Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Monday, April 15, 2013
Familyversary
Familyversary-noun
1: The anniversary of the day our family was legally formed: April 3, 2006.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
On Receiving Flowers
Everyone knows that women love to receive flowers, except this woman, well, sometimes, maybe...
Perhaps it started in childhood, with my mother not having a good man around, she never got flowers. I know she loved them, though.
I think more likely that it started in my teens. I was living with my father and it was around Valentine's Day, we were commenting on all the flowers that were purchased for the day and he said, "I ought to get you flowers and have them sent to school, so you know I love you." My heart began to swell with the feeling of being loved when he said, "No. Wait. That's your boyfriend's job." "But I don't have a boyfriend, Dad." "That's my point, Andrea, you need to get one."
I had explained to him many times my feelings on dating in high school. I thought the whole enterprise was stupid and pointless. I watched other girls get into relationships, swear they were in love, break up a few months later and be heartbroken, then fall in love again with some other boy. I had heard time and time again that kids were foolish and couldn't possibly fall in love. Recognizing that I was a kid, I decided I would wait until I was an adult and then date.
Fast forward a year or two, I'm now 18 and at society's prescribed adulthood age. So I start dating. I decide (because I'm still a kid) I'm in love with the second guy I date and the issue of flowers comes up one day. We've already combined finances and so I tell him to not ever buy me flowers because I think they're a waste of money...they just die within a few days. A couple days later, he gives me a rose he drew (he knew they were my favorite) as a kind of "Ha! I can still give you flowers!" And that was the end of the subject between he and I.
Fast forward another 13 years and he and I have divorced. I find myself a single adult and in the position to date again. I've realized that I *would* like to receive flowers sometimes as I see them as an expression of love. My dear, sweet daughter buys me flowers for Mother's Day. I thank her and tell her it's not the same, but I very much appreciate it (knock my parenting later). At a random later juncture, she gets me flowers again and I cry and thank her. I then tell her that I wish I had a boy who would do the same.
Fast forward another year or so. I have 3 boyfriends and not a single one has gotten me flowers. I'm not upset at any one of them, but I do sometimes wish they would think to do it.
Now we're up to last night. I'm telling Boyfriend 1 about a stalker I had and how this guy had presented me with a single long-stem rose on our second date and how I'm still irritated that the only guy who's ever gotten me flowers turned out to be a creep. BF1 says, "I'm sorry honey, I don't do flowers." I said, "Eh, whatever I don't need them, it's okay."
So then, as I'm getting ready for bed, I'm mulling this over, "Shit, chick, make up your mind! Which the fuck is it?" And then it dawns on me...I'm staring at my dresser where sits a little Darth Vader that BF1 presented to me on Valentine's Day just before he headed out of town for two weeks. And I swelled with that feeling of being loved and I realized exactly what it is that I want.
Seeing women presented with flowers is seeing them being loved. I don't actually need to receive any thing to feel loved. In fact, I make it quite clear to my men and to my family that I don't like being given things. BUT I do like being thought of. When BF1 brought me the Darth Vader he said it was to keep me company while he was out of town. It's not the thing he gave me, it's that realization that he thought of me and would miss me while he was away. And I realized he has given me flowers. Because he's done for me exactly what flowers mean to me. And then, in thinking on it, all of my boyfriends have given me flowers. Those random little texts in the middle of the day, to tell me they miss me or they're thinking of me...I get flowers ALL THE TIME.
So, to my men and to my family: I love you and thank you for all the flowers you've given me. I realize now that what I wanted so desperately I already had and just had to pull my head outta my ass to see it.
Perhaps it started in childhood, with my mother not having a good man around, she never got flowers. I know she loved them, though.
I think more likely that it started in my teens. I was living with my father and it was around Valentine's Day, we were commenting on all the flowers that were purchased for the day and he said, "I ought to get you flowers and have them sent to school, so you know I love you." My heart began to swell with the feeling of being loved when he said, "No. Wait. That's your boyfriend's job." "But I don't have a boyfriend, Dad." "That's my point, Andrea, you need to get one."
I had explained to him many times my feelings on dating in high school. I thought the whole enterprise was stupid and pointless. I watched other girls get into relationships, swear they were in love, break up a few months later and be heartbroken, then fall in love again with some other boy. I had heard time and time again that kids were foolish and couldn't possibly fall in love. Recognizing that I was a kid, I decided I would wait until I was an adult and then date.
Fast forward a year or two, I'm now 18 and at society's prescribed adulthood age. So I start dating. I decide (because I'm still a kid) I'm in love with the second guy I date and the issue of flowers comes up one day. We've already combined finances and so I tell him to not ever buy me flowers because I think they're a waste of money...they just die within a few days. A couple days later, he gives me a rose he drew (he knew they were my favorite) as a kind of "Ha! I can still give you flowers!" And that was the end of the subject between he and I.
