As I watched the evening news, I saw reports of THREE unrelated child grabbing attempts in the greater Columbus area just today!!
It has been a generation since it seemed to be such a relevant and constant danger. I would like to share what I learned about safe guarding one's kids--especially as temps moderate and we all get outdoors more.
First: Call the police station for info on where you can get a child ID kit made up. Many organizations make tem. At the least, you need your child's picture (and be careful to keep it current) and fingerprints. Any identifying marks should also be recorded (birthmarks, scars, the fact of the child knowing sign language or Spanish, or whatever. You keep this file for the awful "just in case" so you can put as much personal info in it as possible (then, in an emergency siyuation, you don't have to scramble around for pics or info. Some hairs (including the root) is good nowadays for the DNA.
Next: Teach your children. Obviously you've taught them not to get in a car with a stranger, but from personal experience I can say that is not always enough. Teach them not to go with anyone you didn't tell them to go with, unless that person gives the secret password. This includes police. If a policeman wants to talk to them, ask to read his badge. [Even if your child can't really read well, yet, a "bad guy" won't neccessarily know that. It is OK to "talk to strangers. We all do it--in passing. Help your child to understand the difference between good talking and dangerous talking. Never give a stranger info on yourself. If an adult asks for direction to someplace, give them loudly out of arm's reach.
IF a child is grabbed, he needs to know to kick and scream, but that is not enough. He needs to yell "this is not my mother, this is not my father, etc." If you as an adult see a child fussing with an adult, isn't your immediate reaction to think "Yay, it's not my child fussing in public--this time." We see it all the time, Usually what we see is what is true--a disobedient child. But what about that 1/1000th time?
IF a child is approached and feels uncomfortable, he needs to run. Even if it is to run into a strangers house--much safer than staying out on the street if feeling endangered. Hopefuylly you know your neighbors well enough that your kids can know which houses are "safe" houses.
Once back when I was a young teen, my friend and I were walking down a farm road when we realized a truck was keeping pace with us. We pretended not to notice, but hurried to the closest house. We walked right in the door like we owned the place, explained to the lady there why we had just walked in. She called the police. An arrest was made. I don't know the particulars after that, but I've always been glad my Mom taught me to do that.
When I was in San Diego after Jago was born, one aftenoon I was the only one home when I noticed a girl looking to be about 10yrs old across the street. A man drove up in a car and started talking to her. She was very upset. He seemed to be trying to get her into the car. I was concerned and so walked over there. The lady next door did the same at the same time, so we each talked to one of the people at a distance from each other. Turns out it was Grandpa who was now raising the girl and sis and was trying to get her to come home for dinner. Since they both gave the same story without hearing the other one, we decided they were undoubtedly telling the truth. He thanked us for checking him out, for being convcerned enough to watch and act when we saw something suspicious.
We all need to help make our children and our communities at large safer. One thing more: there are so very many Moms out working these days, it is good, if you are an at home Mom, to make that known around your neighborhood. Welcome the kids to your yard, be a familiar and safe haven for those who need it. There are some awfully hoorific situations out there in the world today...and it only continues to worsen. You'll never be sorry to be the house that all the kids hang out at. Tho. your kids might be, as they grow older, and they think their parents are hopeless embarrassments while other kids say,"Your Mom is way cooler than mine." And don't begrudge the time and energy spent on behalf of other people's kids--it only helps your in the long run.
I am grateful for all the kids who have been special parts of our family through the years. I am also grateful for other adults who have served special places in my kids lives--enriching them and helping them to grow up into the world at large. It can be a very scarey place, but does not need to be so if we can be prepared, for as the scripture says, "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." All this kind of stuff has to be a concern, but not a fear.
OK, I'm stepping off my soapbox now.:D
Friday, March 31, 2006
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Another New Driver
Well, it's done. Child # 5 has his learner's permit. In this state he must take a driver education/training course, and it is NOT offered through the schools. I am frustrated. I taugh 4 older kids, plus a couple of their friends. None had any difficulty passing their driver's tests. Granted, more than one speed demon was released after full liscensing, but that is not totally my fault! I do look forward to R driving--I've kept my VA lisence even tho I am not allowed to drive. This way I can legally ride with him. He will receive his liscence approx one week before my liscence expires. I cannot qualify for an Oh liscence--so I'll be going the ID card route after that. Ironically--he doesn't want to drive, but I need him to, and so, like yours truely, he has no choice but to drive. We will be able to go collect E from school in Boston in early May (and all her stuff.--Yes, we will be crowded...) We will be able to explore Ohio this summer. And the genealogy trips--to NY, to MI and IN and possibly even within OH. Little does he know... he's just thinking about driving to school next year and not riding the bus. Ha!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Immigration
I've just got to weigh in on the illegal immigration topic. My thoughts are a little scattered, but this is what I originally wrote in response to Fourth Fret's blog on this topic:
A firey, emotionaal topic here. I will attempt to be succinct--but you opened this can of worms, FF. I agree that illegal immigration is a horrendous problem. I do not believe that there is a one-size fits all solution, however, I do think that if we went back to the kind of immigration policies we had at the turn of the 19/20th century we'd be better off. At that time, the idea was AMERICANIZE. Learn English! Mix in with the greater population. Granted, the newest immigrants didn't always do that--but they pushed their children to do so! None of this "bi-lingual" education mess. My Dad went to school in an Italian speaking neighborhood school his first two grades. Then his father was killed, and as someone in the family had to learn English--he was plopped down in third grade in an NYC school. He learned. His sister learned. My grandmother never did, and she never Americanized, but she made sure her kids did. No one should be allowed to vote in another language, or conduct any government business. We used to be a "melting pot". Today our whole culture is at risk because we do not demand the newcomers to embrace that which has privided the very opportunities they seek.
We are a large enough country to absorb the huge numbers coming in...if they would just do it legally and culturally. I love visiting "Little Italy" in NY, Boston, Chicago, etc. I love my Italian heritage. I will sometimes say I'm Italian-American when speaking of my heritage. But I, personally, am an American. My father fought for this country, as did his father.
To say NM does not take the border problem seriously is an understatement. When we lived on the NM border a few years ago, over 500 students were coming into our school district new each year--from Mexico, with NO English--and we were paying taxes to bus them up from the border! So long as they had a post office box in the US, they could come to school. I kid you not. They would walk across the border and get on the school buses. AND becuase it was cheaper to give it to everyone than to do all the qualifying paperwork, every student in the district received FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH! Our tax dollars at work. Plus the large numbers of bi-lingual and ESL classes needed. Plus large numbers of special ed for these kids--many times only because of behavior or because they were so far behind their age level, many not having been in school previously. And the huge number of bi-lingual aides needed in each school office etc.
Build the walls! Support the Minute Men! We have the most porous borders on earth, it seems!
Obviously I have had some unusual experiences to form my strong opinions. Don't get me wrong. I practice what I preach. When we lived near the border, I liked to do some of my shopping in Palomas, Mexico. The bakery...mmm...
Since I believe that Mexicans who come to the US should learn to use English, when I went to Palomas, I used my best (albeit very bad) Spanish. I had lovely conversations with the bakery lady about our daughters, both of whom had gone off to college that year--I refer to S at Ricks. Her daughter, Sara, was at University in Mexico City. This was my oldest, her youngest, but both loved daughters. We regularly exchanged news bulletins, grades, boyfriend news, etc. It was the only topic where my Spanish (with a liberal dose of Italian) could take me with her comfortably. I would bet I was her favorite Anglo customer because I did not walk in expecting her to speak English (which she didn't.)
