back again

well, i've finally found my way back to the blog. i guess i was just using the wrong user name or something...
for an update, i'm in my own apartment now. i moved in about 2 weeks ago. so far i haven't had any troubles with the neighbors, so i guess it won't be as uncomfortable as i thought.
i'm down to the last week before finals, which means all the projects and papers that i've been ignoring are due...no sleep for the procrastinator!
mcdonald's is good, no real news on that front.
heather and i are getting along famously, but no news there either...
oh! i am michael, the archangel, in the children's musical at new life this year...vastly exciting...
i've also been attending covenant life fellowship, which is pastored by dave york, for those of you who know him. i am learning a lot there, and i am also involved in 2 Bible study-type groups through the church.
well, i need to get back to my homework, so i will continue this later.
love to all
7-of-10 (timmy)

Heather says Hi!

Dynamite!

Hello my beautiful family...

I realize that it's probably too late for some of you, but for those of you not yet done shopping for me, I would absolutely love to have Napoleon Dynamite on DVD (it comes out December 21st).

Well, it's frosty and fun in Newberg...I bet Bethy and Matt got some snow this weekend (I'm so jealous). I've taken three applications to the Starbucks in Sherwood, and I'll take one more before giving up, but I just got done talking to my old boss at the Underground who is willing to take me back (but I have not committed to anything as of yet because I'd much prefer Starbucks employment).

Kisses and frostiness!

Timmy's List

comforter
clothes that make me look amazing
shirts - medium
pants - 36/32
old/new books
Mp3 player
cool decks of cards
slightly known music (cool stuff I don't know)
DVDs:
Gladiator
Road to Perdition
any from "Trigun" cartoon series
(try Sam Goody type stores
Return of the King (extended)
Software for burning Mp3 cd's (I have no idea where to find or how expensive this is)
antennae for a 93 chevy/geo prizm

HELP, BETHIE!!!

hi...this is NOT your mother. this is robin goodfellow (aka timmy). i am having trouble with the blog. evidently, if you let it set for a few months without additions, it closes all your blog links but not your account. i speak from personal experience. i would appreciate it if you would send me another invitation so i can start anew. i know that you said that i only get 3 tries, and i know that i've used all of those up, but PLEASE have mercy! i am on my knees (figuratively) begging you! thanks. i knew i could count on you.

timmy

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to my wonderful family!

As I sit here in our apartment, drying off from my swim and getting ready to go to our friends for Thanksgiving dinner, I can't help but think of you guys and what will be going on there in 12 hours:

Piling into the cars and driving to Castle Rock
Arriving before the rest of the family and getting the first helpings of the finger foods
Greeting other family members
Sampling different Sparkling drinks!
Separating to eat at the kids table (or adults table)
Putting olives on your fingers
Stealing the olive dish from the adults
Maybe putting some licorice in the olives??
Becoming impatient waiting for dessert
Playing frisbee
Talking til late
Resting in the hot tub
Opening Christmas presents!
Playing ActiVision

I will miss them all!

Oh, can't forget the pebbernauders (I know I spelled that wrong) bouncing them off the ceiling before catching them in your mouthes!

Have a great Thanksgiving! Right now I am thankful for all the Thanksgiving memories!



Oh, I thought of another thing that I want for Christmas: Pebbernauders!!!! Lots of them!

Love you much, pass the love around for me!

Some possibilities...

Howdy y'all!

The new job at Best Buy goes well. Presently, I don't see myself getting full time hours. I am scheduled for only 13 hours next week, so it seems I am right in staying active in the search for full time work. Gotta love it.

I am listing a few possibilities for your Christmas shopping. I only like to make a list all in one sitting, so I have waited until I had the time to do so. Here it be...

--The Star Wars trilogy on DVD (Widescreen format specifically)
--the book Oregon Place Names & Their Meaning (or something to that effect :)
--any Simpsons season on DVD from season TWO onward
--classic Nintendo games like: The Legend of Zelda or Metroid or Super Mario Bros. 3
--We could really use some spending cash for while we're in Chicago.
--I still like old historical books, especially local histories.
--a decent set of screwdrivers
--any clothing w/ Oregon Ducks logo(s) on it
--The Ewok Adventures on DVD (coming soon)
--maybe even some kind of interesting documentary-type DVDs
--Best Buy/Target gift cards are cool too.

I reckon that's all folks. Can't think of anything else. I leave you with a Christmas "poeddle."

Tis the season
No. Not spring
We talkin' summer?
No we're not!
Fall, is it?
Well, it is...