Fast forward another 13 years and he and I have divorced. I find myself a single adult and in the position to date again. I've realized that I *would* like to receive flowers sometimes as I see them as an expression of love. My dear, sweet daughter buys me flowers for Mother's Day. I thank her and tell her it's not the same, but I very much appreciate it (knock my parenting later). At a random later juncture, she gets me flowers again and I cry and thank her. I then tell her that I wish I had a boy who would do the same.
Fast forward another year or so. I have 3 boyfriends and not a single one has gotten me flowers. I'm not upset at any one of them, but I do sometimes wish they would think to do it.
Now we're up to last night. I'm telling Boyfriend 1 about a stalker I had and how this guy had presented me with a single long-stem rose on our second date and how I'm still irritated that the only guy who's ever gotten me flowers turned out to be a creep. BF1 says, "I'm sorry honey, I don't do flowers." I said, "Eh, whatever I don't need them, it's okay."
So then, as I'm getting ready for bed, I'm mulling this over, "Shit, chick, make up your mind! Which the fuck is it?" And then it dawns on me...I'm staring at my dresser where sits a little Darth Vader that BF1 presented to me on Valentine's Day just before he headed out of town for two weeks. And I swelled with that feeling of being loved and I realized exactly what it is that I want.
Seeing women presented with flowers is seeing them being loved. I don't actually need to receive any thing to feel loved. In fact, I make it quite clear to my men and to my family that I don't like being given things. BUT I do like being thought of. When BF1 brought me the Darth Vader he said it was to keep me company while he was out of town. It's not the thing he gave me, it's that realization that he thought of me and would miss me while he was away. And I realized he has given me flowers. Because he's done for me exactly what flowers mean to me. And then, in thinking on it, all of my boyfriends have given me flowers. Those random little texts in the middle of the day, to tell me they miss me or they're thinking of me...I get flowers ALL THE TIME.
So, to my men and to my family: I love you and thank you for all the flowers you've given me. I realize now that what I wanted so desperately I already had and just had to pull my head outta my ass to see it.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Where in the world is the Dharma Family?!
So often from people we have known for some time we hear, "Gosh, I thought you guys would have been halfway across the country by now." Well, we have been halfway across the country, several times over the last few years. In 2007, we went to TN, MI, PA, MA, NH, DC, and back home again. In 2008, we expanded a similar trip and visited OK, MN, MI, PA, NH, VT, NY, NC, and back home again. In 2009, we drove the other direction and went to NM, AZ, NV, CA, OR, WY, UT, CO, OK, and back home again (only home was in San Antonio, TX instead of Austin, TX).
Where has 2010 taken us? So far, it's taken us to CA, NV, AZ, NM, and home came with us after CA where we picked up an even better RV than we had in January. So where is home now? Home is in Austin, TX of all places! We know, you'd think with an RV in our possession we'd be halfway across the country by now. Nope. That's okay, we're taking time to spend with loved ones here in TX, so many friends we made over the 5 years we lived in Austin, it's hard to say goodbye.
March will have us moving house (literally, this time) and you can check back here to find out where in the world the Dharma Family has gone...
Where has 2010 taken us? So far, it's taken us to CA, NV, AZ, NM, and home came with us after CA where we picked up an even better RV than we had in January. So where is home now? Home is in Austin, TX of all places! We know, you'd think with an RV in our possession we'd be halfway across the country by now. Nope. That's okay, we're taking time to spend with loved ones here in TX, so many friends we made over the 5 years we lived in Austin, it's hard to say goodbye.
March will have us moving house (literally, this time) and you can check back here to find out where in the world the Dharma Family has gone...
Sunday, June 7, 2009
So long, so long...
It happens. Life happens and the blog doesn't get updated despite many promises that it will. Well, here we are, updating you on our life.
Since our last posting in January, we have mostly lived our lives as stated then. Andrea continues her part-time job with the young boy and his older, disabled brother. She also continues to attend school, she received an A in Macroeconomics and a B in English Comp II. She will be taking the first of two required Government and History courses (each requires two) over the first summer semester. Classes start tomorrow, but she's already completing class orientations and reading textbooks.
Shane's position with the tax company ended on tax day and he has since attempted to be hired by the grocery store, to no avail. He is now pursuing a career in the U.S. Armed Forces. His biggest hurdle at the moment is acquiring the necessary skills for the ASVAB, because he is homeschooling, he needs a higher score than most individuals and he continues to dance out of range on the practice. No worries there, Andrea bought him a practice book and they are working through it to increase his score.
