tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-142306612024-03-07T00:17:47.369-06:00Cabin 77The place where I am myself.Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-22826333074337096152023-12-18T11:24:00.003-06:002023-12-19T18:52:11.136-06:00FALK TALK 2023<p id="docs-internal-guid-e5845a6c-7fff-70e9-fed6-dfd114550e98" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Season's Greetings!</span></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-e5845a6c-7fff-70e9-fed6-dfd114550e98" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Welcome to the 2023 Edition of</span></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-e5845a6c-7fff-70e9-fed6-dfd114550e98" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">FALK TALK</span></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-e5845a6c-7fff-70e9-fed6-dfd114550e98" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I asked ChatGPT to come up with the opening line of an end of year newsletter because I was stuck. The first round of submissions started with "As the final pages of the calendar turn, we find ourselves standing at
the intersection of reflection and anticipation, ready to bid farewell
to another chapter of our collective journey."</span></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-e5845a6c-7fff-70e9-fed6-dfd114550e98" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I requested that it rework the entries to be a little less pretentious. It did not disappoint with, "Alright, folks! The year's almost over, and it's time to look back at
the crazy ride we've had. Buckle up for the highlights and lowlights of
2023!"</span></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-e5845a6c-7fff-70e9-fed6-dfd114550e98" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">(If you'd like to see the full lists of both requests, and they are pretty hilarious, click here:<span face="Arial, sans-serif" id="docs-internal-guid-a431199f-7fff-e08c-9d90-2efbdf0a3f02" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <a href="https://chat.openai.com/share/54914a0e-ed54-4453-9243-6b991d5f5d1b">https://chat.openai.com/share/54914a0e-ed54-4453-9243-6b991d5f5d1b</a>)</span></span> </p><p id="docs-internal-guid-e5845a6c-7fff-70e9-fed6-dfd114550e98" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> So now that I have my opening, let's get caught up!</span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-e5845a6c-7fff-70e9-fed6-dfd114550e98" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-e5845a6c-7fff-70e9-fed6-dfd114550e98" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lisette</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Since March, Lisette has been working remotely for Best Buddies International's headquarters on the Government Relations team. She secures government funding for their Jobs Program, which helps individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities obtain integrated employment opportunities. Lisette is living in Austin and loves being close to our pup, Ruby and our kitty, Marie. (And her family, I guess, but mainly the furry babies!)<br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij58y-N-JmH6ZKP80vZgbN9MhmxAVzUOx40IvWoSVjcZx-JBiE8S4H2q8sBVqvLknSK2iiCtAAmmpngZ2qrRwDUb1AOnxWQaRubvWEIymQr9_6TukoP1XGX1HVnlV641lcfPiIX2lNCWsnU-We20tVTk_GHx4K7FoPYk7IrVN7YlLVKt0YuA/s4032/IMG_7888(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij58y-N-JmH6ZKP80vZgbN9MhmxAVzUOx40IvWoSVjcZx-JBiE8S4H2q8sBVqvLknSK2iiCtAAmmpngZ2qrRwDUb1AOnxWQaRubvWEIymQr9_6TukoP1XGX1HVnlV641lcfPiIX2lNCWsnU-We20tVTk_GHx4K7FoPYk7IrVN7YlLVKt0YuA/s320/IMG_7888(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Lisette and Gordon attended the Austin City Limits music festival together this year.<br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCeX6HENn-cGGKsUzciCOKpG_yAbUKRZjQsLmL_0J0_SzNc8XGYIIsGLRyVe2D1DguHRRSxbFnUt8xsHZjME_UTuDx569NaY3IMpBq3weg_wnRzaH8wyndhQvv2bNBRMB11hqdShzr0Mv97xuGSzFJRicmZ_pios1-VZM1_X2A5qMhoni0g/s4032/IMG_8939.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCeX6HENn-cGGKsUzciCOKpG_yAbUKRZjQsLmL_0J0_SzNc8XGYIIsGLRyVe2D1DguHRRSxbFnUt8xsHZjME_UTuDx569NaY3IMpBq3weg_wnRzaH8wyndhQvv2bNBRMB11hqdShzr0Mv97xuGSzFJRicmZ_pios1-VZM1_X2A5qMhoni0g/s320/IMG_8939.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Lisette and her roommate Lillie. <br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EsWB9x6Dsw_ujE_ZBirjT4Jf0qplNYV5DT_-CV3JMtQ9QDcTMS74vcPc9e1KA1C2ytQbKPYcJKn1dpqSUoXWaGNS6aStk8lGAELREq-ZRdr3qAnPc0qWhurIt8wKJyU_nEUNH8lb0XodiBHysiN1vK-AdnPAFvJripogeQnbDKktEeycIA/s4032/IMG_9259.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EsWB9x6Dsw_ujE_ZBirjT4Jf0qplNYV5DT_-CV3JMtQ9QDcTMS74vcPc9e1KA1C2ytQbKPYcJKn1dpqSUoXWaGNS6aStk8lGAELREq-ZRdr3qAnPc0qWhurIt8wKJyU_nEUNH8lb0XodiBHysiN1vK-AdnPAFvJripogeQnbDKktEeycIA/s320/IMG_9259.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> Lisette and her boyfriend, Chase, traveled to Washington DC to visit <br />friends and almost kidnapped a dog.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Asher</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;">In June we became a house without teenagers when Asher turned 20 years old. His girlfriend, Davis, flew to Austin to help us celebrate. <br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikRshJ2lp_EN8QO91uJ_ijTCNuEsywgGCBIplB7fV1_kJOHgN7z1dB_ZUaGqxDqrsETAayqOA0NAO8lFRifltAMS0SOIX0gn1RAd4Ps0l9YDRVXHNyfhFelAf4RjzO6efy84fyqNXW15OuFQDhCGPU0DP7D6Bs7Wir4tfn0wQavqHtbEdEw/s3024/20230604_135248.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikRshJ2lp_EN8QO91uJ_ijTCNuEsywgGCBIplB7fV1_kJOHgN7z1dB_ZUaGqxDqrsETAayqOA0NAO8lFRifltAMS0SOIX0gn1RAd4Ps0l9YDRVXHNyfhFelAf4RjzO6efy84fyqNXW15OuFQDhCGPU0DP7D6Bs7Wir4tfn0wQavqHtbEdEw/s320/20230604_135248.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Asher is currently in his junior year at Samford University pursuing a degree in Accounting, serving as the VP of Administration and Finance for the Interfraternity Council and applying for internships for his senior year. He plans to stay at Samford through 2026 to complete his Masters Degree.<br /> <p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Milaka</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">On May 23 we celebrated having my mother on this earth for 80 years. Unfortunately, we were not able to celebrate with her in person as she was gifted a positive COVID test for her birthday. She made it through the quarantine period unscathed, but very bored (praise God) and we were able to resume our weekly lunches quickly. We are thankful every day for her health and for her continued presence in our lives!<br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYF-ct69e8GdqjyH8hQexGx4tYU970MqHeCg-XYsuorc6Zff0lcvaNSxMyZMQhJ7HsliEOntO5UqkqbDjP8rA1nU9dJAeLdID9ZVkqRDTExAzcVXV9FYdkf3j16s8vK3zyMnNp3GrqLZtQJzXtbUP4wy42AwiXHlqwXYga0pXKVzxS586Uw/s1080/IMG_20230514_210520_480.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYF-ct69e8GdqjyH8hQexGx4tYU970MqHeCg-XYsuorc6Zff0lcvaNSxMyZMQhJ7HsliEOntO5UqkqbDjP8rA1nU9dJAeLdID9ZVkqRDTExAzcVXV9FYdkf3j16s8vK3zyMnNp3GrqLZtQJzXtbUP4wy42AwiXHlqwXYga0pXKVzxS586Uw/s320/IMG_20230514_210520_480.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">In May I also closed out my first year as Academic and College Advisor for Veritas Academy. I enjoyed helping our students plan their academic schedules and navigate the ins and outs of college applications. I absolutely adored traveling and learning about different colleges and universities and their respective communities. I loved it so much that every time I set foot on a college/university campus I felt called to be in THAT environment - the world of higher education. So I started searching job listings at the University of Texas. Long story short, on August 14 I started as the Office Manager for the Department of Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas. </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">The journey to this job - and the job itself - is 100% a God thing and I will be happy to relate the entire journey over dinner or a cup of coffee. I'm exactly where I am supposed to be doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. I love everything about this job and the people with whom I work. Every day when I see the UT Tower, I smile and thank God for where He has placed me. And, as an added bonus, my brother teaches in the Department, so it's a family affair!<br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJxCdg_dsAvNBHAlXWkOG6e6edycejTW_A1c80E1P6kZaxgZDDfsgKPUJyNf4MRjh9iJnmc2ZTyqzd7q3XxfGnzwtf-JDUZUMLESQ1V2lpXvi00umWCErqtGmy3ZvoK9n3GadxppeKTCFr8WVFtqcx2mJkcyRIw_4uwYdwZM8vcumMzVHPw/s3024/20230814_180101.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJxCdg_dsAvNBHAlXWkOG6e6edycejTW_A1c80E1P6kZaxgZDDfsgKPUJyNf4MRjh9iJnmc2ZTyqzd7q3XxfGnzwtf-JDUZUMLESQ1V2lpXvi00umWCErqtGmy3ZvoK9n3GadxppeKTCFr8WVFtqcx2mJkcyRIw_4uwYdwZM8vcumMzVHPw/s320/20230814_180101.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But the best part about 2023 was when I became a great aunt in August. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0br2cp3HpvX8oApK3DcgxiBzg_yhxWdfMVZocLQqUm5xtVrjGXnxpMyHeUuqDPtNSjMDg96LPRmxeTAemLWH_THj6RDvm3_fqhqzIHxbdWsVX-yTqSfmZX2cVB3RcMwFq_-EahWH9RpnQlVRfcDaaLFfW-umqOEeEauCjEd0roWPvS0c8Eg/s960/49052(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0br2cp3HpvX8oApK3DcgxiBzg_yhxWdfMVZocLQqUm5xtVrjGXnxpMyHeUuqDPtNSjMDg96LPRmxeTAemLWH_THj6RDvm3_fqhqzIHxbdWsVX-yTqSfmZX2cVB3RcMwFq_-EahWH9RpnQlVRfcDaaLFfW-umqOEeEauCjEd0roWPvS0c8Eg/s320/49052(1).jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Introducing Josephine Marie - my brother's granddaughter! <br />She's absolutely perfect. We are more in love with her every day. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gordon</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">Gordon's niece, Madeline, married the love of her life, Will, on May 13. We had a wonderful time celebrating with the Falk family and getting to know Will and his family. <br /></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37J4TrnSZOMO8pQJBFwOql1U-Bca0ZTb-kuCob72TokmXiGBkSzHVwXV8_i69V7q0wBsD0G6V7rK8jnh9aqScrYt6W8UDIo1H5f5lfIhyphenhyphenk_SNTzHDd8lthuxaEUKaMYLyp76TA_mRvdDIvcwtm4hh22nuwBQoWLkZX0pdn9Pcpb81UDHJuw/s4032/20230513_221958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37J4TrnSZOMO8pQJBFwOql1U-Bca0ZTb-kuCob72TokmXiGBkSzHVwXV8_i69V7q0wBsD0G6V7rK8jnh9aqScrYt6W8UDIo1H5f5lfIhyphenhyphenk_SNTzHDd8lthuxaEUKaMYLyp76TA_mRvdDIvcwtm4hh22nuwBQoWLkZX0pdn9Pcpb81UDHJuw/s320/20230513_221958.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">All the siblings together to celebrate!</span><br /></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrtVHQihJW1xaGXqTL6MmPDxInlNLwj4IpgxgZsjI7x2CDHO1TFVDU0REu4NhpIWuyj-Ho6GJyViluL1CKCNQ0HQfWQDNa7syshgXIiiy5sF-r722p3v3DSwjxY0HAdU6Ps8di7zRs0cXYp_e2lj32sqzKXJNu_yHNIEoZ1YJNlk460hk0w/s2048/IMG_6850.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrtVHQihJW1xaGXqTL6MmPDxInlNLwj4IpgxgZsjI7x2CDHO1TFVDU0REu4NhpIWuyj-Ho6GJyViluL1CKCNQ0HQfWQDNa7syshgXIiiy5sF-r722p3v3DSwjxY0HAdU6Ps8di7zRs0cXYp_e2lj32sqzKXJNu_yHNIEoZ1YJNlk460hk0w/s320/IMG_6850.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Welcome to the family, Will!</span><br /></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcOAFf7QbQJJ8wptkKHVBsFc_nkgTD1i_UC1HDzHdun-nyG9-v5mZl3oqXDuW2VnQAY1puQPzgO_Bl5-mEf6sSa6mBzbTN7uANf_FS7NnxpG1CuzmtvArko5aRowLLxnSbmOvpIekrxGxBImmErB03sxKOEiKVUg_ZAzQgkY-9aq-aIoD3g/s4032/20230513_223725.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcOAFf7QbQJJ8wptkKHVBsFc_nkgTD1i_UC1HDzHdun-nyG9-v5mZl3oqXDuW2VnQAY1puQPzgO_Bl5-mEf6sSa6mBzbTN7uANf_FS7NnxpG1CuzmtvArko5aRowLLxnSbmOvpIekrxGxBImmErB03sxKOEiKVUg_ZAzQgkY-9aq-aIoD3g/s320/20230513_223725.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">In October, Gordon flew to Chicago to celebrate what would have been his brother, Scott's, 60th birthday. All of the siblings were able to attend and participate in the Red Cross blood drive that was held in Scott's honor. (Scott was very active in the Red Cross and was a huge advocate for blood donation.)<br /></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijYvjNqXsADgMwZSvbt7yzTVaDzq-KV__tHTroTCU_ydPaNcsg5JJqJrJ9ij8WVEsaBSyOLysyLEQB9z2BnYPIeFXJWFv_L4C-dHDo5bi4yBc-WFVPp20J_Eykg6N65ga8Rr3kQv8qKKb8j4XtpwrlfHCe66JAVfkzAjQdUsVkOCvjBa477Q/s2048/392749630_10160874464616308_869784098544312972_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1359" data-original-width="2048" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijYvjNqXsADgMwZSvbt7yzTVaDzq-KV__tHTroTCU_ydPaNcsg5JJqJrJ9ij8WVEsaBSyOLysyLEQB9z2BnYPIeFXJWFv_L4C-dHDo5bi4yBc-WFVPp20J_Eykg6N65ga8Rr3kQv8qKKb8j4XtpwrlfHCe66JAVfkzAjQdUsVkOCvjBa477Q/s320/392749630_10160874464616308_869784098544312972_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Becky, Gordon, Maggie, Kim and Tammy with Scott's Red Cross vest he wore on <br />several occasions while volunteering. </span><br /></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2KIhq7dNNaELX2qFihjhS8ntsrCiWtLUnGNiUybajGW0oJfMYAR3ep6X-11m2VIJ_giQ1IwJ_BDhEXLMwRuGfs_kQ_-tLs_Og0KD_PDggwbVLIKhViSQedku0XYAcWaiJFykU6DMVG5Ec7tiSzVh8lakoLtRfmvGk2v1F_yoo5d4BDaNng/s2048/392752860_10160874464111308_4043572869639178282_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1534" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2KIhq7dNNaELX2qFihjhS8ntsrCiWtLUnGNiUybajGW0oJfMYAR3ep6X-11m2VIJ_giQ1IwJ_BDhEXLMwRuGfs_kQ_-tLs_Og0KD_PDggwbVLIKhViSQedku0XYAcWaiJFykU6DMVG5Ec7tiSzVh8lakoLtRfmvGk2v1F_yoo5d4BDaNng/s320/392752860_10160874464111308_4043572869639178282_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">Tragically, two weeks after Scott's event, Gordon's younger sister, Becky, passed away in her sleep. The loss of our FAB (Fabulous Aunt Becky) is immense. There will never be another like her. We were comforted by the vast outpouring of love from her friends and colleagues. Her memorial service was standing room only and just confirmed what we already knew - that she was exceptional and is irreplaceable. <br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmV6gVjRsJbzeIeZG7RoMmLMJxm4OuF9fMlUyM57J-SLa_OTqhqEzblp0Rr_2SSjfzfQeMRnDezFlJkM7lGiUxFIKoKG6j6e8GI-3MM_w8OWhAL6Me8eAwGnatyR7uVLxHxDlgAWQiz0ljUWhYs0J425Hvtd_TT4Bv6FEj2U0jsjJiI-DvWA/s2592/IMG_0668.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmV6gVjRsJbzeIeZG7RoMmLMJxm4OuF9fMlUyM57J-SLa_OTqhqEzblp0Rr_2SSjfzfQeMRnDezFlJkM7lGiUxFIKoKG6j6e8GI-3MM_w8OWhAL6Me8eAwGnatyR7uVLxHxDlgAWQiz0ljUWhYs0J425Hvtd_TT4Bv6FEj2U0jsjJiI-DvWA/s320/IMG_0668.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj750UdiRUuwn2S1ddb7UrmihfSj10_TYh5amP_0St8R83R4B2hlRWDLjbi58rhcUBLW5wzp-shv_g1h5IKuk0kKBHv7gdiIBX8MYz5sBet_tuY7b0K7FKnrSlwpbx375GWFQLjXsH7gtKsloy5MKEwaKAzE944l-3mhURaaMBStfdhwryYpQ/s1182/1FD5AE1A-96D9-4648-B9F4-18FF0DCC74E1_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="665" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj750UdiRUuwn2S1ddb7UrmihfSj10_TYh5amP_0St8R83R4B2hlRWDLjbi58rhcUBLW5wzp-shv_g1h5IKuk0kKBHv7gdiIBX8MYz5sBet_tuY7b0K7FKnrSlwpbx375GWFQLjXsH7gtKsloy5MKEwaKAzE944l-3mhURaaMBStfdhwryYpQ/s320/1FD5AE1A-96D9-4648-B9F4-18FF0DCC74E1_1_105_c.jpeg" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p>And that brings us to the "intersection of reflection and anticipation". </p><p>Reflections on 2023: Savor every moment with family and friends. Tell someone that you love them NOW. Tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone so make today count. And life is too short not to chase your dream job. </p><p>Anticipation for 2024: To savor every moment with family and friends! </p><p>If you are reading this - WE LOVE YOU and you are special to our family. Thank you for being a part of our lives, however far away you are geographically. We are thankful for YOU!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">Merry Christmas</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May you experience the Joy that was brought into the world through <br />Jesus Christ this holiday season.