I should have posted an advertisement for the Tangent community garage sales that were held here Saturday. We cleaned out our shed and closet and didn't even fight too much about what to get rid of. It helps when I just say yes dear and then hold firm to a price that no one wants to pay. But it's pretty amazing what people will pay money for. Anisa brought her stuff over too. Venisa joined us before lunch and we had a good time sitting in the 70 degree sunshine, chatting with old friends and new as they passed through. My leftover junk fit in my trunk, and I will drop it off at Goodwill tomorrow. Although I must admit a few things went back in the shed. I don't know how we collected so many rubber rafts and floating devices, but I have vowed we will use them this summer. I mean it.
Nick took off early Wednesday morning to help at the Search and Rescue Academy. He returned home today, full of stories and enthusiasm about how great it was to be part of the Cadre instead of a recruit. He spent most of the afternoon on the couch sound asleep, making up for sitting around a campfire til midnight, getting up at 5:30 a.m. and spending his days working hard. I hope he can sleep tonight.
I am excited to have one more week of work before my month of unemployment that comes along every July. Yea! I love summer.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Eric's Graduation Party
The party is over! Well, almost over. There's still some kids here watching a movie. But everything is cleaned up and put away, and my fridge is full of delicious leftovers! I always worry that there won't be enough food and usually end up wondering what I was thinking.
Will also set up a table and had Nick hook up the cable to a TV outside so people would have to go outside to watch the Beaver's baseball game.
The party invitation asked guests to come and share some of Eric's favorite snacks. Last weekend after a hard day's work in the yard, someone asked me what I was serving. I said I might just line up a bunch of cereal boxes on the counter and call it good. Later I asked Eric what he thought of that idea. He seemed a bit surprised, but with his usual easy going manner he said, "Well, if that's what you want to do...it's a little unusual but..." I assured him I was only kidding, but he said he really likes rice krispy treats made with other cereals. So we did cocoa puff treats and fruity pebbles treats in addition to rice krispies. We also had Seven Layer Dip, cheese and crackers, various salads, fresh strawberries with dip, Cheetos Puffs, no bake cookes, Jelly Bellies, and everone's favorite, Mocha Punch. (I can just imagine the emotional torture Craig will go through when he reads this, as many of these are his favorites also! Sorry Craig! But I'm sending you some leftover Jelly Bellies!)
In addition to lots of food, we had the scrapbooks available for viewing, and Nick put together a slide show of Eric with background music recorded by Eric over the years, from the original tunes from his first "I Like Cheese", to Eric Wagner and the Pilgrims to Funkle Ted.
The weather was not the sunny day I hoped for, but Will had some plans for getting people outside. Early afternoon, he decided to build a firepit to use for his dutch oven.
He claims he and Nick built in it 35 minutes. He cooked up a delicious peach cobbler during the party. The people remaining at the end of the open house ended up outside, gathered around the firepit where Will kept adding a few charcoals to keep some warmth. After the adult left and only kids remained, Will got a great idea to use some wood scraps. Nick cut them up and we sat outside enjoying a fire for awhile. Looks like a captured one of the more fun, lively moments. Notice our new covered bench are in the background. Can you see the ham radio antenna pole securely anchored to the bench?
Will also set up a table and had Nick hook up the cable to a TV outside so people would have to go outside to watch the Beaver's baseball game. For some reason, I couldn't get Galen and Eric to get serious about posing for a picture. It's too bad the cutest person (Jenna) has her head turned!
Now all the graduation hoopla is over. All that remains is my bulletin board full of graduation pictures, food and drinks, the scrapbooks and slide show, and more pictures to scrapbook! Oh, and a very special graduation gift. My friend Judy Davies makes graduation gift quilts out of tshirts. Check out how she put together this gorgeous quilt from some of Eric's old tshirts. 
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Eric is a High School Graduate
A week ago, we crowded together with a couple thousand other parents and friends to observe the graduation of the class of 2007. As usual, Eric stood out in the crowd.
A talented photograper friend from work had a seat much closer to the action than I was and she graciously shared her pictures with me. My zoomed pictures didn't turn out so well.
See anyone you recognize? Uncle Doug is sure intent on that program! Anisa and Nick are kind of hiding behind Eric's parents.