...the wrong season.
Is it winter?
No, not at all.
I've guessed all four!
There is one more.
Whatever do you mean?

Please, pass the salt.

List Additions

I thought of a few more things I wouldn’t mind getting for Christmas:

Nice coasters
Plant stand
Wind chimes with pretty sound

And the Lemax village houses that I listed earlier, the ones I like are the ones with lights on them.

Of course you have the freedom to get me something other than what I’ve listed, too. I’m sure there are a multitude of things that I would enjoy that I haven’t thought of….

Enjoy the season, all of you. I love you!
Mama

Ow-eee!

Just thought you all should know that I tripped in our hallway on Monday, and in catching myself I hurt my hand pretty badly (fortunately it's my left hand). I waited until Wednesday afternoon to go to the doctor for an x-ray. By then it was swollen and a bit discolored, and it still hurt to use that hand at all. The finding is that I have an 'aclusion fracture' at the base of my middle finger. That sounds worse than it really is, I think. As I understand it, the ligament that holds the bones together was torn, so there is some separation there. The x-ray showed a small line that looks like a crack in the bone, but I'm not sure about that. Anyway, I have to wear a splint on my finger for 3 weeks. It doesn't hurt much as long as I have that on, but it sure makes some of the things I do difficult! It's going to be hard for me to NOT take it off occasionally to make 'doing' easier!

FYI –PTL!!

I have a Praise the Lord report: I think I’ve told a couple of you, but you may not all know that the migraine head-aches I was having every 3 or 4 days aren’t happening anymore. I had a couple from our church pray for me, and have been head-ache free since then. It’s been over a month – October 8, to be exact – since I had a migraine! Praise the Lord!!

What Heaven Might Look Like

Here is what I wrote...

When I think of Heaven, a picture instantly comes to mind. It is a painting I must have seen as a child, of a golden path winding through a lush, English cottage-style flower garden. On the path is Jesus dressed in a white robe walking hand-in-hand with a little girl also wearing white. I imagine the air smells sweet and tropical, and the temperature is perfectly right so that I will be neither hot nor cold. I know that all believers will be there, but I have always imagined that we would all look similar- ethereal souls radiating light, I guess. And all of us loving and caring for each other, but without individuality- a little like the Borg that Chris mentioned last week, except without metal body parts. I know that Heaven will be light- a pure, radiant light emanating from God Himself. I know that there will be much worship and rejoicing around the feet of God, and that I’m supposed to have a mansion there, but I have a hard time imagining what either will be like. I have always hoped that my mansion would be in the middle of a huge forest, with trees like you see in the old logging photos, as big as houses, or maybe that my mansion will be IN one of those huge trees. But the part that I have thought about the most is the singing. I imagine we will all have beautiful voices, and will sing sixteen part harmony choruses for at least the first thousand years, spontaneously composing worship songs to God.

Untitled

Kim and I both know what your dream means, Danny.
Don't we, sister? Quick, go bite a pillow!

For Danny

The Meaning of Chocolate

Joann being kidnapped – you probably feel like it’s been a long time since you saw her, and you just want to see her again. The fact that she was a chocolate cake probably indicates deep down what you really think of her. You think she is too good to be true – she’s so sweet and good to look at that you know she must even taste good. You’ve probably always been jealous of the attention she gets from everyone else, feeling like you probably look like meatloaf next to her yummy gooeyness. (Let me set your mind to rest on this one. Nobody really sees either one of you as something to eat!)

Or it could mean that you have been eating too many sweets, or NOT eating sweets enough so you’re craving them.
Could it be that you miss chocolate and you miss your family?

Heavenly Homework

Heaven

“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him..” I Corinthians 2:9

I am so limited in what I can imagine about Heaven. I know it will be wonderful. I’ll see my Jesus and walk and talk with Him. I’ll see my loved ones – in perfection—the way God intended for us to be. I think the things that are important to me now will seem so insignificant there, except of course the relationships I’ve built and the people I love.

Gold streets – what can that be like? Is the gold like ours? I have a feeling it will be far superior to earthly gold. Gates of pearls and ‘precious stones’ will be commonplace, beautiful, but not overly valued like they are here.

No crime, no fear, no greed or selfishness, no sickness or death, no pain, no shame or embarrassment, no intimidation, no separation, no forgetfulness.

