Another Flashback Friday

This picture is of my grandpa playing horse. On his back are my sister, Sylvia, and either me or Kathryn and one of my cousins. My late Uncle Ole is in the blue shirt on the couch behind us. My Grandpa Berg is a funny man. He was born in Norway and moved his family here to the States after WWII. He worked on the railroads (Southern Pacific) and built the house my mom grew up in. He is my only living grandparent.

Mission Memory Monday: The Sisters' Sleep-over

Again, I'm following Shanda's lead...I think posting a mission memory is a great idea. I don't know if I'll be able to manage to keep it up every Monday, but I'm going to give it a try.

I think it's only appropriate to begin my Mission Memory Monday post with a write up about the well-known and beloved Sisters' Sleep-over. I served as a missionary in the Romania Bucharest Mission. When I got there in September of 1993, there were in the neighborhood of 14 Sisters already serving. By November, there were 17 or so of us. Our mission was already pretty small and we missionaries were close. (I'm proud to say that we still are). 

Our preparation days fell on Thursday, if memory serves, and very often we Sisters would meet on Wednesday evenings after a full day of teaching the gospel, and begin our sleep-over. Thursdays we'd write letters and go somewhere for lunch. 

The sleep-overs were simply a chance to get together and talk and share experiences, and enjoy one another's company. Those sleep-overs brought us together and we all truly became sisters. We did not meet every week, but we met often. 

Sometimes, even good things must come to an end and our Sisters' Sleep-overs were no exception. We enjoyed them as long as we were able and the memories will be there even longer.

Our sleep-overs continued briefly as more of us returned home. Whenever we were able to get together, we usually tried to have a sleep-over.

To those sisters: Va iubesc nespus de mult. Multumesc pentru memoriile frumoase. Nu va uit niciodata.

Flashback Friday is it?

I'm taking Shanda Ludlow's lead and penning a flashback post.

Here I am with my dad and his mom. She died when I was not much older than I am in this picture. I got to go to Minnesota with my dad a couple of years ago. We saw both of his older sisters who have lots of memories about their mom and my dad. I learned about how feisty she was. She had a great sense of humor and was an artist. 

How I wish I could have known her.

Vater

There is much to be said about my dad. To say it all could fill volumes. 

My dad was born in Perham, Minnesota to Iris and Henry Abel. He was their eldest child. My grandma had been married before and had two daughters. Two sons came after my dad to complete the family. My aunts have many stories about my dad. Everyone thought he could read before he could actually read, because his sisters had taught him what the different bottle caps looked like. He was a young person during their dating years. His sisters' dates used to give him money to go away. "Here's a quarter kid, now scram!" I'm told he earned quite a living off that...or, at least, he got a lot of ice cream cones with that money. They lived in Vergas, Minnesota for a time and eventually moved to Downey, California. His older sisters stayed in Minnesota. They had both married and were settling down in Minnesota. I imagine it was somewhat difficult for my grandparents, my dad, and his two younger brothers to say farewell to his sisters and move so far away. 

My dad graduated from Downey High. Incidentally, he was a band student and in the same band class as Karen Carpenter. That's just cool! My dad went to BYU in Provo after serving a mission in the Central German Mission. He met and married my mom in 1970 and I came along about a year after that.

My favorite memory from growing up is that we kids used to wrestle my dad. He took us all on. We always won because he let us.

They raised nine children who are all trying to be decent people. So, I'd say they've done a good job. They have 12 grandchildren from their five married children and that number will move to 13 before the end of the year.

Here's what I've learned from my dad:

1. How to balance a checkbook.

2. How to pack a suitcase/trunk/shopping cart.

3. How to drive.

4. My love of history and books (especially books about history).

5. That sometimes we have experiences we don't like so we can  help others who have similar unlikable experiences.

6. Countless facts about everything imaginable, which I have mostly forgotten but I know they're in my brain somewhere. (My dad is a walking encyclopedia).

I've been told that I was a mommy's girl in my younger days and my mom says I've turned into a daddy's girl. Sorry about the beets, dad. 

Ich liebe dich!

I'm still three...

My niece Saydee said this morning, "I'm still three and I'm going to be four soon, and then I'll be five." There was a time when she didn't want to grow up. She wanted to be a kid forever. It would seem that she's over that.

When I was a big kid...

Today my niece Emma said, "When I was a big kid, I used to drive. But, now I don't". The funny thing about that is this: Emma's 4.

The Jordan World Circus 2008

I'm up north in The Gem State visiting my brother and his family for the week. Yesterday, we went to the circus. I mentioned in the previous post that I have been to a circus but have no memory of that. From my brother's home you can walk to the fair grounds in Rexburg. It's a five minute walk. Three adults and 8 kids in tow, we headed out the door and made the trek. Admission for adults was $16. At first I thought perhaps it would be a waste of money. I was completely wrong. Though a small circus, it was a really entertaining one. They had a variety of acts including, bears, elephants, dogs, horse riders, balancing acts, and motorcycles in a globe shaped cage, to name a few. The kids loved it. Well, everything except the clowns. The adults loved it. My final assessment: well worth the $16 I shelled out to attend. I was not disappointed.

My brother, sister-in-law, and Brian at the circus.

The horse riders This guy up in the air is on a pole which is "resting" on the head of the guy on the ground.

The Gem State

Me and Saydee

McKennah & Bethany

The Three Musketeers

Little Girls Cute!

My brother Mike, his wife Patty, and their five children live in Rexburg, Idaho. Since I am basking in the glory of summer vacation, I decided to make the 3 1/2 hour trek up to the state up north.

Last summer, Patty hostessed the first cousin exchange. My sister, Sylvia's kids went up and spent a week with their cousins. This year, since I was coming up, Patty asked if it would be possible for me to bring Sylvia's kids with. Well, of course. We left yesterday morning around 9:30 a.m. This time, Emma (she's the youngest of Sylvia's brood at 4 years old) came up with. She and Saydee immediately went downstairs upon arrival and played the day away.

The Three Musketeers instantly picked up where they left off in March (video games and outdoor fun) when they had last seen each other.

McKennah and Bethany joined creative forces and made a few things for Fathers Day (I believe).

Later on in the day, we went to the circus. I know I've been to the circus...I do believe it was the Barnum and Bailey Circus...but it's really not a memory...my parents told me about it.

Anyway, the fun at the circus will be another post.

The End is Here

The 2007-08 school year came to an end yesterday. Taking down my room was a quick and dirty process and by 10 o'clock I was chillin' with my co-workers in my room waiting for the faculty luncheon to begin so that it could end so that we could check out and leave. Students wandered the building despite the best efforts of teachers and administration to keep them in a classroom. Yes, our students who complain incessantly about having to come to school all year long come the last day and don't leave. They stay in the building after school all throughout the year, too. Sometimes they stay until 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I always tell them they have chores waiting for them at home so they'd better get a move on. They always stare back at me blankly as though I were speaking a foreign language (which I could, by the way, but it would be no more effective).

It rained and rained and perhaps that is what contributed the surreal feeling of the day.

It should feel pretty real now, because I'm sitting in my bed at 9:36 a.m. with a post school year head ache and writing this up.