It is not only "hispanics" (which oddly enough does not 'legally' include those who are from Hispania or Spain) or "Latins" (which seemingly no longer includes those from the original Latin nation: Italy) but people from all over the world who come to America to better their lives, but seemingly want to keep their whole culture and not accept ours--which is, after all what they come for. It is our culture that makes us accepting of others who are different, the immigrant ideal is ingrained in our society. Is there any family that does not have an immigrant or two within the previous generation?
In my own family: I am only second generation American. I've a son-in-law who was raised in Canada, and his mother was born in Germany. I've a daughter-in-law whose mother was born in Germany. My foster son's mother-in-law is from the Philipines. I had a room mate from England, who married and stayed here. I've had friends from Mexico, Germany, the Philipines, Thailand, Honduras, Guatamala, Japan, Korea, Peru, Brazil, and others. All legal immigrants. All we ask is that we have secure borders. That includes legal immigration. But it excludes illegal immigration of every or any type.
A firey, emotionaal topic here. I will attempt to be succinct--but you opened this can of worms, FF. I agree that illegal immigration is a horrendous problem. I do not believe that there is a one-size fits all solution, however, I do think that if we went back to the kind of immigration policies we had at the turn of the 19/20th century we'd be better off. At that time, the idea was AMERICANIZE. Learn English! Mix in with the greater population. Granted, the newest immigrants didn't always do that--but they pushed their children to do so! None of this "bi-lingual" education mess. My Dad went to school in an Italian speaking neighborhood school his first two grades. Then his father was killed, and as someone in the family had to learn English--he was plopped down in third grade in an NYC school. He learned. His sister learned. My grandmother never did, and she never Americanized, but she made sure her kids did. No one should be allowed to vote in another language, or conduct any government business. We used to be a "melting pot". Today our whole culture is at risk because we do not demand the newcomers to embrace that which has privided the very opportunities they seek.
We are a large enough country to absorb the huge numbers coming in...if they would just do it legally and culturally. I love visiting "Little Italy" in NY, Boston, Chicago, etc. I love my Italian heritage. I will sometimes say I'm Italian-American when speaking of my heritage. But I, personally, am an American. My father fought for this country, as did his father.
To say NM does not take the border problem seriously is an understatement. When we lived on the NM border a few years ago, over 500 students were coming into our school district new each year--from Mexico, with NO English--and we were paying taxes to bus them up from the border! So long as they had a post office box in the US, they could come to school. I kid you not. They would walk across the border and get on the school buses. AND becuase it was cheaper to give it to everyone than to do all the qualifying paperwork, every student in the district received FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH! Our tax dollars at work. Plus the large numbers of bi-lingual and ESL classes needed. Plus large numbers of special ed for these kids--many times only because of behavior or because they were so far behind their age level, many not having been in school previously. And the huge number of bi-lingual aides needed in each school office etc.
Build the walls! Support the Minute Men! We have the most porous borders on earth, it seems!
Obviously I have had some unusual experiences to form my strong opinions. Don't get me wrong. I practice what I preach. When we lived near the border, I liked to do some of my shopping in Palomas, Mexico. The bakery...mmm...
Since I believe that Mexicans who come to the US should learn to use English, when I went to Palomas, I used my best (albeit very bad) Spanish. I had lovely conversations with the bakery lady about our daughters, both of whom had gone off to college that year--I refer to S at Ricks. Her daughter, Sara, was at University in Mexico City. This was my oldest, her youngest, but both loved daughters. We regularly exchanged news bulletins, grades, boyfriend news, etc. It was the only topic where my Spanish (with a liberal dose of Italian) could take me with her comfortably. I would bet I was her favorite Anglo customer because I did not walk in expecting her to speak English (which she didn't.)
It is not only "hispanics" (which oddly enough does not 'legally' include those who are from Hispania or Spain) or "Latins" (which seemingly no longer includes those from the original Latin nation: Italy) but people from all over the world who come to America to better their lives, but seemingly want to keep their whole culture and not accept ours--which is, after all what they come for. It is our culture that makes us accepting of others who are different, the immigrant ideal is ingrained in our society. Is there any family that does not have an immigrant or two within the previous generation?
In my own family: I am only second generation American. I've a son-in-law who was raised in Canada, and his mother was born in Germany. I've a daughter-in-law whose mother was born in Germany. My foster son's mother-in-law is from the Philipines. I had a room mate from England, who married and stayed here. I've had friends from Mexico, Germany, the Philipines, Thailand, Honduras, Guatamala, Japan, Korea, Peru, Brazil, and others. All legal immigrants. All we ask is that we have secure borders. That includes legal immigration. But it excludes illegal immigration of every or any type.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Sands of the Hourglass
If my life were an hourglass, I'd be at the point where the sands seem to speed up. Time seems to race by, and there is just so very much I want to do. I cannot begin to keep up! Erica pointed out that it is about a year since our trip to Cooperstown, NY. (Baseball museum and Doubleday Field for the kids...genealogy for me) and today at the FHC [Family History Center] (I'm on the 2nd & 4th Tues now...) I'm still finding more records from Cooperstown! It seems like eons ago that we took that trip. R feels like it was just a short time ago--how our perception of time changes. He is getting his driver's permit this week. But it was only a couple of years ago--it seems, that Sariah was getting hers. Where has the time gone?
Sometimes I worry that I fritter away too much of my time. So I work twice as hard to complete something, everything the next day. Until I drop from exhaustion. I'm still working on the concept of not running faster than you are able. Sigh.
In my personal scripture study I'm reading (in Italian--really makes me slow down and truely ponder as I try to understand) and I realize that we are at the very end of the parable of the Olive trees. around vs 75--just before the period of gathering (the millenium) begins. As I read it, we are among the "few" servants doing the final preparations in the vinyard. I feel so responsible.
I feel the need to pick up the pace of my life. Sigh. I've gone back to making lists--something I'd quit years ago because I was driving myself insane, literally. But I am using them judiciously: list of where I need to go and what I need to purchase, where. One does need to plan the time carefully when on a bike.
The weather is warming, so it is getting much more pleasant to be out. Sigh. Better get to bed so I can get up in the morning!:D
Sometimes I worry that I fritter away too much of my time. So I work twice as hard to complete something, everything the next day. Until I drop from exhaustion. I'm still working on the concept of not running faster than you are able. Sigh.
In my personal scripture study I'm reading (in Italian--really makes me slow down and truely ponder as I try to understand) and I realize that we are at the very end of the parable of the Olive trees. around vs 75--just before the period of gathering (the millenium) begins. As I read it, we are among the "few" servants doing the final preparations in the vinyard. I feel so responsible.
I feel the need to pick up the pace of my life. Sigh. I've gone back to making lists--something I'd quit years ago because I was driving myself insane, literally. But I am using them judiciously: list of where I need to go and what I need to purchase, where. One does need to plan the time carefully when on a bike.
The weather is warming, so it is getting much more pleasant to be out. Sigh. Better get to bed so I can get up in the morning!:D
Friday, March 24, 2006
I absolutely love socials. I am by nature, a pretty social person. My husband is allergic to people, and his allergy is getting worse. Last Sun as soon as I walked into the chapel, I was greeted and asked by several of the high priest quorum where we were the previous eve. as we'd missed the hp social. Sigh. I told our Home teacher that he has to tell me about such events, otherwise I'd never know...Hubby pointed out that with my surgery of the previous day [benign] I wasn't in any shape to go anyway. True, Sigh. And he'd honestly forgotten about it. Also true, Sigh, again.
Now R comes home tonight after his activity and says, you coud have come, too, it was for the whole family. (A Young Men's activity...pizza & ?) I'd loved to have gone. He's in the embarrassed of parents stage now, so he lets me know after the fact. Sigh. Oh well, hubby and I went out for dessert, anyway. Love that pi-anna cake at Wigwam! It was nice to have a little quality time together. So I guess it all worked out for the best both times. Sigh. I do like ward socials, though. As soon as I finish the dining room--look out, I plan to get lots of use out of it!
