Just stuff about Joby

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Garage Update

These pictures are a couple days old. The garage is now all sheetrocked, and Michael is taping and mudding it. We will sand it smooth and will just paint it. We have decided it is not worth the money to texture a garage. But it is insulated, and should be nice and warm for Davy during the cold weather. The warmer weather should also be all right because the garage is on the west side of the house and only gets the later day sun.

He is a very happy man indeed!

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Spring Time Adventures in Hart Country

Take 2: The New Garage

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A New day in Hart Country

Take 1: Our new garage

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Our Daily Lives

Happy Spring...or nearly so. Today's Highlights:

* David is in Fort Bening Georgia attending Air Borne School. He will take a quick break end of March here at home before heading off in his truck to Fort Bragg in North Carolina for a year in Special Forces training.

*Michael has been putting up our fence and is considering building fences as a side career. He did a GREAT job on our fence that would not have been completed if not for his help.

*Joby just finished his term up with a 3.5 gpa. He is applying for jobs, but also plans on signing up with the traveling basketball team. He had sprained his ankle, but is better now and should do all right with his new team.

*Rachel loves her reading, spending time with her bird and pups, and working out in her yard. She is still working for Willoughby's Hearing Aids in Tigard. Jim is working hard with his All City Band as they prepare to march in the Rose Festival Parade. He enjoys working for his company putting in hardwood flooring, and perfecting his tuba skills.

*Davy is having fun putting together, pulling apart, and selling his motorcycles. He recently purchased two 1940 military World War II bikes. Every day he amazes me more with his patience and skill in his work.

*Linda Rose is doing the same as always, schoolwork and house cleaning, and a few sunny days out in the yard. Spring break will be busy as she tries to finish up the spare bedroom, and takes some relaxation time.

Puppy Love

Happy Valentines Day to the puppies we love!

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Christ acceptance and Geyser fun: June 14th & 16th, 1985

Diary entry...David was four years old. We lived at the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch upstairs in Orth Lodge. Billings, Montana

June 14th: Today was another hot day, though we had a morning rain shower, it still reached 96 degrees. We went to church and they had a baptismal service. After church we had a potluck, then went grocery shopping. After we arrived home we all took a nap even though with the AC on, our upstairs apartment was still 80 degrees!

Tonight David accepted Jesus into his heart. We had a long talk and he prayed to Jesus and let him know he loved and believed in him. He is so full of questions. Rachel mentioned that if David ever died, Jesus would save him. David also came out of his room and said he disobeyed Daddy and zipped the sleeping bag up against Dad's wishes (how sweet).

June 16th: We left for a trip to Yellowstone Park to meet up with most of the Forneys for a small vacation together... David was 4; Rachel 2; and Michael a baby.

Nearly a Century Old

We had a lovely afternoon with Great Aunt Edie. On Janurary 20th, she turned 94 years old! What a great English lady!

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My Silly Man

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Goodbye to Howie

My sweet friend Debbie said good-bye to her 14 year old Boxer, Howie. I have put in a small portion of an email she sent me. Howie was more than a pet to her, he was her helpmate.


Howie is gone. It was the most emotionally painful moment of my life.....ever. I cried when I had Sugar Ray put down and I cried for Max... but I never fell apart like I did when Howie laid in my arms and slipped away.

I loved that dog more then I love myself.... he was everything to me and then some. I know I have Jada and Steeler...but I feel totally lost without Howie. I depended on him to let me know when the lupus was flaring. I depended on him to help me off the couch (when he was able.. I would use him as support). He told me when I needed to rest...he made me laugh out loud and smile in my sleep. He irritated me when he would follow me from room to room right on my heels or stood in front of me just staring...and now I wish more then anything he was here doing those things that drove me nuts. I would give anything to have him here with me.

He went easily. The vet gave him a shot to relax him which just about knocked him out.. he laid in my lap and I hugged him tight though the final shot.. and I laid with him and said goodbye. He was my dog Linda. He was my dog.

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Didn't We Have Fun?

We had a special Sunday morning. Davy and I met Jim and Rachel at Rolling Hills Community Church (where they got married). We enjoyed an uplifting service and good message from Pastor Dale. Afterwards, we headed out to Chevy's for Mexican food.