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With love from the Falk Family </span><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p>Milaka Falkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01170166125372243607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-38317137485456663022022-12-20T10:03:00.001-06:002022-12-20T10:41:38.712-06:00Falk Talk 2022<p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Merry Christmas!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Welcome to the 2022 edition of Falk Talk!</span></b></p><p>I don't know about you, but I may be feeling a slight inkling of . . . what is that . . . normalcy??? <br />Let's look back on the year and see how far we've come. </p><p>On January 1, 2022 my dear friend Jill and I flew to New York City for two jam-packed days to fulfill a promise we made in 2019 - to see Moulin Rouge on Broadway. Turns out, the star of the weekend was the evening we spent watching the original cast of Hadestown. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7z1wPiAVlAGIWCneB5IU3r7ZNQuuDDj0p6o9OhyLF-1jygLOfDBiRJgHhjAPHTqX4fm_jhPheIpd3ghRf6F1CYN1HARTeVRgTS8gZd6KvvZmtIfgQ_5nQM4ZBdJO8odE1qvoM7SSpSYm2sP3SLBVuMGjtTH-HVLBkEgLT9oEQx1AFx6c/s2048/IMG_2631.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7z1wPiAVlAGIWCneB5IU3r7ZNQuuDDj0p6o9OhyLF-1jygLOfDBiRJgHhjAPHTqX4fm_jhPheIpd3ghRf6F1CYN1HARTeVRgTS8gZd6KvvZmtIfgQ_5nQM4ZBdJO8odE1qvoM7SSpSYm2sP3SLBVuMGjtTH-HVLBkEgLT9oEQx1AFx6c/s320/IMG_2631.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>But we can NOT downplay Moulin Rouge, the Museum of Modern Art, the drunk man on the subway reliving New Year's Eve, COVID testing lines on every block, the fire alarm at 4:00 a.m. and the TSA agent who clearly did NOT like me (ask for the story some time). I will always treasure those brief 72 hours. <p></p><p>The next highlight was getting to watch our Princess be baptized on January 9 at her beloved Birmingham church home, Redeemer Community Church. Her college pastor choked up as he introduced her. The morning was made that much more special because her best friend and college roommate was also baptized that morning!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxoodaygq0-tqRSj1xSh4F_QJjppTx06c0zBf5iNUG28SUot7xdw3QYto09PR7lrrPhWsG-8TjtoOstvIHXh-FgyzshM_aoPWEyow7zCAC6WmXKcfb8SJFL9tipQsqVWl0Hs3_umwX27h1VhXCoLAyY8kUeEdc0zEN2oa45QtT2YFCoQ/s4032/20220109_093549.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxoodaygq0-tqRSj1xSh4F_QJjppTx06c0zBf5iNUG28SUot7xdw3QYto09PR7lrrPhWsG-8TjtoOstvIHXh-FgyzshM_aoPWEyow7zCAC6WmXKcfb8SJFL9tipQsqVWl0Hs3_umwX27h1VhXCoLAyY8kUeEdc0zEN2oa45QtT2YFCoQ/s320/20220109_093549.jpg" width="180" /></a> <br /></div><p>Later in January we enjoyed watching Buddy's debut in Samford University's long standing tradition called "Step Sing". Just Google it. And watch the Sigma Chi entry from last year. You won't be disappointed! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaa-gTTe5eEJ6lGnX3xfh_kn2Q-bAmufb63XtAHRY4Ug63Xbsde52xHTk-DlM85jTk6ZLAr_-PGXJux6fyhnE-UJDWZcznlF9R_Z-_0B-PGZOfw8G2OAVfXQkJvX2AeZWfNb3e_ofGPuvMI8OXtksbZSU4u2YLEd67RIlf-J7RZEy7XI/s1080/B36901B3-.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaa-gTTe5eEJ6lGnX3xfh_kn2Q-bAmufb63XtAHRY4Ug63Xbsde52xHTk-DlM85jTk6ZLAr_-PGXJux6fyhnE-UJDWZcznlF9R_Z-_0B-PGZOfw8G2OAVfXQkJvX2AeZWfNb3e_ofGPuvMI8OXtksbZSU4u2YLEd67RIlf-J7RZEy7XI/s320/B36901B3-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>In April we not only celebrated 22 years of Princess, but we celebrated her graduation from college! She walked across the stage on April 29 and we couldn't have been more proud of her. She worked the summer at Camp ASCCA before coming back to Austin to begin her Masters in Public Health at the University of Texas at Austin.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_evvFHe0tcNAPv6LWR5rUIHs3CspT__wLyr2ljvZh26l5rxRGxg2BpiCy1RHbNHjHUpWLZHLi05Nlz2QfxSJkkJTNPKjyDQowDvKR7Rwf40t6_VryHl_nlTfKskF5-baQQKJcPZ8ppA_bV_iBjeJQuKI_b_Y4Z9YXAPNx_NJ4D89fJ6s/s1600/IMG_2653.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_evvFHe0tcNAPv6LWR5rUIHs3CspT__wLyr2ljvZh26l5rxRGxg2BpiCy1RHbNHjHUpWLZHLi05Nlz2QfxSJkkJTNPKjyDQowDvKR7Rwf40t6_VryHl_nlTfKskF5-baQQKJcPZ8ppA_bV_iBjeJQuKI_b_Y4Z9YXAPNx_NJ4D89fJ6s/w287-h215/IMG_2653.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><p>May brought Buddy back home for the summer and saw my return to the stage in Austin Shakespeare Company's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream (my favorite Shakespeare play) in Zilker Park. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of that production. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2mwUH350ZIXuxfMLPQDIHKj7F18iKvfLJ3WtrC2FkwMk6hT5ZZ_tWGXgZ7T5mFoiizemO8vjJ0-s6FdFYF8V637iEe4tRBdGTWZkV1t6OOOHbDmVDTGHTgY3SmHV_0PByj7BWG3JoiaeIBhORKum54f8phC63Egq6fOJDD3c2ZdhiGk/s4032/20220430_180234.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2mwUH350ZIXuxfMLPQDIHKj7F18iKvfLJ3WtrC2FkwMk6hT5ZZ_tWGXgZ7T5mFoiizemO8vjJ0-s6FdFYF8V637iEe4tRBdGTWZkV1t6OOOHbDmVDTGHTgY3SmHV_0PByj7BWG3JoiaeIBhORKum54f8phC63Egq6fOJDD3c2ZdhiGk/w144-h192/20220430_180234.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoZhlm3ppYRDk6kXXoOjZNkHZigUFAJ0qa9A7Erjt3n8oY-QYLNbZnqURo43NuCvuQ6uXH1H-V-nz5fVBAZDE8xRfj_XPDyAs-WkCILVqjYPzZKp07sbBUtXIIsZsKrk2cJDA-ENpD9XEzfYq0Cohu-tDXHGsHZgUWXVIaXDVjdptk5M/s1280/IMG_2824.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoZhlm3ppYRDk6kXXoOjZNkHZigUFAJ0qa9A7Erjt3n8oY-QYLNbZnqURo43NuCvuQ6uXH1H-V-nz5fVBAZDE8xRfj_XPDyAs-WkCILVqjYPzZKp07sbBUtXIIsZsKrk2cJDA-ENpD9XEzfYq0Cohu-tDXHGsHZgUWXVIaXDVjdptk5M/w156-h208/IMG_2824.jpg" width="156" /></a></div><p> </p><p>Also in May, my lovely niece married the love of her life in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in the exact place her parents said "I do". </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvBs3_TG-jMa4ymx0OVJyUwzAPbPG6_NvtZKMLtVnBWYiM_8WXIpq70TkA0A3r9ah_dSWRer0w93syJUEf3eDIjGZNhaClqbdkOHc1VCrCBDl7PrS7iBxgCSMrGnSbiMRq79HQefVXlA0hDBspHyUUL56OibI0-xuwsejjc1bi01XUvk/s6545/6V2A5461.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4280" data-original-width="6545" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvBs3_TG-jMa4ymx0OVJyUwzAPbPG6_NvtZKMLtVnBWYiM_8WXIpq70TkA0A3r9ah_dSWRer0w93syJUEf3eDIjGZNhaClqbdkOHc1VCrCBDl7PrS7iBxgCSMrGnSbiMRq79HQefVXlA0hDBspHyUUL56OibI0-xuwsejjc1bi01XUvk/s320/6V2A5461.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>May was busy! It was the month that I said good-bye to teaching middle school theatre and began a new chapter as Academic and College Advisor for Veritas Academy. </p><p>AND Gordon consolidated two learning centers into one, closing our location in Cedar Park.</p><p>In June, we rested.<br /></p><p>On July 5 we had to say good-bye to our beloved Calvin. He was a good boy and we miss him dearly. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEIuNXF6ylBUVgy8P_q3EMbv8-ffnB0J-BV5u485aaIZA0S5jkj0e4csKSE__7DimcQgO3X_TUyEWDwhpeGwwVxpFf1-E3ceSEFBiVeflgE9agax8_TFJqw7ngXTkdTifd87ak7mOI0cFPAvV8JzwmiuDXGHK_HpRWVBMbXNpHWpcVhs/s1100/IMG_20220318_121651_170.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="880" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEIuNXF6ylBUVgy8P_q3EMbv8-ffnB0J-BV5u485aaIZA0S5jkj0e4csKSE__7DimcQgO3X_TUyEWDwhpeGwwVxpFf1-E3ceSEFBiVeflgE9agax8_TFJqw7ngXTkdTifd87ak7mOI0cFPAvV8JzwmiuDXGHK_HpRWVBMbXNpHWpcVhs/s320/IMG_20220318_121651_170.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><p>This summer for vacation, instead of going to Palm Springs, Gordon and I took a trip to the mountains of New Mexico. We opted for cooler this year! We had a wonderful time walking down the main street of Ruidoso, getting caught in a thunderstorm on a mountain and going to the horse races. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy7C5u58nFScoOXlksp16UG4AXeJwZmelBST3kHalhtwC4wd_LVyoJUPXxtsgSDLDUuniopwhP8IaE' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>Live performances are making their way back! Gordon and I were able to go to TWO live music events: Rufus Wainwright in September ... </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrwCvGqPysfIGjgmy_Yrwc2iL6thJOpBH7vqV7r0N39ZzLdd82PQJHa_90WrJaYPSQT862Sbl6S_8ewZIYyZr9Bm1aieuYy6CeW8Nm7T2dlIB3R6TCq6m0GfFjRqF_FMSowfGYwxwL1clXS4pcSKa_bPmrMzGdwIg3SSoHeLP7rJI4y8/s4032/20220915_211131.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrwCvGqPysfIGjgmy_Yrwc2iL6thJOpBH7vqV7r0N39ZzLdd82PQJHa_90WrJaYPSQT862Sbl6S_8ewZIYyZr9Bm1aieuYy6CeW8Nm7T2dlIB3R6TCq6m0GfFjRqF_FMSowfGYwxwL1clXS4pcSKa_bPmrMzGdwIg3SSoHeLP7rJI4y8/s320/20220915_211131.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>... and Sir Elton John in San Antonio in October. It was truly a delight. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiCM9nfs2bPBGWu4_F1wFyLa3bFL-tm5RJlYdJM_V1WncTfxyaA4VwycFl8AI8VFOOvJb8IH58TLQ8IYI54lYXCZYFRT1bzdpIbr-pPa2KP2u9eHcd83KdlktTPfCD9l93Bqd0mNBJs9qqFBemqeJ62m4HIapN4YzX8qY6sP_3FqrrBE/s4032/20221029_223335.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiCM9nfs2bPBGWu4_F1wFyLa3bFL-tm5RJlYdJM_V1WncTfxyaA4VwycFl8AI8VFOOvJb8IH58TLQ8IYI54lYXCZYFRT1bzdpIbr-pPa2KP2u9eHcd83KdlktTPfCD9l93Bqd0mNBJs9qqFBemqeJ62m4HIapN4YzX8qY6sP_3FqrrBE/s320/20221029_223335.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Throughout the year Gordon and I were blessed to once again partner with our church to be a mentor couple to a young adult small group Bible study. We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these young men and women and come alongside them in their spiritual journey. Nothing keeps you young (or reminds you that you're old) like hanging out with twenty/thirty-somethings on a regular basis!<br /></p><p>We spent Thanksgiving with the Falk side of the family. We gave thanks not only for the blessing of being together again, but of a Michigan victory over Ohio State for the second year in a row! GO BLUE!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8kbI3gVe1PlY9a5KLqXpDbDwPxghO1ZY1MVWezhfx2Yw72TUI2ZWLeFrRFvojUlhk7qL-IpfWxYw_Gz1yO2RWC8s9qHOzKxv_popR33TxMtvTjhCh0RB4cbuwp-7Jsb5H-3tYp8R-bKji8JAzFq3D1JGe0cnBpFe-SAFCsF895TKCRk/s2048/1000001093.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="2048" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8kbI3gVe1PlY9a5KLqXpDbDwPxghO1ZY1MVWezhfx2Yw72TUI2ZWLeFrRFvojUlhk7qL-IpfWxYw_Gz1yO2RWC8s9qHOzKxv_popR33TxMtvTjhCh0RB4cbuwp-7Jsb5H-3tYp8R-bKji8JAzFq3D1JGe0cnBpFe-SAFCsF895TKCRk/s320/1000001093.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_kivq2lS41vIX3naxFtYfT49UQPReTgrGAy6vthWuS8yaPwXDzg72sh8qAwTm0Y7HAHqmym5jHadXNCto6zR54ZgL08MCerrcBkEE_-trQX0LREo3xqlI9TuI7hGtrk0JIr-hPTPd9_JjgsjUwO85ngyO1kzSsdoBuucn0GeZnsC-oQ/s800/IMG_1935.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_kivq2lS41vIX3naxFtYfT49UQPReTgrGAy6vthWuS8yaPwXDzg72sh8qAwTm0Y7HAHqmym5jHadXNCto6zR54ZgL08MCerrcBkEE_-trQX0LREo3xqlI9TuI7hGtrk0JIr-hPTPd9_JjgsjUwO85ngyO1kzSsdoBuucn0GeZnsC-oQ/s320/IMG_1935.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p> </p><p>And that brings us to December! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcbLIRekYBIWTQzboMJ9hS-Nbc2K8I8Iky0_7y_P0vHO4suB9CIxOci01u6opo5PGpem_qKX6D8B4FJYvtPKxZKAwzABUF9pxbwVXBoS7t0N8Ro74PFeyqXGMLAnn7RGp9irXQN7XW_TSBCOmZz7VKxJ07JBJgmFC1790ITm6kWvvzTU/s3780/IMG_20221210_102032_452.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcbLIRekYBIWTQzboMJ9hS-Nbc2K8I8Iky0_7y_P0vHO4suB9CIxOci01u6opo5PGpem_qKX6D8B4FJYvtPKxZKAwzABUF9pxbwVXBoS7t0N8Ro74PFeyqXGMLAnn7RGp9irXQN7XW_TSBCOmZz7VKxJ07JBJgmFC1790ITm6kWvvzTU/w257-h320/IMG_20221210_102032_452.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_om2PRtClbGt1L4MVShc0kRB_EPNE4Mr4-wfHYLezcbmJq2MqePleUVcK01O5JhPn-xrKyXYYnZyXE1Tqfm_oh-7C_a3LsnuURLHowOewOcUlO8SOqKLwzl7JHurdWoCiQqxU0o10zmriVnSvUeJDggUz3eBj-bfOnkz49bN2_-bsZco/s4032/20221216_142259%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_om2PRtClbGt1L4MVShc0kRB_EPNE4Mr4-wfHYLezcbmJq2MqePleUVcK01O5JhPn-xrKyXYYnZyXE1Tqfm_oh-7C_a3LsnuURLHowOewOcUlO8SOqKLwzl7JHurdWoCiQqxU0o10zmriVnSvUeJDggUz3eBj-bfOnkz49bN2_-bsZco/s320/20221216_142259%202.jpeg" width="240" /></a> </p><p>A time to reflect on the challenges and victories of the past 12 months. <br />A time to cherish those still with us and mourn those who have gone on. <br />A time to look ahead with hope.<br /></p><p>A time to celebrate the birth of the <span class="ILfuVd" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc">Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace</span></span>. (Our
church has been studying these names of Christ this season and it's
been a beautiful series. The sermons are posted on YouTube under Austin
Oaks Church if you are curious.)</p><p>We pray that you and yours will find rest and peace this holiday season. <br />Please let us know how you are doing! <br /></p>Milaka Falkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01170166125372243607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-41061525487886039272021-12-13T17:31:00.001-06:002021-12-13T17:31:23.245-06:00Falk Talk 2021<p>So . . . after a two year hiatus, the Falks are back with Falk Talk. Last year we opted to skip a wrap up of 2020 hoping to put all of that mess behind us. Yes, we're laughing at that, too. </p><p>But 2020 and 2021 were not all bad. Not at all. Here are some wonderful highlights of the last two years. </p><p>In the summer of 2020 we broke out of our Austin lock down and decided to "isolate" on the beach at South Padre Island. There was plenty of room to social distance, we rented a wonderful condo with an ocean view, and we got to take in some parasailing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRDXxswcBkaFkJJinH29zpicL_SKSJoACeemqSpPUEhdtNHHCh9RZP8sCrOOfI_ZNrlVVFcRYlx1Vq4B4wT2U1V3uTEsE1LRr_XXC_VRT7l6x0ItZkRfW-r2tk-JIlCynUss/s2048/20200712_114641.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRDXxswcBkaFkJJinH29zpicL_SKSJoACeemqSpPUEhdtNHHCh9RZP8sCrOOfI_ZNrlVVFcRYlx1Vq4B4wT2U1V3uTEsE1LRr_XXC_VRT7l6x0ItZkRfW-r2tk-JIlCynUss/s320/20200712_114641.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>We were not able to go to Michigan for Thanksgiving in 2020, but we were able to smoke a couple of turkeys and have Milaka's family over for a feast in the back yard. God bless the mild Texas autumns!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg65LmxPXzLDgzY_jlLMfAcJp2mdDcxmbcDtlEUw1yXHO69hMQmI3d0qpN0_9VnnwCv0OR-FwwPrl7oGQq3pBMugLlyMLGcLFEcG5phRqFxQ320256-TCUhtvSuHDq-kQV91xo/s2048/20201127_110112.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg65LmxPXzLDgzY_jlLMfAcJp2mdDcxmbcDtlEUw1yXHO69hMQmI3d0qpN0_9VnnwCv0OR-FwwPrl7oGQq3pBMugLlyMLGcLFEcG5phRqFxQ320256-TCUhtvSuHDq-kQV91xo/s320/20201127_110112.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>For Christmas, we were (once again) able to take advantage of the mild weather and have Milaka's family over to exchange presents outside. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYM7rPPgTW4rCDVN-W4_xJGmGmkHPeaKQEWO5kOSju-bMaNmH6qLXcviy1IARSKIgeM4YHhIw2hMj30e83bi1__hY8ZTAwfHyIc5INscoMP_TV82WfnO8MasA-yDTPArCOHw/s2048/20201225_162434.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYM7rPPgTW4rCDVN-W4_xJGmGmkHPeaKQEWO5kOSju-bMaNmH6qLXcviy1IARSKIgeM4YHhIw2hMj30e83bi1__hY8ZTAwfHyIc5INscoMP_TV82WfnO8MasA-yDTPArCOHw/s320/20201225_162434.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2CF2dRBQVf-OWvk5OiXOLhSsHPx-jkt8Jd1ARSkhyXmcw59QnYAV2G9JdOg-eNA5ms-fiHAS4WWn-pu__bKi_ntw7CevkNDP5A-MybByBbxFXGdobDAZTMy7fYGZDERJF44/s2048/20201225_125822.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2CF2dRBQVf-OWvk5OiXOLhSsHPx-jkt8Jd1ARSkhyXmcw59QnYAV2G9JdOg-eNA5ms-fiHAS4WWn-pu__bKi_ntw7CevkNDP5A-MybByBbxFXGdobDAZTMy7fYGZDERJF44/s320/20201225_125822.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>We also took the opportunity for a family photo shoot. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFgBoIKTQo-TTwvTNkcT8LxvJTSQGqcopfYH7ysw4E3WkHXXeC7L3ABmKTjAR5dlCkok5RJ0DaUMl-E_q_A1hltQDW9jepjcqcwk5DG-uzdAI_u_oWB7xU9tIzJnqZoDfn7M/s2048/editedchristmas2020falks-2+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1463" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFgBoIKTQo-TTwvTNkcT8LxvJTSQGqcopfYH7ysw4E3WkHXXeC7L3ABmKTjAR5dlCkok5RJ0DaUMl-E_q_A1hltQDW9jepjcqcwk5DG-uzdAI_u_oWB7xU9tIzJnqZoDfn7M/s320/editedchristmas2020falks-2+copy.