I weigh less than Dad now for the first time since El Dorado days! Ha! I'm soooo happy!
Now R comes home tonight after his activity and says, you coud have come, too, it was for the whole family. (A Young Men's activity...pizza & ?) I'd loved to have gone. He's in the embarrassed of parents stage now, so he lets me know after the fact. Sigh. Oh well, hubby and I went out for dessert, anyway. Love that pi-anna cake at Wigwam! It was nice to have a little quality time together. So I guess it all worked out for the best both times. Sigh. I do like ward socials, though. As soon as I finish the dining room--look out, I plan to get lots of use out of it!
I weigh less than Dad now for the first time since El Dorado days! Ha! I'm soooo happy!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Missing Children
Monday was a busy day for me. I hopped on my bike and rode the four miles to my Drs office where the mobile lab came--it was mammogram time. Yuk. As long as I was out, I had prepared to run several errands. So next I went to the drugstore mostly to pick up a needed refill, but Walgreen's carries lots of stuff, so I was able to execute most of my other errands there as well.
As I went to check out, I noticed something different. There was a "booth" set up to do kids fingerprints, etc. Now I was one of those Moms who did all that--I have my kids packets--just in case they were snatched. My kids can remember playing, "You're not my mother, You're not my father." They would scream and yell that at the tops of their lungs kicking their legs and flailing their arms as I would come along and "snatch" them off our front porch and stuff them into the window of our car. It seems almost crazy to me now, but it was happening often enough around the country that it had become a very real fear. So we prepared as best we could.
One day, I left work to pick up my son from school. He was not there. No one knew where he was. Fortunately, we were in a relatively small town, and he was located. With his Dad. We were divorced, and his Dad had come into town early, so he picked our son up from school. Nothing malicious was meant...the boy usually walked. I was collecting him that day to get him home quickly in time for his Dad's arrival. His Dad was early, so surprised him at school and took him for ice cream before going home.
After that episode, however, my kids had a "code word" . No one (not even Daddy) could pick them up without the code word being given. This gave us all a great peace of mind.
At this booth, they were "selling T-shirts" with the info for CPEA (Child Protection Education of Ameria) on them. They were encouraging people to wear the shirts to help get the word out. I don't wear t-shirts very often, so I am getting the word out this way. They have a web site: www.find-missing-children.org I have no idea if this will automatically link or what, but I encourage all who see children to go to the website. The missing children pictures do so much good: that is the main source for locating missing children. If you would like more info, or you suspect a child in your sphere is not with the adult he belongs to, their phone is: 866-USA-CHILD.
My scare with V was a silly mistake, and I think most of us experience a child wandering off at some point and while your child may only be missing a few minutes...it is terrifying. V gave us a much bigger scare when he was older. (end of third grade) He and his friend, C, saw a stick floating in the water along the curb. (We lived in a semi-desert area, but it had rained in the mountains.) The boys found this stick floating by so intriguing that they followed it. For miles. It got dark out. Then came the phone calls when C's Mom discovered the boys were not at my house and I discovered they weren't at C's house. Up 'til then they had not been missed as we Moms obviously thought the boys were safe at each others homes.
The police were called. Our major concern came from the fact that there was a "group" camping out at the upper end of our valley who practiced blood sacrifice. The police strongly suspected, no, believed, human sacrificce was done, but had not yet been able to prove it. We were terrified.
The boys (we learned later) saw police cars cruising, and knowing that they were already in huge trouble for being so far from home, and out so late, worked their way closer to home behind bushes, through yards, evading the police whom they figured were looking for them. They finally came strolling into the yard feeling quite pleased with themselves. It was a real case of hugging him, then wanting to kill him because he wasn't dead! It was the worst three hours of my life! If I felt like that for such a short time, how must it be for families whose child is taken? I encourage everyone to look at the kids at the park, look at the kids in the stores. And look at the kids whose pictures are on the mailings we get, the milk bottles and on this website.
As I went to check out, I noticed something different. There was a "booth" set up to do kids fingerprints, etc. Now I was one of those Moms who did all that--I have my kids packets--just in case they were snatched. My kids can remember playing, "You're not my mother, You're not my father." They would scream and yell that at the tops of their lungs kicking their legs and flailing their arms as I would come along and "snatch" them off our front porch and stuff them into the window of our car. It seems almost crazy to me now, but it was happening often enough around the country that it had become a very real fear. So we prepared as best we could.
One day, I left work to pick up my son from school. He was not there. No one knew where he was. Fortunately, we were in a relatively small town, and he was located. With his Dad. We were divorced, and his Dad had come into town early, so he picked our son up from school. Nothing malicious was meant...the boy usually walked. I was collecting him that day to get him home quickly in time for his Dad's arrival. His Dad was early, so surprised him at school and took him for ice cream before going home.
After that episode, however, my kids had a "code word" . No one (not even Daddy) could pick them up without the code word being given. This gave us all a great peace of mind.
At this booth, they were "selling T-shirts" with the info for CPEA (Child Protection Education of Ameria) on them. They were encouraging people to wear the shirts to help get the word out. I don't wear t-shirts very often, so I am getting the word out this way. They have a web site: www.find-missing-children.org I have no idea if this will automatically link or what, but I encourage all who see children to go to the website. The missing children pictures do so much good: that is the main source for locating missing children. If you would like more info, or you suspect a child in your sphere is not with the adult he belongs to, their phone is: 866-USA-CHILD.
My scare with V was a silly mistake, and I think most of us experience a child wandering off at some point and while your child may only be missing a few minutes...it is terrifying. V gave us a much bigger scare when he was older. (end of third grade) He and his friend, C, saw a stick floating in the water along the curb. (We lived in a semi-desert area, but it had rained in the mountains.) The boys found this stick floating by so intriguing that they followed it. For miles. It got dark out. Then came the phone calls when C's Mom discovered the boys were not at my house and I discovered they weren't at C's house. Up 'til then they had not been missed as we Moms obviously thought the boys were safe at each others homes.
The police were called. Our major concern came from the fact that there was a "group" camping out at the upper end of our valley who practiced blood sacrifice. The police strongly suspected, no, believed, human sacrificce was done, but had not yet been able to prove it. We were terrified.
The boys (we learned later) saw police cars cruising, and knowing that they were already in huge trouble for being so far from home, and out so late, worked their way closer to home behind bushes, through yards, evading the police whom they figured were looking for them. They finally came strolling into the yard feeling quite pleased with themselves. It was a real case of hugging him, then wanting to kill him because he wasn't dead! It was the worst three hours of my life! If I felt like that for such a short time, how must it be for families whose child is taken? I encourage everyone to look at the kids at the park, look at the kids in the stores. And look at the kids whose pictures are on the mailings we get, the milk bottles and on this website.
Monday, March 20, 2006
I Learned Something New Today
I learned something new today. That was the required conversation starter in our household for many years. Even the missionaries knew to be prepared when they came to our house (which was usually weekly back in those days). Even the kids' friends were in on the whole thing. For a time, the kids favorite book had an owl on the cover and was just chock full of odd questions and their answers. Ideally, it was supposed to have been something new learned at school that day, but we quickly realized that learning something new did not happen on a regular basis.
I miss those days--those conversations. In our new house, the dining room is kinda tucked off in the corner and easy to avoid. With just three of us left at home, not even I want to sit down too often to a formal dinner. R says he's sick of hearing about politicas because "that's all Dad ever talks about." The older children can verify that is not true. He also talks about history and law--oh, and weather. R doesn't want any of those subjects, either.
I just want to eat as a family. Tonight Dharma and Greg and all the Mongomerys were our company. Tommorrow, who knows. I NEED to build the kitchen table SOON! This is really getting on my nerves. So tomorrow, I'll try again--what did you learn today?? Whereas they kids used to dive into the encyclopedias, now R can just google something, and learn quite a lot.
