching to just get out. Those that know me well know that while I enjoy scenery, I am not much of a "nature" girl. I do not go hiking, I don't camp on a regular basis and you won't find me repelling down a mountain. Sometimes, it is nice to just get out and breathe though. Today, I drove to a nearby park and decided to go for a walk. As I walked, I also stopped to take pictures and just enjoy being outdoors in the nice weather (in the low 70's while I was out). Unfortunately, the beauty of the transition of summer into fall still has not taken place here much so there were no stunning shades of orange and reds to see. Even still, the "itch" to roam around outside of these four walls has been satisfied.

Hannah Bug

Two years ago on October 5, our family was blessed with little Hannah Renee'. Hannah was a long awaited gift from God to her parents. As we awaited word of her arrival that day, we were so anxious. When my cousin came out to tell us Renee' had just given birth, we were all eager to get back there to see and hold their new bundle of joy. As we age, it seems that life goes by so quickly. We celebrated Hannah's 2nd birthday a couple of weeks ago. Hannah was not too interested in her presents. She was enthralled with stickers though and kept decorating her face and arms with them rather than sitting still to open her gifts. Her final gift to open came from her parents-a t-shirt to wear that said, "I'm the Big Sister." Which, for those that are not as quick as others, that means a baby is on the way. Hannah's little brother or sister is expected to arrive sometime in April. Until then, all eyes are on Hannah. We watched Hannah the other evening while her mom attended a Tupperware meeting and goodness, she's quite the ham. Renee' brought a bucket of toys for her but those toys went untouched as she spent her whole time here eating Cheez-its, sharing fudgescicles with my mom and sister, drinking water and devouring her favorite..dill pickles. Unfortunately, I do not do well with babies...I'm just terrified that I'll break them or their heads will fall off while I'm holding them. However, I love it when kids are at Hannah's age and can interact with me. While everyone else detests the terrible two's, that is the age when I begin to really enjoy kids. Then again, I do not have toddlers and all of the kids I know go home to their parents after a while! Just thought I'd share some pictures of our little Hannah Bug.

Greenbeanaholic

After inquiring and finding out that Stan (a member of our Connection Point--Sunday School) did not have any cats (I am not a feline fan), I decided to go to his house lastnight for a get-together with our class. Having been in the class for three years, I've not really been that involved thanks in large part to my not-so outgoing, timid, shy personality. I was feeling rather comfortable when there were only seven of us present and I had been around each before. So much so that I began to unveil myself a bit-let the real me begin to show. During a discussion about vegetables, I discovered that one of the girl's loves green beans. Guess what? I LOVE green beans as well. She said that she could eat a whole can in one sitting. Haley was quick to tell her that I could eat two. I volunteered telling them that I even will drink green bean juice. Perplexed, Haley told them of our visit to a friend's house in FL a few years ago when we ate green beans with our meal. The bowl remained on the table-complete with green bean juice. Never imagining that I would do so, the guys dared me to drink it. I downed it pretty fast. If I could only live off of three foods, I would pick hot dogs, green beans and ice cream without a doubt. My green bean craziness added much excitement to the evening. We had a blast playing board games and learning some more about one another. We had so much fun that...oh, never mind! No time to tell every detail...I must get in bed. I partied so hard that I did not make it into my bed until 3:15 this morning. I'm a little on the tired side.

Back in the Day

Today, my mother and I met my Grandpa and his 4 sisters for lunch. Each time we do so, it is such a treat. Not only are his sisters quite entertaining as they often bicker just like sisters do, but they reminisce about life back in the day. Over the weekend, while at my aunt and uncle's, we discussed life for one who has lived 90-100 years. I said that I would love to have the opportunity to just sit down with those "young at heart" and inquire about how things were in the "good ole' days." We heard a bit about that while eating our meal today. Evidently, my Great-Grandfather (who died long before I was born) would store his coffee in a whiskey bottle. Several times, he was stopped by the police as they thought he was drinking whiskey. I learned who my Dad takes after on a couple of things - my Great-Grandfather and my Great Uncle Bill (I also never knew him). My Great-Grandfather would make his food black with the amount of black pepper he would use. Likewise, my Dad does the same. Every Saturday, all of the family used to visit my Great-Grandparents house and be fed apricot preservatives. I can't help but think that life was much more enjoyable then as people weren't so busy that they could not build relationships. Sunday afternoons were a time of rest and visitation with friends and family; a time to sit out on front porches and talk and laugh. I look forward to the next time we are able to get together and I am able to hear more about life back then. The older people long to and love to tell these stories too.