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Sunshine Days after the Storm

A Memory

Our snow is nearly gone, replaced by a cold wind that chatted with our house throughout the night. I love that sound. As I lay in bed, with the lights turned out, the rhythm soothed me into sleep.

When I was a little girl, what is now called the Columbus Day storm, made its presence memorable on October 12th, 1962. I don't remember that night in great detail, but perhaps as more of a "sense" of that night. At four and a half years old I am surprised I remember anything at all.

Indeed, the wind blew. I must have lay awake because I remember the shadows of the trees moving swiftly out past my bedroom window. There was a sheet that hung over my window, but I could see the shadows behind it flickering fast.

I don't think I was scared. My little sister Margie would have been sleeping somewhere in the house, and I may have worried about her. I often did even as we grew older. But all I can say about that night is my memory of the sound and the dancing shadows outside my bedroom window.

And then it was morning. As I stood by the living room front door "someone" opened it, I cannot see in my mind who opened it. Outside was clear, sunny, and very bright! Years later, I was told that our big tree had blown down in our yard, but I don't recall seeing it toppled over, even though I knew that tree; it was the only one we had in our front yard.

What I do remember with a "sense" of childlike recall, was my fascination with the sunshine. I could not understand why it was so bright outside after such a night of moving shadows. I must have expected something much different before that door was opened.

To this day, though vague, that memory is comforting. I lean towards an ingrained belief that bright, sunny days follow stormy nights. Maybe that is why storms have never frightened me (at least I don't remember one which has). Or maybe it is because I am reminded of a time that I was secure within my first home, with my first family...and had no reason to be frightened.

At this moment outside the wind is still rushing, though instead of a city wind storm, now I feel a sense of the ocean's call. It is peaceful just to sit here, this early morning hour, close my eyes, and hear an ocean's sound...the clicking clocks, and the deep rumblings of sleeping dogs...as I remember another secure time...

This place is by the ocean; three figures on a grey morning are digging for clams along its shoreline. A twelve year old girl is desperately fumbling with a clam gun. Two old people are showing the girl how to use it.

But that is another story; this is also one with security and stability that has been held tight for many, many years in my mind.

And it is mornings like these, when the wind is making its own waves around our home, that I slip off into a time of warm remembrances.

May 21, 1992: Montana Memories

Jingle Bells, Ducks, and Stallions

In my diary:

I found an entry in my diary that said Rachel and I went to the Stallion show on May 12th, 1992. This is in part what I wrote on that day.

May 12, 1992: Tonight Rachel and I are going to the Royal Lippazzan Stallion show...Other hilights: Our baby female mallard duck has returned with a mate and she is sure tame....seems to remember us well. Her mate is a bit warier, but is more tame than I would have expected....Joby is over five months already and is so amiable, healthy and strong. He plays with toys now, and is gentle when he touches faces...Last night the kids and I talked about what it would be like to lose each other, and Michael was especially sad. He went and got everyone drinks just to be nice.

May 21, 1992: Today is very rainy. It is so wet it seems funny. Last night Dave planted some seeds, so hope they all don't run away. Much has happened. Rachel and I went to the Royal Lippizzan Stallion Show. That was so special. I think she sometimes spent more time playing with Joby. The kids had their Spring concert at school, and we had a community outside barbeque that was weather perfect. My goose eggs were quite the hit. Rachel was cute as she did square dancing. David got a lot of laughs as he announced his song "Jingle Bells" in May. Michael's birthday party is today at school.

First Snow Day of the Winter

I know the slide show starts off as Happy Holidays, but I chose this anyway because I think it is so cute!

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Elements of a Soldier

Home, Home on the Firing Range

I asked David to write up a blog that detailed what he does when he works with his unit on the firing range. For me, it was fun to read because I did the very same thing when I was in the Army. Each soldier's weapon must be personalized to match the eyesight of its "owner." Periodic fine tuning is also critical.

So Mom and Stepdad came up to visit on Monday and stayed the night. I had to get up around 3 in the morning the following day but it was no biggie, beings it is something I have done time and time again. So why did I have to get up so early?

