Just for fun, I decided to go back through my blog postings and reread everything that I’d posted since I started this blog just about 2 years ago.  Boy has it been a busy 2 years. 

1) There were the births of the babies in Aug/Sept of 2007.  Now the babies are toddlers, walking, talking and developing great personalities. 

2) My pseudo Brother Ben was deployed to Iraq with his unit and they served our country and the world honorably and returned to their families safely. 

3) I wrote 2 novels through the National Novel Writing Month.  I spent my “vacations” in 2008 and 2009 at Sturdy Memorial Hospital, but have made a resolution NOT to continue that trend!

4) I’ve been in my home for two and a half years now.  WOW!  Over the past weeks I even decided to invest in my back deck, so I bought some planters, and I’m now trying to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant and parsley.  (Plus I hung the Topsey Turvey Tomato Plant grower up, and filled it with dirt, so those tomatoes can be donated to the local food pantry.

5) We had another family wedding, which is leading to another birth (a boy), which could happen any day now.

6) The United States went through an election, unlike any other, which in the end gave us President Barack Obama, and California being in the middle of the battle for gay marriage rights.  (And yes, Jason and Chris’ marriage is legal according to the court in CA!)

and finally

7) The kids are getting bigger.  Addie is 9 and her family is expecting a baby brother for Addie in August.  Varnai is 6 1/2 and just finished first grade.  I went to her end of the year dance recital.  She was too cute up on the stage dressed as a can-can dancer.  Seth is 7 and also finished first grade.  He is a total Star Wars fanatic.  He can’t grasp that Karen Marie was around when episode 4 first came out in the movie theater.  (He thinks they were made in order 1-6.)  But he is highly impressed that I can name Luke’s friend Lando.  And Bella is one of those babies born in September of 2007.  Every time she sees me, she says “kay ree, chip eeezz”  which means, “Karen Marie, chips please.”  Too cute.

So hopefully life will be good enough to allow me to write about more things for another couple of years.  Thanks to all of you for coming back to read what I’m writing.

love you all lots

karen marie

A long time ago in a galax….

Wait, wrong story.  A long time ago, part of my family was NOT Lutheran (I know, a shocker.)  But Catholic.  (I know, you’re gasping at this.)  Anyway, my great aunt Julia was baptized Catholic, and when she was born, she was given the St. Theresa medal.  Somehow, I inherited this necklace, which is really quite beautiful.  I came across this prayer which is attributed to St. Theresa.  I think the prayer is so calming and wonderful that I’d like to share it here.  (And by the way, I have nothing against Catholics, it’s just that I’ve posted so much Lutheran humor, that I thought you might find it amusing that my family was Catholic at one time.  Oh, and somehow my family became Lutheran during the time in between the birth of my great Aunt and my Grandmother, because my Grandmother was baptized Lutheran- go figure!)

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing,
dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

I want to send big hugs and kisses to my cousin Chad and his wife Meridith on the upcoming birth of their SON this summer!!!!  They went in for their ultrasound this past week, and found out that they’re having a boy, who’s due the last week of July.  I also want to send congratulations to Meridith’s parents, Rev. Rick and Chris and to my cousins Kent and Gail, the grandparents of this little boy.  I’m so excited to be Aunt Karen again!!!!

My cousin Staci and I are always teasing each other about our love of books, reading and the obscure.  So here’s a fact dear cousin.  A note on the word Appendix (as in the body part which I still have and is working fine, thank you!)  I looked it up at dictionary.com and it says that you can use the word appendices as the plural for the word appendix, although it is used mostly in academic settings for the things that are found at the back of books.  Isn’t this interesting?

Here’s the direct quote:

ap⋅pen⋅dix

  /əˈpɛndɪks

Spelled Pronunciation [uh-pen-diks]

–noun, plural -dix⋅es, -di⋅ces 

 Spelled Pronunciation [-duh-seez]

1.   supplementary material at the end of a book, article, document, or other text, usually of an explanatory, statistical, or bibliographic nature.

2.   an appendage.

3.   Aeronautics. the short tube at the bottom of a balloon bag, by which the intake and release of buoyant gas is controlled.