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvFfzwOBPHtGK4wZu_VT_CK6PN3uBZloNzaZFZmY_mkBmZegDrCjeido5A6Ir1Fx8WQPDqieNxoEoz2cnZKqHzPOW7Ze7q7bgI5zQsVpZ8jqzCZswEURW48_ctQF6LF_Ov20/s2048/editedchristmas2020falks-40.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvFfzwOBPHtGK4wZu_VT_CK6PN3uBZloNzaZFZmY_mkBmZegDrCjeido5A6Ir1Fx8WQPDqieNxoEoz2cnZKqHzPOW7Ze7q7bgI5zQsVpZ8jqzCZswEURW48_ctQF6LF_Ov20/s320/editedchristmas2020falks-40.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDi6fZfyBVi7s6rroHAsUlG9cnPMLGQ6XHwagLuYGdfU4F9x4zQcmUDmIMZyWvJk0AKYUBOlL_4ty1VXrJEdULXy_rTvsTdWLB9elJbCtfZyn8HsafEoiqBGz01qqhokng6M/s2048/editedchristmas2020falks-71.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1463" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDi6fZfyBVi7s6rroHAsUlG9cnPMLGQ6XHwagLuYGdfU4F9x4zQcmUDmIMZyWvJk0AKYUBOlL_4ty1VXrJEdULXy_rTvsTdWLB9elJbCtfZyn8HsafEoiqBGz01qqhokng6M/s320/editedchristmas2020falks-71.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><p></p><p>January fo 2021 we had the first snow day we'd had in a long time. We were so excited to see that little dusting of snow. We made little snowmen and hit each other with snowballs. It was so cute. We had no idea what was in store just a month later. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYp09G0DjcQw4uQkOsD-VJHn-ufe4sVkh4M-Bih1IxTZEIzJZzZEIkq9Jz2VQTDpWjWuIDahxYxPNBTNyu9M3zajbSRQNeTrk7xXsq7B0LCNXOTrVn3YCUjI2Ni_Vd2eFKx0/s2048/20210110_133746.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYp09G0DjcQw4uQkOsD-VJHn-ufe4sVkh4M-Bih1IxTZEIzJZzZEIkq9Jz2VQTDpWjWuIDahxYxPNBTNyu9M3zajbSRQNeTrk7xXsq7B0LCNXOTrVn3YCUjI2Ni_Vd2eFKx0/s320/20210110_133746.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3jmqe6QGqLHqCnPqk43qO2bSbwTqzOyu-N50dE7b7Jh0528TPGgf6qgUlWHWillo4hkwqxYj1HP-DJVIFFfTjhPxaFfljpHSBHIvKUqXKIprRCGKpIP2bqwEo80aHjgyL3s/s2048/20210111_090507.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3jmqe6QGqLHqCnPqk43qO2bSbwTqzOyu-N50dE7b7Jh0528TPGgf6qgUlWHWillo4hkwqxYj1HP-DJVIFFfTjhPxaFfljpHSBHIvKUqXKIprRCGKpIP2bqwEo80aHjgyL3s/s320/20210111_090507.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>Winter Story Uri will forever be referred to as "Snowpocalypse" by Texans. It was beautiful, but also terrible at the same time. The Falk House was very blessed because we never lost power (unlike some in adjacent neighborhoods), but we did lose running water for about 5 days. We boiled snow to make coffee! Gotta have coffee!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oWGQO4pOcisZYqzV8f0dXMP4tImA_uy-RuuD1L0PEPbBTryv_3aSit8KU_ActAJXK-oK9iVgI6kWkn5T2gRNpJC967zzLCK7PwmWYs2v34MRS942uZlQkxDIPTnjQ2xSYz0/s2048/20210215_150746.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oWGQO4pOcisZYqzV8f0dXMP4tImA_uy-RuuD1L0PEPbBTryv_3aSit8KU_ActAJXK-oK9iVgI6kWkn5T2gRNpJC967zzLCK7PwmWYs2v34MRS942uZlQkxDIPTnjQ2xSYz0/s320/20210215_150746.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxYw_EhsKDySxEeaQmfiJYUIG7Kfb2Te6dGCSxjBBHXt5IB4IO5WRtN2Nb4wTS1qAtbC2uTvrjmUePQnR2_RDRBbwIAfFuupmn0lladYPsBi-K-Goq_T-Or1ZSubr-5Jjrm8/s2048/20210217_194059.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxYw_EhsKDySxEeaQmfiJYUIG7Kfb2Te6dGCSxjBBHXt5IB4IO5WRtN2Nb4wTS1qAtbC2uTvrjmUePQnR2_RDRBbwIAfFuupmn0lladYPsBi-K-Goq_T-Or1ZSubr-5Jjrm8/s320/20210217_194059.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwodqIMYJRXJpwFgEb_WQVexAHZSsH4ZQwwAWj5co2SRR3Nm82DNuHiN7feAaTU5-98_cPUm-lwc-jKz86SE0JliKgn6lsyk7-XAwOUcRi-XTiTWDKkgcs85IpBL5Iadje-0/s2048/IMG_0977.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwodqIMYJRXJpwFgEb_WQVexAHZSsH4ZQwwAWj5co2SRR3Nm82DNuHiN7feAaTU5-98_cPUm-lwc-jKz86SE0JliKgn6lsyk7-XAwOUcRi-XTiTWDKkgcs85IpBL5Iadje-0/s320/IMG_0977.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimssUXWTcJNHJqZ1l_7o9ELI7U1JSoP00sZijVo4OMXb4nfQDlGkdLEI8PvXuHXQTRqf5WyoIKjFXy3rken3PVnEtHSdIl9juMdSFl0DN4WOmzqohQTexUfDuu5vfqboqWtvM/s2048/IMG_0979.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimssUXWTcJNHJqZ1l_7o9ELI7U1JSoP00sZijVo4OMXb4nfQDlGkdLEI8PvXuHXQTRqf5WyoIKjFXy3rken3PVnEtHSdIl9juMdSFl0DN4WOmzqohQTexUfDuu5vfqboqWtvM/s320/IMG_0979.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><p>Once things thawed out, Gordon and Milaka were able to serve with Austin Disaster Relief Network and help clear out a lot of damaged trees around the area. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_fL9LDrMZ48bc_L1n1ZP8xvh15v6VqtBz2t7w0oU1KuWzlO1VCvARcZgcQ-q1vaTKclTLoJOjlO3f3obBYMhXHWkQwTRQXwRHs2l_PjLXksMxJsSPimd0sOGFT6xEYqM_U0/s2048/20210227_172428.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_fL9LDrMZ48bc_L1n1ZP8xvh15v6VqtBz2t7w0oU1KuWzlO1VCvARcZgcQ-q1vaTKclTLoJOjlO3f3obBYMhXHWkQwTRQXwRHs2l_PjLXksMxJsSPimd0sOGFT6xEYqM_U0/s320/20210227_172428.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Our first born turned 21 and our youngest graduated from high school. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrseXgBePJX79U8DcCE43e_hJkcW3Byr-r5FgENHxMj31b7rN04cUdrKRvNeZW0FS8BUonpcqrkR-MMlNJr1hG_c3HxT18emCpg5bCBctR4DRoZQP3k-eA4oJ0Z7St4jBGoI/s2048/20210313_190604.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrseXgBePJX79U8DcCE43e_hJkcW3Byr-r5FgENHxMj31b7rN04cUdrKRvNeZW0FS8BUonpcqrkR-MMlNJr1hG_c3HxT18emCpg5bCBctR4DRoZQP3k-eA4oJ0Z7St4jBGoI/s320/20210313_190604.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqP9oMoNDxaYw3WiOySpJ-V-VjZozV2BY_0Ae7IyRc8CpEBMwa1sEYQn5v0SAACIMuKJmjQxCX99as-Nx-oxCbmRWOgT9z07tFhw7bXN7GLPG1ikBmnJsuylTkwBq9JpbvQI/s1004/joduhjEh-339293389.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="1004" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqP9oMoNDxaYw3WiOySpJ-V-VjZozV2BY_0Ae7IyRc8CpEBMwa1sEYQn5v0SAACIMuKJmjQxCX99as-Nx-oxCbmRWOgT9z07tFhw7bXN7GLPG1ikBmnJsuylTkwBq9JpbvQI/s320/joduhjEh-339293389.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Both kids are now attending Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. We are so excited that they are together on that beautiful campus!</p><p>In the fall the guys met up in Chicago for a wedding (and visited family) while the girls met up at Samford for Parents' Weekend. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzr6KR2HwMnNK-lH7K1JkI82Px0WSocO1k5yqSXEEWWVEQuiLF9hOOieRLIP4njpUv0LkwKpmAbq4rOLPuSg1oXEVrvIgqSPJVvd1loTTMvYRddemmYgEIZa2YMcvIVlmjt0/s2048/20210925_194427.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzr6KR2HwMnNK-lH7K1JkI82Px0WSocO1k5yqSXEEWWVEQuiLF9hOOieRLIP4njpUv0LkwKpmAbq4rOLPuSg1oXEVrvIgqSPJVvd1loTTMvYRddemmYgEIZa2YMcvIVlmjt0/s320/20210925_194427.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDZPl6bdaWZCFJgs_ohOIew_hii08NwhMC5BG81deC3cHDRplgMVC-7Lgj11UKuAXCLzV6xwQCH2LF3-j2hNcOOuURtAlUA-zomNQsPfGJo-JkMDC-pDU4kXiNK-V0o6fx60/s1832/image000000%25284%2529+%25282021-09-28T20_36_56.322%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1832" data-original-width="1374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDZPl6bdaWZCFJgs_ohOIew_hii08NwhMC5BG81deC3cHDRplgMVC-7Lgj11UKuAXCLzV6xwQCH2LF3-j2hNcOOuURtAlUA-zomNQsPfGJo-JkMDC-pDU4kXiNK-V0o6fx60/s320/image000000%25284%2529+%25282021-09-28T20_36_56.322%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>November saw us once again in Michigan with family celebrating a victory over Ohio State. GO BLUE!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlr-QEM41ayu1gebrXkivcI-fdiXvu7Z3tpPVoVbnQoN29kTOmBjvyleFLFewpY5Bm7AljwfWwugk3x_xh3oV2XttBNszZcJiX3Bws1LBhMtZKGDeA_a8JN2tFKnt7lRUmpAE/s1024/imagejpeg_4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlr-QEM41ayu1gebrXkivcI-fdiXvu7Z3tpPVoVbnQoN29kTOmBjvyleFLFewpY5Bm7AljwfWwugk3x_xh3oV2XttBNszZcJiX3Bws1LBhMtZKGDeA_a8JN2tFKnt7lRUmpAE/s320/imagejpeg_4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>That pretty much brings us up to date! </p><p>We certainly hope that your year has gone well and we are looking forward to seeing what blessings 2022 brings. <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Milaka Falkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01170166125372243607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-16603910875928027302019-12-26T17:16:00.005-06:002021-12-02T20:33:45.320-06:00Changing of the Decade!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy New Year!</span></div>
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Yes, Porch Talk is a little late this year. Time snuck up on me as it is wont to do. But . . . better late than not at all!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to the 2019 edition of Porch Talk</span></div>
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Princess had an eventful year. She finished out her freshman year on a high note and started her sophomore year strong. She is studying nutrition and dietetics at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama and she's loving every minute of it. (Well, maybe not the minutes leading up to finals, but you get the picture.) While at Samford, she is also a part-time nanny and a very active member of Zeta Tau Alpha. She's a busy young woman and we are very proud of her!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess and friends</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess organized a walking team in Birmingham!</td></tr>
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Buddy reached a milestone last summer when he passed his driver's test and got his license. We were able to buy him a "dope" car (a 2004 gold Buick Regal) so that he can drive himself to his first official job: a certified life guard at our local YMCA. He spends his time studying, guarding lives and playing basketball with friends. A junior in high school this year, he is starting to look at colleges. Yikes!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He passed!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddy and friends took a camping trip to Big Bend in July. Yes, it was hot. </td></tr>
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We opened a second GradePower location in 2018 and running both has kept Gordon pretty busy. He has found time, however, to complete several really cool home improvement projects and regularly feeds family and friends with amazing smoked meats.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new backyard dining area. Come visit!</td></tr>
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August found us both in Palm Springs again for the annual Flock of Grouse weekend of shenanigans. There was much eating, drinking and floating in the pool. Some people even played golf.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, it was hot.</td></tr>
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We also made time to go to a couple of little shows that came through Austin.<br />
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And we walked in the Austin JDRF One Walk in honor of our T1 Princess.<br />
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I'm still teaching 8th grade theatre at Veritas Academy as well as running the Study Hall program. This is my tenth year at the school and it never gets easier saying good-bye to the seniors.<br />
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Earlier in the summer I was able to travel to Michigan to represent Texas at my sister-in-law's retirement party. I was a fun and relaxing weekend with the family.<br />
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Speaking of family, I'm very proud to announce that my brother published TWO books this year AND his animated short is getting a lot of attention at film festivals around the world. (Lance's books can be found on Amazon.)<br />
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One of the biggest events of the year for me was playing Clairee in a production of Steel Magnolias at the EmilyAnn Theatre in Wimberley. It felt so good to get back on stage! I was truly blessed to be a part of this amazing group of women (and a few men) who bonded together to bring this story to life. I am forever changed!<br />
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Sadly, 2019 took from us one of the most vibrant and kind people I've ever had the privilege to know. Gordon's brother, Scott, passed away suddenly on May 17. His absence is felt not only in our family, but in his community. He had a big heart and shared it in every aspect of his life. His funeral was a beautiful celebration of that life.<br />
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We look forward to seeing what blessings 2020 brings not only to our family but to yours. Please stay in touch!<br />
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As always, we pray grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Milaka Falkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01170166125372243607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-48199647119817770152019-01-01T23:38:00.004-06:002021-12-02T20:33:58.695-06:00Farewell 2018So . . . 2018 is now officially history. I have some thoughts. <br />
2018 was one of the most life-changing years for me in a long time - good changes and bad. <br />
I lost two loving and wonderful men - my father to Alzheimer’s and my
brother-in-law to depression. One was anticipated, the other was
devastatingly sudden. <br />
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I learned how to count carbs and calculate insulin dosages. <br />
I saw my daughter walk across the stage and complete her primary
education. Three months later, we waved at her as we drove away from
her dorm 12 hours away from our front door. <br />
I saw a Banksy in London.<br />
I wept in front of a Monet in Paris.<br />
I ate escargot on the Champs-Élysées.<br />
I walked the narrow streets of Assisi. <br />
I saw Michelangelo's David. <br />
I experienced socialized medicine in Rome with my daughter. <br />
I visited the Italian countryside on which my grandfather fought for his country. <br />
I dozed on the beach in Cancun. <br />
I had wounds that I thought were healed reopen as a brave woman held up her right hand.<br />
I sang on a CD that was critically acclaimed. <br />
I watched dear friends struggle with loss, with health, with finances and with family.<br />
I taught myself how to make carbonara. <br />
I turned 50. <br />
I learned the true meaning of physical pain when I endured an infected tooth. <br />
And despite all the bad stuff, I will look back on 2018 with fondness.
I not only “survived”, I grew. I experienced all of the above,
absorbed it and tried to use it to better myself and those around me. <br />
There’s only one thing I would change about 2018, but the rest I will
use to make 2019 (and beyond) better for my family and for the world.
If you are reading this, that means YOU. <br />
I don’t pray flowers
and butterflies and perfection for you for 2019. That would not only be
boring, but it would be completely unrealistic. I pray for change, for
growth and for love. I pray for new people and experiences that you
remember for a lifetime. I pray that you endure the pain that this year
brings, and that you rest in the joy that is offered. I pray for
healing and for peace.<br />
And I pray that at the end of 2019, you
will thank this year for its lessons as you welcome 2020 with hope and
excitement for the growth to come.</div>
Milaka Falkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01170166125372243607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-61965320266331088852017-12-14T14:39:00.000-06:002022-12-22T14:36:06.426-06:00Porch Talk 2017Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!<br />
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It seems that every year I could start our wrap up post with "What a year it's been!" This will be no different. I suppose that if a year were to be boring, I would still use those words because THAT would be news!<br />
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<br />Milaka Falkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01170166125372243607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-50473170925821256882016-12-21T00:01:00.003-06:002022-12-22T14:36:00.529-06:00Falk Talk 2016<div style="text-align: center;">
MERRY CHRISTMAS!</div>
