2016 Week 32: Robotics students, Rebecca's birthday, and cousins from afar

 Some weeks it's hard to choose between so many photos.

In August we make our annual trek to the State Fair, usually prompted by Diane (Mike's younger sister). This year, however, we planned it around the events that a couple of the robotics students were involved in. That was Monday all day, and then we went directly to Stephan's meal.

Jeremiah, the 2016 champion!

Jessica and Destiny

Notice the intricate braiding. It took Jessi's sister more than three hours to do mane and tail.

We were amazed at what these kids have achieved and all that they accomplish in addition to the many hours they put into building robots!

Wednesday Mike was back at the pottery studio at the Red Barn for the first session of the new school year. After that we joined the cuatro amigos for a surprise birthday meal at Moriah's house.

Moriah's 18th; piano duet with Hannah; lighting the decorated oreo ice cream cake; little brother Isaiah's piano entertainment

Not to be outdone, Moriah also has animals, very small and unusual pets: a pair of geckos, male and female; and a couple degus, twins.

Hannah, the future vet, feeding the male gecko

Speaking of living creatures . . . these young deer stared at us as we drove down our lane.

My writing focus this week was to process what I had learned at the conference last weekend, which ended up becoming my first newsletter as a writer--"The Strangest Things Happen at a Writers’ Conference . . . and what I learned." (If interested, write me a comment.)

We had two more fun events to look forward to and prepare for: our great-granddaughter's second birthday; and a special visit from my New Zealand cousins.

Mike and I worked on a gift for Rebecca. My father had made a little doll bed for Leah many years ago. Mike took the remaining parts, that have survived innumerable moves and the vicisitudes of life (just wanted to use that big word), replaced some missing pieces, rebuilt, and painted it. And I made a mattress, pillow and sheet so it would be ready to pass on to Nanna Leah's favorite granddaughter!

The headboard remained intact.

Saturday at noon, Matt and Kayla hosted the many guests in their new home: four grandparents; four greats; one great great grandmother (!); and many uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends. 

Waiting for matches to light the candle

Oops! Coudn't wait till the end of the birthday song to blow it out.

The last of many gifts

Bruce and Lois arrived just in time for the party and thus were introduced to many all at once! Family crowds are not new to them. Both come from large families (7 and 8 siblings respectively) and they themselves have eight children and 37 grandchildren. One of the main purposes of this summer travel to the US was to attend a family reunion (my uncle Lowell's clan) with more than 80 in attendance.

We went to Ivanhoe's that evening, which we do with every one of our guests, and took the obligatory photo by the Garfield statue. I insisted Bruce stand next to the ice cream because his family, when asked how much, has perpetuated the saying, "Way too much!"

Another robotics-graduate sighting--Jordan, working at Ivanhoe's and soon to start at Taylor U!

Later that evening I got out the 1997 photo album to recall one of Hoyt-family visits to Upland. All those young'uns with them on that trip are grown, married, and multiplying. Liana in the upper left corner has seven children, including baby girl twins.

The very next page in the album recorded the visit of their cousins to check out Taylor University. Hannah, lower left, is getting married next Saturday in TN. That will be Bruce and Lois' last family event before flying back to NZ next Monday.

We also enjoyed singing hymns, or listening to their beautiful booming voices. It was interesting to learn of their family's involvement (along with many others) in putting together and publishing this new hymnal for their denomination in NZ. What an enormous project!

A funny thing happened Sunday after church. They were approached by one of the choir members and invited to join, not realizing that they were only passing through.

We were privileged and blessed to have Bruce and Lois with us. Their visit was brief, but packed with sharing memories and getting caught up.

2016 Week 31: Back to School, for some

The flowers that graced our table at the beginning of the week did not last long and there are fewer replacements in our garden.

The honey harvest, however, promises to continue and grow.

Monday night after the meal, Karen showed us the poster she's working on for school.

  A couple of corrections to my last blog post: Karen does not start teaching till next Tuesday, and our Muncie grandsons's first day was this Wednesday.

Proud dad sending off his older boys to Delta.

For one year Elijah can ride with big brother Malachi. Zion is the only bus rider for now.