Dinner conversation is a dying art in the US. I hate cooking a dinner that is done in fifteen minutes. We should be able to linger for at least an hour in conversation. We used to.
I miss those days--those conversations. In our new house, the dining room is kinda tucked off in the corner and easy to avoid. With just three of us left at home, not even I want to sit down too often to a formal dinner. R says he's sick of hearing about politicas because "that's all Dad ever talks about." The older children can verify that is not true. He also talks about history and law--oh, and weather. R doesn't want any of those subjects, either.
I just want to eat as a family. Tonight Dharma and Greg and all the Mongomerys were our company. Tommorrow, who knows. I NEED to build the kitchen table SOON! This is really getting on my nerves. So tomorrow, I'll try again--what did you learn today?? Whereas they kids used to dive into the encyclopedias, now R can just google something, and learn quite a lot.
Dinner conversation is a dying art in the US. I hate cooking a dinner that is done in fifteen minutes. We should be able to linger for at least an hour in conversation. We used to.
Luddite Begone
I just wrote a blog which posted twice--I have no idea how. But I manage to delete one--all by myself!!! So then I went and deleted the two extra printings of Timely Angels. Again--all by myself!!! There's hope yet for me, too:D
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a Child
Train up a child in the way he should go: and
when he is old, he will not depart from it.
--Proverbs 22:6
First a disclaimer, this is not really about one of my children so much as about one of our cats.
Background: We've always ('til now) lived in rented houses. Plus I have animal allergies. So whenever my kids would ask to have a pet, the answer was generally,"Not until we have a house of our own." We did, of course go through goldfish, then fighter fish, and finally against MY will, I might add, we got into guinea pigs (hamsters were tried and died to my joy--they are too mouse-like and I HATE RODENTS!!!
But E really wanted a guinea pig for her birthday (quite a number of years ago now.) She wheedled and Dad pushed (I think he wanted it even more than she.) So Ammon joined our household. Ammon is long gone, and we went thru Brigham, when we discovered that Ammon was actually a girl, Emma, Brigham's replacement, Leia, (sp?) as in the Princess from Star Wars, Fuma, who is still with us, and her two male babies, as she was pregnant when we got her.
Then when E's pets were dead and gone, she began working on me for a kitten. Initially I gave the same old answer, but eventually began to soften. We'd been in the same house for so long that we'd painted and generally treated it as if it were our own as much as possible. Finally, E's friend J had her over on a Sat in Aug (working on three years ago! wow!) J's Mom was a teacher in a private school out in the country. They frequently had stray cats whom the groundskeeper trapped and took to local farmers to new homes. This particular week that had happened, but then the next day, he heard mewling and discovered a litter of kittens apparantly belonging to the cat he'd trapped the day before. J's Mom took them home to nurse and give a chance at life. E phoned and asked, no, begged if we could take one of the six--to help "make it easier on J's mom." Her friend K was taking two of them! So when I went to pick E up that day, I had decided that yes, we could get one of thesse kittens. When I arrived, E showed me the kitten she wanted. It was the runt of the litter and so small, it was obviously starving to death. I didn't think it would make it, and another of the kittens seemed to have chosen me, so we took two. I force fed them with a syringe. They both grew strong and healthy. The "runt" grew to be a bit larger than the other, and is the dominant cat now (both boys).
E had promised to be in charge of the litter box. I refuse to deal with a litter box. I thought (silly me) that they would be indoor/outdoor cats and a litter box would not be needed for long, but no, my family decided (I voted the other way) that T and F would be purely indoor cats. This meant a litter box was to be permanent. I still did not want it, so E began potty training the cats to the toilet. They were doing great until F broke his leg, and the litter box had to reappear. T began to use the litter box again, too, once it reappeared, so we gave up entirely.
Today I watched T use the toilet to go! I have found the toilet unflushed a number of times and always blamed the male members of the family, but it always looks just like what T did today...so I gues it is just that one male family member, and he was NOT taught to flush (didn't have the strength back then).
I was as proud of him as ever I was toilet training a child! Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get rid of the litter box??? Hmmmm--E, you have a new-old job this summer, I think.
So, the training worked after all.
Does this mean the proverb is really true??? I have hope. OK, kidlets, take that however you like. I love you all anyway, and you know it!
when he is old, he will not depart from it.
--Proverbs 22:6
First a disclaimer, this is not really about one of my children so much as about one of our cats.
Background: We've always ('til now) lived in rented houses. Plus I have animal allergies. So whenever my kids would ask to have a pet, the answer was generally,"Not until we have a house of our own." We did, of course go through goldfish, then fighter fish, and finally against MY will, I might add, we got into guinea pigs (hamsters were tried and died to my joy--they are too mouse-like and I HATE RODENTS!!!
But E really wanted a guinea pig for her birthday (quite a number of years ago now.) She wheedled and Dad pushed (I think he wanted it even more than she.) So Ammon joined our household. Ammon is long gone, and we went thru Brigham, when we discovered that Ammon was actually a girl, Emma, Brigham's replacement, Leia, (sp?) as in the Princess from Star Wars, Fuma, who is still with us, and her two male babies, as she was pregnant when we got her.
Then when E's pets were dead and gone, she began working on me for a kitten. Initially I gave the same old answer, but eventually began to soften. We'd been in the same house for so long that we'd painted and generally treated it as if it were our own as much as possible. Finally, E's friend J had her over on a Sat in Aug (working on three years ago! wow!) J's Mom was a teacher in a private school out in the country. They frequently had stray cats whom the groundskeeper trapped and took to local farmers to new homes. This particular week that had happened, but then the next day, he heard mewling and discovered a litter of kittens apparantly belonging to the cat he'd trapped the day before. J's Mom took them home to nurse and give a chance at life. E phoned and asked, no, begged if we could take one of the six--to help "make it easier on J's mom." Her friend K was taking two of them! So when I went to pick E up that day, I had decided that yes, we could get one of thesse kittens. When I arrived, E showed me the kitten she wanted. It was the runt of the litter and so small, it was obviously starving to death. I didn't think it would make it, and another of the kittens seemed to have chosen me, so we took two. I force fed them with a syringe. They both grew strong and healthy. The "runt" grew to be a bit larger than the other, and is the dominant cat now (both boys).
E had promised to be in charge of the litter box. I refuse to deal with a litter box. I thought (silly me) that they would be indoor/outdoor cats and a litter box would not be needed for long, but no, my family decided (I voted the other way) that T and F would be purely indoor cats. This meant a litter box was to be permanent. I still did not want it, so E began potty training the cats to the toilet. They were doing great until F broke his leg, and the litter box had to reappear. T began to use the litter box again, too, once it reappeared, so we gave up entirely.
Today I watched T use the toilet to go! I have found the toilet unflushed a number of times and always blamed the male members of the family, but it always looks just like what T did today...so I gues it is just that one male family member, and he was NOT taught to flush (didn't have the strength back then).
I was as proud of him as ever I was toilet training a child! Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get rid of the litter box??? Hmmmm--E, you have a new-old job this summer, I think.
So, the training worked after all.
Does this mean the proverb is really true??? I have hope. OK, kidlets, take that however you like. I love you all anyway, and you know it!
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Gettin' Old?
Nothing like "old people" talking about their health all the time, but...so my kids can all know: I had a colonoscopy yesterday. During the course of it, they found a couple of polyps (or as R told E, "pollins") and removed them.* Nothing unusual. I've had vaginal exams that hurt more. I will, however, be taking a pillow to church for that hard pew tomorrow! My tailbone still hurts. And I need to ride my bike on Mon as I'm scheduled for a long overdue mammagram. So I'm doing what I ought. Happy, guys?