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Welcome to Falk Talk 2016</div>
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Even though 2016 has developed a reputation as a kind of a stinker of a year, it's been kind to the Falks. We pray that it has been kind to you, too!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Falks at the Lions' Thanksgiving Day game</td></tr>
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Princess had a great year. She started 2016 by getting her braces off! Woo hoo! Her diligence in following instructions and taking care of her teeth paid off with a beautiful smile. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4xgdGgI-Sz90Dw_TJ7qEueXWE5UIsdQ6rzwyk8tLPsr0qFvH1jarytGUqqhIPRTg2iJPSvdEis7iltRKiooe6dwpz6f8SGbYbRjKBQSqqrsS6yr8TsdGTzpP_ZOxs4g699U/s1600/20160128_120709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4xgdGgI-Sz90Dw_TJ7qEueXWE5UIsdQ6rzwyk8tLPsr0qFvH1jarytGUqqhIPRTg2iJPSvdEis7iltRKiooe6dwpz6f8SGbYbRjKBQSqqrsS6yr8TsdGTzpP_ZOxs4g699U/s320/20160128_120709.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No more braces!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">16th birthday dance party at Imagine Art studios</td></tr>
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This year has been a big one for her. In the spring she turned 16, got her license and got her first job. Over the summer she served as a volunteer for two church camps and participated in her own youth group's summer retreat. As a Junior in high school this year, she is the manager for her high school's girls soccer team (state
champs!), on the Student Congress as an Ambassador, is rocking two AP classes and still finds time to be incredibly social with many, many friends.<br />
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Buddy's year has been about sports and friends. He played in the Upward basketball league last winter and was able to play one of his last games of the season in the Frank Erwin Center - home of the Texas Longhorn basketball team! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvC_MzVEAwzZ_vEGvdPtVNO_FsXyk9klq-0THkpQmO0GQ3PevY7mptWc3ap0ZhdH0f8lWDVnQZD72ywx_w_liRNDTbUApkHowEysOsX0ECQQviDlml_yYQCTkPhle7krZvDGg/s1600/20160221_151523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvC_MzVEAwzZ_vEGvdPtVNO_FsXyk9klq-0THkpQmO0GQ3PevY7mptWc3ap0ZhdH0f8lWDVnQZD72ywx_w_liRNDTbUApkHowEysOsX0ECQQviDlml_yYQCTkPhle7krZvDGg/s320/20160221_151523.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hook 'em!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Lv51froJoVCeyyms5PSs5iKZ2XzvuXCgMxKJhen2mvfjiv9-G7PgPSHIRpCkB4rQ4-0Fx3rh9xJ3MX0PuhtiTBarchPvAVNdOc9-jWHKpuzx3lOimE7gOTbJuSTEE_opyUE/s1600/IMG_20160923_100436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Lv51froJoVCeyyms5PSs5iKZ2XzvuXCgMxKJhen2mvfjiv9-G7PgPSHIRpCkB4rQ4-0Fx3rh9xJ3MX0PuhtiTBarchPvAVNdOc9-jWHKpuzx3lOimE7gOTbJuSTEE_opyUE/s320/IMG_20160923_100436.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ouch. Not fun. </td></tr>
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He started out his 8th grade year playing football for his middle school. He was one game in when he broke his pinkie playing football with friends on the weekend. The cast came off in time for him to play the last game. Ever a team player, he worked out with the team for the whole season (non-contact drills per doctor's orders) and the coach rewarded him by playing him a good amount that last game. He really enjoyed himself and it was a blast to watch him!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go Cougars!</td></tr>
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Milaka wasn't on stage this year, but was very active behind the scenes. She currently serves on the board of directors for the <a href="http://www.kidsactingfoundation.org/" target="_blank">kidsActing Foundation</a>, the executive committee for the <a href="http://www.austinjewishrep.org/" target="_blank">Austin Jewish Repertory Theater</a>, volunteers with the <a href="http://thelongcenter.org/greater-austin-high-school-musical-theatre-awards/" target="_blank">Greater Austin High School Musical Theatre Awards</a>, and (of course) still teaches 8th grade Drama and high school Basics of Film at Veritas Academy. This year she was especially proud of the 8th graders' Midsummer Night's Dream showcase.<br />
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Gordon celebrated ten years as a franchisee of GradePower/Oxford Learning. He also serves as a volunteer for a local Trail Life chapter. Per his request, that is all the updates for Gordon. (He also had a big birthday . . . but we won't talk about that.)<br />
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This spring we took a family trip to the beach for Easter. We had a lot of fun combing the beach at all hours for anything that we could find . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4o0o6hq31YVkbdoOAoQ1SxIo7KvQ4MfZry8hwJFkHo6inpKR4h_9IBbsXS6w04pJLc6ePPQW3P22_zn8j8ubx5FY1PNsHpMeK3QB2iOCdJp7WtuXPmaABUm38z5V_w_F-2Q/s1600/IMG_20160325_164702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4o0o6hq31YVkbdoOAoQ1SxIo7KvQ4MfZry8hwJFkHo6inpKR4h_9IBbsXS6w04pJLc6ePPQW3P22_zn8j8ubx5FY1PNsHpMeK3QB2iOCdJp7WtuXPmaABUm38z5V_w_F-2Q/s320/IMG_20160325_164702.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYlZcb6q9h6EOXN7-z9m1FohaU5qOZRpHHJZzXMprZ6x7qn4jVnF7mm075K0YOwNWqQJwSuc8RwMEAkzErGYzXebwMDpuPYn4ezT5u_meMLJj7aunpGppOHrt1T13XXZXwbU/s1600/20160325_223453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYlZcb6q9h6EOXN7-z9m1FohaU5qOZRpHHJZzXMprZ6x7qn4jVnF7mm075K0YOwNWqQJwSuc8RwMEAkzErGYzXebwMDpuPYn4ezT5u_meMLJj7aunpGppOHrt1T13XXZXwbU/s320/20160325_223453.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUsvMBl2HJK4UAwobvxGUBD_G_orav3yhTVy9uGQc_idAH0vr5uOLBiVFAfbP6Qd_aSZSzlUi1iHtDWjUT-HbvbXa4Ohlkh1iUA5A3QiOC4jx4QMCFdgR9rcIErVVQwcbe5c/s1600/IMG_20160325_224404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUsvMBl2HJK4UAwobvxGUBD_G_orav3yhTVy9uGQc_idAH0vr5uOLBiVFAfbP6Qd_aSZSzlUi1iHtDWjUT-HbvbXa4Ohlkh1iUA5A3QiOC4jx4QMCFdgR9rcIErVVQwcbe5c/s320/IMG_20160325_224404.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0e5JdUGBOJ2KpAMOWAKl04wwyFmA55NEYfVtZ83wvdbQ_cpke2TF3FMl5vpxUXFIDVWN9wkrOXjIPAgTQ4vewhnTqrouzHDi3x5-P3AFG4mdIMUFVSi7SVIp77Z0jlYwgV-g/s1600/20160325_223504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0e5JdUGBOJ2KpAMOWAKl04wwyFmA55NEYfVtZ83wvdbQ_cpke2TF3FMl5vpxUXFIDVWN9wkrOXjIPAgTQ4vewhnTqrouzHDi3x5-P3AFG4mdIMUFVSi7SVIp77Z0jlYwgV-g/s320/20160325_223504.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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And, because it was a little nippy near the water, we rode go-karts! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjZ9VYk1zefSPQRyuxiCRVQIWv3JbKFwZIN2gms3irBDptfD7WeyvKS3G78aG01SenAnKq0TMvpMkpni9DjDt27Dtlx5xUrfk-RCrawvN21bxLce4QnjR1iOGqo2Gg6Q2tEI/s1600/Beach16_94118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjZ9VYk1zefSPQRyuxiCRVQIWv3JbKFwZIN2gms3irBDptfD7WeyvKS3G78aG01SenAnKq0TMvpMkpni9DjDt27Dtlx5xUrfk-RCrawvN21bxLce4QnjR1iOGqo2Gg6Q2tEI/s320/Beach16_94118.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And went to the Texas State Aquarium.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyW8SxU97yfsdf0ySnoKZS_cvoRk6OTc09_MYQws5ZOiroGQmJq5vh3ZiHnXkhDa3UsKawiCMQYE_txJKWkO_cnqaq4b06__OQcIzBM3VpEDDe1QoHo5ZSqeqKOuzl-esPlHY/s1600/Beach16_14639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyW8SxU97yfsdf0ySnoKZS_cvoRk6OTc09_MYQws5ZOiroGQmJq5vh3ZiHnXkhDa3UsKawiCMQYE_txJKWkO_cnqaq4b06__OQcIzBM3VpEDDe1QoHo5ZSqeqKOuzl-esPlHY/s320/Beach16_14639.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who's observing who?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Petting zoo - aquarium style</td></tr>
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In May, Gordon and Milaka celebrated 20 years of marriage by taking a trip to New Orleans. It was a wonderful trip! On the way, we stopped to catch up with a lifelong friend and Chopped champion - Christopher Thames. He made us a scrumptious meal at his restaurant, and we got to meet his business (and life) partner, Leon. A perfect start to a perfect weekend. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jt1Pn60XKJ0bfMuip48XYaRKcjcaroCZ5Bkq2bkLmsASgp_94iQ9riYdFxX0bto7WLO34WEz0gLG1G-61DFgAGoPfU_fF_wAQRXR9-g8B9AqLPl4cIeQeofjmUkXFRg3NwE/s1600/NOLA174513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jt1Pn60XKJ0bfMuip48XYaRKcjcaroCZ5Bkq2bkLmsASgp_94iQ9riYdFxX0bto7WLO34WEz0gLG1G-61DFgAGoPfU_fF_wAQRXR9-g8B9AqLPl4cIeQeofjmUkXFRg3NwE/s320/NOLA174513.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Grand Coteau Bistro with Christopher and Leon</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTMPiPle7XIB9TA02KR8uKlai7MaDzXsQk8wl1AIfjN0iG_G3PetYpsffZsH6WtTPtWZqxRbP3nSRoKWV1jHiYMGMCKfWku2DR_VCbpc_ePNU2M-MyDdZhPFIPaFDSY157xk/s1600/IMG_20160527_181007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTMPiPle7XIB9TA02KR8uKlai7MaDzXsQk8wl1AIfjN0iG_G3PetYpsffZsH6WtTPtWZqxRbP3nSRoKWV1jHiYMGMCKfWku2DR_VCbpc_ePNU2M-MyDdZhPFIPaFDSY157xk/s320/IMG_20160527_181007.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We still talk about this salad. For real!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Then for the Big Easy. We stayed right off of Bourbon Street.<br />
Just FYI - Bourbon Street is . . . . not really for those old enough to be celebrating 20 year anniversaries. We came, we saw, we ducked into a<a href="http://www.irvinmayfield.com/playhouse" target="_blank"> swanky jazz joint</a>, and then we left Bourbon Street quickly.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cWtErz_zf7l2nTTliA480odiyeUYCRfe-W8opY5usQsAtdHM-JqJxtafVgv6K4_9HH_fAsJWbh08QAXJmOYwQNv253OKwrSLYVVInho8PdQfyq-Jexwv_NskAlQsBd0hpCY/s1600/13254719_10154901143734115_5356439047825996450_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cWtErz_zf7l2nTTliA480odiyeUYCRfe-W8opY5usQsAtdHM-JqJxtafVgv6K4_9HH_fAsJWbh08QAXJmOYwQNv253OKwrSLYVVInho8PdQfyq-Jexwv_NskAlQsBd0hpCY/s320/13254719_10154901143734115_5356439047825996450_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Irvin Mayfield's was a wonderful sanctuary from the madness of Bourbon Street!</td></tr>
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However, the rest of New Orleans was magical.<br />
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We were served absinthe by a pirate in <a href="http://www.piratesalleycafe.com/home.html" target="_blank">Pirate's Alley</a>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_3hleGngpg64SOG1ov9y4g8kS7KGR949I0i2955XGpzIltWoBRkhMo4q_5bPOjCWfU5OIvVl2BjOtoH3jxtbzUwDTtzaUBTA4SLFV1e9ZXZC0eSOkDN10k3Q1ofFcIfRtSQ/s1600/Resized_20160529_153220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_3hleGngpg64SOG1ov9y4g8kS7KGR949I0i2955XGpzIltWoBRkhMo4q_5bPOjCWfU5OIvVl2BjOtoH3jxtbzUwDTtzaUBTA4SLFV1e9ZXZC0eSOkDN10k3Q1ofFcIfRtSQ/s320/Resized_20160529_153220.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pirate's Alley Cafe - our pirate gave us a very interesting history of absinthe. </td></tr>
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Ate beignets at <a href="http://www.cafedumonde.com/" target="_blank">Cafe du Monde</a> (well, Gordon did - Milaka had coffee with a LOT of powdered sugar).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEivq8_lDqEFdXMcdbrxVslat2Xi8TxW2ayatpgBNJXm4dklZQo0T4VwDBqylNqfi6VOZdr9OZkcLBzzlBYQlSoSm8PLpQ6uFsqoIHhbgKyRMwPQm1UzzRyFgr4ji5l8ICWDg/s1600/IMG_20160528_125112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEivq8_lDqEFdXMcdbrxVslat2Xi8TxW2ayatpgBNJXm4dklZQo0T4VwDBqylNqfi6VOZdr9OZkcLBzzlBYQlSoSm8PLpQ6uFsqoIHhbgKyRMwPQm1UzzRyFgr4ji5l8ICWDg/s320/IMG_20160528_125112.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One MUST experience Cafe du Monde at least once in a lifetime.<br />
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We were told by several locals that the place where THEY (the locals) like to congregate is Frenchman Street. The consensus was that Bourbon Street was for tourists, but if you just wanted to experience live music, good food and the New Orleans vibe, head to Frenchman. We LOVED Frenchman.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStl_WOtDLdkLcW59JqAHlwtb_mTaC821crHEwHVurd0HBqAtGZlUky2barAeeUBHJRx0B9BxFUv0SVJoAUJ-ywK1IQwFU_FjWas_zhv5FQX_0FgQUtXRufWRBOML7fouc3Jc/s1600/NOLA210115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStl_WOtDLdkLcW59JqAHlwtb_mTaC821crHEwHVurd0HBqAtGZlUky2barAeeUBHJRx0B9BxFUv0SVJoAUJ-ywK1IQwFU_FjWas_zhv5FQX_0FgQUtXRufWRBOML7fouc3Jc/s320/NOLA210115.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Frenchman Art Market</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw this fantastic group at The Maison. Not sure the official name of the group, but we bought the CD titled "<a href="http://www.bradwalker.me/home" target="_blank">Brad Walker Quintet</a>" so . . . I'm thinking that's it? Regardless, this is what the NOLA experience is all about. </td></tr>
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And, the pinnacle of the weekend (for Milaka) was the trek to complete a bucket list item. (At least, it was Milaka's bucket list.) While we were at the artisan's market, we discovered that we were not far from an original <a href="http://banksy.co.uk/" target="_blank">Banksy</a>. Immediately, Milaka was on a quest. Not much more than half a mile from the market, we found it. <br />
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Which led to the discovery of the three phases of Banksy hunting:<br />
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1. I walked half a mile in these shoes and now I'm standing where Banksy stood when he created this art.<br />
2. I walked a half a mile back (in these shoes) from where Banksy stood. I may not have thought this through.<br />
3. Dear God, I promise I will never walk over a mile in these shoes again just please make it stop!<br />
(But it really was worth it.)<br />
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This year we had a health scare with Milaka's dad. He was hospitalized
for a time and we were counseled to find long term care. But prayer and
persistence pays off and we are happy to report that Grandpoppy is at
home again and able to participate in all of our family outings!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmpdv3aGTZpCdX4OiLIF8YNnjB9aHUuLkPPT6lMO_3p_uNAI7Zx3nIMlQEPrETVAv3ehLgpeM3maby7Ov9ckeb6tbdGtRbV9IHm-D8gGrovK-3pAIABPKljdEu6Z6IacHjwI/s1600/13502801_919702658140116_2521060278296533081_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmpdv3aGTZpCdX4OiLIF8YNnjB9aHUuLkPPT6lMO_3p_uNAI7Zx3nIMlQEPrETVAv3ehLgpeM3maby7Ov9ckeb6tbdGtRbV9IHm-D8gGrovK-3pAIABPKljdEu6Z6IacHjwI/s320/13502801_919702658140116_2521060278296533081_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandmommy and Grandpoppy on July 4th in Marble Falls</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Later in the summer, Milaka and Gordon kept the festivities going with another trip to Palm Springs for the Flock of Grouse.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squaaaaak!</td></tr>