Aurora was briefly employed as a child care giver, but the parents were military and were transferred. She now scrapes a small living in the employ of her parents, taking care of the new dog we got. :)
Karma continues her house cleaning jobs, though she earns less than she was (less work, which works for her) and maintains her relationship with her boyfriend in N.C.
Caed continues to be Caed, he has assumed all of his older brother's household responsibilities and with that he receives his older brother's allowance. It's not much money, but for him it's more than adequate, so he remains satisfied financially.
As a family, we have finally begun the legal process for Andrea to adopt the younger three children (legally, Shane is a separate entity). The ball is in their mother's court right now as she has the paperwork to sign to agree to the adoption.
We're planning another family vacation, leaving around the 17th of June and returning no later than the 12th of July. We'll be visiting the western half of the U.S. this time with planned stops at the Grand Canyon, Vegas, L.A, Sacramento, and with family in Oregon.
We'll work to keep you updated this trip, but with Andrea doing most of the updating and also going to school full-time while on vacation...we'll see what gets done.
Since our last posting in January, we have mostly lived our lives as stated then. Andrea continues her part-time job with the young boy and his older, disabled brother. She also continues to attend school, she received an A in Macroeconomics and a B in English Comp II. She will be taking the first of two required Government and History courses (each requires two) over the first summer semester. Classes start tomorrow, but she's already completing class orientations and reading textbooks.
Shane's position with the tax company ended on tax day and he has since attempted to be hired by the grocery store, to no avail. He is now pursuing a career in the U.S. Armed Forces. His biggest hurdle at the moment is acquiring the necessary skills for the ASVAB, because he is homeschooling, he needs a higher score than most individuals and he continues to dance out of range on the practice. No worries there, Andrea bought him a practice book and they are working through it to increase his score.
Aurora was briefly employed as a child care giver, but the parents were military and were transferred. She now scrapes a small living in the employ of her parents, taking care of the new dog we got. :)
Karma continues her house cleaning jobs, though she earns less than she was (less work, which works for her) and maintains her relationship with her boyfriend in N.C.
Caed continues to be Caed, he has assumed all of his older brother's household responsibilities and with that he receives his older brother's allowance. It's not much money, but for him it's more than adequate, so he remains satisfied financially.
As a family, we have finally begun the legal process for Andrea to adopt the younger three children (legally, Shane is a separate entity). The ball is in their mother's court right now as she has the paperwork to sign to agree to the adoption.
We're planning another family vacation, leaving around the 17th of June and returning no later than the 12th of July. We'll be visiting the western half of the U.S. this time with planned stops at the Grand Canyon, Vegas, L.A, Sacramento, and with family in Oregon.
We'll work to keep you updated this trip, but with Andrea doing most of the updating and also going to school full-time while on vacation...we'll see what gets done.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Hello PA!
Wow, this road trip is really truckin' along (pun half intended)! We spent a fantastic five days at Andrea's brother's house in Detroit, MI. The kids all got wild with their cousins, Shane included. Rachel is their three year old who is notoriously shy. Well, she took a shining to both Shane and Aurora, treating the latter like her extra big sister.
We've now pressed on to stay with a family near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are a fantastic family. We have found some more kindred spirits. Aurora has a friend in their daughter, Karma has a friend in their eldest son, and Caed has a friend in their youngest son. Shane is catching up on his sleep and Mom and Dad get along famously with their Mom and Dad.
We are considering buying an annual pass to the local zoo as the pass is reciprocal and we can use it in other cities we visit on the way home, plus several in Texas (not Austin's sadly). The Carnegie Science Center has free admission tomorrow from 10am to 3pm. We plan to visit that early tomorrow then head up to Franklin to see some of Andrea's family and have dinner.
We're not sure yet what it is we're doing for Aurora's birthday on Monday, just that we're baking a cake and she wants to hear 100 years by Five for Fighting ("15 there's still time to choose..."). I'm sure we'll plan something she'll love.
We've now pressed on to stay with a family near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are a fantastic family. We have found some more kindred spirits. Aurora has a friend in their daughter, Karma has a friend in their eldest son, and Caed has a friend in their youngest son. Shane is catching up on his sleep and Mom and Dad get along famously with their Mom and Dad.
We are considering buying an annual pass to the local zoo as the pass is reciprocal and we can use it in other cities we visit on the way home, plus several in Texas (not Austin's sadly). The Carnegie Science Center has free admission tomorrow from 10am to 3pm. We plan to visit that early tomorrow then head up to Franklin to see some of Andrea's family and have dinner.
We're not sure yet what it is we're doing for Aurora's birthday on Monday, just that we're baking a cake and she wants to hear 100 years by Five for Fighting ("15 there's still time to choose..."). I'm sure we'll plan something she'll love.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanskgiving is on our doorstep yet again.
