Pictures

Here are some pictures that I thought you might all enjoy...



This one is at Jake and Rachel's wedding. Rachel and I have had a lot of similar things happen to us in the last year (I guess that would mean that Curtiss and Jake have some things in common too:)




And these pictures were taken at a Fernando Ortega dinner concert that we went to on Valentines day. It's horrible but we don't have one of Curtiss and me:(



Sorry it took me so long to get these on here Trina! Hope you all enjoy.

Of Sisters, Tires and Friends

Well, I have had an exciting and interesting week and I thought you might all like to hear about it :)
This last weekend Curtiss took me to a concert in B- NY and after wards we went to my parents house and spent the night and went to church with them the next morning. On our way home Curtiss and I were talking and we decided to go back and get Elise so that she could spend some time with me this last week since she didn't have any dance lessons due to Presidents Day.
We had a great couple of days shopping, skiing and watching chick flicks :) She had to be back home by today so that she could travel with Jeremy and Trina to Lake Placid for the Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged to help as a volunteer. Because of Curtiss's work schedule and the weather we decided that the best way time to get her home was on Wednesday. So Curtiss left me the car and we went and met Mom in Hornell and had a good time visiting and having chicken wings. When we got there it was cloudy but the rain that was suppose to come and then change into snow hadn't started yet. But by the time we came out of Wegmans it was snowing quite hard and since I had over an hour to drive I got on my way as fast as I could. I drove for about 15-20 minutes and slid off the road into the median and had some fun sliding around and having my heart beat speed up to a rather fast rate, but I came out of it and got back on the road and thought everything was fine. I was driving along at a slightly slower pace until the car started making a funny thumping noise that got louder and louder and I thought "I better pull over before the car blows up". I got out and walked around the car looking for signs of what might be wrong, everything looked fine until I got to the front tire on the passenger side which was completely and totally flat. I got back in the car and called Mom and Elise since they were my closest help and I knew that they were quickly going in the opposite direction. They then called some good friends of ours and Mr. G- (who was just getting out of work) quickly came to my rescue. Through all of this I had been talking with Curtiss trying to decide what the best way to get me and the car home safely was. Weather was even worse for Curtiss out here (it usually takes him about half an hour to get home and it took him almost an hour that night) After lots of deliberation it was decided that the best and safest way to go was to have me spend the night at the G's house and Curtiss would take Thursday off from work and come out and get me and get the tire fixed. So after leaving the house Wednesday afternoon I finally made it back over 24 hours later. I am now very glad to be back to laundry and dishes and especially welcoming Curtiss home from work:)

Rambling Reflections

Hey everybody! I know it's been a while since I have really blogged anything. Life has been busy and I am sure that there were things that I could've told all of you but I just didn't feel like it so you'll have to just bear with my moods :) I am writing right now from one of the ski lodges at Holiday Valley (where Curtiss works). This is the second time that I have come with Curtiss when he headed to work and hung out in the lodge while he works and then we ski when he finishes.
Hanging out ALL day in a lodge??? you might ask, how boring. Actually it's not that bad and I kinda have fun doing nothing but reading or writing all day and the fact that Curtiss is near by and depending on what lift he is working at can pop in now and then makes it nice too:) Right now I can look out the window and see him swing chairs around as people get in them and head up the hill with theirs skis or boards. Who would've thought that when Mom and Dad got ski passes for all of us for a few years while I was growing and developing a love of "strapping two sticks to my feet and going down a hill" (as some people say:) would play into my life now? I mean I never would've thought that I would marry some one that works at a ski resort and that I could ski just as much as I wanted for free? Life is so fun, I have been so awed lately how different things from my childhood have played into my life now and prepared me for what I am doing now. Skiing is just a very small thing, just a bonus but it just impresses in me an even stronger belief that the Lord directs every one of our steps and nothing is done without a reason. This last Sunday Curtiss and I visited one of our supporting churches and gave them an update about the work in Romania and when we were done Curtiss asked me how it was and whether I liked feeling like I was on display (it could've been really disconcerting since last time Curtiss was there he wasn't married so of course everyone is interested in the newest "member") and I thought about it and realized that I hadn't felt uncomfortable at all and I figured it was because it wasn't new to me. Growing up as a pastors daughter and going to countless conferences that Dad either spoke at or organized where I helped in any way I could whether it was running the book table or just talking with people when they had questions. No, it wasn't in the exact same role or reason but it wasn't new and it prepared me to handle my new role of "missionary wife" without too much trepidation:). I know that this post is kinda rambling and it is finishing far different from where it started with sitting in a ski lodge, I hope that it is understandable if it's not then please disregard and just know that I know what I am trying to say:). Sometimes when I sit down to write I surprise myself, I had no idea that this post was going to head this way when I started but it is what I have been thinking about and sometimes writing helps me define exactly what I am feeling and going through. So thanks for letting me ramble it has made me feel better and I hope that it encourages you too. Just remember that nothing happens by chance and you never know how what you are going through now will play into your future, even if it is something as small as skiing with your family all those years ago...

HOT WATER!!!!! :)

After going almost a week without hot water, Curtiss taking two days off from work (for some reason I didn't mind that at all:) and a couple trips to the hardware store, we again have running hot water (YEAH!). It wasn't too bad going without but boy did it feel nice to again step into the shower and feel hot water again that I hadn't had to heat up and pour over myself, it was wonderful. Just thought you might all want an update and to celebrate with me:) Three cheers for Home Depot!

Of Water, A Canner, and Shampoo...

Warm water that runs through our pipes and into our shower hoses out through the nozzle and onto are heads ahhh... what a life we live. And how much we take it for granted.

"Do I get a boy scouts medal for taking a cold shower?" asked Mom as she came out of Joanna and Curtiss' bathroom. Earlier that morning Joanna had said that she didn't think the hot water was working right, as her shower was just on the verge of being chilly. After hearing that I would be bathing in ice water, I decided not to take a shower I said I would be happy to just wear a hat, since I was planning on wearing one anyway. The next day Joanna was feeling like a really bad hostess saying that, "She couldn't even give her guests a warm shower." After telling me that my hair looked like it could use a good cleaning, and not really wanting to send me home dirty, she quickly came up with a plan to heat up water on the stove.

So, by setting the big canner on the stove, and getting her old pitcher and basin set, which she had gotten for her 18th birthday, we started building our shower.

After the water was a good temperature, we had Curtiss heft the big pot to the bathroom, we then filled another pot with cold water, and then we started our showers. In order to get the water the right temperature we added just a little bit of cool water, after testing the water we started the baptism. ( As Curtiss calls it)

I was the first one since I needed the shower the most. ;) It felt so wonderful to have my hair clean.

Joanna was second. Because we had lots of water left she decided she might as well enjoy it.

The only thing I could think of was the song of from South Pacific "I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair..." I have never even seen the movie, but I have seen the preview many times. :)

Mom was the last to decided to dip her head into the wonderful warm water. It was so lovely to feel warm water again, we all had to experience it. Curtiss and Joanna still don't have hot water but Curtiss is planning on working on it tonight. Doing dishes washing hands and taking showers are all tied up in your hot water, and when it is not working you realize how much we rely on it. Although it does make some very interesting adventures.