Livin' in the 1940's

Sunday afternoon, I had quite the memorable time. My dad, sister, cousin and I went down to the Edison Theater at Washington University to travel back in time to the 1940's. The drama department at Wash-U was performing songs from the 1940's. I knew a number of the songs that were played (one of which was I'll be seeing You-the song on the video) and enjoyed hearing them very much so. I venture to say that we were some of the younger individuals there as the majority were well in their 60's+. I thought about the fact that many of the songs played were songs that my grandparents probably listened to as young people-they probably even fell in love to some of the songs. What a grand time it was to go back to a time when I would love to have lived through.

Take me back to the 80's

Like most young people, I joined facebook many months ago. Of course, I am able to add-on all kinds of applications to my profile and spice things up a bit. Several weeks ago, I added the "Checklist of the Day" application. Each day, there is a new list and one is able to check off each thing they have done, worn or whatever the case may be. The other day, the list was in regards to fads, styles and trends that people had participated in. As I read through the list, I realized how many of the things I had forgotten about. Yet, at the same time, many of them seemed as if I just did them yesterday. Checking the things off the list made me think of the Mark Wills' song "1980 Something" in which he lists many of the things that we, the kids of the 80's grew up with. So many of these were on the facebook checklist as well. Even better, some of those things have made a return - Transformers, Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Ponies & Rainbow Brite. Remember the days of legwarmers? Slap bracelets? Atari? Hypercolor shirts? Tight-rolled jeans? My, oh my, those were the days! Some things would be better left unvisited forever!

Compassion International

One of the most exciting things to take place in my life has been the opportunity to share hope and the love of Jesus with a child whom I have never met in person. A number of years ago, I felt God leading me to sponsor a child through Compassion International. After searching online for a child to sponsor, I chose Ares Carles in the Dominican Republic. Such a neat experience it has been to watch her grow throughout the years...not only in her appearance but in her knowledge and faith. I am overjoyed each time I receive an update from her as she typically refers to me as "Aunt Heather" and is sure to thank me for sponsoring her. She often takes time to draw me pictures or request prayer for not just herself but her family. I encourage each of you to ask God if He may be softening your heart to help the many children around the world that are much less fortunate than you or I have ever been. I pray, God-willing, that I will one day be able to travel to the Dominican and meet this angel face to face.

America, The Beautiful

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My sister and I have been very fortunate in the fact that since we were very young, our parents made it a priority to go on family vacations. Probably the first trip that I really have any recollection of was to Disney World in Orlando, FL. Though I believe I flew as a baby, the first flight I remember was one in which we flew to Detroit for a few days and then crossed the border into Canada. The first big road trip we took was in 1988 as we toured the wild, wild west going through Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, the Rocky Mountains, etc. Though I have been to many places, there is still much, much more to see. I hope that I will one day have the opportunity to see it all. Despite the areas that we've not yet traveled to, we have seen so much more than many people twice our age. I'm so grateful that my parents have helped us to see this that we call, "America the Beautiful."