Sometimes I picture a huge golden throne with God (I’ve never been able to imagine what He looks like) sitting smiling at His people. I am part of a huge crowd, with people as far as the eye can see, and we’re all gazing in awe at our Heavenly Father and bowing before Him, knowing the inconceivable truth that He knows me by name and loves me beyond my imagination.

I think there will be things for us to do, and we’ll enjoy whatever it is. I think there will be times when I will get to have private and wonderful conversations with Jesus. I’ll meet my guardian angel and be amazed at the things he tells me about what was going on here.

I’ll get to see my Daddy and my brother again, and my grandparents, etc.. I’ll meet the baby that I carried for such a little time and then ‘lost’. I’ll meet Mary and Adam and Eve and Abraham and Ruth, Esther, Peter and all the disciples, Paul. I’ll see dear friends and family, and I’ll meet a host of others I’ve never heard of – saints from around the world and from every generation….

(It would be interesting to read this again after I’m in Heaven. I’d probably laugh at myself for even trying to describe it!)

Heaven, Chocolate Joannies, and video downloads

Beth - I've been trying to come up with a vision of heaven . . . I think that is a bit like trying to envision this life while still in the womb - so far beyond the present experience to make it beyond our current means of expression. I guess I expect it to be a very full place - full of experiences of all good kinds, definitely not sitting around on clouds doing nothing. Though I expect it to be lacking tears, sorrow, and sin, I expect a full existence of emotion and fulfillment with lots of worship with Jesus.

As to the meaning of the giant chocolate Joann . . . I interprete it this way (my first fling at being a 'Joseph' or a 'Daniel' and interprete dreams) - - - - you are now far away physically from your dear beloved and only 'baby' sister who you have loved much more so than you have realized. She has been 'kidnapped', taken from you by your new location. But God wants you to know that though you are separated at present, when the time comes for a reunion, it will be a tremendous and sweet time, illustrated by the delicious chocolate cake - a time so great that all thought of the past separation will be totally overshadowed by the joy of reunion. (an alternate interpretation has Joann changing from a rain/snow/ice/fog woman to a sun worshipper who follows Odd's example and becomes brown like a chocolate cake, but I thought that idea a bit of a stretch).

Danny - thanks for the Christmas list. I'm not sure what to think of the video hookup idea. I'm sure it is possible, but not sure I'm techy enough to make it happen. Once we get some of the house updates done, and we've had a chance to reevaluate our financial situation, perhaps I'll pick some techy brains locally and see if it's a doable thing.

We had 17 family members here yesterday - worked out well and was a good visit. After 12 for dinner, Dave came late (from the Duck's game, a loss to UCLA) with a lady friend named Lisa (his insurance agent!) plus Tate and Bryce, followed later by Rachelle. It was good to visit. Dave's friend Lisa seemed nice and could be someone who will work out for him, or not. Time will tell. If it's still a going thing by the end of the year, then perhaps it will stick. Mama and I are both feeling that it is too early to make any predictions or establish any hopes or fears. Wouldn't hurt to pray for them, though - Lisa has a 16 year old daughter who is going through some struggles with mom's 'conservative' expectations of her - daughter (Aubrey) thinks she should have much freedom, mom thinks doing well in school is more important than 24/7 social life daughter wants to have. Lisa seems to be handling the situation well, daughter is in a place of having to make some serious choices . . .

Another full week ahead - hope to have heating system up and working, attic insulated, bathroom shower finished, and help Paul and Jeanne move to their new mobile home they purchased. Hope your week goes well also! God bless!!! Lots!!!!

Christmas list

OK, thought I would update our Christmas list, I included the things from before as well. Love you all!

Jigsaw puzzle (750 piece plus)
DVDs:

• Mulan
  
• Bug's Life
  
• Lion King
  
• Veggie Tales, Sumo of the Opera
  
• Anne of Green Gables and Avonlea
  
• The Lord of the Ring (singular ring, as in Andy's DVD, we have a friend who is planning to produce "The Pilgrim's Progress", we thought he would enjoy your production.)
  

Books:

• Ted Dekker. . .Blink, any other
• Lord of the Rings Trilogy
• The Princess Bride
  

The Board Game Settlers of Catan

• There are also expansion packs that would be fun to add:
• 5+6 player pack
• Knights + Cities
• Seafarers
• Probably other expansions as well.

An electronic reader

• I am hoping to find something that I can use for a Bible
• I want to be able to have a small Bible to carry with me that will allow me to have it and read it in weird places (walking to school, riding the bus, etc.)
• It would be good if it had a battery that could be charged like a cell phone.