I "missed" St. Patrick's Day--forgot to even wear green. Sister Seraphina would be ashamed of me. Erin go braugh.
I'm getting off my tailbone, now:) besides...R wants the computer.
*Don't we all wish we could have our 'pollins' removed? My nose and Todd's (my cat with allergies) culd stop running!
I "missed" St. Patrick's Day--forgot to even wear green. Sister Seraphina would be ashamed of me. Erin go braugh.
I'm getting off my tailbone, now:) besides...R wants the computer.
*Don't we all wish we could have our 'pollins' removed? My nose and Todd's (my cat with allergies) culd stop running!
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Luddite Punishment
OK, I give up. I shouldn't have called myself a Luddite on line. The gods of electronics are punishing me. I cannot get into see my own blog! I keep getting A page telling me that I do not have authorized access. And I was hoping to add Fourth Fret properly... Sigh. another day, perhaps.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
World's End or Good Life
It is the end of the world. I know it is. Because Keith took the library books back without my actually putting them into his hands (or car). At least that's done.
I love changes in weather--it makes life so much more interesting. I love the wind and the rain and thunderstorms and snow. Except...it sets off my arthritis and bursitis, which weakens my whole body system so that I can barely walk, setting off seizures and even sugar drops. Sigh. Maybe I just wish it were the end of the world sometimes.
But life is good. All my kids are safe (well, at least unharmed, with a nod to Jesse who won't be safe 'til he's home again.) Life proceeds on. I've found some really good stuff in my genealogical research lately. It is so cool to have found the newspaper article of my grandfather's murder. Because of this, I've finally put together the sequence of events of that morning, whereas before it had all been disjointed story fragments from different and seemingly non-matching sources.
Even the weather changes point to the renewal...not the end. Today, while still having problems, I am functioning again. Tomorrow will likely be better [hopefully enough so that I can attend my class.]
With family and friends near and far, who am I to complain? I just take a day off (so the dishes pile up, and the whole house desperately needs vaccuuming) and rest, and it's all better the next day. And today I did the dishes--maybe the vaccuuming will happen tomorrow. I am lucky to be able to take a day off from life's functions without it being a major problem. So I harrass Keith about time and library fines [and other stuff, too] but I know I am very fortunate to have such a good and patient husband--he has to be to put up with me.
Life really is good.
I love changes in weather--it makes life so much more interesting. I love the wind and the rain and thunderstorms and snow. Except...it sets off my arthritis and bursitis, which weakens my whole body system so that I can barely walk, setting off seizures and even sugar drops. Sigh. Maybe I just wish it were the end of the world sometimes.
But life is good. All my kids are safe (well, at least unharmed, with a nod to Jesse who won't be safe 'til he's home again.) Life proceeds on. I've found some really good stuff in my genealogical research lately. It is so cool to have found the newspaper article of my grandfather's murder. Because of this, I've finally put together the sequence of events of that morning, whereas before it had all been disjointed story fragments from different and seemingly non-matching sources.
Even the weather changes point to the renewal...not the end. Today, while still having problems, I am functioning again. Tomorrow will likely be better [hopefully enough so that I can attend my class.]
With family and friends near and far, who am I to complain? I just take a day off (so the dishes pile up, and the whole house desperately needs vaccuuming) and rest, and it's all better the next day. And today I did the dishes--maybe the vaccuuming will happen tomorrow. I am lucky to be able to take a day off from life's functions without it being a major problem. So I harrass Keith about time and library fines [and other stuff, too] but I know I am very fortunate to have such a good and patient husband--he has to be to put up with me.
Life really is good.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Timely Angels in Disguise
Most couples make the same vows when they get married:to love, cherish etc. Others write their own, but in essence they say largely the same. My husband promised me that he'd get me to work (school) and to church on time. (note: no place else--we're always late.)
Over the years I've learned where we went wrong: we didn't arrive with the same definitions of "on time."
School
We're there before the tardy bell rang--Keith.
I'm in my classroom, have time to write on the board or make any last minute changes since leaving yesterday, use the bathroom, and be on hand to greet my first students arriving--Valerie.
Church
We're there in time to take the Sacrament, even if we're in the foyer--Keith.
We arrive at church with the liesure to hang up coats, settle in our pew(s) greet and take care of any before church business with others, use the bathroom and be seated to listen to the prelude music--Valerie.
We've come to tolerate the time foibles (sorta) of the other. Last year, though, it began to really get on my nerves when we missed a plane. (Never mind all the times we've been late to pick someone up...) but today took the cake. AND IT WASN'T REALLY EVEN KEITH'S FAULT! (At least not completely...) but Erica missed her flight back to school. So we arrived home to get a call letting us know that she was stuck in Dayton until morning. (Why we didn't park and go in with her as usual is beyond me.)
Oh, the wonderful kindness of strangers! Angels in disguise--one of the security guys also works part-time with the USO and lodged Erica in the USO quarters for the night, so at least she was safe. Though I worked with a different branch of the USO in IL, I am, once again so grateful for the men and women who serve our country--and those who provide support for them.
Thank you Mr. Security/USO guy!
Over the years I've learned where we went wrong: we didn't arrive with the same definitions of "on time."
School
We're there before the tardy bell rang--Keith.
I'm in my classroom, have time to write on the board or make any last minute changes since leaving yesterday, use the bathroom, and be on hand to greet my first students arriving--Valerie.
Church
We're there in time to take the Sacrament, even if we're in the foyer--Keith.
We arrive at church with the liesure to hang up coats, settle in our pew(s) greet and take care of any before church business with others, use the bathroom and be seated to listen to the prelude music--Valerie.
We've come to tolerate the time foibles (sorta) of the other. Last year, though, it began to really get on my nerves when we missed a plane. (Never mind all the times we've been late to pick someone up...) but today took the cake. AND IT WASN'T REALLY EVEN KEITH'S FAULT! (At least not completely...) but Erica missed her flight back to school. So we arrived home to get a call letting us know that she was stuck in Dayton until morning. (Why we didn't park and go in with her as usual is beyond me.)
Oh, the wonderful kindness of strangers! Angels in disguise--one of the security guys also works part-time with the USO and lodged Erica in the USO quarters for the night, so at least she was safe. Though I worked with a different branch of the USO in IL, I am, once again so grateful for the men and women who serve our country--and those who provide support for them.
Thank you Mr. Security/USO guy!
Saturday, March 11, 2006
I've found an even uglier word: Good-bye. Theoretically, it is actually quite a lovely sentiment: God be with you ['til we meet again] / [on your journey] / etc. Not so bad... but the way we use and use that word today--it just means you won't be seeing the recipient of the message anytime soon. Tomorrow, I once again will say, "Good-bye" to Erica. I shouldn't get toooo sentimental--I know I'll see her in a month when I go to visit in Boston. But each good-bye reminds me of others.
Good-byes as each child in turn goes off to college, far, far, away. Good-bye to each child and child-in-law as they marry and we return to our home, far, far, away. Good-bye to each child and grandchild after I barely get to know them at birth when I return home far, far, away. And, of course, good-bye to each visiting child, child-in-law, grandchild, when they leave for their homes after visits [which are always too brief] far, far, away. Sigh.
How easy we have it though! We can talk on line--even converse with the video/phone system. We can have unlimited phone calls--generally with good enough reception that the person could be in the next room! There is a reason people of a certain generation shout into the phone for long distance calls--it used to be necessary. Likewise, they were so cost prohibitive, that long distance calls were kept to a minimum. Earlier generations had greater difficulty traveling to visit. I think of my Nona, my Italian grandmother. Once she came to America, she never again saw her family left behind in Italy. My father never even met her parents, his grandparents.
Even earlier generations had the same problems just moving across our vast country. A young family might move west and enjoy great prosperity, but that did not necessarily add up to visiting back home or to receiving visits from the family left behind.