Last year, we had much to be grateful for. We gained 3 children, brought them all home full-time, bought new furniture, so everyone had a bed and we had a real couch and dining table with chairs. Those were a big deal for us, because we've always had mattresses on the floor and inherited couches/tables or purchased at Goodwill. We were so grateful last year, we couldn't imagine being any more grateful.
Well, this year we've gone and outdone ourselves. We still have 3 beautiful children, whom we get to watch grow into beautiful adults on a daily basis. We've finally found a good child center that is providing our entire family with the therapy we need to move on in our lives. We get to talk to our missing 4th child on occasion and hear directly from him how he's doing in school, how much he misses us and loves us. This year, we got to take a family vacation and travel a significant portion of the Northeast of this country.
It's funny when we talk to people about our roadtrip. We were out for three weeks visiting family and seeing the U.S. When we mention it to other parents and/or people who know our children and the troubles they've had, we get asked, "How did the kids do on the trip, being on the road for so long?" I always respond with a quizzical look and, "They did just fine." Honestly, I didn't expect any different from them. Folks are amazed when the children report that they loved the trip and had no problems sitting in the car for long periods of time.
This was a far cry from our roadtrip from Oregon to Texas with the kids, though. That's what we're thankful for this year. Through our many blessings, our children's loving spirits, and of course, some even handed love from Mom and Dad, our children have already come such a long way, that even if their spiritual/emotional growth stunted today, they would be decent adults.
This year, we find ourselves giving less thanks for material things and more for love and for family. Each member of our family has their health and only one friend doesn't. We've told you about him before, his name is Isaac. Click on his name to refresh your memory about who he is and how you can help him and his family have a truly blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Even if you can't help monetarily, please pray for them.
So with love to all of our friends and family, Happy Thanksgiving!
Dharma Family
Last year, we had much to be grateful for. We gained 3 children, brought them all home full-time, bought new furniture, so everyone had a bed and we had a real couch and dining table with chairs. Those were a big deal for us, because we've always had mattresses on the floor and inherited couches/tables or purchased at Goodwill. We were so grateful last year, we couldn't imagine being any more grateful.
Well, this year we've gone and outdone ourselves. We still have 3 beautiful children, whom we get to watch grow into beautiful adults on a daily basis. We've finally found a good child center that is providing our entire family with the therapy we need to move on in our lives. We get to talk to our missing 4th child on occasion and hear directly from him how he's doing in school, how much he misses us and loves us. This year, we got to take a family vacation and travel a significant portion of the Northeast of this country.
It's funny when we talk to people about our roadtrip. We were out for three weeks visiting family and seeing the U.S. When we mention it to other parents and/or people who know our children and the troubles they've had, we get asked, "How did the kids do on the trip, being on the road for so long?" I always respond with a quizzical look and, "They did just fine." Honestly, I didn't expect any different from them. Folks are amazed when the children report that they loved the trip and had no problems sitting in the car for long periods of time.
This was a far cry from our roadtrip from Oregon to Texas with the kids, though. That's what we're thankful for this year. Through our many blessings, our children's loving spirits, and of course, some even handed love from Mom and Dad, our children have already come such a long way, that even if their spiritual/emotional growth stunted today, they would be decent adults.
This year, we find ourselves giving less thanks for material things and more for love and for family. Each member of our family has their health and only one friend doesn't. We've told you about him before, his name is Isaac. Click on his name to refresh your memory about who he is and how you can help him and his family have a truly blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Even if you can't help monetarily, please pray for them.
So with love to all of our friends and family, Happy Thanksgiving!
Dharma Family
Friday, August 24, 2007
Happy Birthdays!!
Wow, August has been a busy month. It always is in our family. Just among the six of us, we have three August birthdays. Shane turned 16 on August 6th, Caedmon turned 11 on August 19th, and Andrea turned 28 on August 21st.
Moving on to other immediate family: Faith (bio-mother of children) turned 33 on August 5th and Mike (Sam's brother) turned 33 on August 18th. In Andrea's family, Aunt Susie and Uncle Dave both celebrated their birthdays (no need to get into ages) and Uncle Tom will celebrate his next Thursday.
In September, we will have Sam's Mom, Grandma Tricia on September 1st, Andrea's Mom, Grandma Linda on September 3rd, then Aurora will turn 14 on September 22nd and Sam's best friend "Uncle Chris" will turn 34 on September 23rd. In addition to those 4, Andrea's brother, Bryon, and his wife, Christine, are expecting a son, Joshua Michael, to be born in September. His estimated due date is September 9th. We will post once he's here and give him a warm welcome.
We shipped Shane's birthday package off very belated, so we can't post what he's receiving because we can't be entirely sure he's received it yet.
