Here's Our Favorite Pup!

Puppy, Puppy Everywhere!

Where's the puppy?

There he is!

He Has Arrived!

Here's our little rascal! Mom, Dad, and Joseph got to stop by last night and play with the puppy. He had had an eventful day. He threw up on the way home but also got some sleep during the ride. Then he wanted to sleep during the evening, too. We let him but that was a mistake. He was awake from 2 o'clock on!

Today he just wants to be held. He's slept a lot today, too. We will try to keep him awake later in the day, though.

I had a hard time getting good pictures last night because he would run toward me every time I pulled out the camera! But I'll post the ones I have.

Oh, and by the way...his name is official now: Phoenix!

He's so lovable--wanting to be held and cuddled. But he's also wanting to chew on things: fingers, carpet, towels, jeans...

I'm having to learn to say, "Stop" or "Quit" rather than "No" because for a bird dog it would get confusing to have both "No" and "Whoa" to try to understand. This is hard for me but I'll get it soon, I hope.

This is the Day!

Yep, 'tis the day we get our puppy! Rob will go pick him up this evening at 5:00. I teach until 5:30 so I won't be going. But it will be a nice present! I've still got a lot of organizing that needs to be done before he gets here. I think we finally decided on having him in the guest bathroom during the day when I'm busy. We were trying to find the ideal room--the kitchen was hard to block off, the utility room had drafts, and every other room has carpet! So, if you visit, we'll have to figure the bathroom situation out on the fly. :) But of course, this will only be until the pup's house trained, probably. Well, I'll give more updates and pictures probably tomorrow!

Puppy continued

We picked the male that has black over both of its eyes! All four were so fun to play with and very adventurous. The owners live out in the middle of nowhere with their dogs, cats, chickens, pigeons and probably a few other types of creatures. They seemed happy to have company! The man said if he could keep another dog, he would have chosen the one we picked. But his wife said he probably already had enough! They had the two parent English Setters, two other dogs (one super small and one humongously big), and a female puppy.

Rob will go pick the puppy up on Tuesday. It will be just over 7 weeks at that point.

I am so anxious to have it come! All English Setters are livewires but this one was a little more laid back thant the rest. And he liked to be held and petted. I think he'll be a perfect fit for us.

Pictures of Puppies

Here are the adorable puppies we are going to look at today! Aren't the purty?!


These are the females:

These are the males:

What do you think? I think the right female and the right male are the cutest. We are still not sure if we want a male or female. So, we'll observe personalities today and see what fits us the best!

Doggie

We've decided on a new adventure! We are going to get an English Setter puppy. Rob has been talking about one for a while since he's been hunting a lot this year. His good friend, Ron, owns an English Setter and my parents had two through the years. They are beautiful dogs!

They come in a variety of colors and patterns. We are planning on getting a black and white one. Tomorrow we will take a look at a litter that is in Washtucna, WA. There ar two males and two females left. Right now we are leaning toward a male, but it would depend on personality, too.

The owner is going to send us pictures today. So, when I get them, I will post them if they are good!

Rob Riding the Motocross Bike

Here's Rob riding through an irrigation ditch. I think he's having almost too much fun!

Rob's Motocross Bike

Yesterday, we woke up to a sad happening. We had left Rob's motocross bike overnight on the trailer out in front of our house. We both had had passing thoughts that it wasn't real smart to leave it there overnight, but neither of us did anything about it. Well, it was stolen in the night. No one has any clue who did it. We've reported it to the police. And we've posted a picture a few key places. So, please pray that it is found!

September Tutoring

Another month of tutoring is about to begin--in five minutes! I just found out this morning that I will be tutoring a new student this month. Her name is Linsey and it sounds like she is fairly advanced in her English. So, I'm excited to see what I discover in her today. I also am tutoring Jiho who I have had for the last 3 months. It's still been rough with him, but I hope to discover new ways of making a connection with him. Well, I'd better hurry off to class!

A Lesson in the Night

In the middle of the night two nights ago, a distant little memory popped into my head. It made me smile, even chuckle a bit.