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In October, Milaka and Princess on a girls' weekend to Lake Tahoe to officially celebrate Princess' 16 years on the planet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATscfTEQKG2EcVZ2jLTCgFxFf7RwiF9Z5ajtrQJCFQdLi_MUgSnmjoCRUTfTkkJqD82dwXJRHsvzQ-TBLrR-WCEKqxZnFGl7tOX25qmrqbl94ySHsniGlvPiErVe8AP7L9lE/s1600/CaveRock53.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATscfTEQKG2EcVZ2jLTCgFxFf7RwiF9Z5ajtrQJCFQdLi_MUgSnmjoCRUTfTkkJqD82dwXJRHsvzQ-TBLrR-WCEKqxZnFGl7tOX25qmrqbl94ySHsniGlvPiErVe8AP7L9lE/s320/CaveRock53.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first hike and first look at Lake Tahoe.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPG_5duX-zYalfu-rj73B1yFGaSrINTL5hB0U8rHMbCP1S7eSUH2yLnR3SV-4C2gvV7qNHFL9gWwP42tYiyweQKw1_eWyxYsOUFPx7oC_UzAXrlZ01c8zL378h7WQbYGIRcY/s1600/FallenLeafGP07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPG_5duX-zYalfu-rj73B1yFGaSrINTL5hB0U8rHMbCP1S7eSUH2yLnR3SV-4C2gvV7qNHFL9gWwP42tYiyweQKw1_eWyxYsOUFPx7oC_UzAXrlZ01c8zL378h7WQbYGIRcY/s320/FallenLeafGP07.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallen Leaf Lake hike. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkf0fCjx41gmwaRNscmp17zSbxw4kZBBeSwqKhiqwZ_picvdVCg8Q2q1SZF_KtLnTwL3KCNfAy9TKZ2S-dkH9BleImMdkyTvKqShTsrAubg7FGGhzTThBl6Zdf5-dnzquIui4/s1600/FallenLeaf60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkf0fCjx41gmwaRNscmp17zSbxw4kZBBeSwqKhiqwZ_picvdVCg8Q2q1SZF_KtLnTwL3KCNfAy9TKZ2S-dkH9BleImMdkyTvKqShTsrAubg7FGGhzTThBl6Zdf5-dnzquIui4/s320/FallenLeaf60.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw a bald eagle in the wild! (Another bucket list item for Milaka.)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-P9f7UULZuIHY5IM0qtB5NE2Txl_WmtyC0gGChraSKfL7CTty5yKLvyUIDw3Apawf_zA91C57r52mrxMPJAa0vcYLlF0yolE7dDVZAx9ZzPKzWv8oOHAscDvh3aZS8I0wjb0/s1600/FallenLeaf60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parasailing over Lake Tahoe - a bucket list item for Princess!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmewSTVqVjg9ciQLMbaxENo_ICpwJCCTXGOX95nuNl-KLaAEFvc0tLwqFXl_j_2XNJmYXPjCPs6dKqAA-S8zC778ewfEnVNYNdlL2A3LPwXlGttcpi3_oEjj98IzuvdVow_Go/s1600/TallacGP173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmewSTVqVjg9ciQLMbaxENo_ICpwJCCTXGOX95nuNl-KLaAEFvc0tLwqFXl_j_2XNJmYXPjCPs6dKqAA-S8zC778ewfEnVNYNdlL2A3LPwXlGttcpi3_oEjj98IzuvdVow_Go/s320/TallacGP173.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our last hike - up Mount Tallec. She's an outdoor girl for sure!</td></tr>
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We topped off 2016 with a trip to Michigan to see Gordon's family for Thanksgiving.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDPL3H-dvMx8DEV8FEgpsxsWVJq9SQAfXOg6ZLfW4j1BS9_z6CVXKLEpxm8Flnocka96jnoOeLczyjcH1shipGbmFZSPqhEBmFPoQJuND-t_J6fdI1DcW22rL6HFZdNQBCKA/s1600/20161126_140132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDPL3H-dvMx8DEV8FEgpsxsWVJq9SQAfXOg6ZLfW4j1BS9_z6CVXKLEpxm8Flnocka96jnoOeLczyjcH1shipGbmFZSPqhEBmFPoQJuND-t_J6fdI1DcW22rL6HFZdNQBCKA/s320/20161126_140132.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go Blue!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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We end the year with high hopes for 2017.<br />
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Please let us know how YOU are doing. The year 2016 has been trying, but there is always hope. <br />
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Much love and peace to you. <br />
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Love,<br />
The Falks Milaka Falkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01170166125372243607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-81027017382980306992014-12-23T09:37:00.000-06:002022-12-22T14:36:16.777-06:00Falk Talk 2014Merry Christmas!<br />
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We certainly hope that as you read this, your family is healthy, happy and wrapping up the best year yet.<br />
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Our highlights:<br />
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Princess started high school and is loving it! She's incredibly social, has great grades, is involved in the spirit club and swims on the swim team. Sometimes she sleeps. <br />
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Buddy started middle school and it totally suits him! He plays the trombone in the beginning band (and doesn't have to be reminded to practice -what?), makes fantastic grades and has become an avid reader of graphic novels and book series.<br />
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Milaka made her Austin stage debut as Fruma Sarah in a production of Fiddler on the Roof during August. It was the perfect introduction into the Austin theatre world - and a reintroduction to performing after a fairly long hiatus. <br />
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The production was nominated for a B. Iden Payne Award - Austin's local version of the Tony's (on a very local scale) and won for Best Musical Director (Adam Roberts). It was a great time for Milaka and Gordon to have a date night, get dressed up and walk the red carpet (on a very local scale).<br />
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Gordon's business, GradePower Learning is still going strong. He topped 100 enrolled students this year! On weekends, he finds time to kick butt at board games and work on his backyard landscaping project. He also finds time to torture himself watching Michigan football and then retreat with his Kindle on the back porch. And successfully elude the camera 90% of the time.<br />
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One of the biggest pieces of news from this year was the arrival of Milaka's parents as full-time Austin residents. We are SO blessed to have them 8 minutes away instead of 8 hours! <br />
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We pray that your family has had a wonderful year and that 2015 will be even better. Please keep in touch and let us know how we can pray for you - or when to expect a visit!!!<br />
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Many blessings for 2015,<br />
The Falks<br />
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<br />Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-51658545286374758942011-12-22T11:22:00.004-06:002022-12-26T14:52:56.289-06:00Christmas Newsletter 2011<div style="text-align: center;">
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This year I've been swamped with all sorts of stuff - all good - so Princess offered to write the newsletter for me. She wasn't sure what to write about Hubby, so I filled in that information. Otherwise, it's all her. (But I did do some grammatical editing - and inserted our blog monikers.)<br />
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INTRO:<br />
Hello friends! What's been going on with you this year? Here is what has been going on with US!<br />
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BUDDY:<br />
This year was a very memorable year for Buddy! He turned 8 in June, started 3rd grade, <br />
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went to the Michigan/Ohio State football game in Michigan, and found his love for video games. His favorite video game is called "Minecraft". Buddy is doing great in school, and is a very good reader. He enjoys reading boyish and humorous books, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He's typically found at his neighbor's house, reading, playing basketball in his room, or watching TV.<br />
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PRINCESS:<br />
This year was a very special one for Princess. To start it all off, she was surprised with two kitties last Christmas. </div>
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Their names are Calvin and Marie. (Calvin has really taken to Princess). She turned 11, and started 6th grade. She also saved up enough money to buy her very own laptop this year! She enjoys reading, writing, swimming, art, volleyball, and hanging out with her friends. She is usually found doing homework, reading, or messing around with her kitties!!!<br />
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MOM:<br />
Mom's year has been one word: BUSY!!! First of all, she taught 5/6th grade Musical Theater, and 7/8th grade Musical Theater in the spring at a small, private school (the same one attended by Princess). She directed AND wrote the musical in the spring!! It was awesome!! She also taught 5/6th Musical Theater in the fall, as well as directed their musical, Schoolhouse Rock! Live! Jr. She also teaches a high school film class at the same school. On top of all that, she cooks and cleans for the family, as well as set up social events for the kids, and drop off/pick up the kids from social events, parties, school, practice, etc. Somehow she finds time to check email, watch TV, and take naps.<br />
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DAD:<br />
Between his three Oxford centers in Texas - in Austin, Fort Worth and Garland - Dad has put a lot of miles on his truck this year. Even though he is on the road a lot, he has still found time to be active with Buddy in Scouts and flag football, attend Princess' sporting events and musical production, design a backyard sitting area complete with crushed granite, solar mood lighting and an awesome patio set AND he even had a weekend golf getaway with Mom. He's looking forward to rediscovering sleep.<br />
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CALVIN AND MARIE:<br />
Some of our friends developed allergies to two precious kitties. They gave these two kitties to US last Christmas. Their names were Pumpkin and Marie. But Buddy decided that Pumpkin wasn't a very good pumpkin, and he changed his name to Calvin. Princess thought that the name "Marie" fitted Marie, and kept it. They are very entertaining, and hilarious! Marie is (we found out) a Turkish Angora. She loves straws, and lazor pointers. Marie is also a diva. (She's gorgeous!). Calvin hid under the bed for the first week or so (Marie just walked in on Christmas day and established where she would sleep, and slept.), and Calvin is still kinda skittish. He's a very sweet kitty, and loves to sleep with his sissy, Princess. He especially likes his fleece blankets and Snuggies to take naps on.<br />
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This is Mom speaking again. I'm humbled and amazed at my daughter's writing ability. And I'm very touched that she called my musical awesome. ;-)<br />
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Merry Christmas everyone!</div>
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Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1152559525559608452006-07-10T14:21:00.000-05:002006-07-10T14:25:25.576-05:00Big Ole Can O'WormsSo I've kind of avoided the subject of religion here for a variety of reasons. Not the least of which is that I shrink from conflict like a glacier from a volcano and I know that religion can stir up a lot of conflict. Another reason is that I'm always afraid that I'm going to be asked the "tough" questions about my faith and I hate saying, "I just don't know" or "Well, you just have to have faith". I have friends who have fabulous answers for all sorts of questions. I just freeze. I'm afraid that I'm going to seriously offend someone or that someone just won't like me because I'm Christian, etc. So I avoid the subject.<br /><br />But not right now. I have some stuff on my mind.<br /><br />I know that a lot of people are offended and annoyed by Christians who try to share their faith. (I also know that there are a lot of completely obnoxious Christians out there who are very pushy! We're just going to leave them out of it for now.) If people really know and understand Christianity, I would think that they would be offended and annoyed if we DON'T try to share our faith. We believe that Christ is the only way to reconcile with the Father and, therefore, be with Him in eternity. That path is open to anyone. Anyone at all. (Yes, it's exclusive - there are no other roads to heaven - but it's inclusively exclusive. All you have to do is believe.) Now if I believe that only those who accept Christ will be with Him in eternity, and I choose not to share that information with you, wouldn't you be a little offended? Wouldn't you wonder why I didn't think that you were good enough to share that very important tidbit with? As I was thinking about it, I kind of equated it to knowing that there was a place where you could go and get a free car - any car that you'd like - complete with gas and maintenance for life and all you had to do was go to this place and say, "Please". If I went and got a brand new dream car and started driving it around and didn't tell anyone else that they could get a free car, too, what would that say about me? What would people think when they found out? I know that some people prefer to walk and some just like to ride their bike or the bus. That is their choice. But wouldn't they appreciate me telling them anyway? <br /><br />A few weeks back we had a series in our Sunday School class about what it means to be a Christian in today's world. Why does the word "Christian" put off so many people? Why do some people think that they wouldn't be welcome in a church? Why do some people loathe the idea of coming into a church? Is it Christ? Or is it His followers? We talked about and debated those ideas for several weeks. It was sobering. It made me look at myself and wonder what non-Christians see. What kind of messages am I giving off? Am I someone who people want to know? Am I someone who people want to flee? Are they surprised when they find out that I'm a Christian? And if they are, is that good or bad?!? <br /><br />(I feel that I'm not really getting to any specific point - that I'm just rambling. But that's okay! It's my blog! I'm trying to work something out here!) <br /><br />A few years ago I had a conversation that I wish 1) I could remember all of and 2) I wish I could have again so I could defend myself and my faith better. I was working for a small business that provided after school classes. We rented space at several places around town - one place being a church. The church stated in the contract that people who came into their building and rented space to conduct classes could not display any anti-Christian or Pagan symbols while they were there. I forget the exact wording. I had to let the owner of the business know about that clause because one of her instructors was a Pagan and wore Pagan symbols on rings and necklaces. I must have said something about Pagans that she didn't like because later she confronted me about it. She said that she knew I was a Christian, but hadn't pegged me for being judgmental. I honestly don't know what I said! But her confrontation got me thinking. How many times had I sat in meetings in that business and listened to most of them make fun of Christians and/or Christian holidays and not said anything. I just sat there thinking that that was their own opinion and I didn't want to be the party pooper. I didn't laugh and I didn't take part, but I didn't defend myself. Now I say one thing (and I still don't remember what it was) and all of a sudden I was called on the carpet. She was also pretty ticked about the clause in the contract. She wanted to look for another location, but the brochures had already been printed. <br /><br />Think about the clause, though. We were asking to use a church. Christians revere their churches as a place of worship. We even go so far as to call a church "God's house". It stands to reason that they would not want someone who appears to have authority (like an instructor) come into God's house displaying Pagan symbols. What kind of faith and devotion would the church leaders have if they allowed that? Just like a vegan restaurant would not allow you to rent their party room for a demonstration on how to cook with beef.<br /><br />Please don't think that I'm trying to play a "Christian victim" here. I don't really feel victimized. I just notice things. Discrepancies in behavior, in others and in myself, when it comes to the topic of religion.<br /><br />Now, recalling my previous claim that I can't stand conflict, I hope that I haven't offended or weirded out any readers here. I say that Cabin 77 is where I am myself. This is me. I am a Christian. I will post more on my faith at some point in the future. To tell the truth, most of my friends in everyday life are Christian. My blog is where I get opinions and points of view based on different world views and different faiths. I enjoy that! Please feel free to comment, but <strong>please be kind</strong>. Remember the picture of the volcano and the glacier. And don't worry, I'll go back to posting about the kids soon. Buddy putting Band-Aids on his nostrils is infinitely more entertaining than dry posts about religion! <br /><br />And now I will close. I had a big day today. This morning I led about 500 kids in singing songs about God in Vacation Bible School. So, of course, I had to question my religion! LOL! Would you trust your child with me?!? ;-)Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1150951838304016102006-06-21T23:47:00.000-05:002006-06-21T23:50:38.306-05:00I Feel SafeBuddy is in a superhero phase right now. For his birthday he got two Batman dolls and one Superman doll. He also got a Spiderman riding a motorcycle, but Spidey just isn't as big as Batman or Superman. And Spidey doesn't have a cape. Buddy was running around the house singing a song (that he wrote himself), "I'm a superhero! I have a cape!"