For Caedmon's birthday, he received: A Spiderman toy chest, a Bionicle Barrika, and a Superman long sleeve t-shirt from Mom and Dad; a new remote controlled stunt car from Grandpa Gary and Grandma Susie; a three-pack of Transformers from Aurora and Karma; a Megatron Transformer and Action (hums and lights-up) Light Saber from Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Chris, plus a cool card that plays the Darth Vader theme music; $20 from Grandpa Scott (Stephanie's Dad); a Bionicle (I forget, but the newest set) and a Megatron action figure from Adam, Aurora's friend; an Optimus Prime Transformer that Transforms into a Nerf Gun from Aunt Peggy; and a Cybertron Primus Transformer from Grandma Linda, that toy was the only one he requested by specific name, so of course it's his favorite, but he loves all of his toys and we only see him for schoolwork and mealtimes since his birthday.
We had all of the above people (except for Gary, Susie, and Adam) here for Caedmon's party, which involved listening to the Eagles and Oreo ice cream cake served on paper Transformers plates. Caedmon left the room after opening his presents and didn't resurface until cake time, wherein he promptly left again after finishing. Fun was had by all.
Andrea got Law and Order: Criminal Intent Season 1 for her birthday from her Mom and Aunt Peggy, she also got a membership to Curves from Stephanie. Sam and the kids got her clothes for her Build-A-Bear and plan to shop more after we get paid again. Also, Andrea's Mom baked a confetti cake and brought ice cream for Andrea's birthday and even though we ate the ice cream cake at the party, Andrea very much enjoyed the confetti cake over the ensuing week, with a little help from her friends and family, of course. We're still enjoying the ice cream, in the form of sundaes, yummy!!
Oh yeah, not alot to say for an entire blog post, but we did talk to Shane as promised on the 18th of August. He called when he woke up at 10am our time and stayed on the phone until Sam sent him to bed at midnight our time (he had church the next day). Good conversation was had by all and we plan to play games over the phone in the future (we are a game playing family).
Until next time...
Moving on to other immediate family: Faith (bio-mother of children) turned 33 on August 5th and Mike (Sam's brother) turned 33 on August 18th. In Andrea's family, Aunt Susie and Uncle Dave both celebrated their birthdays (no need to get into ages) and Uncle Tom will celebrate his next Thursday.
In September, we will have Sam's Mom, Grandma Tricia on September 1st, Andrea's Mom, Grandma Linda on September 3rd, then Aurora will turn 14 on September 22nd and Sam's best friend "Uncle Chris" will turn 34 on September 23rd. In addition to those 4, Andrea's brother, Bryon, and his wife, Christine, are expecting a son, Joshua Michael, to be born in September. His estimated due date is September 9th. We will post once he's here and give him a warm welcome.
We shipped Shane's birthday package off very belated, so we can't post what he's receiving because we can't be entirely sure he's received it yet.
For Caedmon's birthday, he received: A Spiderman toy chest, a Bionicle Barrika, and a Superman long sleeve t-shirt from Mom and Dad; a new remote controlled stunt car from Grandpa Gary and Grandma Susie; a three-pack of Transformers from Aurora and Karma; a Megatron Transformer and Action (hums and lights-up) Light Saber from Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Chris, plus a cool card that plays the Darth Vader theme music; $20 from Grandpa Scott (Stephanie's Dad); a Bionicle (I forget, but the newest set) and a Megatron action figure from Adam, Aurora's friend; an Optimus Prime Transformer that Transforms into a Nerf Gun from Aunt Peggy; and a Cybertron Primus Transformer from Grandma Linda, that toy was the only one he requested by specific name, so of course it's his favorite, but he loves all of his toys and we only see him for schoolwork and mealtimes since his birthday.
We had all of the above people (except for Gary, Susie, and Adam) here for Caedmon's party, which involved listening to the Eagles and Oreo ice cream cake served on paper Transformers plates. Caedmon left the room after opening his presents and didn't resurface until cake time, wherein he promptly left again after finishing. Fun was had by all.
Andrea got Law and Order: Criminal Intent Season 1 for her birthday from her Mom and Aunt Peggy, she also got a membership to Curves from Stephanie. Sam and the kids got her clothes for her Build-A-Bear and plan to shop more after we get paid again. Also, Andrea's Mom baked a confetti cake and brought ice cream for Andrea's birthday and even though we ate the ice cream cake at the party, Andrea very much enjoyed the confetti cake over the ensuing week, with a little help from her friends and family, of course. We're still enjoying the ice cream, in the form of sundaes, yummy!!
Oh yeah, not alot to say for an entire blog post, but we did talk to Shane as promised on the 18th of August. He called when he woke up at 10am our time and stayed on the phone until Sam sent him to bed at midnight our time (he had church the next day). Good conversation was had by all and we plan to play games over the phone in the future (we are a game playing family).