4.   Anatomy.

a.   a process or projection.

b.   Vermiform Appendix

Origin:
1535–45; < L: appendage, equiv. to append(ere) to APPEND+ -ix (equiv. to -ic- n. suffix + -snom. sing. ending)

Synonyms:
1. addendum, adjunct. Appendix, supplement both mean material added at the end of a book. An appendix gives useful additional information, but even without it the rest of the book is complete: In the appendix are forty detailed charts. A supplement, bound in the book or published separately, is given for comparison, as an enhancement, to provide corrections, to present later information, and the like: A yearly supplement is issued.

Usage note:
Appendices, a plural borrowed directly from Latin, is sometimes used, especially in scholarly writing, to refer to supplementary material at the end of a book.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

So there, and yes, in case you were wondering many of my family members have had their appendices out.  :p

Many of you have been wondering how my pseudo brother Ben is doing now that he’s back from the Middle East and out of the armed services.  Well, I talked to him yesterday and we had a quick, but great conversation.  The best part of our relationship is that we can talk about the important stuff, laugh together and tease each other, all in a short amount of time.  Plus Ben ended the conversation with the “I love you sis.”  That always gets me.  And chokes me up.  I’m so glad that he is home and safe.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that sometimes the best family that a person has is a family that we create out of important people in our lives, and not necessarily our blood, biological, or the family that raised us.  I’ve been so blessed to have created a new family for myself as I grew up.  It’s a combination of friends, both old and new, family that I’m actually related to by blood, and people from my church.  What I consider to be my family has people from a couple of weeks old to people who are in their eighties and above.  I have white people and people of color in my family.  I have straight, gay and people who are on different places of the sexuality spectrum in my family.  I am called “Aunt,” “Mentor,” “Auntie,” “Friend,” “Cousin,” “God-Daughter,” “Sister” (by more than 3  people , and more other names than I can think of now.

So as I begin this Lenten Season of reflection, I’m thankful for all of you that are part of my family.

One of my favorite books as a child was “Green Eggs and Ham.”  In fact, I think I can still recite most of it by memory still today, so when I came across this Swedish parody of it, I had to put it here for all of you to enjoy!   (And with Christmas coming up, there is absolutely NO way I’m going to eat any Lutefisk, and if anyone thinks they’re going to make me, remember that it takes a MONTH for your house to get rid of the stinky smell of the fish- if you can even call it fish, MOM!!!)

Lutefisk and Yams

Hark and ware, oh Warrior!, Weird of Sven now hear you.
How good Lars he harried, pestered him with questions.

Late at meadhall light burned; Lars did strive to largen
belly with a bowl of boiled fish his mission.

And some chunks of chicken, cheese and bread and peasoup,
finally pounds of pancakes paired with lingon berries.

Smallish snack he snuck while woozy wife lay snoozing.
When inside there wandered forth a fellow northman.

Lars did greet him greatly for he knew the gruesome
tales of host who hasten travellers forth from doorstep.

Lars did ask his name then. “I am Sven,” he mentioned.
“Sven I am,” he stated. “Do you like lutefisk and yams?”

“Nay.” said Lars, “though largely like I food most goodly, but
I do not like lutefisk and yams, I do not like them Sven I am.”

“Ah,” said Sven most sagely. “Would you eat them on a trip?
Would you eat them on your ship?”

“Nay,” said Lars, “though largely like I food most goodly, but
I would not eat them on a trip.
I would not eat them on my ship.
I do not like lutefisk and yams,
I do not like them, Sven I am.”
“Ah,” said Sven. “Then maybe might you eat them on a raid?
Might you eat them with a maid?”

“Nay,” said Lars most strongly. “Like I food most goodly, but
I would not eat them on a raid,
I would not eat them with a maid,
I would not eat them on a trip,
I would not eat them on my ship.
I do not like lutefisk and yams.
I do not like them, Sven I am.”

“Hmmm,” said Sven, “Good fellow,
would you eat them on the field?
Would you eat them off your shield?”

“Nay!” cried Lars most wrothly,
“Like I food most goodly, but
I would not eat them on the field,
I would not eat them off my shield,
I would not eat them on a raid,
I would not eat them with a maid,
I would not eat them on a trip,
I would not eat them on my ship.
I do not like lutefisk and yams.
I do not like them, Sven I am.”

Sven then looked most crafty. He then slyly stated:
“Would you eat them served up cold?
Would you eat them if I paid you gold?”

“Well,” said Lars, “since largely, Like I food most goodly…
I might like lutefisk and yams. I might like them, Sven I am.”