<br /><br />Princess has a new Barbie doll. A bride Barbie. Princess is in heaven. However, she keeps trying to make Superman marry Bride Barbie. Buddy has explained several times in no uncertain terms that superheroes don't get married. His reasoning is that they wear capes instead. Princess met his argument that Bride Barbie also wears a cape, but it's around her head - her veil. So for the rest of the day Superman, Batman and Bride Barbie flew all over the house fighting crime. I do believe that we live in the safest house on the block.<br /><br />Today they were playing "Superhero". Apparently that game consists of them running around from room to room yelling, "Come here, Batman!" Or, "Come here, Superman!" Or even yelling (as they pass the dog), "Come here, Superdog!" They fly up the stairs and defeat the Joker. Then they fly down the stairs and . . . defeat the Joker. I think that the Joker is the only super villian that they know. <br /><br />Now they have me joining in. I'm Superwoman. I have defeated the Joker three times today already. I defy any telemarketer to call today. I shall take them all down, for I am Superwoman!Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1150951495522765312006-06-21T23:43:00.000-05:002006-06-21T23:44:55.526-05:00First Day of Home School 2005I was looking over some old e-mails that I had saved as journal entries. This is an account of Princess' first day of home school. She is in a university model school where she is actually in class on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I home school (with their lesson plans) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We love it! It has been so rewarding to be an active part of her learning process. And I love the flexibility to be able to practice spelling words in sidewalk chalk at the park if we want to. Anyway, read on for her first day at home.<a name="cutid1"></a><br /><br />Okay, by about 9:30 a.m. Princess had 1) gotten two time outs, 2) run screaming down the street, "You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!" and 3) flung poop on the wall. But it got better! I'll elaborate.<br /><br />1) We had a slightly rough (and I mean that in the literal sense, not the sarcastic sense) transition from mommy/daughter to teacher/student. She was treating everything like a game that she could control (my daughter? Bossy? NO! - that was sarcastic) and was not taking the lesson seriously. We were outside in the driveway doing the Clock Game (I drew a clock face in chalk on the driveway and she was supposed to follow my directions in going from one number to another - learning about making letters clockwise or counter clockwise) and she was jumping on any number that she felt like jumping on. Time-out number one. <br /><br />2) The Gingerbread Man thing is directly related to #1. After the first time-out we had a good few minutes and then she took off. Time-out number two and lecture. Now, you know my blood can run a little hot sometimes. God was SO in control here! I was calm, collected and serious, but very much in control of myself. My inner me was screaming "We've made a mistake! I can't do this! She will never 'let' me teacher her!" While God was soothing me and saying, "I led you here. I am in control. I will work it out." So I heard myself very calmly explaining to her that this was school. This was a lesson and she had to treat it as such. I asked her if she would run screaming down the hall during Mrs. S's class and she laughed and said that she wouldn't. I told her to treat me like a teacher because that is what I am during lessons. I told her that if she wanted to, or needed to, she could call me Mrs.Mommy. She laughed at that, too, but she immediately changed and got into the game and then the rest of the morning went very smoothly. Well . . . except for . . .<br /><br />3) She went back inside to potty and was gone a very long time. I came back in to check on her and she said that when she wiped she had gotten poop on her hand. She was freaking out a little! So she had shaken her hand to get it off and it had gotten on the wall. Easily taken care of! Not really all that serious! But in the context of first day of homeschool, quite funny.<br /><br />First of all, all praise is to God. He was all over this day. And praise to Him that he prompted me to get out of bed early and have some prayer time before I got the kids up. I cannot believe how God has blessed us with this school! I am overwhelmed and so excited! And I also realized how much Buddy is going to get out of our time in the home classroom, too. I'm just so fired up! I know that we will have not so great days, but we started this venture with poop on our walls! And ended the day glowing! How cool!<br /><br />Back to present day. It's interesting to go back and read how we started the school year. Princess has matured SO much since that first day. I'm excited to see what next year brings.Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1150951274750547212006-06-21T23:37:00.000-05:002006-06-21T23:41:14.756-05:00Belated Father's Day PostHere is a copy of something that I wrote on Father's Day. <br /><br />Today is Father's Day. There are five significant fathers in my life who I would like to celebrate today. They shaped my life and my family.<br /> <a name="cutid1"></a><br />The first is my grandfather, who we called Bigdaddy. I didn't know him as a father, but he was the best grandfather a kid could have. He had a rough, gravely, but tender voice. I remember nights at Cabin 77 when we would all sit on the screened-in porch and Bigdaddy would sing old country songs. He would also talk to the bullfrogs and to the doves. He taught me to fish. He never showed favorites between his two grandchildren - me and my brother. He told the best stories! I realized by the time I was a teenager that there was no way he could have been a cowboy AND an Indian AND a gladiator. He was also a wonderful great-grandfather to Princess. He adored her. I have a priceless photo of the two of them. They are sitting in two large comfy chairs. She is lining up all of her Hot Wheels cars on the arm of her chair. I remember that she was describing each of the cars as she "parked" them. He was captivated. That year for Christmas he bought her Hot Wheels cars. <br /><br />Bigdaddy was on the front lines in World War II. He served in the 36th Infantry Division and proudly wore the Texas T-Patch. It is hard for me to watch "Saving Private Ryan" because some of the battles depicted mirror very closely some of the experiences I know he went through. <br /><br />Bigdaddy was an honorable man. He was worthy of respect. I miss him.<br /><br />Next is my dad. Now that I'm an adult, when I look back on my life and our circumstances I realize how difficult it must have been for him. He had two loves - his family and theatre. It's hard to maintain both of those, but he did. He was the director of a community theatre when my brother was born. When that job ended, he became a theatre professor. He taught during the day and then rehearsed productions at night. But I don't ever remember a time when we didn't have dinner together. His rehearsals usually didn't start until about 7:00 so we would have dinner and once a week we would have a family game night. Sometimes when he would have a rehearsal on a weekend he would bring me and my brother to the auditorium to play. We knew that place like the backs of our hands. <br /><br />Dad was off during the summers and that was great! Every weekend we'd go to Bigdaddy's cabin at the lake. Dad taught me to water ski. He didn't teach me to fish, but I do remember lots of mornings and afternoons with him fishing off of our dock. <br /><br />The most important thing that Dad taught me was the meaning of unconditional love. We never really talked at length about it, but I just always knew that there was nothing I could do to make him stop loving me. Oh, he got mad at me! But I never thought that he didn't love me. (I may have said that, just to be pouty, but I never believed it.) In that way he did an excellent job of mirroring God's love for me. And that's one of the most important jobs a parent has. <br /><br />Another dad to whom I owe a debt of gratitude is Hubby's father. Tony. I never got to meet him. He died just after Hubby and I started dating. Tony was planning a trip to Austin to visit Hubby and to meet me in May of 1995. He died on the treadmill at his gym in March of that year. Everyone who knew Tony loved him. At family gatherings his presence is still missed. I hear stories about him all the time and every story is bathed in love, humor and warmth. From pictures I see that his smile lives in Hubby's smile. Obviously he is important to my husband's family, but he is important to me, too because he did a wonderful job of teaching Hubby how to be a father.<br /><br />Herman, my brother, is the only father in this list who has step-kids. Herman and his wife have a wonderful story. They were high school sweethearts. When my brother went away to college they decided that they didn't want a long distance relationship and broke up. I know for a fact that Herman never stopped loving her. She married and had two kids and then the marriage ended. About a year after her divorce was final, she came to Austin to visit some friends and looked Herman up. I think she just wanted to make sure that there were no hard feelings (she married one of his close friends from high school). They went out to dinner and the rest is history. Kind of.<br /><br />When they started to get serious, Herman stepped back a bit because he knew that she came with kids. My brother is not impetuous at all. He's spontaneous, but not impetuous. He knew that he loved her, but he wanted to make sure that he could love the kids as a father should. He weighed the pros and cons. Because the ex-husband was / is a non-presence in the kids' lives Herman knew that HE (Herman) would more than likely be the only dad that these kids ever knew. He wanted to make sure that he could be that man. He did not take that responsibility lightly. NOW the rest is history. He stepped up to the plate and hit a home run. He is amazing. And now they have a child together and he's all the more amazing for making a blended family work. My sis-in-law said that last week her son called from his grandparents house (where he's been visiting for about a week) and immediately asked for Herman! <br /><br />Now for the topper. My husband. He was born to be a dad. Our "let's talk about having kids" conversation went like this: <br /><br />Me: Well, we've been married a couple of years now, do you think we need to talk about when we want to have kids?<br />Hubby: I'm ready!(That was in 1998. Princess was born in 2000 - after only two tries - so you can guess whose feet were dragging!)<br /><br />He has been the sole provider of income since I got pregnant. We decided as a couple that I would stay home with the kids. Sometimes it's hard, but he's never complained and he's never asked me to go back to work. He wants (as much as I do) for the kids to be brought up by US and not a day care worker. (But we are both VERY pro-Mother's Day Out!)<br /><br />He was right there during labor and delivery of both kids making sure that I got whatever I wanted or needed. And when I damaged a nerve in my left leg during Princess' delivery and couldn't stand or walk without crutches for a week, he changed every diaper and brought Princess to me for every feeding - day or night. <br /><br />He prays for and with the kids. The kids see and hear him pray about everything - big and little. They see him serve at church, they see him serve at home. And they see him do it joyously. <br /><br />They also see him treat me with respect. He thanks me for dinner. He helps around the house. He gets me flowers for my birthday and our anniversary. He compliments me in front of them. They see that he values me as a woman and as a mom.<br /><br />I am so aware that we shape our kids' future relationships. I know that Hubby is doing a great job of that. I pray that Princess will go out only with men who treat her the way her daddy treats her - like the precious gift that she is. And I pray that Buddy will find a woman who will allow him to be the husband and the father that Hubby is teaching him to be. <br /><br />Happy Father's Day to the best of the best!Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1150951042678033912006-06-21T23:33:00.000-05:002006-06-22T09:31:02.130-05:00I Love It When a Plan Comes TogetherOkay, here was my plan for Saturday, June 17:<br /><br />Leave Lubbock (my parents' home) at about 8:30 a.m. Get to the half-way point (San Angelo) in time for lunch. The kids would fall asleep soon after we leave San Angelo and they would sleep until Fredericksburg - a stretch, but not out of the realm of possibilities. At Fredericksburg we would stop at the Fredericksburg winery to get a bottle of Hubby's favorite port for Father's Day. We'd get home in time for a relatively early dinner, then the kids and I would finish his Father's Day cards (I got some that had little frames where the kids could draw pictures of them with Hubby). The kids would be in bed by 8:00 so that I could straighten the house before Hubby's flight landed at 9:44. I would time it so that I was filling the tub with a bubble bath about the time that he would walk in.<br /><br />And God laughed.<a name="cutid1"></a><br /><br />It was all going as planned until Fredericksburg. Princess slept only an hour or so, but then she quietly played Barbies and sang to herself and occasionally asked how many more hours until Fredericksburg. Buddy woke up as we entered the parking lot of the winery. Awesome! We walked inside (I carried a sleepy Buddy) and were there no more than three minutes when Buddy gave the loudest burb I've ever heard. Then emptied the contents of his stomach all over me. I will spare you the details, but my first of many thanks to the Lord is that we were traveling with suitcases and I was able to re-clothe us.<br /><br />After cleaning us and the floor I finally got around to asking about the port. They had some, but couldn't sell me any because they had run out of bottles. The bottle are due there on Monday. Bummer!<br /><br />I had thought that maybe we would get some ice cream, but then I thought about Buddy and I decided that we just needed to get home. In all honesty, he looked fine. He was running around like nothing was wrong so I just chalked it up to him getting overheated and car sick.<br /><br />We made it home with plenty of time to spare. Okay, I can do without the wine, but we can finish the cards. I walked in the door and Hubby called. What timing! As I was telling him about our failed trip to Fredericksburg, Buddy came running up to me with arms outstretched. I hugged him and he promptly threw up down my back. Phone call over. So started the rest of my night. Poor little Buddy alternately threw up and dozed until about 9:00 when he could finally keep down some water. Hubby arrived home about 10:30 ( I had called him with a small grocery list of bland foods and cleaning items) and Buddy slept from 11:00 until 7:00 the next morning.<br /><br />No wine. No bubble bath. But we're all home and together. Yet another thanks offered up to the Lord!