No fooling me

After months apart, it was time to visit my neurologist for a hospital follow-up visit. This took place last Friday, September 28th. I had great difficulties even scheduling the visit so once Dr. Goyal called me back on Friday to be seen, he was sure to express how glad he was that I finally made it in and to also apologize for all of the troubles in making the appointment. As I was headed back to the room, another doctor needed him. He told me which room to go into and said he would be with me in a moment. I went ahead and went in and as I looked around, noticed a sign on the wall that said, "Gyn Room". Below, were all kinds of gynelogical tools listed. My parents had come to the room with me to overhear what he would say so I pointed the sign out to them and said, "What in the world am I doing in here?!" As Dr. Goyal came back in, I said, "Dr. Goyal, this says this is the Gyn Room and I don't believe that is what I came for." He laughed. He had no idea why they chose to put Gynecology and Neurology on the same floor in the same office. As expected, we went over basic things and then discussed my health. I was starting to get a bit nervous as I thought he may not get around to the things I was certain he would do. No need to be getting impatient for he did not disappoint. Soon, he came around and pulled out his "book" to show me a picture of different items and ask me to tell him what each was (checking my memory as well as my speech). I was quick to let him know that I was very excited to be going over all of it as I'd been practicing at home. He did, however, have me do a few things that I had forgotten about doing while in the hospital. All in all, we covered everything I had become so good at though--touching my finger to my nose and then to his finger, squeezing his fingers with my hands, following his finger with my eyes. I had it all down. There was no fooling me - I knew what was going to take place! I think he was rather amused. Anyway, some of you have heard much about the handsome (but married) doctor. So, I posted the picture of the two of us. Unfortunately, just as my dad got the camera into focus, another doctor walked by the room and was talking and Dr. Goyal glanced over there. Hence the reason for his wandering eyes.

Once Again

Once again, God allowed me to be at just the right place at the right time. A few weeks ago, Sakuras Japanese Steakhouse opened up down the road from our house. I decided last Monday, to go give it a try for lunch. I pulled into the parking lot and by the looks of it, figured I might be the only customer. I was correct-not another soul in there aside from the staff. Immediately, Toy rushed over to greet me and ask if I wanted the Sushi Bar. After telling her I desired to order of the menu and eat within, she seated me at a table. I was not at the table for very long as I was moved into another section once I told her I wanted the Teriyaki Chicken. I was then seated at the big table for eight generally used for groups. I found the whole thing rather humorous as there I sat alone in this large, empty room set up for 32 people. Soon, a gentleman came out to cook my meal before me-as is done during the Hibachi Grill shows. He had an audience of one. I'm sure he must have felt a little awkward coming out & twirling knives, throwing fire, building candles out of onions, etc. for a rather silent crowd (if I may call myself that!). He finished his show and I applauded him time and time again commending him on his great work. Toy continually visited the table. I inquired as to where she was from and also asked if any of the workers were actually Japanese. I discovered that she is from Thailand and everyone else is Chinese. When she said she was from Thailand, I shared with her that I may be going to Thailand next spring. She never asked why so I did not tell why. The more we talked, I divulged that I had been to Taiwan to teach English. Having never mentioned Christ, Jesus, church or anything of that nature, she returned to the table and asked me if I had been to Taiwan on mission (she was not sure what to call it but I realized she meant a mission trip). I was delighted to answer her with a "Yes." She then was curious as to whether or not a mission would be my reasoning for going to Thailand. Again, I said, "Yes." She diappeared and several minutes later, came back to the table and began to tell me that she is Catholic but rarely goes to her church. She said that when she goes, she does not see love from the people within, or care and concern for anyone. She said she wanted to know how to find love, joy and caring people at church. Having to busy herself since she was getting paid to work and not just socialize, she went to find something to do and returned shortly. We talked further and she asked if I went to church and where. I gave her the information and told her that she is more than welcome to go with me sometime. She seemed quite excited. She pulled out a business card for the nail salon nextdoor and wrote her phone number on it and handed it to me. We continued talking for sometime. She encouraged me to visit the nail salon nextdoor if I wanted my nails done. She is trying to strum up business for them as well. If I go, I am to call her so that she may go with me and work on teaching me some Thai while we get our nails done. Toy (yes, that is her name and it is pronounced just like a toy) is in her early 50's. She married an American man and has lived here in the USA for many years. She and her husband have a 30 year old daughter. She speaks 6 or 7 different languages and said she has worked most of her life in kitchens as a cook or a waitress. To some, they would just think that because it is a fairly new business, there weren't too many people in there that day. To me, I see it as God's providence. I was not there at that time by accident-He had a greater purpose in mind than mine which was just to get some food (which, by the way, was very good). Please, pray for Toy as I plan to contact her and am eager to get to know her further and share the love of Christ with her!