My Troop had to go and shoot our guns. We call it "Going to the range." Every few months you have to take your rifle out and qualify with it. So how do you qualify? Well you have 40 pop up targets that you have to knock down. 23 out of 40 is passing. But this is no easy task. First of all, every weapon has adjustments on them. These adjustments are there to help each person, as all our eyes focus differently. So you first have to do what we call ZERO your weapon. This is where we take a 25 meter paper target that has squares on them and a tiny silouette of person. You aim with your weapon and fire three rounds as best as you can. Based off your 3 holes in the paper, you adjust your rifle so the next rounds get closer and closer to the so called bullseye.

Once you reach that point your weapon will be ZEROED good for qualification and for combat. You then move over to a different range which is right next to it where the pop up targets are at. You have 16 lanes for people to use and fire down. Each one has a foxhole and sandbags. There is a tower in the middle that us Sergeants use to control and command the range.

We give the soldiers a safety brief and tell them how the qualification is going to go. Once that is complete and all the soldiers have their ammo, we move them forward to the foxholes. They get 2 magazines with 20 rounds in each one. 20 pop ups will appear for the foxhole portion. The firer will shoot and try to hit all 20. Then after everyone shoots 20. They will exit the foxhole and lay down on the ground next to it where they will fire 10 rounds. Then after that they will go up on one knee and fire 10 rounds.

We have roughly 80 soldiers to get through this task. Not as easy as it sounds and there are more technicalities then I wrote. After the firing is finished we all wait till dark and repeat the process but use 80 rounds, 3 magazines. We let each firer shoot as fast as he can to simulate real combat. This is also motivating to the soldiers as they do not get to fire weapons like this as often as they would like.

Once that is complete we pick up all the shells and clean up the range. We then head back to our headquarters, lock up the weapons and make sure everything is accounted for. Then we all head home to pass out from a long days work.

Started day at 3am ended day 9:30 pm.

Words from the Quiet One

Michael’s Mumblings

I am still working at Keith Brown Lumber Supply as an inside sales representative. I watch over all our inventory and warehouse inside the store. I just finished up with the home show for Keith Brown at the Salem Fairgrounds this past week. At the home show I represented a composite decking company called Timber Tech. It has been hard staying in this work because business has been slowing down in the building industry. But I want to stick it out because in the long run it will pay off when business picks back up. I really enjoy my work and want to stay with it as long as I can.

Outside of work, mostly on the weekends, I go up to Mt. Hood Meadows to snowboard. It has been a really good season so far with plenty of sunny days and good snow. On New Years, I stayed with a family up at Government Camp for three days to snowboard.

I have been working at putting up a fence at Davy and Mom’s house. I skate on sunny days when I get a chance, hang out with friends, and my brothers. I like my new house where I moved several months ago. I am living with two other roommates in the Molalla area.

Love, Michael

An Update at the Sours Pad

Jim: Jim starts the Honor band next month and visited all the high schools last week. He already has more kids this year than he did last year. Work is the same for him so no update there. We just celebrated his 31st birthday on Friday and went to the beach over the weekend.

Me: Just got settled in to my new office at work which is really nice after the remodel. New furniture, carpet, paint, etc. I am enjoying OPB's Masterpiece Theater on Sunday nights at 9. They are currently doing movies on Jane Austen's works. Work is going well, no complaints there.

Doggies are good. Tipper is doing well but needs her wings and nails clipped. My little bird has full flight. She doesn't know it though and still plumets to the floor when she gets spooked (primarily Jim's tuba.)

That should do it for an update I think.

Got to rap up work.

Love,
Rachel Sours

Second Tour of Duty

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THE JOBYMEISTER GANG

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The Porcupine Story

The Fear of the Unknown Monster Under the Car!

I thought maybe I would tell you a story about an experience we had in Montana involving a WILD AND POTENTIALLY VICIOUS ANIMAL WHO WE WERE SURE WOULD ATTACK ALL OF US IF GIVEN A CHANCE! Ooh, I am shaking already just remembering how our quality of life could have been permanently damaged.