I recognize how easy [by comparison] we have it. But I still hate good-bys. And I still cry buckets when I have no idea when I'll see that particular family member again. I do not look forward to tomorrow's good-bye--yet I know it won't be too long before it is turned into hello!
Plus I plan to see Vinnie & family over the summer? perhaps in Tulsa? and Sariah & family in the fall, and Lura and family...I do not know, so it is harder there... but it isn't forever :D
Good-byes as each child in turn goes off to college, far, far, away. Good-bye to each child and child-in-law as they marry and we return to our home, far, far, away. Good-bye to each child and grandchild after I barely get to know them at birth when I return home far, far, away. And, of course, good-bye to each visiting child, child-in-law, grandchild, when they leave for their homes after visits [which are always too brief] far, far, away. Sigh.
How easy we have it though! We can talk on line--even converse with the video/phone system. We can have unlimited phone calls--generally with good enough reception that the person could be in the next room! There is a reason people of a certain generation shout into the phone for long distance calls--it used to be necessary. Likewise, they were so cost prohibitive, that long distance calls were kept to a minimum. Earlier generations had greater difficulty traveling to visit. I think of my Nona, my Italian grandmother. Once she came to America, she never again saw her family left behind in Italy. My father never even met her parents, his grandparents.
Even earlier generations had the same problems just moving across our vast country. A young family might move west and enjoy great prosperity, but that did not necessarily add up to visiting back home or to receiving visits from the family left behind.
I recognize how easy [by comparison] we have it. But I still hate good-bys. And I still cry buckets when I have no idea when I'll see that particular family member again. I do not look forward to tomorrow's good-bye--yet I know it won't be too long before it is turned into hello!
Plus I plan to see Vinnie & family over the summer? perhaps in Tulsa? and Sariah & family in the fall, and Lura and family...I do not know, so it is harder there... but it isn't forever :D
Friday, March 10, 2006
The Ugliest Word
The ugliest word in the English language (which is not noted for being one of the prettier languages anyway) is moving. As in, "We're moving to..." Except for the fact that my children and granchildren are all so far away, I never want to hear that word applied to me again. But it will be. I am sooo tired tonight. Sariah, I'm so sorry, I never called you back today. After enlisting Erica's help on the lifting, I got both 5-shelf bookcases assembled. (easy and nice looking--didn't even require any tools unless you afixed the shelves to the wall. I didn't. We move too often. As soon as Richard arrived home from school, I had him lug boxes of Dad's books upstairs. They are now unpacked and organized. (I napped while others did my grocery shopping.) After dinner, I had Dad and R. lug the rest up. They are now all unpacked, and even the garage is organized. I am still looking for my notebook of church scripts, though. I need the Priesthood Reader's Theatre we did in El Dorado. We plan to do it here--if I ever find it!
I cannot believe how much I still need to do in my total organization. Dad has given me the go ahead to build whatever shelves are needed for organization and storage in the garage. (Adult children of mine--that's mostly for your stuff!) And he still wants to park one car in there...ha! I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel, then I look around the computer/genealogy room. Sigh.
I expect I will have everything organized to my satisfaction...and then I should be right on time to help Sariah and family move (the word is OK when applied to someone else.) Tiring and physically exhausting as it can be to help someone else, it is still not like having to restart your own life.
Side note to Cara: you must be getting that rain dance down--it is going to rain in your neck of the 'woods' after 147 or 9 (I forgot what Keith told me) days. Dance away!
I cannot believe how much I still need to do in my total organization. Dad has given me the go ahead to build whatever shelves are needed for organization and storage in the garage. (Adult children of mine--that's mostly for your stuff!) And he still wants to park one car in there...ha! I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel, then I look around the computer/genealogy room. Sigh.
I expect I will have everything organized to my satisfaction...and then I should be right on time to help Sariah and family move (the word is OK when applied to someone else.) Tiring and physically exhausting as it can be to help someone else, it is still not like having to restart your own life.
Side note to Cara: you must be getting that rain dance down--it is going to rain in your neck of the 'woods' after 147 or 9 (I forgot what Keith told me) days. Dance away!
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Wind
Wind. I love to sleep to the sound of it. (A good thing when we lived in very windy Deming, NM). Riding a bike into the wind is not so much fun. I just got an inexpensive odometer for my bike. It also shows my speed. Heading into an 18 mph headwind this morning, I knew I could walk that fast. (I'm pretty fast with my cane.) Coming home with a tail wind, however, I was hitting speeds on my 'coaster' (one-speed) bike that people with multi-speed bikes get up to! My legs could barely keep up. Right now, it is again windy and rainy. Lovely weather to just be inside by the fire. How cozy.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Missed
"If I wanted to hard boil a couple eggs, Mom, what would I do?" Now, if she had asked about soft boiled eggs (which I rarely make) I could understand her questioning, but we eat hard boiled eggs. A lot. And she has been chief Easter Bunny for several years...I guess I always cooked the eggs. Hmmm.
"You would take a sauce pan. Place two eggs in it, cover the eggs with water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes."
"If I wanted to boil 4 eggs, would I simmer for 40 minutes? And if I boiled 12 eggs, would I simmer 120 minutes? Why not?"
Take it on faith--you only need to simmer for 20 minutes, no matter how many eggs you boil at one time. I thought we were out of the woods 'til the timer went off..."Now what do I do?"
"Take them off the stove and put them in cold water." I thought that was axiomatic. Apparantly I was mistaken.
Where did I go wrong? And this daughter cooks! Maybe, just maybe, my Mom thought I'd learned more before I was on my own than I really did? Perhaps she had tried to teach me...and I neglected to hear? Golly, I wonder what all I missed...
I knew how to cook Italian from following my Grandmother around when she lived with us. Otherwise, my chores were generally outdoor chores. (Anybody need to plant some iceplant? How about care for citris trees? Care for, even train dogs? Clean a pool? Not a one have I needed as an adult.)
I didn't learn how to cook. I didn't learn how to sew. I barely learned anything about how to clean--I knew to dust and vacuum, but that was all.
What else did I miss?
"You would take a sauce pan. Place two eggs in it, cover the eggs with water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes."
"If I wanted to boil 4 eggs, would I simmer for 40 minutes? And if I boiled 12 eggs, would I simmer 120 minutes? Why not?"
Take it on faith--you only need to simmer for 20 minutes, no matter how many eggs you boil at one time. I thought we were out of the woods 'til the timer went off..."Now what do I do?"
"Take them off the stove and put them in cold water." I thought that was axiomatic. Apparantly I was mistaken.
Where did I go wrong? And this daughter cooks! Maybe, just maybe, my Mom thought I'd learned more before I was on my own than I really did? Perhaps she had tried to teach me...and I neglected to hear? Golly, I wonder what all I missed...
I knew how to cook Italian from following my Grandmother around when she lived with us. Otherwise, my chores were generally outdoor chores. (Anybody need to plant some iceplant? How about care for citris trees? Care for, even train dogs? Clean a pool? Not a one have I needed as an adult.)
I didn't learn how to cook. I didn't learn how to sew. I barely learned anything about how to clean--I knew to dust and vacuum, but that was all.
What else did I miss?