Joseph was five or so years old, making me roughly ten. We had our squabbles from time to time, but we generally spent a lot of time together. There was one item on his agenda that phased in...and wouldn't phase out. He loved the movie Charlotte's Web. I don't remember if it was a new movie to us or if it just suddenly caught his attention. Whenever he and I had a free afternoon, he would pull that movie out of the drawer in our entertainment center, begging me to watch it with him.

For the first five or so times, I really didn't mind. It was a phase, right? Besides, there are some cute scenes in the movie. Yet, as time went on and the phase didn't fizzle, I started to feel like I was going to go crazy. "Mother Earth and Father Time," "Fine swine, wish he was mine," "The greatest hog in history"--these once catchy lines began playing over and over in my head. I loved my little brother, but could I endure this?

The phase came and stayed, and stayed, and stayed, and phased out. I don't know if Joseph found something to replace Charlotte's Web or if he just actually became tired of it himself. Either way, the result was what thrilled me. My shattered nerves finally had a chance to recover. Other thoughts were able to enter my brain.

This was the memory that came to me as I tossed in my bed that night. What also came to mind was how this story is analogical to a part of our relationship with God.

Sometimes our spiritual focus can get so narrow that we only dwell on one part of our relationship with God. It may be a specific act of service or worship or type of prayer or ministry or gift. God is patient with us. Even though He wants more, He enjoys the one area that we are close to Him in. (Back to the story, I'm not saying Joseph and I weren't close in other ways--just temporarily the focus was primarily on the movie; this is a loose analogy!)

How pleasing it might be to our Father if we didn't just get comfortable with that one area that we enjoy, but branched out to try new things with Him and in Him. Not that He won't love us if we don't change, but there are so many other areas that He wants to teach us about. He didn't die to make us comfortable in our little ruts of good will and good works. His death and then His glorious resurrection was to prod us and push us to grow and mature in Him.

I challenge you (as I am challenging myself) to consider what rut you might be in? Have you become too set in your ways spiritually? Take time to ask the Lord what areas He would like to teach you about.

Oh Yeah!

By the way, Happy Birthday, Joseph! Enjoy the first day of sweet sixteenness! See you when you get back from Seattle! :)

My 21st birthday

Q: What's better than playing volleyball in the extreme heat with family and friends?

A: Nothing, of course! :)

Last Saturday, I got to celebrate my birthday in the best way possible. You guessed it! Volleyball with people I love! The weather was pretty hot, but the nice thing about playing in the park is that the river is close by. In between games, we went for a dip!

Here are some of the highlights of the day:

Lots of fun! We are hoping to get another group together to do it again in a few weeks. I can't wait!

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

"In Christ Alone" Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

Test Time!

I'm off to take my Marketing Communications test in a little less than an hour! I'm excited and nervous. I've been studying hard and don't feel like I can cram any more in this brain. So hopefully the already-crammed info is enough!

On another note, my dad's cousins, Jim and Carol Noble, are in town. They are staying at my parents' house for a few days. Hopefully tomorrow evening they, along with my family, will make it up this way and we will all have a BBQ at our house! The deciding factor on our end is how much school I can get done today once I get back from my test. I have an assignment due tomorrow and I haven't started on it yet. But it's not huge--just a discussion thread I need to post. I haven't read any of the material yet. Yikes!

Rob is heading over to Richard Scott this weekend! They are going to do guys things like paintball, shooting guns, fireworks and who knows what else! I opted to stay home because I need to catch my breath after many hard weeks of school. I don't like being away from Rob. But I think this is the best decision for this weekend. The Carlsons are having their regular 4th of July shindig so I might make it over that-a-way if I can get a ride--a little too far to walk!

Tutoring

Another month of tutoring begins today! I so enjoyed last month. I have sad news though. I knew Haram couldn't continue lesson with me because she is coming to the US for a 5-week vacation. But I just found out that I don't get to teach Ireh either. She decided to try another realm of HomeschoolFriend, something I'm not trained for. There are different curriculums--Pathway, God's World, Institute for Excellence in Writing, etc. I teach Pathway and Ireh is moving to God's World. So sad!