Until next time...
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Soon to be off home...
Wowee, what a trip it has been! When last we left our intrepid heroes, they were staying in Massachusetts, practically in the Atlantic Ocean...
While in Massachusetts, we visited Salem and a couple of the witch museums there. If you are planning a trip, the Witch Dungeon Museum was awesome, the Witch History Museum sucked. We ate at the Lyceum Bar and Grill where Alexander Graham Bell first demonstrated his brand new invention--the telephone. That was a cool bit of history. In Salem, we got a new bumper sticker for our car, you'll just have to see it for yourself.
From Salem, we went to Hampton, New Hampshire to visit Sam's Grammy and the rest of his family. That was pretty cool. Sam's Grammy is 94 and her house is furnished with what she calls "Attic Furniture." Attic Furniture is furniture that is taken from relative's attics that they aren't using anymore. When she and her husband got married, they had no furniture, so they took their relative's cast-offs. It was liking walking into an American History Museum. We all sat in the Sitting Room on Civil War era (or older) furniture and looked around at antiques that belonged on Antique Road Show.
Andrea's dirty little secret is a passion for history and she was just giddy with joy walking through the house looking at all the pieces of Americana, especially the 8 or 9 bookcases filled with books. She found 5 or 6 Readers, which were like textbooks in the olden days. A French Reader had belonged to someone in 1868!!
Sam's family were totally good peoples. They were very happy to see us all as they had never met any of us (other than Sam of course). We were happy to meet them too. We went with them out to an area the family calls "Mummy Rock," which is a rock in the Atlantic that looks like a sarcophagus. We took some ankle deep dips in the Atlantic, but it was pretty freakin' cold for late April. We also got to read some of Sam's family history in their "Civil War Letters," written by Sam's great-great grandfather and his brother while they were in the Civil War.
That visit came to an end all too quickly as we hadn't expected to stay for more than a couple of hours and we had already pushed into the next day. From there, we headed down to see the last set of family, Andrea's Aunt Nancy, who lives in Maryland, next to D.C. It was supposed to be an 8-10 hour drive down here, but it was about 13 hours, due to traffic. Never drive through NYC!!
Here we've been since 1am on Saturday. We got to go down to D.C. today and see the Washington Monument (from a distance) as well as the Capitol Building. We went into the Smithsonian Natural History Museum where we saw the Hope Diamond and browsed the Insect, African History, Elephant, and other exhibits. We are going back down tomorrow to see the last of the Natural History Exhibits, the Washington Monument (up close), and the Lincoln Memorial, plus whatever else strikes our fancy.
We plan to set out home first thing Tuesday morning. We should be home by Wednesday night, depending on how fast we drive and for how long we can drive. It's only a 24 hour physical on-the-road drive from here, so we think we should make it home Wednesday. Karma is excited by that, she wants to try out First Thursday again.
While in Massachusetts, we visited Salem and a couple of the witch museums there. If you are planning a trip, the Witch Dungeon Museum was awesome, the Witch History Museum sucked. We ate at the Lyceum Bar and Grill where Alexander Graham Bell first demonstrated his brand new invention--the telephone. That was a cool bit of history. In Salem, we got a new bumper sticker for our car, you'll just have to see it for yourself.
From Salem, we went to Hampton, New Hampshire to visit Sam's Grammy and the rest of his family. That was pretty cool. Sam's Grammy is 94 and her house is furnished with what she calls "Attic Furniture." Attic Furniture is furniture that is taken from relative's attics that they aren't using anymore. When she and her husband got married, they had no furniture, so they took their relative's cast-offs. It was liking walking into an American History Museum. We all sat in the Sitting Room on Civil War era (or older) furniture and looked around at antiques that belonged on Antique Road Show.
Andrea's dirty little secret is a passion for history and she was just giddy with joy walking through the house looking at all the pieces of Americana, especially the 8 or 9 bookcases filled with books. She found 5 or 6 Readers, which were like textbooks in the olden days. A French Reader had belonged to someone in 1868!!
Sam's family were totally good peoples. They were very happy to see us all as they had never met any of us (other than Sam of course). We were happy to meet them too. We went with them out to an area the family calls "Mummy Rock," which is a rock in the Atlantic that looks like a sarcophagus. We took some ankle deep dips in the Atlantic, but it was pretty freakin' cold for late April. We also got to read some of Sam's family history in their "Civil War Letters," written by Sam's great-great grandfather and his brother while they were in the Civil War.
That visit came to an end all too quickly as we hadn't expected to stay for more than a couple of hours and we had already pushed into the next day. From there, we headed down to see the last set of family, Andrea's Aunt Nancy, who lives in Maryland, next to D.C. It was supposed to be an 8-10 hour drive down here, but it was about 13 hours, due to traffic. Never drive through NYC!!