Library fines
Paying library fines is stupid. Sorry, Aiden, (who scolds when he hears the adults in his life say that word) but there it is. The whole point of a public library is so that you can borrow the books for a time--then return them! On time! Heck, they let us have the books for a month here! I finished the book I picked up mostly because I was waiting for my husband. I finished it in the next day, and placed it where he puts his keys etc. so he'd know it was ready to be returned. A couple days later, he gave me the book he had checked out. I read it and placed it with the other. They were due TWO WEEKS AGO, and still they sit. I will go with someone else to return the books tomorrow. I will use a check to pay the fine, and in the corner, on the bottom I will write: "Stupid library fines: I TOLD you to return the books!" Now I feel as though I cannot check out books from the library again. (I had quit using the library in Richmond for the same reason.) If I can't get there on my own steam, I don't feel like I can use the library. Fortunately, there is also a library in Lithopolis, and as the weather warms up, I am going to ride my bike down there. I understand it is just 4 milies from Canal--and I regularly ride 4 miles, so it is just adding 2 more one way. I can rest inbetween, and that way, I can use a library--and not be paying fines!
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
My dining room is so close to completion, it is usable. How nice to eat at the table--I am not and have never been a lap eater--I always spill. I learned something. When you are putting up molding, chair rail etc. and you need to use multiple pieces on a single wall, rather than trying to join two straight cuts, you do 45 degree angle cuts. I learned that after completing it all. I still have the plate rail to go on the long wall, so I think I will still have a chance to use this info. I must've missed this lesson on HGTV, so maybe I don't watch too much after all!
Family history is fun for the whole family. One thing we did when my children were young, was to go to a cemetary in IN. My Grandpa had never known his grandparents first names, refferring to them as Grandfather Sipe and Grandmother Slessman (her maiden name,) He wanted to know. Years after his death, in fact, in the last couple months before we were to move away from Indiana, I decided that my family was going cemetary hunting after church one Sunday. Now, Lura remembers the story a little differently, and she is probably more accurate, but I'll tell it the way I understood at the time.
We got down to Columbia City, discovering it was less than 45 minutes from Elkhart Co. (This was my third time to live 2 yrs in Elkhart Co, and my Uncle & family had also done so for many years--but no one had eve made this trip). I gave the kids each a piece of paper with the names Sipe, Slessman, and Slesman on it. "Look for these names," were the instructions. After awhile I heard Vinnie call out, "Found 'em!" He had leapfrogged over tombstones until he came face to face with (Uncle) Henry Sipe, and next to him were his parents: Adam and Margaret Slessman Sipe. How thrilling! We continued and found others as well. A couple weeks later, I took Erica (just a toddler) with me and went to the courthouse and found many more family members. To this day, Vinnie has a respect and sneaky affinity for genealogical work. I think that the girls saw it as finding real people for the first time as well.
We moved s few times after that, until we were in south Arkansas. There we had the opportunity to visit Vicksburg Battlefield in Mississippi. There are monuments to the troops everywhere. Illinois has a particularly large one listing the names of all those that faught at Vicksburg.(Civil War) Because Uncle Henry's tombstone had given his military service--including that he served in an Illinois Company, Sariah said, "let's see if we can find Uncle Henry." I thought the task impossible as I looked at the hundreds of names in the building. It was only a minute or two before she found him, however. Sometimes our family members really want to be found. They know us and want us to know them. I wish I could say that I have been as diligent in getting ordinances done , but I have been waaay too slow. No more excuses. I'm trying to rectify that now.
I only wish that all the time Grandpa spent in Elkhart County visiting from Chicago, someone would have taken him to the cemetary--just once, and he could have known his grandparents first names! I know all my grandparents first names...and their parents' names as well!
Family history is fun for the whole family. One thing we did when my children were young, was to go to a cemetary in IN. My Grandpa had never known his grandparents first names, refferring to them as Grandfather Sipe and Grandmother Slessman (her maiden name,) He wanted to know. Years after his death, in fact, in the last couple months before we were to move away from Indiana, I decided that my family was going cemetary hunting after church one Sunday. Now, Lura remembers the story a little differently, and she is probably more accurate, but I'll tell it the way I understood at the time.
We got down to Columbia City, discovering it was less than 45 minutes from Elkhart Co. (This was my third time to live 2 yrs in Elkhart Co, and my Uncle & family had also done so for many years--but no one had eve made this trip). I gave the kids each a piece of paper with the names Sipe, Slessman, and Slesman on it. "Look for these names," were the instructions. After awhile I heard Vinnie call out, "Found 'em!" He had leapfrogged over tombstones until he came face to face with (Uncle) Henry Sipe, and next to him were his parents: Adam and Margaret Slessman Sipe. How thrilling! We continued and found others as well. A couple weeks later, I took Erica (just a toddler) with me and went to the courthouse and found many more family members. To this day, Vinnie has a respect and sneaky affinity for genealogical work. I think that the girls saw it as finding real people for the first time as well.
We moved s few times after that, until we were in south Arkansas. There we had the opportunity to visit Vicksburg Battlefield in Mississippi. There are monuments to the troops everywhere. Illinois has a particularly large one listing the names of all those that faught at Vicksburg.(Civil War) Because Uncle Henry's tombstone had given his military service--including that he served in an Illinois Company, Sariah said, "let's see if we can find Uncle Henry." I thought the task impossible as I looked at the hundreds of names in the building. It was only a minute or two before she found him, however. Sometimes our family members really want to be found. They know us and want us to know them. I wish I could say that I have been as diligent in getting ordinances done , but I have been waaay too slow. No more excuses. I'm trying to rectify that now.
I only wish that all the time Grandpa spent in Elkhart County visiting from Chicago, someone would have taken him to the cemetary--just once, and he could have known his grandparents first names! I know all my grandparents first names...and their parents' names as well!
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Genealogy--I am doing it...
Erica's home. The dining room will be all but done tonight--not sayin' what time...paint just dries too slowly sometimes. I'm all but ready for Sun meetings, etc. It's my turn on the computer...and I want to start a serious, meaningful discussion. But about what?
If I talk about church stuff, that excludes a couple people who are important. If I talk about politics, that puts off others (and sometimes the same). And I can never remember what the third "No-no topic" is, so I'm out of luck there, too.
So I think I'll talk about genealogy. That's fairly safe, inclusive, serious, and occasionally controversial. Let me begin with a couple parameters. Genealogy = family history = offshoots, such as scrapbooking, journal keeping, record keeping of all sorts. It even includes archeology and anthropology. Some genealogists focus on the famous and/or infamous rather than on their own progenitors. Others are more concerned with descendents. Some want to know only ties with social standing, or make connections that can help them in other ways. Me, I've just always loved genealogy.
My Grandpa Sipe (b. 1884 Cedar Springs, MI) was the one who got me started. He gathered as much info as he could and I "helped" him. That is, I listened to the stories and expanded his work later. He left me neatly typed pages including causes of death--what a great record. I believe he began the attempt to research any inherited connections to the mystery of my brothers who were born with open ventricles in their brains. Grandpa d. 1967, and it wasn't until 1982 or83 that the March of Dimes research figured it out: it was a male-inherited characteristic, so not only could I not pass it on, but he found out nothing as his research was all on my Mom's (his daughter's side). Recently I was at the Dr's office and filled out the new patient paperwork for my husband, so it'd be on file for him when he goes in. I realized I don't know enough of his family history health--but neither does he! I am going to get another blank form next week when I'm in, then come home and call my mother-in-law to get as much as info as possible.
WARNING: This can be rather scarey if you find certain diseases repeated [eg cancer] in several lines /generations. But it is also so very important to have the info. Some things, like diabetes, can be staved off longer, if one is aware. I should have been more aware than I was as both my parents were diagnosed as what was at one time called "borderline" diabetes. Had I paid more attention, perhaps I would not have had so many sugar crashes before it was figured out what was wrong with me. Bloodwork can only show this problem if taken at the right time, or under the right circumstances. So my regular bloodwork did not pick up on it for several years. I had other things going on which complicated the problems of diagnosis, but if I had been more thoughtful, I could have figured it out much sooner and avoided a lot of problems.