But I am continuing to teach Jiho. We had a rough start last month, but by the last week he had improved his attitude and his study habits immensely! So, I look forward to tutoring him and hopefully drawing him out a little more!

Learn Something New Every Day

I learned a nice little lesson yesterday. Check the test description before taking the test! I was all prepared to take the Marketing Communications test this morning. Since it is so similar to the Advertising test I took on Friday (and used the same textbook), I assumed the test format would be the same. Bad assumption! There will be some essay questions and the examples were not topics I knew. So, back to studying! I'm hoping I can take the test before it has to be shipped back. But no matter what, I'll get it done sometime!

Father's Day!

We celebrated a wonderful Father's Day with my dad and family yesterday. Weather- and schedule-wise, we decided Saturday would be a better day than today. Looking outside, I think we made the right choice!

We went past Heppner, Oregon to the Rhea Creek area but didn't actually visit the creek. Instead, we climbed up a hill and enjoyed the beautiful scenery!

Here was at the park on the way:

Dad and Mom climbing up the hill:

View from part way up the hillside:

Brothers running:

Still running, leaving some of us behind:

The grass was beautiful blowing in the wind...and with some of my favoritest people in the background...perfect picture:

Wonderful day with wonderful family! I love you, Dad!

A Life-Giving Verse

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting."

Psalm 139: 23-24

Storm a brewin'

Last night about 7:00, the wind started whipping around the house. There was a little breeze all day, but I didn't suspect a storm. But sure enough, by 7:15 there was an immense amount of dust flying around and the wind was extremely strong.

I took these pictures a little later when things had calmed down a bit. I love our glorious sunsets here!

Monday's Adventures

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with what Monday brings. I start both my tutoring and my class with Thomas Edison. Both sound a little daunting. The class is Managerial Communications. And it looks like a lot of work. Besides, I'm trying to study for my Advertising TECEP test (one where I just study and take the final). So, I'd better give myself a pep talk! I can do it--I think!

The tutoring I actually really look forward to. I've been watching all the monthly tutor meetings that were recorded from October to May, trying to catch up on all the things that have changed since I had to quit. Boy, it's a lot of info to take in.

So, I found out that two of my students are actually girls! I just wasn't sure because I wasn't familiar with their names. That should be fun--I haven't taught any girls yet.

Rob, Joseph, and a friend, Richard Scott, are out shooting guns this afternoon. I think Richard just went and bought a handgun so they all had to go try it out!

Well, please pray for me this week! I really want to get off to a good start in the tutoring job and in my class. Somehow, it all just seems...well, like I said before, overwhelming. But if I can take each day in stride and not focus on the unknowns, I think I'll make it!

Whoopee!

So, I found out today that I am going to be a tutor for HomeschoolFriend this month! I am so psyched! I have two classes Monday through Wednesday, levels 5 and 7. So, these students should be fairly fluent speakers because the levels go from 1 to 10. One class is a 2 on 1 and the other is a 1 on 1. I think all of the students might be boys. Which I usually work quite well with boys!

Anyway, I have a lot of catchup work to do to find out what has changed since I tutored last fall. Thankfully, I have a few days to do that!

On another note, the Carlsons are having their party again tonight! I think I will feel up to playing vball this evening so that will be nice!

Carlson's Party

Last night, the Carlsons hosted a nice little get together! It was wonderful to get out and socialize a bit. For the first hour or so everyone played volleyball. I still had the remnants of a migraine so I wasn't up to playing, but I tried to take a few pictures. Without a high quality camera, it's very hard to take pictures of sports! But here are a few that turned out okay:

Rob serving:

This is Tucker--the 12th Carlson (haha)--he just wandered around the yard:

After volleyball they switched to baseball, complete with wiffle bat and squishy ball. Naomi at bat:

Isaac at bat:

After the outdoor games, everyone went inside for some snacks and visiting. It was a very nice evening. I hope to do it again soon!