Our little farm lay out in the prairies of Montana nestled between two 50K+ acre ranches. In other words, we were I S O L A T E D with no one to help us if we were to have an emergency. In fact, the nearest pit stop was six miles away and would close down at dusk along with the last crow of the rooster, and with the first howls of VERY WILD COYOTE critters. It was a dark and late 11:00 pm that unnerving night when we drove along our deserted, dark, and windy road to “Our Little House on the Prairie.” As we turned onto our long driveway, an ominous feeling stirred within my motherly-intuition-reserved-stomach section that something was terribly wrong…

We pulled up to our front deck and stopped the car. The front of the house had a deck that stretched the entire length of the house and had about ten steps leading up to it from the driveway. Inside the car slept our four children who were exhausted after a day spent shopping in the big city. My husband had forgot to leave the porch light on which meant he had to find his way in the darkness up to our front door. I would wait in the car until he got inside the house to flip on the deck light. Suddenly a scream spewed forth from his terrified SOUL!

“Linda, stay in the car! Something is sleeping on the front porch mat. I think it is a coyote or wolf or something.” Startled, I stayed inside the car as he stumbled down the steps and around the back of the house to enter in that way. As he was going in the back way, I just HAD to get out and look up over the deck. Sure enough there it was BIG, HAIRY, and SCARY. It had to be something rabid and fierce to be up on our deck like it was. Suddenly the front porch light flipped on. And there it was. I saw it in all its horror…

It was a bristly porcupine who apparently made it up our steps and couldn't find its way back down. Well, now I was really scared. PORCUPINES THROW QUILLS…OH MY STARS…NOW WHAT DO I DO? By this time my husband had gone out the back and around the far side of the house from this creature, and was peeking ever so inconspicuously through the deck boards at the monster his wife was now approaching!

“Dave, it is a porcupine,” I hollered to his barely visible peeking head to save his own life person. I grabbed a pair of boots sitting on the front deck and threw them at this dazed, potentially rabid, quill throwing monster who dared to sleep on MY deck where MY children may have been QUILLED to death! “Get off OUR deck,” I screamed as I clumsily tossed the boots at it. Up it lumbered and tried to run to the opposite side of the deck gaining speed until it finally crashed into the deck boards. Daddy the protector screamed and ducked. Not missing a beat it ran back towards me and I threw both boots at it again. “Git OUTTA here,” and then to the kids who were starting to remove their safe bodies out and into danger, “Get back in that car.” It is a porcupine and it will throw its quills at you. GET IN NOW!!” Screaming and now crying (from being awakened), they stuff themselves back in the car and slam the door shut.

This monstrous animal proceeded to smash into the front door end of the deck boards and then bounced backward onto the top of the stairs. He kept rolling until he was down the stairs…and then…UNDER THE CAR WHERE HE STAYED!

“Oh Lord, HELP ME, he is under the car and won’t come out”. I was trying to figure out how to get that dangerous animal out from under the car, when it just up and lumbered out, down the driveway, and on out to the fields. Quickly we RESCUED all four children from the car, ran up the stairs and into the house. We were all alive. Thank You God!

The next morning as we went out the front door to take the kids to the bus stop, a very amusing sight lay before our eyes. On the deck boards and all down the steps were many quills that had stuck in the boards as the poor animal tried in obvious terror to get away.

We soon found out that porcupines do not throw quills; you have to get stuck by them. And if we had kept our cool, we could have herded him calmly down the stairs thus saving him the trouble of having a very bad headache and a messy do for the coming day.

Update on Snoopy's Striped face

Michael has just informed me that he was not the one to put a stripe down Snoopy's face with a permanent marker.

He absolutely stated with complete genuineness that it was David who facially violated our poor puppy with his graffiti.

Now why in the world did I believe David when he told me Michael did it.

I think I did not listen to my gut level feeling about the whole ordeal.

David, you little imp you!

A Note to Dogs and Humans

Subject: Pet information

To be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door - pet nose height.

Dear Dogs: The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years –canine attendance is not required.

The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dogs butt. I cannot stress this enough!

To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door: To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Pets:

1. They live here. You don't.

2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it "fur"niture.