Another note

We got a webcam the other day. I was thinking it might be kinda fun if we could work out a time that we could watch you guys open your gifts from us (they are coming in a package to Junction City) via the internet, and then you could do the same as we open yours. Of course, this would require one of you to have a webcam. . . Or maybe Daddy's video camera could feed live to the internet. . . Not sure. Easiest would probably be to get an instant messenger program with video capability. . . Just some ideas. What do you all think?

Daddy list additions

This morning I went with others from our church to help widows and elderly with odd jobs. One of the main jobs was cleaning leaves, etc. from gutters and found how helpful a power blower can be, so thought I'd add it to my list, though I'm sure they are a bit spendy - even a corded one would probably be OK. I could also use a new bathrobe - the one I have is a bit short for my modesty and doesn't wrap around as much as I'd like.

Grandma, Jeanne and Lisa, and Kathy are here at present. More to come later, with lots of food! God bless to all!

I Dream of Joann

Betsy and I just returned from a vacation trip to Sibu, Malaysia with two other couples from the school. A small island off the eastern coast of Malaysia (only 20 acres!) It was a very relaxing time, a much needed vacation (the first time off since school started. I don't have to go back to school til Tuesday, so I have a couple more days to relax still.

While there we basically watched the waves, played in a much too warm ocean, ate, and slept! Last night after dark we trekked to one of the secluded beaches. Our hope was to see baby sea turtles hatching and heading to sea. It was a bit dark and all we had were a couple of cheap flashlights that burnt out after about 20 minutes of use. It also started to rain as we got there. Needless to say, no turtles were found! It was fun though. Then last night I had an interesting dream. I would like to share it with you all and see what you think it might mean:

I don't know the details, but I remember one of you, probably Mama, coming to me and saying that I could go see Joann. Joann had been kidnapped, but they were allowing us to visit her one at a time. I went into the room she was being held and found it to be the social room at a church and ladies were preparing for some event. I walked across the room, and there Joann was lying on a table. She was a very delicious looking chocolate cake! I said hi and began to talk to this cake that was my little sister. I remember her starting to respond, but then the dream was over!

Please, if you could, what do you think this could mean???

Remodeling News

What a week this has been! I've had a guy here everyday working on the shower in the bathroom, and yesterday and today two guys have been working on getting ready to install the new furnace. They've cut heat ducts in the floors and put the ducts under the house. Basically I've really felt like my home has been invaded! But it's all for the better. I was glad to see them leave today so I could start getting things cleaned up for the family gathering we're having here tomorrow. (My siblings and their families and Mama and Kathy will be here for potluck dinner and visiting). The bathroom remodel is almost complete. Andrew will be back Monday for a short time to do some finish work. But the furnace men will be here probably all day Monday and Tuesday (and maybe more? I'm not sure how long it will take for them to finish).

Anyway, next time you all see the house, it will look different -- especially you, Danny and Betsy since you've never seen it! (I should try to get some pictures sent to you so you can picture where we live).

Love and hugs to all of you!
Mama

Christmas Lists

Marie

Okay, here’s my list:

Bells
Music Boxes
Zip-up blanket to sit in
Porcelain Christmas Village houses and figurines to go with them
(Jerry’s has some I really like: Lemax houses, shops, etc.)
Record Player
Quilt Hanger
Nice looking warm jacket to wear with slacks, etc.

Jim

Daddy told me he wants a belt. (I told him I was sure he’d get at least one if he didn’t add more to his list!) Hopefully he'll add some more things soon.

Love you all!
Mama

Another Assignment

Our fellowship group is getting ready to read through Randy Alcorn's new book, Heaven. It will probably take us a year to finish it, since we only read a chapter a week. Our beginning assignment is to write a paragraph off the top of our heads about how we view Heaven. Then, at the end, we will do it again. I thought it would be fun to read what you all think Heaven will be like! I have already written mine, but am not going to post it yet, because I don't want to contaminate your thoughts. Take five minutes or ten or whatever over the next few days and jot down your thoughts, then sometime Sunday-ish, post your paragraph.

November

While the valleys have been socked in with fog, it has been gloriously bright and sunny here at my mountain home. Not that I don't like the fog, I just couldn't imagine a better time for that crisp & cold, bright weather than this, my favorite month. The grass has crunched beneath my feet each morning on my trek to the barn, a white, frosty sound under my rubber farm boots. And the colors in the afternoons have been magnificent bright azure in the sky, emerald grass dotted with pumpkin, ruby, and topaz leaves.