Ode to the Cucumber

My poor little lemon cucumber looks pitifully up at me, pleading for fertilizer. For days I have maliciously ignored its request, walking by mocking at its frailty. Okay, not quite. I've been wanting to get down to the store to buy some fertilizer but haven't been able to. I've actually been mourning for my little cucumber as I watch it shrivel more each day. Finally, last night I got some Miracle-Gro! In just a few minutes, I'm going to go see if I can save my precious little plant! But I think it's too far gone. *sniff* A garden without cucumbers is like a kitchen without a microwave! ;) Great analogy, I know.

Nightmares

I had awful dreams last night and I just thought everyone should know. :)

Dream #1: Well, first let me explain something. I have this reoccurring theme in a lot of my bad dreams--teeth. Yes, teeth! Most often my teeth are falling out and I can't stop them. It's really annoying and I start getting really stressed in my dream. SO, this dream was similar only my teeth weren't actually falling out. There was one tooth that was trying to come in and the gum was getting infected. The other person in the dream, I won't mention any names, decided that she needed to help the tooth out by cutting the gum. So, she grabbed a needle full of painkiller and poked it into my gum. Another side note, I am absolutely terrified of needles! Anyway, the needle wouldn't go in and it really hurt. And then she poked it behind both ears...yeah, somehow that was supposed to help. All I knew was that I was in terrible pain and the painkiller wasn't working and we still were going to cut into my gum to get the tooth through. I woke up cringing and couldn't stop for a while. But eventually I rolled over and went back to sleep just to start in on....

Dream #2: In this dream, I was in my parents' house. I know there were things leading up to what I remember...but I don't remember what they were! :) Anyway, somehow I had a pink knitting needle in my hand and I accidently dropped it in the hall. When I went to pick it up, a hand shot out of the kitchen and grabbed it before I could. I looked up to see Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies holding it high in both hands ready to run it through me. I woke up in a cold sweat once again! Good grief!

Well, those sound more morbid than I realized! I don't always have such weird dreams. But I thought they might provide a little entertainment. So long!

Ethan's graduation

Here are the pictures I promised from Ethan's graduation!

Rob and I watched the ceremony from another building where they were showing it live. We actually got the better deal because we had air conditioning (it was really muggy) and comfortable seats, unlike the rest of the family in the main auditorium. Here are Ethan, Rob, me, and Seth just after the ceremony.

I missed this part of the weekend. Ethan and the other engineers presented their Senior design project. Maybe Ethan will comment so you all can know exactly what it is. But I know that at least in this picture, their special printer is printing under water!

This was also taken right after the graduation ceremony. In his left hand is his diploma. In his right...the Bruin Bear!! It's a George Fox thing. From what I hear, every year there are several "Bruin Brawls" where every class unites and fights the other classes to secure this bear. It's an out and out war, so I'm told. Anyway, the goal is to get the bear off campus and which ever class succeeds gets to keep the bear until the next brawl. When the Senior class gets it, the bear is retired. So, in the last brawl, Ethan was the one to run it off campus so he gets to keep it!

This is Ethan and his sweet princess, Rachel! It was her birthday that day so we got to go hang out with her and her family for the evening!

And this is Ethan with his faithful buddy, Jason! They have roomed together all but one year--and then, they were only one room apart. Jason remained a Mechanical Engineer. Ethan switched to Electrical I believe just last year. Anyway, they have been good friends through their college journey!

Pets

I have to admit that I'm not much of a pet person. My family had our dogs, cats, chickens, steers, sheep, fish, toads, spiders, crickets, roly-polies, and ants. But I wasn't into them too much. Maybe it was because I liked my family so much. I didn't need animals!

BUT, there are a couple pets that I've considered owning--mostly for their uniqueness. And it gets a bit lonely around here with Rob gone all day. So, the pets I've considered are:

HEDGEHOGS!!!

These little critters are so cute! Little balls of needles!! Pointy little wet noses. Teeny, weeny little feet. They like to stick their heads in toilet paper cardboard rolls and walk around--weird, I know! But they can have a fiesty attitude depending on the species and how well you care for them.