<br /><br />But here's where my plans and God's plan worked together for our good that day: had I called the winery (which I almost did) and found out that they were out of port, we would not have been out of the car at the time that Buddy's illness hit. And you can just imagine how completely horrible that would STILL be. Also, had we stopped in Dripping Springs to get some fast food (which I almost did), we would not have been home when the brunt of it descended. When I got home and realized the timing of all of it, I just thanked God and thanked God.<br /><br />Now I'm praying that I don't get it. I know that's a complete longshot since my body shielded the floor from the mess at least three times. But I'm hoping that all of the hand washing, glove wearing and showering did SOMETHING to protect me!<br /><br />Oh, and speaking of protection, after we got home and the severity of the virus showed itself, Princess disappeared upstairs with scissors, masking tape, yarn and a paper bag. She came downstairs wearing a mask that she had fashioned from said materials. She was also wearing a pair of rubber gloves about three sizes too big. Had I had time to unpack my camera between loads of laundry and carpet cleaning I would have taken a picture. It was priceless! And very, very smart.Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1150950698295321262006-06-21T23:30:00.000-05:002006-06-21T23:31:38.296-05:00And The Oscar for Best Performance By a Girl Who Doesn't Want To Clean Her Room Goes To . . .Princess!!!!<br />Oh, the drama. The drama.<br />I told Princess to clean her room before coming downstairs. Without the drama it would have taken about 10 minutes, tops. With the drama, it took about 45. She wailed. She sobbed. Some choice lines:<br />"I'll be in here for two whole days cleaning and people will forget about me and start to love Buddy better."<br />"I can't DO it by myself!"<br />"I need a kiss!"<br />"You have to HELP me!" (said with the best wail you can imagine)<br />"I want a hug!"<br />"Let's make a rule that whoever is in the room when someone is cleaning the room has to help someone clean the room."<br />I just don't know WHERE the drama comes from!Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1150950605571675812006-06-21T23:29:00.000-05:002006-06-21T23:30:05.580-05:00Animal Planet out our Bedroom WindowThis morning I discovered what Princess has known for a few days - we have a family of birds who are using our house for flight school.<br /><br />Our garage is directly below Princess' room and has a small overhang with a rain gutter. The four babies birds (dubbed Birdy, Fluffy, Tweety, and Chloe by Princess) sit on the gutter under Princess' window and wait patiently for Mommy and Daddy to come feed them. When a parent is in sight, the babies flutter their little wings and cheep for all they are worth. I imagine that they are saying, "Me! Me! I'm hungry! You fed her last time! Pick me! I'm here!" Once the parent has flown off, all becomes quiet again. No bickering. No sibling rivalry. Just primping, preening and stretching until Mom or Dad comes back with another bug or berry.<br /> <br />Every 10 minutes or so the returning parent will give some sort of signal and all four little ones fly away. Within a few minutes they are back on our gutters, stretching and grooming themselves after their exercise. It is wondrous to watch!<br /> <br />Watching the little family prompted this exchange:<br />Buddy: When I grow up, I'm going to be a baby bird.<br />Princess: (very grown-up) Buddy, you can't be a baby bird.<br />Buddy: (disappointed) Why not?<br />Princess: Because you can't be something that you're not. (in an accommodating way) When you grow up you can be a scientist that studies baby birds and dinosaur bones, but you can't be a baby bird.<br />Buddy: I don't want dinosaur bones. <br />Princess: (exasperated) Oh, Buddy!<br /><br />I like having such original commentary to the documentaries that I see out my window!Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1148147158519298242006-05-20T12:42:00.000-05:002006-05-20T12:45:58.526-05:00Surprise!In every history of every parent there is a moment when a child becomes a part of the family. I love hearing everyone's story because they are all so different. Some involve a LOT of waiting. Some don't. Our friend Dave was coached by his wife's doctor on what to have ready at home in case he had to deliver their third child. His wife's labors had never gone over the one hour mark. I love the stories!<br /><br />Several months before my due date I went to see my doctor to talk about my "birth plan". I was very apprehensive about the labor and delivery process because of the experience that I had with Princess. (Here's that story in a nutshell: she was induced two weeks early because the sonogram revealed that she was fairly big and I am not, I pushed for two and a half hours resulting in a pinched nerve in my left leg which caused me to be on crutches for over a week - I literally could not stand to change a diaper for the first two weeks of her life, and I had a third degree episiotomy tear that took forever and a day to heal. No fun. There's a reason she and her brother are three years apart.) So I discussed a c-section with my doctor. He was supportive, but he wanted me to really think about it carefully. I started praying about it that day and I got an answer from God - "Trust Me." Not the answer I wanted. Too vague! I wanted specifics! But I knew that was all I was going to get. I eventually told my doctor that the only way I'd want an automatic c-section was if my son was face-up. Princess was face-up and I think that's where all the hardship started.<br /><br />Now, fast-forward to June 2. We had a sonogram scheduled at 2:00 and then a follow-up with the doctor at 2:30. From the sonogram they learned that Buddy was already hovering around seven pounds - at 35 weeks 4 days! Whew! Also, he was face-down. Yay! During the doctor visit we started talking about when we'd induce since Buddy was getting big. Princess was induced at 38 weeks (the earliest that they will induce) because she was so big. I guess I just start cooking overtime around month 8! Anyway, the doctor checked and I was 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced. Hubby mentioned that he had a business trip scheduled for later in the week and the nurse said that he shouldn't go anywhere. Then Hubby sealed our fate and said, "Well she's NOT going to have the baby this week!" To which the nurse just laughed and told me that I had better have a bag packed.<br /><br />That evening Hubby and Princess were going to go help some friends move a couch and I was going to a small diaper shower that a friend of mine had planned for me. I was in the garage at 6:15 p.m. waving good-bye to Hubby and Princess as they backed down our driveway and my water broke. I signaled for Hubby to stop the car and I told him that I thought my water broke. He wasn't convinced. His exact words were, "That's not possible. Go check." So I dutifully went in to the bathroom to check. What exactly I was checking for is not clear. My pants were soaked. I could have told him that in the driveway! No baby head sticking out. Just wet pants. So I went back out and he said he'd stick around until I called the doctor. Well, the doctor wanted me to come in to the hospital just in case so Hubby and a now crying Princess (she was really excited about riding in Daddy's truck with a couch) came back inside.<br /><br />My brother and his wife and family live less than five minutes from our house so they came over to help out with Princess. I was in such shock that I could actually be having the baby that I just couldn't think of what to pack. My sister-in-law coached me through it - she found a list in my "What to Expect When You're Expecting" book and we checked off the list together. After about 30 minutes of packing, I was in the kitchen showing her where breakfast bars were when the first real contraction hit. Whoa buddy. That's when sis-in-law said, "Okay, you guys have to go NOW!" and we did. She's had three kids - the first two came so quickly that she didn't have time for the epidural. When she said NOW, I knew it was serious!<br /><br />The contractions started to get worse on the way to the hospital. By the time we got there they were between two and four minutes apart and really starting to get bad. We had to walk about TWO MILES from the elevators to the labor and delivery admitting desk - of course stopping every minute or so for a contraction. The nurse met us and got us settled into a room pretty quickly and then the paperwork started. We had registered at another hospital but had to switch at the last minute because the doctor on call was on his way to the second hospital to deliver another baby. So in between horrendous contractions I had to answer all sorts of paperwork questions and then try to hold a pen and sign stuff. The contractions kept getting more and more intense until finally I could barely even breathe.<br /><br />Yes, contractions are extremely painful. I was very surprised at how painful they were. I did not get to the painful contraction stage with Princess. Because she was induced, I was able to get the epidural before any of the hard stuff started. So I did NOT know ANYTHING about true labor! When I had asked my mom about her contractions, she told me that they were painful, but it was a sweet pain. That with every pain she knew she was one step closer to being a mommy. Awww. I don't know what planet she gave birth on thirty-eight years ago. There's nothing sweet about that pain. Those suckers HURT! And it's not like it is in the movies. I couldn't have screamed if I had wanted to - I had no breath! And I am thoroughly convinced that a MAN devised the Lamaze system. Yes, I did need to breathe during the contractions. I'm sure that oxygen would have helped. How anyone can breathe when their abdominal muscles are doing their best impression of a boa constrictor swallowing an elephant I will never know.<br /><br />I'm sure that it is very disturbing to see the person you love most in the world writing in pain and knowing that you can't do anything to help. Hubby did try to help at one point by starting the chant, "Breathe. Breathe. Breathe with the contraction." I'm not sure exactly how I mustered the breath or the strength to talk at that point, but I know I looked at him and said, "You have to stop talking." My husband is wonderful. He did. Then a few contractions later Hubby very politely asked me to change my grip on his hand because the two-handed grip of the moment spelled a broken thumb in his near future. After every contraction I would apologize to everyone in the room for either being rude or for actually physically hurting them. Yes, I kept asking for the epidural and was promised that it would happen soon. The nurse actually said, "Sweetie, we need to make sure you're in active labor." A Linda Blair voice came out of my body. "I AM!" I finally got the epidural about 9:15 and it immediately started to work. Yay! It was a great epidural. I could feel no pain, but I could feel the pressure of the contractions so that really helped me a lot with the pushing later. (I found out later that during the time that the doctor was giving me the epidural I pulled my nurse's hair. I had a contraction and I thought I grabbed only her shirt. Turns out I grabbed a handful of hair, too. Again, I apologized.)<br /><br />On a side note, they had this ridiculous pain chart that they referenced every time I said I hurt. It had little "happy" faces on it depicting varying degrees of pain from zero to ten. At ten the "smiley face" was crying. I told the nurse that my pain went to eleven. She didn't get it, but Hubby laughed.<br /><br />For the next 45 minutes or so I dozed and just relaxed. Remember, I pushed with Princess for 2 1/2 hours so I was resting up for what could have been another marathon. At about 10:30 - during Leno's monologue - the doctor came in and checked me and I was at 10 cm! (Why he promptly left, I don't know. Although he only needs to be there to catch the baby. The nurse does all of the push coaching.) So at 10:33 I started pushing. I pushed through one contraction and then the nurse told me to wait. She said that she could see the head coming down and everything looked great. When I felt the next contraction coming I asked if she wanted me to push and she said no! So then Hubby, the nurse and I started taking bets for when we thought Buddy would make it into the world. I said I thought it would be 11:00. Hubby said 10:35. He didn't think that Leno would get through his monologue! The nurse wouldn't commit. I wound up only pushing through every third contraction. They sent for the doctor after the third push, he came in and one more push I had the head out then one small push and there was Buddy at 10:49! It was a much calmer and relaxed delivery than Princess! They lay Buddy right on my stomach, covered in goo and crying his head off! Then Hubby actually cut the cord. That was amazing! We were all joking and laughing and excited and no one was scared or stressed at all! He was 7 pounds 5 ounces at one month early. Wow. Praise to God that Buddy did not go full term!<br /><br />Because he was so early, they had to do all of the preemie tests on him. (Each nurse that came to get him would look at him and say, "Are you sure you had the date right?" Yes. My husband had had several business trips that previous fall. He was home during just the right week!) Buddy sailed through all of the tests with flying colors. Yep, I just turn the oven up the last trimester!<br /><br />My recovery was just as easy as the birth. I wasn't on crutches - I was walking around the room almost as soon as we moved to the mother/baby wing. I could actually sit down and not want to cry! A week later at home Princess and I were dancing together in the backyard!<br /><br />I am just praising God for the way He took such good care of us! He said, "Trust Me" and what a blessing that I did! There were so many things that didn't go the way I wanted - a different hospital, my doctor wasn't on call so another doctor in the practice delivered us, Buddy was a whole MONTH early so we had a ton of stuff left to do - but I wouldn't change anything because it was all so perfect! God just knows exactly what we need and He is delighted to give it to us. Even if we put in an order for something different.<br /><br />Oh, and here's the icing on the cake. As I was leaving the hospital on Wednesday I saw my anesthesiologist in the hallway. I told him that he was one of my favorite people and that his epidural was right on the money. I asked what his name was so that I could record it in Buddy's baby book. He told me and it turns out he and I worked together at a haunted house when we were both in high school! I went home and found a picture of us together - get this - 20 years ago! That picture is going in Buddy's book! Ha! Small world! Hubby said, "Well, looks like he's still coming after people with long sharp objects!"Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1148146913487608742006-05-20T12:40:00.000-05:002006-05-20T12:41:53.490-05:00Our Household VernacularDifferent parts of the country have different vernaculars. In the South, any kind of soda is called a "Coke" whereas in Detroit, where Hubby grew up, it's called "pop". We Southerners also say that we're "fixin' to do something" and Detroit people just do it. As a stay-at-home-mom in a community of stay-at-home-moms I find that each family has their own vernacular, fueled by the one (or two) in the household who don't quite have a grasp on language yet. Every parent knows which words to teach to the baby-sitter to avoid meltdowns. I myself know the frustration of asking for a Coke and being served one instead of being asked what kind of Coke I would like. <a name="cutid1"></a><br /><br />The vernacular of our household:<br />Princess is almost six so she's pretty much dropped her "special" words. But we used to have to interpret:<br />la-la = "water"<br />Ee-oh da-da = "Eeyore and blanket" (For a while she called her blanket "da-da". This was actually before there was a Dada calling his son "Blanket".)