Bowling at the Royal Palace, A Little Taste of Korea & Much More

I have quite the week. Last Thursday, I arrived at my church at 7:15 a.m. to travel to CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) to take part in their Mailbox Club as our church had signed up to do so as a mission project. I've been saying for some time that I am eager to be a senior so that I may take advantage of the senior discounts as well as go on senior outings. I had my opportunity to "hang" with the 55+ club last week as I went with 19 senior adults. What a time that was. Having never been to CEF, I was uncertain as to what to expect. I was highly impressed. In fact, if they were not such a drive away from our home, I would seek full-time employment with them. While there, we all split up into groups to help with different aspects of the mailroom. Another lady & I, graded papers. For those who desire to receive them, CEF will mail out Bible Study homework papers. Once completed, the student mails them back to CEF where they are graded, commented on & then the next lesson is mailed out. I found it very interesting to see the high number of people that actually were on the mailing list to receive the lessons. After returning back to the church, lucky me, my car would not start. Fortunately, Uncle Rex (he is the missions director at our church which I have had the privelege of traveling to Taiwan with twice-I call him Uncle though he is no blood relation to me) was there to save the day. He & another man were able to jump my car & get me on my way home. I look forward to volunteering at CEF in the future.

Having worked in retail for so many years, I never have had a need to know particular computer programs such as Word, Excel, ect. However, most jobs require knowledge & proficiency in these programs. With that in mind, I decided to take some 3 hour courses on these. Last Friday, I went to a class to learn Word in a day. Thankfully, as I prepared to waltz out the front door, I thought about the probable temperature of the classroom (thinking back to my days in a classroom) & grabbed a jacket. How glad I was that I did so. I was pleased to see that I was not the only one freezing. Despite the fact there were only 4 others (including the teacher) besides myself, I felt a bit strange walking in. It was a bit like walking back into school for the first day..only after 10 years of being out! The class was rather interesting..it was myself, a lady in her late 40's or early 50's & a couple who had been married for 51 years. The older lady was mesmorized when she learned how to italicize a word or change the font size. What a revelation to her! I had to chuckle. I guess for some, that really is unfamiliar ground. While I knew much of what was taught, I did learn some things. I am attending an Excel class in a couple of days.

Finally, a smoke-free bowling alley has hit our town. After receiving a coupon for a hours worth of free bowling, Haley & I went on Sunday afternoon to check the place out. My oh my, we felt like we were royalty. A hostess at the door to greet us & direct us to the right location, shoes delivered to our lane, a server if we wanted anything off of the menu that sat in front of us, our names already in the computer & the whole nine yards. We were able to get 3 games in during our hour. Best of all, we left smelling no different than when we walked in!

My friend Megan was up visiting for a few days from Memphis so we decided to get together with our friend Kristina and her newly adopted baby, Evelyn. Eveyln is from Korea. Kristina knew of a great authentic Korean restaurant so we went there for a taste of Korean food. My aunt & uncle having lived in Korea years ago, brought back with them a recipe for Bul-go-Ki (I may be spelling that one wrong). We've been making it for years & it is without a doubt, my favorite meal. Once we arrived & I saw that on the menu I decided I must order it to see how different it was from what we would prepare. I was surprised to find that it was actually very similar. I do not know about all Asian countries but it seems to me that the norm with an Asian meal is to have a main dish & many sides are brought out. Such was true yesterday. Having ate many a strange things in Taiwan, none of us were too fearful to try that which was placed before us. We knew that one thing was seaweed-it was fine. One thing, appeared to be tiny fried fish with the heads still attached. I actually liked those while Megan found them to be too salty for her liking. I believe one of the dishes may have been Kim-chee (again, sorry if I've got the spelling incorrect). Whatever it was, one piece was more than plenty for me. We had some other dishes-fish cakes perhaps, sprouts, etc. All in all, I thought everything was good. While we ate, the waitress wagged Evelyn all around & even sat down & fed her her bottle. We received a discount thanks to Evelyn-they extend such to all Korean families. While there, we also were very in tune to the t.v. which was airing what appeared to be a Korean-Christian network. We recognized familiar praise & worship songs & saw Korean pastors. Once we were full, we headed back to Kristina's to hang out for a while. Kristina's black lab seemed to be jealous of all of the attention Evelyn was getting. Megan & I headed out & HAD to stop at Fritz's for some ice cream before she prepared to hit the road once again. We all had a great time together. The bond we formed while serving alongside one another all hot, sweaty & stinky in Taiwan is one that I believe will last for many, many years. I hope.