3. To you, they are an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

Remember: Dogs are better than kids because they:

1. Eat less

2. Don't ask for money all the time

3 Are easier to train

4. Normally come when called

5. Never ask to drive the car

6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends

7. Don't smoke or drink

8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions

9. Don't want to wear your clothes

10. Don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and...

11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children

David

My son has gone back to Fort Lewis

Poor Snoopy: The Evidence of the face stripe

The house seems very quiet this morning as I contemplate the reason for its calm state. David has gone back to Fort Lewis. The room is empty where he slept, there are no clothes of his to wash, and I KNOW that he is gone and will not come back to visit for a while.

Of course, during his long vacation, he has been gone from the house visiting friends, but I always knew he was coming back to park himself. And upon this return, the house tempo would increase (especially when Michael was over), as his blonde headed presence filled wherever he was.

And I always knew there would be trouble. There is a particular "evil" laugh that is characteristic of David when he is up to something....

And there began that laugh upstairs with one little dog amid three brothers. Poor, poor Snoopy! Michael misbehaved one evening because David was home to encourage it. The boys kept telling me to call Snoopy downstairs. I thought the pup was bothering them, so I finally called him to me. Michael and his work of art quickly unfolded before my horrified eyes...

And what to my wondering eyes did appear?, but an innocent pup with a streak down his face. The boys thought it would be funny to take a permanent marker and draw a line down the middle of Snoopy's white face.

Now, anyone who knows David, knows this would never, EVER have occurred if HE was not somewhere in the vicinity of another human being...and especially his brothers. Oh, and should I also mention the presence of an innocent pup?

***************************************************

Here I am back to the quiet house. How I love that silly kid! He is still so full of mischieviousness that I marvel he is not a comic strip. He would be a good "Dennis the Menace," or "Garfield" the cat...yes, that is who he is...GARFIELD THE CAT. Only David would think of streaking a face of a poor helpless pup (and getting his brother to do the dirty work). I can see that now on Odie...

Yep, that's David. And now the house is strangely quiet. I know he will not be back from visiting friends, or running errands. For now that great big boy of mine has gone back to work. He has gone back to the life he loves. He is in his element as a military man, committed, hardworking, and a great protector of our country.

How can two such different men live inside one body! Even David wonders at it.

Love, a proud mom of a military man

Rachel's Memories of Montana

Rachelrose said...
Here is a blog I put up in MySpace. It has to do with Montana as well

Wednesday, May 10, 2006 2:54 PM - Montana Current mood: grateful

Category: Travel and Places Just think about this for a second: If everyone who says that they love nature and camping really did go out wouldn't the woods be packed with people? Creepy.

I wish that everyone could take the time to appreciate the world that God has created. Growing up in Montana, I got to see what I would call virgin land. They call it the Big Sky state and it is. The sunsets there are literally breath taking. I remember going over a hill and there it was....orange, purple, grey, yellow, pink, blue, green etc. I couldn't decribe all the colors because there are not names for them. That view is what I saw a lot heading back home from town. You would have rolling brown hills to the right with such little vegitation that they appeared smooth. To the left were the rockies..........hugs, beautiful, blue, gray, black, green and white. They always had snow. They glowed blue and purple at night. I could see the ski lights on them at night making it look like sparkles. Well, that is how I saw it then. That part of the Rockies was called The Beartooths because they had huge sharp tops splitting out in crazy directions.

The springs up in the mountains are so fresh you could drink from them. You didn't see chopped down forest. The trees were huge and thick and just the way God planned them to grow. Well, there was some tree cutting since we would drive up the mountain and cut our Christmas tree there every year. The snow there is perfect. It isn't too sloshy or too dry. I never had a birthday there without snow.

My brothers, Dad and I made an igloo one year. What kid wouldn't want that. There is something so pure about that land out there. There are communities there that have laws against certain businesses and structures so that the town keeps the historical feel. I am not talking resorts town but regular towns. I remember being excited if we saw certain geese return to our pond during the summers after they migrated. We had frequent visitors like coyotes, deer and elk. Our home was built on one of the original wagon trails and on our property was an old homestead and wagon with it four wheels still.