<br />ahng-gahng = "another" (There was much frustration before I figured this one out.)<br />Home Beto = Home Depot. (My parents still call it Home Beto.)<br />Scabettios = "Spaghettios" (She actually still uses this one. I can't correct her because it's just too cute.)<br /><br />Buddy only has a few. He has a big sister to correct him:<br />poot = "shoe" (I have no idea. Thank goodness he's outgrown this one.)<br />sumping = "something" which actually means "yogurt" (Apparently the first time I gave him yogurt I asked, "Do you want something?" and then put the yogurt in front of him. I finally figured it out when he was banging on the refrigerator yelling, "Want sumping! Want sumping!" and I opened the refrigerator and he laughed, touched the yogurt container and very lovingly said, "Sumping!")<br />bigga one = "bigger one" = his lambskin that he carries around. (When we realized that he was attached to the huge lambskin that he sleeps on I cut two smaller pieces off so that we could bring it with us for emergency cuddling. There was tiny one, bigger one and huge one. He bonded with "bigga one".)<br /><br />So when anyone is fixin' to come over to our house, we just tell them to grab their Scabettios and sumping and if they want to bring some Coke make sure it's Dr. Pepper. And take your poots off at the door.Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1148146784229747522006-05-20T12:38:00.000-05:002006-05-20T12:39:44.246-05:00Sit-Com Moment #2Last year on the morning of Buddy's second birthday party Hubby went out to get a dozen helium-filled balloons for the table. Buddy was very excited about getting his balloons so we waited and watched for Hubby's return. Hubby drove up and Buddy and I came out on the front porch to welcome him (and the balloons) home. Hubby opened the pick-up door, pulled out the balloons and said, "Here are your ba-" and was interrupted by POW! POW! POW! POW! Hubby and I had both forgotten about the tree that hangs over the driveway. My poor husband looked at me and said, "Aw! I feel like I should be on 'Everybody Loves Raymond'!"<br /><br />Luckily Hubby has quick reflexes and we only lost four balloons out of a dozen. No big loss. However, Buddy saw those balloons die and immediately began to wail. Again, Hubby has quick reflexes and brought over the remaining balloons to show Buddy that we still had plenty.<br /><br />Disaster averted, funny story gained.Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1148146518043069222006-05-20T12:34:00.000-05:002006-05-20T12:35:18.130-05:00Time on my handsWhat to do? What to do?<br />I am positively giddy. It looks as if I will have almost an entire week in June where I will be alone. Hubby is going on a work thing for a full week. I have worked it out so that my parents will have the kids during that time. I will be alone. Oh my goodness! I will only be responsible for my own food, my own bathroom habits, my own cleanliness. Wow. It's almost too much to take in. I'm almost afraid to post this entry for fear that I will jinx it!<br />My mind reels with the possibilities. Tackle some projects that are easier without four little hands helping? Take a couple of day trips ALONE? Rent some scary movies? Blog, blog, blog! My sister in law already has dibs on one night for a girl's night out. How fun! I never get to spend time with her ALONE.<br />I have about three weeks to plan. Oh, the possibilities!Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1147840808219210042006-05-16T23:39:00.000-05:002006-05-16T23:40:08.230-05:00The End of an EraBuddy is now sleeping in a big boy bed. He's almost officially a big boy (he's still in pull-ups, the last hurdle to the big boy potty has not been crossed). I don't know how I feel about that. <a name="cutid1"></a><br /><br />Buddy has made the transition from crib to bed just fine. I'm the one having trouble! That crib has been assembled and in use in our house for almost six years. I can't get used to the fact that we're getting rid of all of our baby stuff. We're not going to have another baby. Ever. Wow. I'm not so sure that I like the finality of that.<br /><br />It's been almost three years since I last gave birth. I know I have forgotten a lot, but I haven't forgotten everything. Babies are a lot of work with not much payoff for the first three or four months. (After that time, they start smiling. That rocks.) Things are constantly coming up - sleep issues, teething, weaning, trying solid foods, etc. It seems that once you get used to one schedule or one phase it's over and the next phase brings on an entirely new schedule! (Today is an example - Princess graduated from kindergarten. She's actually about to be in a GRADE!) But the maternal instinct is hard to suppress once it's activated. When you know that you are more responsible for this little thing than you've ever been in your life, when you know that if you did not do your job, this little being would not make it, when you realize that this little person bonded with you and knows that you will supply it with every need you can . . . that's so incredibly humbling and (dare I say it) addicting.<br /><br />It's not power. At least, it's not for me. I don't feel power over my children. I feel a sense of responsibility and an overwhelming sense of humility. God has chosen me to shape these two little lives. It's actually beyond words so I don't know why I'm trying!<br /><br />I fought Hubby when he wanted to take the crib down. I was not happy about it. Most of it was just the sleep issue thing with Buddy - we have had almost six months of really great nights and I didn't want to change ANYTHING for fear that it would rock the boat. But in the back of my mind, I just didn't want the symbol of babyhood to be gone. Getting rid of the crib is one step closer to Buddy and Princess not needing me like they do now. I go into Buddy's room and it's the room of a little boy - not a baby or even a toddler. I'm the mother of a 1st grader and a preschooler. Oh no . . . am I getting old? Is this about ME? (Isn't everything?!) ;-)<br /><br />There are some phases that I'm glad are over - teething, 4 a.m. feedings, the stage where they can't walk really well, but want to do it without help . . . in a two story house - but there are some things I want to hang on to just a little while longer. I'm glad that I have Hubby to gently, but firmly, push me into letting go when I need to.<br /><br />One of the most important things that my parents did for me and my brother was that they always treated us the age that we were. I don't ever remember being babied nor do I remember being asked to do things that were beyond me. I realize that I have to do that with my own children. I just didn't realize that it would be so hard!Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1147702970675915032006-05-15T09:20:00.000-05:002006-05-15T09:23:56.606-05:00Family TreeI recently signed on as a consultant with a company called Once Upon a Family. It's a work-from-home company along the lines of Avon, Pampered Chef and Creative Memories. I signed on because the main goal of the company is to bring families together by implementing traditions that celebrate families. Of course the company has products to support all of the traditions! But what I like about the company is that the celebration is the focus, not necessarily the sales of the products. (My website is <a href="http://www.onceuponafamily.com/210147">www.onceuponafamily.com/210147</a>)<br /><br />One of their products is a family tree. <a name="cutid1"></a>It's a foam core board with a beautiful tree printed on it. It comes with a bag of 25 paper leaves and push pins. I'm in the process of filling out the leaves and attaching them. The front of the leaf has four blanks - name, relationship, date of birth and birthplace. The back of the leaf is blank so that you can stick a photo on it. When my grandfather passed away I asked my dad and aunt if I could have all of the old photos that Bigdaddy kept in his office. I have those in my guest room now. I scanned them into my computer, color corrected, cropped and then printed out pictures the right size for the leaves.<br /><br />Here I sit at my desk with faces of my ancestors looking up at me. Who are they? I know from looking up some family trees on the web that my great-great grandmother was a direct descendant of German royalty - the Brandenburgs. I have a picture of her here, but I don't know anything about her. What was her favorite color? What was she really, really good at? I see a picture of my great grandfather with his handlebar mustache. What did his voice sound like? I see that my grandmother had her mother's mouth. And the resemblance between my great grandfather, grandfather, father, brother and nephew is just plain spooky.<br /><br />I am so glad that I have these photographs. I am so glad that I can pass this family tree on to my children and their children. And I'm glad that I can start a tradition of writing (blogging!) about the little things that make up a human being. Not just when and where they were born, but how much pepper they put on their eggs, if they were good at dominoes and what their favorite joke was. If humor is hereditary, that joke will have something to do with farts.Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1147702527026701652006-05-15T09:13:00.000-05:002006-05-15T09:18:22.040-05:00An Angel in Central MarketThis is a journal entry from May 1, 2006<br /><br />This afternoon I did a very brave thing - I took the kids to Central Market.<br /><br />Look over that sentence and I will point out two very significant things. <a name="cutid1"></a><br />AFTERNOON - morning is the optimal time to take the kids anywhere they will be semi-confined. Today I chose to take them at 1:10. To top it all off, they had not had a proper lunch yet. (There is an exercise class that I like to take from noon to one. I had intended to go straight home after the class, but realized during the class that I had nothing planned for dinner.)<br />KIDS - plural. Taking only one is usually fine any time of the day. Two kids at the wrong time of the day is just . . . brave.<br /><br />Princess was asking great questions about shopping and I was trying to take advantage of the teachable moments to, well, teach her. She helped me pick out the bell pepper, the mushrooms, the eggplant, etc. It was very fun! I am continually amazed at her maturity. She even told me, "I'm going to help you today because that's what six year olds do!"<br /><br />Oh my sweet little Buddy. His Central Market story is a bit different.<br /><br />I can't let him tour a grocery store on his own power. He MUST ride in the cart. Picturing him loose in the Central Market produce section conjures up not a sit-com moment, but an entire episode. So he was in the front of the cart. He inspected all of the produce, too, but only to see how far he could throw said produce back into the cart. He also experimented with positions in the cart - seated, crouched, standing, backwards . . . you get the picture. There was one time when I actually gave him a little "pop" on the leg - something that I never do in public for fear that I will not be allowed to go home with him. (Side note - yes, we do spank. But we have very strict rules for our spankings so that we - Hubby and myself - hold each other accountable and don't misuse it. One of the things that gets an automatic spanking is willful disobedience. I told Buddy not to drop the bag of oranges, he looked at me, raised them and then let go. Pop.) Because of his "spiritedness", I felt that I was constantly fussing at him and was very conscious of who was around me.<br /><br />All through the store I kept seeing this one woman. I noticed that she and I seemed to have the same things on our list. She was in the produce section when we were, she was sampling bread when we were, etc. She was a very well put together older woman with beautiful white hair and a stylish skirt and blouse. When we were ready to check out, for some reason I chose the line that she was in - not really because it was shorter, but somehow she seemed safe. I had no idea why, but now I see that it was divine intervention!<br /><br />I got in the line and, once again, scolded Buddy for standing up in the cart. The woman looked back at me and said, "You know, we've been following each other all over the store. I had forgotten how busy young mothers are! It's constant, isn't it! And you don't get a break!"<br /><br />Here's the picture - I have no make-up on, I'm stinky because I just worked out, and I have a writhing (and giggling) Buddy in my arms. My first thought was, "She called me young!"<br /><br />"Yes! It is busy!" I said to her. "But you know, I just got back from a church retreat. Three days of BEING fed. It was great!"<br /><br />She smiled. "That's so important" she said. Then she leaned in, looked me in the eye and said, "Your children are very well behaved."<br /><br />What an amazing blessing those words were. One of the most difficult parts of not having a "boss" or a "job" is that I don't get yearly evaluations. I don't have a written job description by which I can measure my performance. There is no training manual with instructions that lay it all out with "A to B to C and then you get D". (Oh yes, there are plenty of parenting books - many of which I have thrown across the room.) The thing is, I won't really know if I did a good job as a mom until my kids are much older - if then. That sweet angel at the checkout line in Central Market acknowledged that my job is a hard job. And she told me that I was doing it well.<br /><br />I would like to think that my true Boss used her to tell me that He is pleased with how I'm doing. And to Him I say, "Thank you, Sir. I love my job. I hope that I can continue to grow in it and to please You."<br /><br />And I also hope that someday when I am a well put together older woman with white hair and stylish clothes (!) I can stop and encourage a young mom in a grocery store with a small boy climbing over her shoulder.Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1147702381412034272006-05-15T09:11:00.000-05:002006-05-15T09:13:01.413-05:00Playing Catch-UpNo, I'm really not this prolific. I am posting so many entries at once because I am copying from a journal that I have been keeping on my computer. It only LOOKS like I've got time on my hands to compose so many entries at once! <br /><br />Just so you know . . .Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230661.post-1147702290064017482006-05-15T09:07:00.000-05:002006-05-15T09:11:30.066-05:00A Huge Compliment - If You Know Where To LookA few weeks ago Princess and I were talking about what she wants to be when she grows up. For the last year she has maintained that she wants to be a Shamu trainer at Sea World. That's fine with me! That means that I can go backstage and pet Shamu!<br /><br />This particular morning I showed her the picture of her and one of the trainers that we took at Sea World. I said something about her being able to look back on that picture when she is a trainer. She said, "If I'm a trainer."<br /><br />Me: "'If' you're a trainer? I thought that's what you wanted to be. Have you changed your mind?"<br /><br />Princess: "No. I still want to be a trainer. But God knows what I'm going to be. He might not want me to be a trainer. He might want me to be nothing. Like you! You don't have a job."<br /><br />Me: (and no, I wasn't offended - I was smiling) "No? This is my job! I'm not nothing! What am I?"<br /><br />Princess: (with a huge smile) "MOMMY!"<br /><br />There are two compliments in that exchange. One is that she is learning to seek God's will for her life. And the other is that she thinks that being "nothing" (a.k.a. a Mommy) would be a perfectly acceptable occupation.Cabin77http://www.blogger.com/profile/11836486327393989130noreply@blogger.com0