Seattle Scenery-For me, that means seeking out Asians!

Just trying to add some more pics for everyone to see. I'm still learning how this whole thing works. Now that I've mastered adding a slideshow, I'm hoping to conquer adding pics! Both of the pictures shown were taken while vacationing in WA last summer. The people shown in the picture with me are some college students that I met while at one of the National Parks. As we headed to the visitors center, I noticed that one of their shirts read "Tapei University." Tapei is the capitol city of Taiwan. I could hear that they were speaking what I believed to be Mandarin Chinese. I hurried closer & began to converse with them. In doing so, I found out that all of them were from Taiwan & were here in the states studying at Idaho University. We spoke for a bit about my visit to Taiwan as they inquired as to why I had went there & so forth. When asked if they would mind having their picture taken with me, they were most eager to do so. The picture of me by myself was taken at a dam that we went to. During our trip, we decided to ride the ducks (for those that have no idea what the ducks are, they are a cross between a boat & a bus-kind of. Basically, it travels in land & once it hits water, it becomes a boat)in Seattle. As most tours do, the tour guide generally tries to find out where everyone is from. This tour was no different. I noticed an Asian couple before we ever got on & was wishing that i would have been sitting by them. When the guide went around the duck asking each person where they were from, what do you know...the Asian couple was from Taiwan. My energy level went up several notches at that point. As soon as we got back to the duck offices, I hurried off the duck to track the couple down. At first, my forwardness frightened the lady. Once I began talking to she & her husband & they learned that I had been to Taiwan, there was a connection & a receptiveness like no other. We also, visited for a while. They were glad to pose for a picture with me and were happy to give me their e-mail address to write to them. Unfortunately, the scare with taking liquids on the planes came about while we were in Seattle so when it came time to pack it up & head home, we were tossing all kinds of stuff out of our bags. I accidently threw away the ticket stub which had their e-mail address on the back of it. I realized that by the time we were sitting in the Seattle airport. I was so mad at myself. I do not have any recollection as to their names or anything. I only know that the man was here on a business trip & brought his wife with him. If only I had not been so quick to dispose of everything I had! Oh well.

To the Capitol we go!

Over the weekend, both my sister and I as well as our friend Elinor, drove to Jeff City, MO to visit our friend Crystal. What a time we had! We arrived around 8:00 p.m. on Friday evening. We would have been there sooner but I missed the exit & we had to backtrack 4 miles. I do not know how I missed it-not like it was my first time to go there. Anyway, we had some yummy pizza upon our arrival. I had purchased the "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader" game earlier in the day to take with us. We attempted playing as teams first & found that we were dumber put together than we were apart from one another. I'm pleased to say, I did OK. Crystal & I tied, both dropping out of school at $300,000.00. I'm hoping my check arrives in the mail soon. I think they forgot to give it to me at the time of my win! The half a million dollar question that I decided walk away from was, "What is the only city in the world that is located on two continents?" I had no clue & figured winning my $300,000.00 was better than dropping back down to $25,000.00. Good thing I did not guess as I would have been wrong. For those interested, in case you ever need to know, the answer is: Istanbul. I never in a million years would have thought of that answer! Other students (hmmm...Haley & Elinor), did not fare to well. A good time we had though. After stuffing ourselves on hot fudge brownie ice cream sundaes, we played a round of the board game "Like Minds." Unfortuntely, Haley & Elinor were losers on that game as well as once again, Crystal & my's mind's thought alike. I will give the losing team credit though-they were only a point or two behind. If you have never played that game, I encourage you to do so. The game is great fun & it is interesting to see how others think. For instance, we once played with some family & my sister or cousin was my partner when the question asked us to name types of math. My mind immediately thought of things like trig, algebra, calculus, etc. while there mind was completely opposite--they answered with things like addition, subtraction, division & so forth. Always leads to, "What were you thinking?!" After Crystal & I tried to spook Haley & Elinor in their bedroom & continued on with them never making an attempt to get us back, we finally decided to retire & get some shut-eye. Those two had to be party-poopers!