As trite as it sounds, on ocasions like this you look back and wonder how the years went by so fast. I see my nieces with their children and it seems just weeks ago that mine were that small. The years put a pleasant haze on the memories, but my recollection is that I loved and tried to treasure every age as they passed through it.
Eric was born in August, and when the doctor visited me the next day, he said, "A summer baby boy will do much better in school if you hold him back a year. Boys just aren't ready at that age." He said the same thing when Nick was born in July three years later. Craig started kindergarten that year, and although he was born in March, he was not very interested in sitting down to read and write. I volunteered in his class and observed that he spent a lot more time looking out the window and at other students than he did at his paper. So we had Eric wait until he was six to start kindergarten. Here he is with Nick on his first day of preschool.
When I volunteered in Eric's kindergarten class, I was shocked at the difference. When they had a paper to do, Eric sat down and did it thoroughly and well, often being the first one done. I've since realized it wasn't just because he was older; it's because he is a completely different person. I think he would have been very ready a year earlier. But now he gets to be more mature as he starts college.
Eric was so excited when he learned to read and write. He remarked one day that he knew he'd learn to read, but he hadn't realized he would get to write too! He was soon writing lists and stories, and in middle school began writing songs as well.
Middle school fueled his passion for music. He played the oboe in the band, and in seventh grade added the trumpet in jazz band. One night before he got the trumpet, he prayed, "Thank you Lord that I will soon be bi-instrumental!" He started teaching himself guitar in 8th grade and we followed up with lessons for awhile. I'm not sure how many instruments he has now, but his first major purchase when he started working at McDonald was a very nice electric guitar. His instrument collection includes an acoustic guitar, a ukelele, an ocarina, a diggerydoo, a tin whistle, a violin, a saxaphone, and he also plays the bass very well.
When we went to his parent-teacher conferences in seventh grade, I was feeling discouraged because my very intelligent son had four C's on his report card. His math/science teacher brightened my day as Eric had brightened hers when he walked in her class at the end of the day declaring, "Yea, now we finally get to learn something!" She told him, "Eric, I love the way you are curious, I love the way you ask questions, I love the way you take chances and are not afraid of failure." We still love those things about Eric. He know so much more than I do about so many things.
Over the years, he did cause me some embarrassing moments. In second grade, his first year at Tangent, he nearly drove his teacher crazy for two reasons: he always had to do things just a little bit different than everyone else, and he would finish his work before everyone else and did not always entertain himself in a fashion she enjoyed. The poor woman was in her last year before retirement, and I felt she was slightly humorless. She would make him call home to tell me about various misbehaviors. One day I was gone and he left a message about why he was in trouble. At the end, he said, "In Jesus name, Amen! Oh, I mean, goodbye!" Another day I got a call from the secretary telling me that Eric was in school without any shoes, because he had rushed outside to catch the bus. Great.
In spite of having the attitude of "Why should I waste my time studying for a test when I can get at least a B without studying?", Eric's report cards were the ones I dreaded the least out of my three boys. In fifth grade I remember pointing out the "N" for "Needs Improvement" next to "Listens and follows directions". Eric shook his head in disbelief. "How ridiculous. Look at this report card. This is the only bad thing on it. How could I possibly get all As if I didn't listen and follow directions?" Those crazy teachers...
Early in the morning on his last day of high school, Eric was desperately searching the house for a missing school library book, because he didn't want to pay for it but would not get his diploma if it wasn't taken care of. The very last day. Sadly for him, he may have picked up on some of his mother's weaknesses...but he has plenty of time to improve.
Congratulations, Eric. God has blessed you with a brain that learns very quickly and is very creative. We know you have a very bright future ahead as you use your brains, talents, great sense of humor, and likable, easy-going personality to serve your Creator.
A talented photograper friend from work had a seat much closer to the action than I was and she graciously shared her pictures with me. My zoomed pictures didn't turn out so well.
See anyone you recognize? Uncle Doug is sure intent on that program! Anisa and Nick are kind of hiding behind Eric's parents.As trite as it sounds, on ocasions like this you look back and wonder how the years went by so fast. I see my nieces with their children and it seems just weeks ago that mine were that small. The years put a pleasant haze on the memories, but my recollection is that I loved and tried to treasure every age as they passed through it.