Sven produced this Swedish yam and lutefisk sample.
Lars did test this tasty treat then longly pondered.

Stoutly Lars then stated:
“I despise lutefisk and yams.
I despise them, Sven I am.
I will not eat them served up cold,
I will not eat them if you pay me gold.
I will not eat them on the field,
I will not eat them off my shield,
I will not eat them on a raid,
I will not eat them with a maid,
I will not eat them on a trip,
And I will NOT eat them on MY ship!
I do not like lutefisk and yams,
I do not like them, Sven I am.”
And he slew Sven.

Do you know where you were in October 26 years ago?  I know where I was.  I was at the old County Stadium in the great city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin cheering on the Milwaukee Brewers the last time they were in the playoffs (and the World Series against St. Louis.)  My family had tickets to the playoffs and the World Series, which was absolutely unbelievable!!!  My dad grew up a die hard Boston Red Sox fan (at that time, the Sox hadn’t won the World Series since 1918) and loved baseball.  And my dad taught my brother and me to love baseball too.  When I was growing up, the Milwaukee Brewers had a great program for families, where for a really low price, you could buy something like 6 or 8 tickets a year for children under 13 and the parents would get a reduced price as well.  So going to the baseball games was the big entertainment for our family.  We didn’t take vacations, with my dad working full time and my mom being a full time student getting her Ph.d, and them both doing full time parenting, so being together at Brewer games is really what I remember most.  And then as a teenager, my friends and I would go to a couple of games together.  (Q. and I had some crushes on players as I remember ?!?!)

Back to 1982.  Because my dad had lived his entire life watching the Red Sox lose, when the Brewers made it to the playoffs, my dad told my mom and I quote “if we have to mortgage the house to get tickets, we’ll do it.”  Wow!  Well, they didn’t have to do any refinancing, because when mom went down to County Stadium to see if tickets were available, they had just released the tickets that other baseball clubs didn’t want, so we had tickets for both series BEHIND HOME PLATE.  It really was a dream for all of us (except for the Brewers losing the World Series to St. Louis.)  I think my photos from that time are at my folks, so I’ll post them when I find them.

I was back in M’waukee a year and a half ago and stocked up on Brewer gear for my family (they changed the logo a couple of years ago.)  So I’m set to watch the Brewers.

And my beloved Red Sox made it as the wild card in the American league, so they’ll be playing too.  I don’t know what I’m going to do, with all of this baseball going on!  Luckily I have enough Brewer and Red Sox gear to be able to go a couple of days without doing laundry, I’ll just switch hats and shirts (and even socks!) when I need to!  Thank goodness hockey season doesn’t start until later in the month, otherwise, I’d be really confused!

Today would have been my Grandmother’s birthday.  She died a couple of years ago of the complications that result from Alzheimer’s.  Every now and then it hits me… the enormity of it all.  Helping to be her care giver for over six years, watching her fade away slowly day after day.   She was an incredible woman and along with my grandfather, made a huge impact on every life that they touched.  Many people said that my grandmother was the woman behind the man.  But with my grandmother’s help, my grandfather worked on desegregating the Omaha, Nebraska schools, trying to bring equal education to everyone.  And in 1992 the Omaha school district named a high school after my grandfather.  My grandmother was so proud on that day!

For some reason, a bunch of my friends are trying to “discern” their futures right now, from my college roommate who is trying to figure out how she is going to live and work in both the United States and South Africa to another friend who is back in the dating scene.  So for everyone who is trying to figure out what God’s plan for them is, here is a poem I found for you and for me…

“A PRAYER FOR DREAMERS”

We pray for the dreamers of this life, O God,
for those persons who imagine new possibilities,
who long for what others cannot perceive,
who spin dreams of wonder and majesty in their minds.
Defend them from ridicule and harsh criticism,
from self-doubt and lack of faith in their dreams,
and from abandonment of this call to make things new.
Grant that from their dreams
may come forth blessings for humankind
to enrich the quality of life
and the wonderment of us all.
Amen.
—–Vienna Cobb Anderson  

And a big HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to the following important people in my life (these are the August Anniversaries):

Sarah and Todd Lafrentz:  Happy 5th Anniversary

My cousins The Pirate Kent and Miz Gail Swanson: Happy 36th Anniversary

Mom and Dad: Happy 44th Anniversary