Everyone awakened after a bit of rest & we took off for the day. We headed to Columbia. Two, had never seen the Mizzou campus (Haley & Elinor) so Crystal drove through so they could catch a glimpse of it. While driving, it did not take long for us to get lost. Eventually, we found our way back to where we needed to be & entered into the Columbia Mall. We grabbed a bite for lunch & then, I opened their eyes to the beloved, Lollicup. I was uncertain as to whether or not they would make my slushie just as I had it in Taiwan (half yogurt/half passion fruit), but they agreed to do so. Elinor, having never had one of these slushies, followed in our footsteps ordering the same. Haley & Crystal were ecstatic when they just saw the cups alone! The three of us were enjoying ours so & I only hoped that Elinor would like it as well. She did. One sip & she was giving the thumbs up. We wandered around the mall for a while, buying nothing. We returned to Lollicup before we left so that I could order another slushie to put in a cooler & bring home to a fellow Taiwan team member. Crystal & I could not resist. We each ordered a Caramel Milk Tea. While Crystal drank hers hours later, I downed mine within minutes. I was so very happy to see Hope & Jocelyn working again & even filmed them sending a message to my friend Megan (who introduced me to the place). I can't wait to go again.

Once we left there, we were off to the Hong Kong Market so that I may buy some more Apple Cider Soda. My dad loved it & had asked me to so. I wanted some more for myself as well. Haley was preparing herself for the smell walking in as I had told her, it smelled like Taiwan-stinky. You will notice in my slideshow, a picture of Haley, Crystal & Elinor as well as a black guy. He was a kid working in the store that I had struck up a conversation with. I was joking with him asking him how much Chinese he knew, what country was he from in Asia, etc. He noticed that I was preparing to take a picture of the girls in front of the Market sign & dashed into the picture. He was a funny little fellar. I brought back some treats for 3 other team members. I was able to give one to one of the men on Sunday morning. He looked thrilled as he said, "What exactly is this because it looks like rocks?" I told him I had no idea & really, I do not. They were inexpensive & I knew it would make for a good joke. I'm sure that whatever it is, it's probably horrible tasting!

Time to head back to Jeff City...we stopped at the Governor's Mansion for a photo session. Some, were more enthusiastic than others. I was not enjoying the swarming gnats & bugs that were biting me every second. Granted we have some nice pictures, when it came time to go, I was perfectly OK to escape to critters eating me alive!

We returned to Crystal's & she showed Elinor the video of she & Haley's mission trip to Poland. How beautiful that we are able to share such with one another. Elinor, is a 5th generation South-African native living here in the states as a teacher. Her parents are missionaries. Elinor has been on many mission trips herself. So cool was it, as we drove around to sing hymns & Elinor sing in Africanz (I'm probably not spelling that one right). We had a great time of laughter with one another & fellowship as believers. Once my car got jumpstarted (for some unknown reason, it was dead when we were ready to come home-it's died twice since), we were on our way back. We are eager to spend time with one another again.

Taiwan: Rediscovered in Columbia, MO?