Eric was born in August, and when the doctor visited me the next day, he said, "A summer baby boy will do much better in school if you hold him back a year. Boys just aren't ready at that age." He said the same thing when Nick was born in July three years later. Craig started kindergarten that year, and although he was born in March, he was not very interested in sitting down to read and write. I volunteered in his class and observed that he spent a lot more time looking out the window and at other students than he did at his paper. So we had Eric wait until he was six to start kindergarten. Here he is with Nick on his first day of preschool.
When I volunteered in Eric's kindergarten class, I was shocked at the difference. When they had a paper to do, Eric sat down and did it thoroughly and well, often being the first one done. I've since realized it wasn't just because he was older; it's because he is a completely different person. I think he would have been very ready a year earlier. But now he gets to be more mature as he starts college.Eric was so excited when he learned to read and write. He remarked one day that he knew he'd learn to read, but he hadn't realized he would get to write too! He was soon writing lists and stories, and in middle school began writing songs as well.
Middle school fueled his passion for music. He played the oboe in the band, and in seventh grade added the trumpet in jazz band. One night before he got the trumpet, he prayed, "Thank you Lord that I will soon be bi-instrumental!" He started teaching himself guitar in 8th grade and we followed up with lessons for awhile. I'm not sure how many instruments he has now, but his first major purchase when he started working at McDonald was a very nice electric guitar. His instrument collection includes an acoustic guitar, a ukelele, an ocarina, a diggerydoo, a tin whistle, a violin, a saxaphone, and he also plays the bass very well.
When we went to his parent-teacher conferences in seventh grade, I was feeling discouraged because my very intelligent son had four C's on his report card. His math/science teacher brightened my day as Eric had brightened hers when he walked in her class at the end of the day declaring, "Yea, now we finally get to learn something!" She told him, "Eric, I love the way you are curious, I love the way you ask questions, I love the way you take chances and are not afraid of failure." We still love those things about Eric. He know so much more than I do about so many things.
Over the years, he did cause me some embarrassing moments. In second grade, his first year at Tangent, he nearly drove his teacher crazy for two reasons: he always had to do things just a little bit different than everyone else, and he would finish his work before everyone else and did not always entertain himself in a fashion she enjoyed. The poor woman was in her last year before retirement, and I felt she was slightly humorless. She would make him call home to tell me about various misbehaviors. One day I was gone and he left a message about why he was in trouble. At the end, he said, "In Jesus name, Amen! Oh, I mean, goodbye!" Another day I got a call from the secretary telling me that Eric was in school without any shoes, because he had rushed outside to catch the bus. Great.
In spite of having the attitude of "Why should I waste my time studying for a test when I can get at least a B without studying?", Eric's report cards were the ones I dreaded the least out of my three boys. In fifth grade I remember pointing out the "N" for "Needs Improvement" next to "Listens and follows directions". Eric shook his head in disbelief. "How ridiculous. Look at this report card. This is the only bad thing on it. How could I possibly get all As if I didn't listen and follow directions?" Those crazy teachers...
Early in the morning on his last day of high school, Eric was desperately searching the house for a missing school library book, because he didn't want to pay for it but would not get his diploma if it wasn't taken care of. The very last day. Sadly for him, he may have picked up on some of his mother's weaknesses...but he has plenty of time to improve.
Congratulations, Eric. God has blessed you with a brain that learns very quickly and is very creative. We know you have a very bright future ahead as you use your brains, talents, great sense of humor, and likable, easy-going personality to serve your Creator.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Craig in Ecuador
While at a friend's graduation party today, another friend pointed out that I hadn't posted any update on Craig for awhile. We were able to reach him by phone at the flat where the 10 people in his outreach group are staying in Quito, Ecuador last Monday and I intended to update sooner. However, I am spending nearly every daylight minute trying to finish this yard project and after dark trying to finish up Eric's scrapbook before his party next weekend.
Craig went to Curacao in the Dutch Antilles the middle of April. He referred to this place as "the Compton of the Caribbean". He was not stationed in the tourist section of the island. They stayed at a Bible college there. We got only one phone call from him there and he was very excited. They had been going to schools and visiting with English classes to help students with their English. That day he had a group of seven kids and spent the time talking to them about Jesus. At the end of their time, he asked if any of them would like to pray and ask Jesus to be their Savior. All seven of them did. He said he walked away thinking it was too good to be true and surely they didn't all mean it - but he gave it to God, asking him to use it to make a difference in their lives. He had many wonderful experiences their, seeing God work in others and his own life.