The other pets that I've considered are:

SUGAR GLIDERS!!!

The baby sugar gliders are ridiculously cute! I watched a video once of a sugar glider eating a grape. It took the glider about 5 minutes! One grape! These little cuties like to snuggle...and jump! Watch out! The drawbacks are that they are nocturnal, sometimes rather loud, can't be litter trained, and need a very specific diet. Other than that, they're perfect! :)

So, the vote is up! Which pets should I get? Hedgehogs or sugar gliders? Or should I just have kids (someday)?

GFU Alumni Baseball Game

Here are the pictures that I promised! Two weekends ago, my dad got to play in the George Fox Alumni baseball game following graduation. Here are a few pictures of him. We were all so proud!


Going up to bat:


Swinging hard and fast:

Towards the end of the game, dad got to pitch! It was so fun to watch him! Here he is watching the catcher's signals:

Here is a sequence of pictures from one pitch. I thought they were fascinating and decided to put them up.

Couldn't be prouder of my dad! I hope to see him play again sometime!

Weekly news

Well, I've neglected my blog for the last week! Let's see if I can summarize the few events:

1. A week ago today, Ethan and Rachel graduated! I am waiting to get some pictures from my mom so that I can document the day. My camera batteries quit on me before I could take any pictures. Anyway, they are all done and heading to South Africa today on a mission/site-seeing trip. The trip is through a school program called May Serve. How exciting!

2. This is the even that I REALLY want to get pictures from. Last Sunday my dad played an Alumni baseball game with other George Foxers!! It was awesome to see him play! He played short stop and one inning he got to pitch! It was a blast to watch. His class was '76 and the next oldest player was class of '88. :) I was super proud of him.

3. Rob got sick again on Monday--kind of a flu thing this time. So, he was in bed a lot of Monday and all of Tuesday. It's been a rough stretch for both of us. But I think we're over the hump, so to speak.

4. I took a test on Thursday. It was Money & Banking. I've been studying on it off and on the last 6 weeks or so. With getting sick and all, I had to take quite a few breaks. The passage rate for that class is only 13% of the students that take it, so I was a little worried. But I passed it! Now only 5 classes to go!

5. Today we are going to a funeral. Rob's uncle Bill Hartley passed away last week after a long bout of sickness. I pray his family is comforted by the Holy Spirit through this very hard time.

6. Tomorrow is Mother's Day!!! We are actually going to celebrate with Colleen tonight and then with my mom tomorrow! Lots of fun!

Well, I think that pretty much catches you up with my life right now. Just little things here and there.

Broken

Here is another note I wrote a couple of months ago. Rereading them is encouraging on one of these days that I feel despairing:

There have been many days I’ve felt worthless because of the physical ailments I have. Some days I just feel that I can’t get passed them. What can I accomplish when there are days I don’t even want to get out of bed? How can I be effective and influential when it’s all I can do to get through the day? These questions cling and nag and ultimately break me down.

Two mornings ago, I was lying in bed thinking. It was probably around 5:00 AM. I was frustrated because I couldn’t sleep and I could tell I wasn’t going to feel well that day. Self-pity consumed my thoughts and mentally I cried out to God, “What can I accomplish with a broken body?” Before the thought was even completed, He told me, “That’s how Jesus saved the world.” Talk about a spirit check. I lay there in awe of His soft rebuke. Not that I expect to save the world, but such comforting and chiding words gave me a glimpse of God’s perspective. This time is not an opportunity to “poor me” myself to death but a time to ask what it is I can learn and what it is He wants of me.

Thank you, Father, for your infinite wisdom. Forgive me for my doubt.

Pain

I wrote this a few months ago and thought it appropriate to voice my feelings today:

How can I push beyond the disappointment and hurt? How can I heal my heart? What can I do when I find out the dreamy castle has a nightmare dungeon? Will anger pull me through? Will drowning myself in things to do clean the slate of my mind? No.

I can’t push beyond any pain. I can’t heal the brokenness. I can’t erase the nightmare. It’s not about me.