Here we've been since 1am on Saturday. We got to go down to D.C. today and see the Washington Monument (from a distance) as well as the Capitol Building. We went into the Smithsonian Natural History Museum where we saw the Hope Diamond and browsed the Insect, African History, Elephant, and other exhibits. We are going back down tomorrow to see the last of the Natural History Exhibits, the Washington Monument (up close), and the Lincoln Memorial, plus whatever else strikes our fancy.
We plan to set out home first thing Tuesday morning. We should be home by Wednesday night, depending on how fast we drive and for how long we can drive. It's only a 24 hour physical on-the-road drive from here, so we think we should make it home Wednesday. Karma is excited by that, she wants to try out First Thursday again.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Pennsylvania is the place to be....
So, we left Detroit Friday of last week. We had an enjoyable visit with Andrea's brother, Bryon, and his family. The kids were sorry to part from their cousins. From Michigan, we drove to see Andrea's Aunt Evie in Cochranton, Pennsylvania. That was a wonderful visit!
Andrea's Aunt Evie and her husband, Dave, are two of the coolest people we've met. They live out in the middle of nowhere, in a wood house that they've built themselves. In fact, they're still working on finishing it, putting cabinet doors on, etc. Evie and Dave made us all feel very welcome with a weinie and marshmallow roast around the campfire. Afterwards, all five of us took a walk around the lake with Dave and told ghost stories along the way. Because it was the middle of nowhere, there was no light, save for the moon and stars. We got plenty of good spooks in and had a grand old time.
The kids took off on their own in the daylight to explore the surrounding woods and found the tree cabin. Inside the tree cabin, they found the black snake that Dave and Evie have christened, "Samantha." With all the open space, there was plenty of room for the children's imaginations to roam and they had soon created an entire kingdom in the woods. Sadly, the fun came to an end all too soon, as we had arrived on Friday evening and everyone had alternate Saturday evening obligations.
On Saturday afternoon, we all drove down to the Franklin area to stay with Andrea's Uncle Bill and his Marsha. We attended a charity event for the Humane Society which Bill and his old bandmate, Tobey, played at. It was a fun evening. We headed back to Bill and Marsha's and had grilled hamburgers and hotdogs for dinner. On Sunday, Andrea and Marsha managed to round up nearly all of Andrea's aunts, uncles, great-aunts, and great-uncles for a little family reunion at Bill and Marsha's place. A great time was had by all. Bill and another of Andrea's uncles, Dave took the kids out into the yard to play a paddleball game, blow bubbles and then play a rousing game of Frisbee golf, which Andrea managed to win.
On Monday, we drove into downtown Franklin, did some laundry and explored Liberty (St, Rd, Ave?). We also drove by the duplex that Andrea's Aunt Peggy used to live in to see where in town it was located. We're discussing the possibility of asking Andrea's Uncle Tom (who manages the place) if we can rent it.
Yes, you read that right, we'd like to rent a place in Franklin, PA. After seeing the beauty of the area as a family, we've decided that we could use the slower pace of life. We would like to be surrounded by Andrea's loving extended family in an area where we can let the children out into the front yard to play without worrying about whether or not they will be the accidental victims of a drive-by shooting. The cost of living is very low in the Venango County area, which means our dimes will go further in supporting us. The average 3/2 duplex rents for around $300/month. That is much better than moving somewhere safer in Austin, where we can expect to pay $1100 or better for the same size place. Plus, with the whole global-warming thing going on, the southern U.S. is supposed to be crop useless and dangerous to live in in approximately 10 years.
Also, today we are in Massachusetts, practically in the Atlantic Ocean and we just left Franklin yesterday morning. Living up here, we can go most anywhere as a day trip. Andrea's sister-in-law tried to convince us to move to Michigan. We didn't like Michigan much, but in western Pennsylvania, we will be a 6-hour drive away from them. All-in-all, we think it's the best decision for our family.
Comments? Questions?
Andrea's Aunt Evie and her husband, Dave, are two of the coolest people we've met. They live out in the middle of nowhere, in a wood house that they've built themselves. In fact, they're still working on finishing it, putting cabinet doors on, etc. Evie and Dave made us all feel very welcome with a weinie and marshmallow roast around the campfire. Afterwards, all five of us took a walk around the lake with Dave and told ghost stories along the way. Because it was the middle of nowhere, there was no light, save for the moon and stars. We got plenty of good spooks in and had a grand old time.