Only one at Royerton Elementary

Thank you, Kristie, for these great photos to add to my 2016 photo-journal.

Thursday evenings I usually set aside an hour to listen and color. My friend and former colleague, Win Corduan's show is online (streetjelly.com) from 9:00 - 10:00 PM. Enjoyable wind-down activity while Mike is gone many hours at the robotics'shop. 

This week the Corduan brothers were on!

Michael keeps plugging away at the tedious job of painting the outside of the house and deck.

This is what he was doing when I left Friday afternoon.

All week I have been preparing for a writers' conference, among other obligations, of course--a friend's husband's memorial, an annual checkup, etc.

This first of its kind professional writing conference at Taylor U, was very successful. I came away inspired, encouraged, with clearer direction and more tools.
Interestingly, one of the best presenters was a student in my Spanish class years ago--a fun role reversal!
And I made a new friend, a woman who married an Argentine and lived there for 27 years!
Sharing and networking is one of the great benefits of attending these conferences.

Unlike most attendees, I only live a mile away from where the conference was held. I was home in plenty of time for us to enjoy a lovely evening and picnic at the annual Muncie Civic Theatre event at Minnetrista.

The finale--a celebratory balloon launch

2016 Week 30: Summer winding down

There are summer days when I've felt I wasn't getting anywhere. However, this week I am encouraged. I gained direction and am moving forward with projects. Sorry, the photos will not reflect any of this nor am I ready to reveal specifics.

Not goin' anywhere, just lookin' pretty.

I only made it to one class this week, but had great fun snapping this pic as we were lined up face down.

 As we arrived at Dove's Crossing, I commented on these very yellow flowers.

Tuesday evening we ate away from home again--a tandem date to Payne's.

"Such huge servings!"

Michael got over the bee-sting inflamation. His doctor, also a bee keeper, supplied him with meds to counteract any further allergic reaction. And Mike is more careful when he tends to his "babies."

The outside of the house needed to be repainted so Michael tackled that ongoing project. To avoid the heat he rises early many mornings and puts in an hour or so before breakfast.

Rebecca was our entertainment during tap class, sometimes dancing, going around in circles, running, hardly ever still. However, she quickly learned how to interrupt our dance by turning off the music. So we made her a little house, and managed to get through a tap routine uninterrupted.

July 29th was Skye's 19th birthday and my mother's 95th. We managed to put together two family celebrations. 

Friday was Skye's party. He loved Malachi's gift and card. 

Hats--Skye's signature look

And he looks pleased with the soft collage blanket too.

Saturday, Mike and I joined my two brothers and a few other family and friends to celebrate Mother.

Sunday afternoon we enjoyed watching Miss Kayla, a favorite dance teacher at Cornerstone Center for the Arts, and her cute and funny little dancers perform at their end-of-summer recital. It is always fun to watch her in action and see how much her students love her. Unfortunately all my photos are blurry.

The building that the robotics team will be moving into this fall is right across the street so we went in to see how the renovating process is coming. I got to see the pieces of equipment (dust collectors pracitacally donated) that Mike and John (student) picked up and hauled there a couple weeks ago. I was amazed at how the two of them found ways to load, handle, and unload such huge pieces.

And also grateful for their protection. The first one they transported on a very windy afternoon and, while crossing a bridge, the trailer began to sway. One foot got caught on the railing and bent--a near serious accident.

This week's coloring page has a wonderful reminder for us all.

Hard to believe that our young folk and teachers (DIL Karen among them) will be going back to school this next week!

2016 Week 29: Summer heat and weddings!

A week of the usual with summer heat and political tensions on the rise, bee stings, and a wedding or two.

Monday, before the meal, I walked way  back through Stephan and Karen's property and was surprised by the extent and height of their ancient woods, seemingly much older than ours.

When possible I join an exercise group that meets three times a week from 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. at the LightRider barn.
If the weather is nice we meet on the nearby pedestrian bridge.

Corpse pose (Photo credit: Jenni Webb)

One day this week, after that last restful pose, we discovered a special gift--a lovely rose, which I have enjoyed all week.

A little visitor joined me in the Wednesday afternoon. We enjoyed a non-stop sequence of activities.