I know that there is a lot of this in Oregon but I can't share with you the real beauty of Montana. It is as I mentioned...breath taking. I believe that anyone after visiting there would never forget it. It leaves a mark on you, it really does. If any of my brothers read this you know exactly what I am talking about.

Cheers to The Big Sky State!
January 10, 2008 11:16 AM

Bathroom Adventures

The Idiots Guide to Bathroom Remodeling:

Is there such a book?

It is hard to believe, but the second bathroom is completed (except for a recessed TP holder). I don't think I have ever worked so hard, and so long, on the remodeling of a room. The vanity, medicine cabinet, ceiling and wall light fixture, and toilet seat all had to be replaced. There were large holes to patch, an entire room to paint, wall border to paste on, and floor boards to cut, paint, and put up. Part of the room I sponged with three colors; that was my first experience ever with sponging. Caulking had to be stripped off, and redone, and grout around the ceramic floor tiles needed mending. Let's see...then there was the fun part...the decorations.

For the first time ever, I designed curtains out of lace in a swag style. Two antique ceramic birds that Davy bought me, grace the window. The wall paper border is quite lovely and works well in that room. I also struggled with my first attempt to put up the wall boards. Thanks to Davy's Christmas gift to me of a chop saw, the job was much easier than it could have been without one.

But good grief, could it have taken any longer to complete? Towards the end, I was edgy, frustrated and READY to be done. A couple times I had to tell Davy and Joby to leave me alone because I was in a bad mood trying to get it completed. They left me alone while snickering behind my back! But on the bright side, Davy was endless in his patience to help me when I needed it. But Joby (and Michael on one day), still snickered.

I was splattered with paint, clear and white caulking clung to my fingertips and knuckles, dirty knees from kneeling to scrape off messy grout from the floor, and my neck hurt from reaching up to do the border, paint ceiling etc. But it is done, completed, ended, and FINISHED, with a capooie and a capoot! YAHOO.

When summer time arrives, Davy will remove the bathroom window and replace it with a door which will open up onto the patio that will be built in a recess that on the back of the house. The end result should be really nice, but once again the bathroom will be in an uproar.

I will enjoy its loveliness until then.

Love, Mrs. Fixer-upper

A Nostalgic Day... One Year Ago

Following is a blog I wrote a year ago and posted it on MySpace. It was shortly after this time that we finally received a good hard snow. This day however, couldn't make up its mind which way to present itself. The pictures are of Michael and Joby playing in the snow.
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Thursday, January 04, 2007

A SEASON TO REMEMBER MY CHILDREN Current mood: nostalgic

TODAY IS A STRANGE DAY. IT RAINED, THEN HAILED, THEN SNOWED, THEN ??'D, THEN MELTED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS WEATHER AT ALL.

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Memories of Montana...

MAKES ME THINK BACK ON ALL THE BEAUTIFUL SNOW THAT FELL IN MONTANA. FOUR CUTE KIDS RAN AROUND THE INSIDE OF OUR HOUSE BUNDLED IN WARM CLOTHES PLAYING AS IF THEY WERE PUPS OUTSIDE ON A WARM SUMMER DAY. IT WAS THE SEASON OF INSIDE PRETENDING; BUILDING LINCOLN LOGS HOUSES, LEGO BUILDINGS, PLAYING THE "GUESS WHO GAME", AND MAKING PLAYDO CUTOUTS. LIBRARY TRIPS WERE COMMON OUTINGS WHICH AWARDED THESE INQUISITIVE CHILDREN WITH MANY FUN BOOKS TO READ ON THESE COLD, WINTRY DAYS.
"BILLY AND BLAZE" WAS A FAVORITE BOOK SERIES WITH DAVID. RACHEL LOVED THE "BOX CAR CHILDREN." SOMEDAY, I WILL GET THE SERIES FOR BOTH SETS JUST BECAUSE IT WILL REMIND ME OF THOSE YEARS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.