He has been in Quito for several weeks now. They are working with a church there. Their lodgings are one story of the preacher's house. They started out working with a Christian radio station and have also been doing street ministry. Here is an excerpt from his My Space today:
"Today I...Prayed for an old man, prayed for an old woman, and cried for both of them because their lives were completely used up and shattered.
Tonight I will...Laugh. Read.
Tomorrow I will...Go to the slums again and preach the beautiful gospel of freedom and salvation that has so set me free and given me unspeakable joy."
He says to tell everyone that God is working and he appreciates everyone's prayers. He is is having a great time in Ecuador and is looking forward to going back to Germany the end of June and starting a mission term with YWAM at the castle there. Hopefully he will come home for a visit later this summer. I am constantly amazed and awed by this loving, powerful God I serve who can rescue, redeem and completely change a person's life.
Craig went to Curacao in the Dutch Antilles the middle of April. He referred to this place as "the Compton of the Caribbean". He was not stationed in the tourist section of the island. They stayed at a Bible college there. We got only one phone call from him there and he was very excited. They had been going to schools and visiting with English classes to help students with their English. That day he had a group of seven kids and spent the time talking to them about Jesus. At the end of their time, he asked if any of them would like to pray and ask Jesus to be their Savior. All seven of them did. He said he walked away thinking it was too good to be true and surely they didn't all mean it - but he gave it to God, asking him to use it to make a difference in their lives. He had many wonderful experiences their, seeing God work in others and his own life.
He has been in Quito for several weeks now. They are working with a church there. Their lodgings are one story of the preacher's house. They started out working with a Christian radio station and have also been doing street ministry. Here is an excerpt from his My Space today:
"Today I...Prayed for an old man, prayed for an old woman, and cried for both of them because their lives were completely used up and shattered.
Tonight I will...Laugh. Read.
Tomorrow I will...Go to the slums again and preach the beautiful gospel of freedom and salvation that has so set me free and given me unspeakable joy."
He says to tell everyone that God is working and he appreciates everyone's prayers. He is is having a great time in Ecuador and is looking forward to going back to Germany the end of June and starting a mission term with YWAM at the castle there. Hopefully he will come home for a visit later this summer. I am constantly amazed and awed by this loving, powerful God I serve who can rescue, redeem and completely change a person's life.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
WAHS Class of 2007 Baccalaureate
Two boys down, one to go. Bacalaureate (what a strange word) lasted about 95 minutes, too much of it a slide show that went on forever. Why didn't everyone stick to the request for only three pictures per person like I did? Here's one that I sent in of Eric and his long time friend/day care buddy Taylor when they were angels in the Christmas musical. 
Afterwards we picked up some pizza at Papa Murphys, where we are the fortunate recipients of a 30% discount on everything, due to our son's employment there. Thank you Eric. We all enjoyed pizza at our house.
The name of Jesus was lifted up by the student and staff speakers and the plan of salvation was presented by Mr. Roberts, the basketball coach who happens to attend our church.
And here's Eric in the robe he wore tonight!
And here's Eric in the robe he wore tonight!
Afterwards we picked up some pizza at Papa Murphys, where we are the fortunate recipients of a 30% discount on everything, due to our son's employment there. Thank you Eric. We all enjoyed pizza at our house.Nick and a friend stayed home to continue working on a Romeo and Juliet video project they are doing for their English class. (I am quite excited to be featured in a starring role as a nurse, coming out of a room and shrieking "Juliet" three times.) When we arrived home Eric discovered what they were doing he couldn't believe it. "What is this! Nick is allowed to stay at home alone with a girl and play Romeo and Juliet!"
In the past, we had a hard and fast rule that our boys were not to be home alone with female guests. We have relaxed it with Nick a few times such as tonight when common sense tells us that working on a project with a girl he's been friends with since infanthood is 99.9% worry free. Besides that, Nick is the baby of the family, and we must live up to the stereotype, spoil him rotten and let him do whatever he wants! For three more precious years!
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