The kids took off on their own in the daylight to explore the surrounding woods and found the tree cabin. Inside the tree cabin, they found the black snake that Dave and Evie have christened, "Samantha." With all the open space, there was plenty of room for the children's imaginations to roam and they had soon created an entire kingdom in the woods. Sadly, the fun came to an end all too soon, as we had arrived on Friday evening and everyone had alternate Saturday evening obligations.
On Saturday afternoon, we all drove down to the Franklin area to stay with Andrea's Uncle Bill and his Marsha. We attended a charity event for the Humane Society which Bill and his old bandmate, Tobey, played at. It was a fun evening. We headed back to Bill and Marsha's and had grilled hamburgers and hotdogs for dinner. On Sunday, Andrea and Marsha managed to round up nearly all of Andrea's aunts, uncles, great-aunts, and great-uncles for a little family reunion at Bill and Marsha's place. A great time was had by all. Bill and another of Andrea's uncles, Dave took the kids out into the yard to play a paddleball game, blow bubbles and then play a rousing game of Frisbee golf, which Andrea managed to win.
On Monday, we drove into downtown Franklin, did some laundry and explored Liberty (St, Rd, Ave?). We also drove by the duplex that Andrea's Aunt Peggy used to live in to see where in town it was located. We're discussing the possibility of asking Andrea's Uncle Tom (who manages the place) if we can rent it.
Yes, you read that right, we'd like to rent a place in Franklin, PA. After seeing the beauty of the area as a family, we've decided that we could use the slower pace of life. We would like to be surrounded by Andrea's loving extended family in an area where we can let the children out into the front yard to play without worrying about whether or not they will be the accidental victims of a drive-by shooting. The cost of living is very low in the Venango County area, which means our dimes will go further in supporting us. The average 3/2 duplex rents for around $300/month. That is much better than moving somewhere safer in Austin, where we can expect to pay $1100 or better for the same size place. Plus, with the whole global-warming thing going on, the southern U.S. is supposed to be crop useless and dangerous to live in in approximately 10 years.
Also, today we are in Massachusetts, practically in the Atlantic Ocean and we just left Franklin yesterday morning. Living up here, we can go most anywhere as a day trip. Andrea's sister-in-law tried to convince us to move to Michigan. We didn't like Michigan much, but in western Pennsylvania, we will be a 6-hour drive away from them. All-in-all, we think it's the best decision for our family.
Comments? Questions?
Sunday, April 1, 2007
April Fool's Day...
Well, we forgot it was April Fool's Day today, much like we forgot about St. Paddy's day. We celebrated Easter a week early though. We took the family vote in regards to the trip and decided that if Sam gets his license back on time, we'll leave on time. Only two people wanted to delay the trip anyway, in honor of our friends and their concert. Everyone else is feeling desperate to take our first ever family vacation.
We got a desperate and anxious e-mail from the "invisible" member of our family, the biological mother of the children. It took some time, but we finally came up with reassuring words that relaxed her for now. We're waiting to hear back from a friend who can give us a hook-up for legal advice. We're looking forward to that, though it looks like we won't be able to do anything until we return from our vacation. Fortunately, we did some of our own legal research last week and found some laws that will help us get what we want in this situation.
We're sort of adrift as a family at the moment, not really socially involved at all. We've been sort of floating into a nocturnal lifestyle (it's natural for 4/5 of us), going to bed around 4 or 5 in the morning. We had some problems waking up early because of sunlight flooding into our rooms (or not sleeping well enough), so we put thick coverings over our windows. It's working for now. On the bright side, this much quality time is good for us, especially the kids in sibling bonding.
Karma's mohawk is getting long enough to be shaped out. Everyone else will be growing their hair out until after we return from vacation. We could be going to court late Spring/early Summer, so we're kind of holding off for that.
Not much else is going on as we haven't really done anything else, but just wanted to let you know we're still here.
We got a desperate and anxious e-mail from the "invisible" member of our family, the biological mother of the children. It took some time, but we finally came up with reassuring words that relaxed her for now. We're waiting to hear back from a friend who can give us a hook-up for legal advice. We're looking forward to that, though it looks like we won't be able to do anything until we return from our vacation. Fortunately, we did some of our own legal research last week and found some laws that will help us get what we want in this situation.
We're sort of adrift as a family at the moment, not really socially involved at all. We've been sort of floating into a nocturnal lifestyle (it's natural for 4/5 of us), going to bed around 4 or 5 in the morning. We had some problems waking up early because of sunlight flooding into our rooms (or not sleeping well enough), so we put thick coverings over our windows. It's working for now. On the bright side, this much quality time is good for us, especially the kids in sibling bonding.
Karma's mohawk is getting long enough to be shaped out. Everyone else will be growing their hair out until after we return from vacation. We could be going to court late Spring/early Summer, so we're kind of holding off for that.
Not much else is going on as we haven't really done anything else, but just wanted to let you know we're still here.
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