Hmmm. . . where can I put this one?

Would you believe the tower is still standing days after Rebecca's visit. The sidewalk art, however, is almost gone.

We remembered our Basque girl's birthday this week, and how we celebrated her 17th here in Upland six years ago.

Amaia

We attended a wedding in Ohio on Saturday--another Basque connection. We met Courtney in 2013. She had just finished high school and joined the Circle Tour at the start of an internship to study Spanish and Euskera.

In a lovely outdoor ceremony, she married a young man from our town! And her maid of honor was her good friend from Oñati, Basque land, where she has been living the past year.

The ceremony

The reception

I felt sorry for the men in the wedding party, all wearing dark suits on such a very hot day.

Later I learned that our son Sam was swealtering in a tux at another wedding as best man.
Such is the beauty and peril of an outdoor event. Thankfully, there were no storms.

Photo credit: Kristie Koch

Mike had a couple setbacks this week:
1) the leg pain returned and shows up on his bicycle rides after ten miles but on the other leg!
2) reaction to bee stings worsened and we learned that allergies develop and escalate. He'd had no problems while working with the bee hives, until a storm blew in and rattled the guard bees.

Two accomplishments for me this week:
1) finished reading Tripping "A true story of Bible smugglers and how the East German Stasi tried to stop them." I was strongly impressed with how little we know of what is going on in the spiritual realm and how very dependent we are on God's direction for every move of our daily walk amidst the landmines of the enemy.
2) enhanced and printed the 250 pages of letters I wrote to my best friend over a period of 15 years!

Mirtha had carefully preserved all my correspondence in a neat binder. As I was trying to remember and write about my growing up years in Argentina, I asked to borrow the collection. My brother and SIL were the couriers. I had promised to return it with Ivan and Kim after their few months stay in the US. Then the housefire happened!

God must have valued those letters too! Amazingly they suffered minimal damage--some burnt edges and water marks, but still mostly readable.
I had scanned the lot before sending them back to Mirtha. But only now, after five years, did I begin to go through them seriously to glean many forgotten memories.

Are you working on any fun project?

2016 Week 28: Count your blessings

 Enjoying the lushness of summer. . .

Looking down on "the jungle" from the deck

Some samples add to the indoor decor.

Monday, surprised by the profusion of volunteer sunflowers at Dove's Crossing, Stephan and Karen's place.

Blessed to share several rides, errands, or appointments with these loved ones on different days.

Selfie by Leah

Selfie by Leah

Wednesday we were priviledged to join dear friends for their 50th anniversary celebration in Michigan. Fred was the best man at our wedding, only a week after Karen had given birth to their second daughter.

 We so enjoyed interacting with each of their children and grandchildren, and reminiscing with old ("literally" ;-) OM friends.

OM oldies                                                                       Los tres amigos

The children planned such a fun celebration. The best activity was when they were asked to move Flat Fred and Flat Karen around on the world map and tell their life story adding other little people along the way.
I don't believe I know any other couple that has lived in as many different countries as these two!

We stayed overnight at the same lodging as our dear friends the Bankers. After breakfast and much laughter and conversation, we each headed home.

We were back in time for Mike to put in a second eight hours of work on the robot this week with the team.
Friday, they left very early for the Indiana Robotics Invitational.
Saturday, after another short night, they repeated the same routine.

1720 is up next                                                                                      Talking strategy                              The protagonist: Sir Plus

So how did it go? Not so good, too many problems. Sir Plus is getting old and feeling beat up.
However, what an awesome opportunity for PhyXTGears to interact and compete with the top FIRST teams from all over the USA and Canada! Many came long distances and had to ship their equipment. For us travel time was only an hour and a half. Well, not for me, I stayed home. There was no room in the vehicle the day I could have gone. So I was glued to the computer watching our matches live, groaning when things went wrong.

Jared has been here all week, taking a course at Anderson University. Friday evening he could relax and not do homework. It was my opportunity to beat him soundly at Hand and Foot.

Brooding over his losing streak? Planning the next move? No! Checking messages.

 Today he is cooking dinner for us. Yeah!

We are very blessed in every way, eagerly anticipating the adventures that lie ahead in the new week.