Quaking Aspens No Longer Stand in Haiti

(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/16/AR2008021602511_2.html)

Haiti once was a beautiful land, filled with various vegetation, hills and mountains. Because of natural disasters and the need for fuel (wood to burn), the forests have been ravaged. Less than 5% of the forests exist today. No more are there any quaking aspens, only a quaking land of desperate people.

A year ago I took a class on international development. For the class, the instructor had been asked to put together a project that identified the problems and needs of the country of Haiti for the purpose of humanitarian service for a Non-Government Organization (NGO). We were divided up into groups that addressed the many issues that impoverished countries face every day, week after week, year after year. Needless to say, after six weeks into our research I felt no hope for the people living in Haiti. There had been so many years of corruption, disasters and no means for a people to rebuild themselves. The country has received billions of aid over the years—but the money and resources rarely got to the end of the row.

    My idealistic solution was to relocate all the people living in Haiti to other countries for ten years. I know, that seems pretty severe and unrealistic. But considering the daily challenges they face to survive, other places would be better. Part of the plan for people as they relocated to other countries would to plant trees and other vegetation as they left. While people were gone, the land could restore itself without being stripped daily of all its natural resources. It would have a time to heal.

    Now today, Haiti is faced with yet another natural disaster in which the seeds of despair are as deep as the mighty earthquake they experienced. Again, people throughout the world are willing and wanting to come to the aid of these people. As I read and see photos of the situation, my heart breaks for the many families that have lost loved ones and the devastation! I pray silently for the Lord's intervention for the people of Haiti and for those that are able to facilitate relief to so many. May the Lord be with you always.

New Year, New Week, New Me.

(glamourdaze.blogspot.com)

Here I sit on New Year's Eve. But then I usually sit on New Year's Eve. I think I will reflect. No, takes too much time. Guess I will just get up and move forward.

Many people do not like Mondays. I do. I love Mondays because you get to start all over again. I like new years too. Despite what transpired over the last year - you can start all over again. My only disappointment is that others do not see it like me. They don't try to do better, they stay in their prideful rut.

I love that I can make a new me too. It is like a new year or a new week. It is the process of repentance. Sure there is pain and shame in realizing the stupidity of choices you made, but if you truly understand and believe in the atonement of Jesus Christ the new and improved you can reappear. And this I am grateful for, because I need to repent and repair myself each day.

Peanut Gallery

My daughters went to see New Moon recently, at a special viewing. Their seats were in the first two rows – yep they had a crick in their neck afterwards! Anyway – my daughter was sharing how some of the viewers were making wise cracks about the movie, like "Quick, hit me over the head!" Now if you were there and heard the whole story you would be on the ground laughing, but I cannot give it justice. Then my daughter commented that is seemed like the first two rows were the peanut gallery. So that word has been on my mind lately.

Then it came to me – that is what I do. And I have been catching myself doing it! Case in point: While sitting in my class at school a word problem is displayed on the screen about the statistics of whether college freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors kiss on the first date. The data showed that seniors were more apt to kiss on the first date than freshman. I could't keep my mouth shut and blurted out, "Well of course they do! Time is running out for them! They have to kiss them to see if there is any chemistry – and if not – move on to the next one." Of course I don't think about what I have said – I just say it. I didn't think it was funny, but the class did.

I have gotten in trouble because of my outbursts. I wonder if I will ever learn.

1st Grade and Beyond!

Tonight my grandson called me because he had to do a report on a relative about their experiences in 1^st grade. His mother told me that her children like to call me because I always give them good stuff! She was probably being kind with that statement.

The thing is, I remember a lot about my elementary school days, but 2^nd grade is a bit of a blur. I think it is because my mom made me go see Theda, to have my hair permed. My curls were so tight – and UGLY! I hated it and tried so hard to comb out my hair for school pictures. It is OK if your curls are natural – but to cause your hair to be unnatural is just wrong. As you can see, 1^st grade was just fine, don't have my 2nd grade photo scanned - then 3^rd grade came along, and it was a little more tamed down.

My daughter was surprised that the elementary school I attended had about 800 students! K-8, with 5 classes in each grade of 30+ kids – yep – it was that big. It was a great school, with lots of happy memories and of course a few not so pleasant! We had quite the diversity then; Mexican descent, Indian descent, African-American descent and Caucasian. I wouldn't be able to tell you what the percentages were because we were all friends! I am sure there was racism, but we never knew it. None of us knew our families were just getting by, because most all were in the same financial situation. There were a few girls that had store bought clothes, but the majority of us had mothers that made all our clothes. The girls wore dresses to school, the boys wore jeans and shirts. Nothing fancy. By the time you were in 5^th grade you had PE everyday and had to take showers! But then living in Yuma, AZ and playing outside, a shower was a good thing for stinky kids! I do remember the locker room smelling a little rank some days! We had choir programs and band, home economics, wood shop – but no organized sports. However, my grade had a great girls softball team, I played pitcher or shortstop. It was quite the competition with the older girls – we usually won!

We had an assembly every week, with Mrs. Price leading the singing. We learned so many great songs, of which I can't remember any now! Mrs. Price was a 3rd grade teacher. She was quite flamboyant. I had her for 3^rd grade, and for Easter we got to visit her home where she had peacocks roaming the yards. We would try to catch them, but only got a peacock feather for our efforts. I diverged…we also had the best Halloween carnivals in the whole city. The gymnasium was transformed as well as classrooms. The cafeteria served their famous homemade chili. All in all it was a great fund raiser for the school. Then in the spring we would have our annual BBQ event and talent show, where the students had to sell tickets. For several years I was the top girl ticket salesperson! Then for my 8^th grade year, Mrs. Price decided she wanted to teach 8^th grade. She got to produce a couple of shows, the Christmas program and a musical with the 8^th graders. Lucky me, I got leading parts in both shows! But she returned to 3^rd grade after that year – it wasn't the same.

Well, I could ramble on about my memories, but I will stop.

YA WANNA TALK?

I used to love visiting on the phone, that is, before we got rid of the cell phone and installed MagicJack.

I am lucky to speak with one child twice a month – DING – I am never around, nor have a phone for her to call me and chat! I guess I should resort to letters.

But then – do I have time to chat? This semester I don't get home till 7:00 pm and all I do once home is get something to eat and do homework – little time to talk and discuss the world's problems let alone anyone else's problems.

Then we have MagicJack! HATE IT! The connections are terrible. Which week will it be that you have to reinstall all the upgrades? Others talking to you only hear static, and cutting out of your voice. You are lucky if you get a voicemail within 24 hours of it being recorded – so you miss messages – that sometimes are important.

Results – no one calls me. I think I am forgetting how to speak to others. Messages through email are great – it helps me keep in touch – but only for those who read their emails.

I think it is time to get another cell phone. I miss visiting with my friends and family.

Ring, Ring, Click - Ya wanna talk?

My Baby is Married!

So here she is with her new husband, Garrett. He is great, and we are happy he is a part of our family.



A quiet moment.



Dang it - they all have to be goofy! Are they ever serious?


More pictures later....

New Decorative Art Form

During the time K&G got married--we had lots of people congregating at our home. Rather than use plastic throw-away cups, we all seemed to have our own. This is where they all liked to congregate.

There is an anaolgy to life - we are all different; we all congregate around a light source and we all drink from the same living water...OK...I know this is a stretch, but we had to capture the cups in the window - it was funny at the time!