In 2005, on my trip to Taiwan, was a girl named Megan. Though we were on a team together, we did not really get to know one another too well at the time. Both of us returned to Taiwan in '06 & were then roommates. Sharing the same room, we spent much time together & became close friends. Megan lived in Columbia, MO & unfortunately (well, sad for those of us here that miss her) recently moved to Memphis, TN. I decided to go spend a weekend with Megan before she left & I had the time of my life. I venture to say, it was probably one of the greatest times I've had since I left Taiwan last summer. Continually asking me what I wanted to do & receiving no answers, Megan took me to the Columbia Mall. She thought of something that I would greatly appreciate & she was right, I certainly did. Before we arrived, she told me we would stop at this place that had milk tea. What is milk tea you may ask? Well, it's a concotion we had in Taiwan. I was looking forward to that but it all became much more exciting when we actually arrived at the place, I looked at the menu & saw....slushies...Passion Fruit slushies. I know, you're thinking this is no big deal. If you would have been in Taiwan, you would grasp the meaning of this. The slushies there are like no other. We would go 3-4 times a day to buy them & once back in America, our thoughts would wander back to them & long for the taste of one (they still do). I wondered how close it would be to the real deal. Though I like milk tea, I do not like it nearly as much as the slushies. I ordered my slushie, they handed it to me & it was all over. One sip & I felt like I was standing right there back in Taiwan. Identical!! What made this even better were the girls working at the place. They are from Taiwan. Megan would go there fairly frequently (when she got bored) so she'd developed a friendship with them & they were quite excited to see her & to meet me (especially when she shared with them that I too, had been to Taiwan). After visiting with them for a while, one of the girls introduced us to her sister, Amy, who was sitting there writing a paper on her laptop. Amy is in the states visiting until the end of August & will then return to Taiwan to teach at Meinung Middle School--the same school in which we taught! Meinung is a very small town in Taiwan--most of the people I've met from Taiwan are unfamiliar with it. Yet, there we were with 3 people who all knew Meinung. Megan & I laughed & talked with Amy for at least a 1/2 hour if not longer. I was able to take Megan's picture with the workers & then Amy & I had a picture taken together. She was eager to get her camera out so she'd have a copy of she & I as well. I left there on cloud nine. Questioning what to do, Megan had the perfect idea in mind when she took me in there. Continuing with our reminiscing theme, she then took me to the Hong Kong Market. As we were walking in, Megan was discussing how it stunk. However, that stinch reminded us both of a place oh so dear to our hearts, Taiwan. We roamed around for a bit looking at many of the things that we saw in the stores in Taiwan. I was delighted to find Apple Cider Soda which we drank quite a bit while in Taiwan. I didn't have to give it much consideration--I bought a 6 pack to bring home with me. One of the reasons Megan goes there is because it's covered with Asian people. We both love to be near the Asian culture.As Megan said, "This is like our Taiwan." We figured that since we weren't able to go there this year, that was as close as we could get to experiencing it all again. After church on that Sunday, we had lunch at a Mongolian Barbecue...had us some Chinese food. We shared our memories about Taiwan food...we miss the dirty, fried rice stand. No, seriously..we do. The place may have been filthy but I've never had fried rice that taste that good. Nothing in America thus far can compete with it. Upon leaving Megan's, I asked for directions back to the mall. She laughed when I told her I was going back to the drink stand. I know, it sounds crazy but once you've tried one...you can't get enough. I went back & the girls were oh so happy to see me again. We talked briefly. They guessed that I wanted the same thing I had before--the Passion Fruit Slushie. They were correct. They informed me of a closer location to St. Louis & though I'll go there sometime, I assured them that I would come visit them again. They said, "Cause we from Taiwan?!" I replied with, "Yes, because you are from Taiwan & we are friends now." They gave me an extra drink at no charge for the road as well. Megan & I got both of their e-mail addresses as well as & I hope to keep in contact with them. All of that only makes me wish to be in Taiwan again. Perhaps…someday. As for now, I’m headed to Jeff City for the weekend & visiting Columbia is a must--Lollicup, here we come!

Just squirreling around at Busch

My time at Busch Stadium lastnight proved to be a rather entertaining evening. In addition to the Redbirds playing great ball (& winning), the real star of the game was the squirrel that snuck in & became center of attention. After beginning in the Cardinal bullpen, he made his way down the first base line, behind the tarp. He remained there until someone got a hit & the crowd went wild. He came out from hiding then & decided to make his debut on the field. He pooped out about halfway & decided to take a breather in left centerfield. Once he'd stretched & then eaten a bit, he was ready to go again. The inning ended & out came someone from the grounds crew. Everyone was boo-ing him big time & cheering the squirrel on. Ernie Hayes found appropriate music to fit the situation & the chase for the squirrel was being shown on the big screen in the outfield. The squirrel finally wound up down in the opposing team's dugout. I'm guessing they finally caught the little guy. I have certainly never laughed so hard at a baseball game as I did lasnight. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me to capture the moment. I am sure that such will not soon be forgotten though.

Time To Begin

So it seems, everyone is blogging these days. I too, have decided to begin a blog for those that wish to read about my uneventful life. Hopefully, from time to time, I'll write something that encourages others or enlightens everyone to who I am. As many know, I love to write and typically, write much...and often. Of course, those who do not appreciate my lengthy writings will not have to read! I am new at this so we will see how long it takes me to sort it all out so that I can make my blog page look presentable. Anyway, enough for now...I'll play around here for a bit.