Who'd a thought?

So I spent some time with my grandma yesterday after I took her to the doctor, and let me tell you, she's a fun one.

It's always fun to hear stories from back when. And yesterday's included a few about her college days. She used to live in Harlingen with her mom and aunts and brother and when it was time to start college at TCU, she took the train! The train? I didn't even know there was a train that would do that.

She'd get on the milk train in the Valley that would stop at all the small towns along the way delivering milk till she got to Houston to switch to the Zephyr. On one such ride, she remembered that they played the Chattanooga Choo Choo the whole way there it seemed. All the boys and girls were getting up in the isles and dancing. It just so happened that she was sitting with this boy she dated from home who did not dance, and when she was asked my this SMU (pronounced sm-you) boy to dance, she accepted. Well hometown boy was not happy, but she didn't care...she'd rather dance!

She the next year or the middle of that year when the war started it was a totally different story on the trains. It was hard to get a seat because the service men were always given seats first. On her way back to TCU the conductor asked her if she'd be willing to stand the whole way to Houston. She said she'd sure try, cause she needed to go! So she stood for quite a while, then sat in the isle on her old typewritter box. Finally about 30 minutes before they got to their destination, some corporal asked if she'd like to sit down. UM, YEA! You'd think they'd be more chivalrous, but I guess they were already doing their duty fighting in the war.

Grandma remarked that TCU became a ghost town with the only boys really remaining were preacher boys. Most of the professors were gone and the newly established Business School was hurting. For one of her accounting classes, they stuck the girls with this ancient retiree, whose mouth was always blue from poor circulation and heart trouble. Turns out, the guy had a heart attack in their class! (I'm sure that made for an interesting lecture!)

So Grandma and her roommate decided they were done with TCU. They were in charge of their education and they wanted the best. TCU was good, but it's business school just wasn't up to snuff in those days and with a lack of qualified professors because of the war. SO, they decided to transfer on down to Austin the next year to their WELL established school.

Gone were the days of the train though. The bus was faster to take to Austin. Although, I'm not the biggest fan of UT, I'm glad she went. Because that's where she met my granddad!

Dancing in the isles of a train. Seems straight out of a Hollywood movie.

All I had was a long car wide with Mr. Bear strapped in the seat next to me and country music.

A Good Read...

As many of you know, I am a big fan of sci-fi books. It is a trend I picked up from my dad at a very young age and still continues. There's something exciting in dreaming up new worlds, new tools, new species - and always - new problems.

The past few weeks I've discovered the Ender series by Orson Scott Card and have VERY much enjoyed them.

The first book in the series started out as a short story, but was fleshed out to make sense of the 2nd book Card already had in mind. "Ender's Game" deals with Ender Wiggin, a Third, a genius, a small little boy, who is whisked away to Battle School to see if he is 'the one' who will help the humans rid the galaxy of 'The Buggers,' the first alien species that has shown human-like intelligence with more advanced star travel and weapons. It follows Ender's trials at Battle School with his peers, his commanders, the training games, and most importantly, himself.

"Ender's Game" makes the reader really ponder - who gets to decide what is best? Is it ok to sacrifice the one for the many? How far can we push a person? Can we really know what our actions should/must be without knowing the truth? Can we know the full truth before it's too late?

The second book, "Speaker for the Dead," follows Ender and his sister, Valentine, in their travels across space and time...teaching, speaking for the dead and trying to forget Earth. In a twist of fate, Ender is called to a planet that boasts the only other human-like aliens since the Buggers, and Ender must once again decide whether their fate is life or death.

Many religious ideals are exlpored in this book, as well as 'the human condition,' whether scientific standard practices are helps or hurdles, what makes a family - what is the depth of love?

There are two other books that round out the quartet of Ender, as well as a few added later. I hope to get around to read those as well, because I like the character. I find it intreaging that he can be viewed as the devil himself, a priestly figure of knowledge, a father, a friend, a lover. Nothing is as we are so eager to seem it to be. If nothing else, these books ask us to take a step back, seek the truth and go from there.

All that in a silly sci-fi book, who'd a figured?

I Have a One-Year-Old!

That's right folks! Our little red puppy turns the Big #1 today. It's so crazy...it seems like so long ago when we got him from Operation Kindness and he was just a little guy at 6 months old!

If you couldn't tell from the blog posts, this little guy has found a quite cozy place in our hearts - as well as developed a taste for blinds and plastic objects.

But today is your day Ryker Stryker! Puppers! Pupster! Bunny! Ploopers McGee! (he has a lot of names!) Thank you for the kisses, the ever-eventful walks, the constant entertainment, the perfect nap buddy, watching out for squirrels, possums, birds, dogs, cats...well anything! You're fun, and we like you!

Happy Birthday Ryker! We love you!

Colorado Adventure

Here's a few of our pictures from our Colorado Journey. We had a great time visiting with Brianna and Matt and Dutch the cat. Our time was filled with flying, foraging for food at all the Subway sandwich shops we came upon (if you say you're supposed to be open, you SHOULD BE OPEN!), hiking, catching our breath, hiking some more, baseball, waiting for the rain to stop to watch baseball, baseball, rafting, saving people from drowning, rafting again, museum fun and flying some more!

Hope you enjoy...


(all for you Jamie!)

Just one word...

The Rules: Answer the questions using only one word. Then tag three others.

1. Where is your cell phone? DESK
2. Your significant other? LOVING
3. Your hair? BLONDER
4. Your mother? ENCOURAGING
5. Your father? ENTERTAINING
6. Your favorite thing? SLEEPING
7. Your dream last night? LONG
8 Your favorite drink? COKE
9. Your dream/goal? PARENT
10. The room you’re in? BRIGHT
11. Your hobby? PHOTOGRAPHY
12. Your fear? SNAKES
13. What do you want to be in 6 years? TRAVELER
14. What you’re not? INFORMED
15. Muffins? APPLE
16. One of your wish list items? CAMERA
17. Where you grew up? TRIANGLE
18. The last thing you did? CHAT
19. What are you wearing? PJs
20. Favorite gadget? COMPUTER
21. Your pets? COMICAL
22. Your computer? SLOWING
23. Your mood? SULLEN
24. Missing someone? YES
25. Your car? HOT!
26. Something you’re not wearing? SHOES
27. Favorite store? TARGET
28. Like someone? YEP!
29. Your favorite color? GREEN
30. When is the last time you laughed? MINUTE
31. Last time you cried? JULY

I tag: Emily, Brianna and Leah

Home Sweet Home

Seems we might have a bit of the luck o' the Irish after all.

One day last week, I happened to venture out for a walk with Ryker while Joe was working in the garage and this is what i found! I don't think Ryker saw it, but I sure did. I didn't find a pot of gold, however a found a treasure of beauty!
Thank you God for your grace and gifts!