But I have been too busy to enjoy the season other than brief glimpses out the window. For I have been creating crafty things to sell last weekend and this at local craft bazaars. Things such as vintage quilt block pillows and button ornaments and reproduction samplers. After this weekend, I will be glad for it to be all done and on to the next thing!

Starting Monday, I will be filling a temporary part time position while a staff member at PRC is off on a month long leave of absence. This has the potential to turn into a permanent part time position in the future.

Joann, I had a hard time reading "Pulling Teeth", demonstrating your ability to write descriptively. But honestly, after having gone through the experience like five times myself, I really didn't need to be reminded! "Grandma Borovec", it made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me wonder at your sanity, writing something so macabre. But then I remembered your obsession with road kill (speaking of which, check out this photo. Beware, it is not for the faint of heart! Look closely, and you will see why). Ah, but reading "Burnt Toast" restored me to a positive state of mind, a place I would like to stay, thank you very much!

Your dad the mole . . .

After school today I came home and crawled around under the house - putting foam insulation on the hot water pipes to save on heat. Wasn't too bad a job, but glad it's over. Then mama had a good meal and now computer time! A friend from church is at work on the bathroom, putting a shower in the main bathroom. He may finish tomorrow. Also tomorrow mama has ladies coming for a craft time - she has no idea how many will show up . . . and then this weekend we have her siblings and families coming for a potluck. I guess it will be the normal group that would come to grandmas in times past - Kathy will be down from Centralia, Anne (don't know if any family will also come), Jeanne and Lisa (Paul works), David and a friend named Lisa (not sure if the boys are with him this weekend), and grandma and Holly/Megan/Caleb - Bruce and Kris will be hunting and may or may not be back. I'm just finishing the first quarter at school and have grades to do - extra work, but get an extra day off to do it.

Hope all is well for you all - keep it touch as you can. God bless,

Hmm...

I don't know about Sandy, Milwaukie, Junction City, or Singapore - but it's been nonstop fog here in Newberg since yesterday morning...and I love it! All of the red and orange and yellow leaves in varying shades moistened by the fog - it's a visual wonderland!

So, I've noticed that this blog is pretty empty...I got my brakes fixed (thanks Daddy). No one responded to my poems, I'm curious about your opinions - for educational purposes. I'm about to go insane with crazy projects coming up and a severe lack of social life and funds, but I just turned an application in to the Sherwood Starbucks and I'm going to pester them until they give me a job (Kimmie said she'd call them and tell them to hire me as well:).

I'm dying to see Disney's The Incredibles, but alas, I'm frightfully busy and trying to be a bit more frugal seeing as I'll be paying off loans by this time next year (Yikes!). Am also slightly peeved that Timmy and Heather are probably coming to Fox after I've graduated...if I didn't know better I'd think they were avoiding me! But I know that mon petit frere t'adores moi. C'est la vie.

And I'm off to pursue another miscillaneous project or meeting or the cheat or something.

Time Changing

Yes, we are now 16 hours ahead of you, no worries about daylight savings here! And we tend to be out a lot, so when you call we aren't here. . . This Saturday one or both of us will be out of the house all day, but at this point I think we will be around Sunday afternoon/evening. Probably an early morning call (6am your time) would work on Friday, or maybe the same time Saturday, though I'm not sure how late we will be out on Saturday evening. If you called Sunday at 3pm that would be good as I would be up getting ready for school. In any case, if you send an email letting us know when you plan to call we can let you know if we'll be here, and we can try to make sure we are!

Love you lots and look forward to talking to you!

Wednesday evening in Junction City

Jeff and grandma came and went - we got lots done and are ready for the heating guy to start next week. He may finish by Friday, or could go into the next week, then a bit of a wait for the inspection and turning on the natural gas. Grandma had a nasty red scar covering the upper left quarter of her face - doctor said it's shingles and gave her some medication. Shingles can hang on for several weeks - we're praying hers will be gone much quicker, especially before Thanksgiving.

More than most elections, this one had lots of good results (from my perspective). I'm thankful for that, but not so much so for the cold I seem to have picked up - I came home a bit early to rest and found the power off in our area due to a tree falling over a power line. So I bundled up in blankets and still shivered! Must be a bit of fever with this one. Hopefully I'll be OK for school tomorrow.

Hope all is well with you all - Danny/Betsy: we are attempting to find the right time to call - our last few efforts found you away from home. Are you now 16 hours ahead of us since we went back to standard time?

God bless!