God, show me the reality beyond my own emotions. Show me the way everything turns out for good. Show me your kingdom. Rebuild my castle on a foundation of grace.

God, I give my disappointment and pain to you. Please heal my heart. Bring light where I thought there could only be darkness. Bring light to the places that were already light so that they are illuminated with your glory. Renew my mind.

Graduation

Well, well, well. Big news about tomorrow! Ethan is graduating from George Fox University!! He's earned not only an Electrical Engineering degree but also a long-hoped-for break! The sad news is that it doesn't sound like he gets to come home. He's heading out on a trip to South Africa in about a week so there's not time to come home then head back. :(

Anyway, Rob and I will be heading over to Fox tomorrow to take in graduation. And tomorrow is also Ethan's girlfriend's birthday! So, it sounds like we might get in on a little celebrating for that, too!

No Students

Oh, I thought I'd mention that I didn't get any Korean students to tutor this month. But I'll keep trying. And maybe I'll get to sub sometime. There have already been several sub requests but I didn't want to teach at 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning. Nope, I'll wait for something a little more humane!

The Sicklies Return

I haven't had too much to write about the last week or so. Why? Because we've both been quite sick. Thankfully, we're on the road to recovery! Rob still has a nasty cough and I still have close to zero energy. But Rob's back to work and I'm back to school.

Speaking of school, I have 6 classes left! I'm working on Money & Banking presently and should be able to take that test next week. I had it scheduled for Thursday, but without my own car, I need to coordinate around getting a ride with someone. This is my last test that I have to go out of town for! Both my mom and Rachel Conley have been so helpful in driving me to my tests.

I also finally received credit for all the classes I transferred to Thomas Edison. I was getting worried! So, I'm hoping to blaze through my classes and be done by the end of the summer! If I write that, maybe I'll believe it and do it! :)

Tutoring

Once again, it's the end of the month. This means that I may have a chance at getting a student through HomeschoolFriend. HF is a Christian organization linking English-speaking tutors with South Korean children who wish to learn English. I've been trying for three months to start up tutoring again with HF. But their ratio of students to tutors is near even right now and the experienced tutors get first priority--which is only right!

When I tutored last fall, it was such a blast! The three boys I had were Thomas, Albert, and Jason. Thomas and I worked together the longest. He was very smart but also very shy. Towards the end of our time together he was finally able to laugh a little and be more adventurous.

Now this was NOT the problem with the other two. No, sir! Albert was a complete crack up! Basically, I couldn't get him to shut up! He was very fluent in English and talked a hundred miles an hour about video games and whatever randomly came into his head. I was continually laughing. The problem with him was actually accomplishing anything in class. :)

Now Jason was yet another kind of student. He was Albert's older brother. He had been placed in a class that he wasn't really ready for. So, it was a constant struggle for him. If I had taught him longer, I would have had him re-evaluated because it was hard on him to push through so much material he didn't know. But he was a talker, too--again, especially about video games! Since I've never played a video game in my life, I mostly just sat, listened, and hoped I laughed at the appropriate times!

Just writing these memories down reminds me how much I enjoyed the little bit of tutoring I did. There have been times in the last few months that I thought of just giving the idea up of ever getting on HF staff again. But I feel renewed excitement and I think I'll keep trying. Maybe one of these months I'll be able to start up again this work that I love!

Uncle Rob & Aunty Laura

Rob and I went over to his mom's house yesterday to visit with Curt, Laramie, and little Logan. She is getting so big and strong! But most of all she is just so precious! Here's Uncle Rob holding her and trying to subdue her--she had been held by so many relatives that day and was all worn out:

One of the relatives thought Logan was mine! Everyone had a good laugh over that. I wouldn't have minded claiming her, but I didn't think that would go over too well. :)

This picture really shows off her amazing hair--so much of it! And to think that she will probably be blonde like her mama. We shall see!

We had seen Logan when she was 1 1/2 weeks old. She has changed so much in so little of time. She is now 7 1/2 weeks old and just too cute!