RACHEL LOVED TO SING AND DANCE AND SWEEP AREAS OF THE HOUSE. DAVID RAN UP AND DOWN THE HALL WAY MAKING ANIMAL CALLS, AND BUILDING THINGS SUCH AS BLANKET FORTS, HOT WHEEL TRACKS (AND FITTING IN A SIBLING TEASE WHEN HE COULD). JOBY WAS CRAWLING INTO, UNDER AND ON TOP OF EVERYTHING! MICHAEL, AS ALWAYS WAS THE QUIET ONE...READING BOOKS, SMILING SWEETLY, WHILE ENTERTAINING HIMSELF HAPPILY.

I WILL ALWAYS MISS THOSE COLD WINTER DAYS IN MONTANA WHEN THE CHILDREN WERE YOUNG. I WILL ALWAYS MISS BEING A MOTHER WITH YOUNG CHILDREN; HEARING THOSE CHILDHOOD VOICES, ESPECIALLY THE GIGGLES, WERE ESPECIALLY ENDEARING; AND NOW ARE ONLY ECHOES OF MEMORIES IN MY MIND. I FEEL LIKE CRYING BECAUSE I CAN SEE MY YOUNG CHILDREN SO CLEARLY IN MY MIND AS I SHUT MY EYES......

I SIT HERE RIGHT NOW LISTENING TO THE DRYER GOING, JOBY IS ON OUR BED BEHIND ME HUGGIN' ON ARBY, THATCHER IS BEGGING OUTSIDE THE CLOSED DOOR TO COME INTO THE BEDROOM WITH JOBY, THE COMPUTER NEXT TO ME IS MAKING WHITE COMPUTER NOISE, I CAN HEAR DAVY NOW TALKING TO THATCHER....

THESE ARE JUST SIMPLE EVERYDAY NOISES; THEY ARE NOTHING IN THEMSELVES EXCEPTIONAL. HOWEVER, PUTTING THEM ALL TOGETHER INTO ONE THOUGHT WHILE HEARING THEM, I KNOW THEY ARE THE NOISES OF MY HOME THAT IS FILLED WITH A SPECIAL FAMILY WHO ARE STILL CREATINGHAPPY MEMORIES.

I LOVE YOU MY SILLY CHILDREN.

MOM

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Rachel's journal entry November 25th, 1995

Rachel Journal Entry 11/25/95 11-25-1995

Thanksgiving was great, but I ate too much. Since I've moved it has been pretty tough finding good friends. So far I haven't found any. I really miss my old friends back in MT. Michael got some glasses and might have seaser activity in his brain. I'm 12. I have light brown hair, hazel eyes and I'm 5.3. I also collect masks and clowns. I love to ride horses. I'm being home schooled and it is OK. I haven't written in here for a long time so I changed quite a bit. My favorite school subject is History and Bible. I'm a Christian. I love to draw and read. I don't have a boyfriend yet, but I do have a boy that is a friend. I love the color purple. I love pizza. My favorite song is Waterfalls by TLC. Stars I have crushes on is Johnathon Brandis, Devon Sawa, Johnathan Taylor Tomas (JTT). I want to become an artist. I have 3 bros, none sis. Their names are Joby (3) Michael (10) and David (14) I like taz, tweety and Mickey of cartoons. I live in a two story house on

ADD 592 S. 5th St.
Lebanon, OR 97355

David is a pain in the BUTT (I capitalized this in my journal)

Michael is OK

Joby is great.

Rachel posted the above journal entry and her explanation below on February 13th, 2007 on MySpace. Mom's comments in RED

David was quite the pain sometimes but what brother isn't.For the most part, David was a delightful boy. But he did enjoy taunting his little sister! I got such a kick out of reading my journal entries, I just had to type them up and send them to the family. Oh, and Joey Lawrence.........that is some eye candy right there. Rachel Rose!! I had a poster of Johnathan Brandis on my wall and I didn't get dressed in my room for over a week because I felt like it was staring at me.That is just so funny. I never knew that! Even today, Rachel is a very proper modest young woman unlike many other women her age.I had a lot of barbie dolls too and one time Michael told on me for doing something naughty and I had them taken away for a while. What made it so funny was that Michael loved playing with them with me and he came crying to me saying he was sorry because he didn't know mom and dad would take them away.Ok, how funny can this be? Michael was a sensitive, creative young boy who played well with EVERYONE. I had forgotton he loved playing with Barbie dolls. We were really young at that time of course.