So, in sum, health tracking was my first foray into genealogy--but it hasn't stopped there...it has become a real passion for me, and I've made some incredible discoveries in getting to know distant relatives all over the place. I've gotten to know some truly remarkable people, places and events. History really becomes story. Share a favorite from your family history with someone today--better yet, record it in a meaningful way (sharing here would be nice, too.)
If I talk about church stuff, that excludes a couple people who are important. If I talk about politics, that puts off others (and sometimes the same). And I can never remember what the third "No-no topic" is, so I'm out of luck there, too.
So I think I'll talk about genealogy. That's fairly safe, inclusive, serious, and occasionally controversial. Let me begin with a couple parameters. Genealogy = family history = offshoots, such as scrapbooking, journal keeping, record keeping of all sorts. It even includes archeology and anthropology. Some genealogists focus on the famous and/or infamous rather than on their own progenitors. Others are more concerned with descendents. Some want to know only ties with social standing, or make connections that can help them in other ways. Me, I've just always loved genealogy.
My Grandpa Sipe (b. 1884 Cedar Springs, MI) was the one who got me started. He gathered as much info as he could and I "helped" him. That is, I listened to the stories and expanded his work later. He left me neatly typed pages including causes of death--what a great record. I believe he began the attempt to research any inherited connections to the mystery of my brothers who were born with open ventricles in their brains. Grandpa d. 1967, and it wasn't until 1982 or83 that the March of Dimes research figured it out: it was a male-inherited characteristic, so not only could I not pass it on, but he found out nothing as his research was all on my Mom's (his daughter's side). Recently I was at the Dr's office and filled out the new patient paperwork for my husband, so it'd be on file for him when he goes in. I realized I don't know enough of his family history health--but neither does he! I am going to get another blank form next week when I'm in, then come home and call my mother-in-law to get as much as info as possible.
WARNING: This can be rather scarey if you find certain diseases repeated [eg cancer] in several lines /generations. But it is also so very important to have the info. Some things, like diabetes, can be staved off longer, if one is aware. I should have been more aware than I was as both my parents were diagnosed as what was at one time called "borderline" diabetes. Had I paid more attention, perhaps I would not have had so many sugar crashes before it was figured out what was wrong with me. Bloodwork can only show this problem if taken at the right time, or under the right circumstances. So my regular bloodwork did not pick up on it for several years. I had other things going on which complicated the problems of diagnosis, but if I had been more thoughtful, I could have figured it out much sooner and avoided a lot of problems.
So, in sum, health tracking was my first foray into genealogy--but it hasn't stopped there...it has become a real passion for me, and I've made some incredible discoveries in getting to know distant relatives all over the place. I've gotten to know some truly remarkable people, places and events. History really becomes story. Share a favorite from your family history with someone today--better yet, record it in a meaningful way (sharing here would be nice, too.)
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Ramblin' On
After my oh, so busy Tues. I did basically nothing on Wed except to go to a production meeting for the Nativity Pageant our Ward is putting on next Dec. Left the church at 8:00, stayed up to watch Lost (well, it was a new episode!) and talked with Erica for a long while--a good discussion--I enjoyed it. Then bed. I hadn't gotten up 'til noon, took an afternoon nap and an early evening rest...I was still exhausted!
So today I was determined to DO something! First Thurs, so had class this a.m.--it was raining when it was time to leave. I thought, "Oh, well, we've got those heavy duty rain coats from when we went to WWII days a couple years ago..." but could I find one? Of course not! So back to my usual garb, and it had pretty much stopped raining by the time I left the garage. But the wind kicked up. I was ready to turn back by the time I reached the end of our road! My bed was calling. Loudly.
Determination. My Dad always said I had it, so I decided that I was determined to make it to my class. I swear there were moments on the road that I was pedalling forward as much as possible and yet was riding in place! I also made a discovery. If no cars are at the highway crossing, the light will not turn green. I waited through FOUR cycles before the Fed Ex truck came up beside me and bless him--he triggered the light! Another couple miles and I made it. Whew. I was out of steam!
After class, I stopped by the antique & candle shop to talk to Peggy, a city councilwoman about Mon night's meeting. This bike path was supposed to be completed in 2004, but it is still in the talking stage! Tomorrow I'm writing letters to the editors of the local papers. This is crazy--an accident waiting to happen--and I have had two narrow escapes in as many weeks in the disputed spot!
Then to my favorite place in town (no, not Wigwam--they're second with their pi-anna cake. Yum!) Bollenbach's True Value Hardware Store. Needed a couple little things--but mostly advise. Poor Richard. He got a hockey net for Christmas, but a few well placed slapshots, and the frame cracked (splintered, and shattered) under the pressure! I am going to build a new frame out of a more narrow gague, but thicker PVC piping, and purchase one of those tools to take the dents out of the garage door so Dad does not come unglued. (Richard does pretty well, but not all his shots will go in the net--that is an unreasonable expectation.) At least he's no Wayne Gretzky--his parents had to replace the foundation of their house!
Life goes on...rooms get painted...the outside refigerator doors got put on finally (Tues) and I must have everything done in the dining room by Sun. so the Elders (our 19/20 yr old missionaries) can put the china cabinet back together and in place before we eat. Elder Fuller looked at me with great concern Tues after they had moved the furniture for me, and asked how I planned to put it back. "We feed you Sun, so before you can eat..." He laughed.
Erica comes home Sat for a week. I'm excited. Richard's excited. Fleury is excited (her cat) (I think even Dad's excited--well what passes for excited for him!) I hope she's excited as well and we have a good visit. I love company--especially my kids.
So today I was determined to DO something! First Thurs, so had class this a.m.--it was raining when it was time to leave. I thought, "Oh, well, we've got those heavy duty rain coats from when we went to WWII days a couple years ago..." but could I find one? Of course not! So back to my usual garb, and it had pretty much stopped raining by the time I left the garage. But the wind kicked up. I was ready to turn back by the time I reached the end of our road! My bed was calling. Loudly.
Determination. My Dad always said I had it, so I decided that I was determined to make it to my class. I swear there were moments on the road that I was pedalling forward as much as possible and yet was riding in place! I also made a discovery. If no cars are at the highway crossing, the light will not turn green. I waited through FOUR cycles before the Fed Ex truck came up beside me and bless him--he triggered the light! Another couple miles and I made it. Whew. I was out of steam!
After class, I stopped by the antique & candle shop to talk to Peggy, a city councilwoman about Mon night's meeting. This bike path was supposed to be completed in 2004, but it is still in the talking stage! Tomorrow I'm writing letters to the editors of the local papers. This is crazy--an accident waiting to happen--and I have had two narrow escapes in as many weeks in the disputed spot!
Then to my favorite place in town (no, not Wigwam--they're second with their pi-anna cake. Yum!) Bollenbach's True Value Hardware Store. Needed a couple little things--but mostly advise. Poor Richard. He got a hockey net for Christmas, but a few well placed slapshots, and the frame cracked (splintered, and shattered) under the pressure! I am going to build a new frame out of a more narrow gague, but thicker PVC piping, and purchase one of those tools to take the dents out of the garage door so Dad does not come unglued. (Richard does pretty well, but not all his shots will go in the net--that is an unreasonable expectation.) At least he's no Wayne Gretzky--his parents had to replace the foundation of their house!
Life goes on...rooms get painted...the outside refigerator doors got put on finally (Tues) and I must have everything done in the dining room by Sun. so the Elders (our 19/20 yr old missionaries) can put the china cabinet back together and in place before we eat. Elder Fuller looked at me with great concern Tues after they had moved the furniture for me, and asked how I planned to put it back. "We feed you Sun, so before you can eat..." He laughed.
Erica comes home Sat for a week. I'm excited. Richard's excited. Fleury is excited (her cat) (I think even Dad's excited--well what passes for excited for him!) I hope she's excited as well and we have a good visit. I love company--especially my kids.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)