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By Demand May 28, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration, smiling is good for you , 2comments

Richard and Peter commanded me to put a quote from Peter on my blog. As a bit of background, we were talking about standardized tests which we’re required to take, and how much we all enjoy them, because we get off from our other work that day. :) And, frankly, they take less time than a regular day’s school. And you get to go out of town, and all that… it’s rather geekishly fun. Sam (Peter’s brother, not Samwise) doesn’t seem to agree. At that point, Peter comes out with

Tests are always easy — unless they’re the kind you have to study for.

…it’s a little surprising that Richard was able to tell me to write it down, and that I was able to do so, we were laughing so hard.

Anyway. In other news.

I’m looking forward to college.

(What? Did someone just remind me that first I have to get my eval on Monday [I stand corrected, it’s on Tuesday]… and pass… and before that, I need to finish up my portfolio… which means finishing my science paper, and my text log… and… boy. Thank you so much for bringing that up.)

Anyway. I am looking forward to it.

But there’s a nice amount of Greek for me to do between now and then… finish the test I’m on, five or so chapters of Mounce’s, another test, and then I John.

That will be fun. Dr. W (who will be my Greek prof, HURRAY!) is pleased with how I’m coming along…

…still, I’d appreciate prayer that the Greek will sink in.

Randomness May 27, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration , 1 comment so far

On Sunday, Ib and Miss Dog Lover and I were playing with various small toys to recreate parts of Prince Caspian (more of the movie than the book).  There were a few interesting quotes…

Aslan (being voiced by Miss Dog Lover):  “Susan, why are you holding onto — OW!  my tail?!?”

Aslan again, perhaps still trying for a response on the same question, “Susan, why — Susan — Susan — SUSAN!  Are you DEAD??”

They just didn’t sound too in keeping with Aslan’s overall character…

Then yesterday, we were at a picnic, and a four year old named Hannah joined us.  She had many ideas on what ought to be played.  One of these was Tarzan and Jane.  She was Jane, and Ib (the only boy there) was Tarzan.

Now, it’s been quite a while since I’ve seen the movie, but I don’t remember Jane chasing Tarzan so vigorously.  Jane kept being “captured” by Miss Dance and Miss Dog Lover — they were the bad guys — and Tarzan was supposed to rescue her.

Tarzan was rather dragging at rescuing her by the end of the night.  One time as she ran through the car port squealing, “AAAAH!  Tarzan!  Rescue me!” he turned away. 

“Just a minute,” he said, grabbing the pitcher of pink lemonade.  “I need a drink.”

About the Wedding May 24, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration , 2comments

Today Ben David and Heather got married.  It was… strange, insofar as I’m there thinking, AAAAAH!  These are youth group kids! (which Heather understood) but it was lovely.

Peter welcomed me before I got through the doors.  We stood around talking for a while — he hasn’t seen me since Wednesday — and then I looked over and saw Antion.  We talked for a minute… which is the first time since… January?  Something like that.  But I was no help at all, as he was looking for his brother and I hadn’t seen anyone else in his family.

Of course, I then spent the entire day more or less with his sister Aubrey.  She and I (somewhat thanks to Tim the Loudest Kid on Earth, and somewhat thanks to my own confusion) somehow ended up sitting completely seperated from her family.  *evil grin*  It’s okay, we behaved ourselves.  We behaved well!  Even the flower-girl and the ringbearer behaved well and did not stick their tongues out at each other as they had done last night.

Before the wedding, PI played.  This was amusing, and enjoyable for several reasons.  I hadn’t seen those guys together in quite a while… hadn’t heard them play in ages… it also kept Ben ready right up till the time of his wedding.  Hey, they need their bass guitarist!  Unfortunately, right after the first song, something (one of the guitars?  Or a speaker?) made an awful noise.  Not quite the ideal for at a wedding.

Mr. K leaned over and said to me, “That was vintage PI.”  Yep.    It’s okay, we love those guys.  And they really sounded good.  (Now I’m listening to The Penguins singing Earth Angel, and as a matter of fact, PI sounds a lot better.  What?  You say I’m biased?  I guess it’s possible.)

(me:  “Wow, that was nice hearing PI!”
Jay:  “Yeah!”
Jordan:  “We do weddings!”
me:  “Maybe I’ll have to get married some day!”
Jay and Jordan:  *laugh*)

Okay… then there was the actual wedding.  It was very nice.  I think that all of the quizzers refrained from reciting from Ephesians 5 along with Pastor B.  Peter, as a matter of fact, got completely off track from thinking about the wedding and began thinking about a quiz practice.  Nice.

And we heard about a play that Ben and Heather had been in together… and Heather’s character had said, “If you didn’t notice, I am a woman.”  Ben, as a matter of fact, did notice. 

We had communion too.  I’ve never seen that done at a wedding before… at least, not that I remember… but I don’t think it was a bad idea. 

They kissed.

And then… let’s see.  We tried to get everyone out of the sanctuary.  This is a long and slow process and people struck up conversations in the meanwhile.  Many of these conversations had to do with the static-y flower petals.  They were driving Aubrey bananas by sticking to her shoes.  But then when we tried brushing them off they stuck to our hands and each other and then everyone started brushing them off, but as soon as we put our feet back down on the floor, voila!  More stuck.

Then we all said congratulations to everyone and hugged and chatted and ate cookies.  At various points today I caught up with Russell (it’s been quite a while since I even saw him) and found first Sarah and then her brother Josiah.  I ended up saying to both of them, “Hi!… um… it’s okay, you really do know me… I go to OPC camp.”  Sarah:  *blank look*  I added that I had almost been in her cabin, and that clicked into place.  Josiah seemed to remember me… vaguely… and was rather at a loss to explain why I was at a CMA wedding.  Well.  It happens that I had known Ben before I knew Josiah and I knew Josiah before they were roommates.  That was fun.

Jay said to me, “I did bring your Latin book back.”  (I had forgotten, more or less, that I lent it to him.)  I told him that Dad had thought it was pretty much beyond ridiculous that in order to lend it to him I took it to Florida and gave it to him at LIFE.  This is true, it was quite ridiculous.  I mean, we live about six minutes apart.  Yeah… it was goofy.  But memorable!

And then Peter’s family dropped me off at home as Ib’s having a ball game. 

Admissions Counselors May 22, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration , 2comments

Yes, that was supposed to be a plural.

You see, I have one official admissions counselor. I occasionally email or even call her with questions, but it’s a rather last resort.

Other than that, I have the awesome A2. He’s the one who answers the questions like, “Hey, Andrew, Dad’s wondering where the best place around the admissions building is to get photocopies.” Furthermore, he gives me answers which go farther than just saying “library” and will add, “yup… if it doesn’t take change you can put money on a copy card. There’s a vending machine for em on the wall to the left of the copier. They’re free. It’s in the lobby of the library on the left wall after you come in the doors, right in front of the desk. Can’t miss it.”  This enables me to walk in there and look as if I know what I’m doing.  He’s good at recon.  He has also answered questions about phones and college A as opposed to college B.   And advised me on which food plan was the best.  I appreciate that immensely.

Andrew is also prone to forgetting things (like when I was coming up… he completely forgot this, despite the fact that we had talked the night before) but that’s okay.  He’s getting married soon enough and he claims that Sarah remembers things for him.   He’s done a great job helping me out on a lot of things.

Samwise has been doing his part, too.  We were talking about college yesterday — it’s a lot of fun to have someone else to get all excited with — and all of a sudden Sam said, “Anya.  Do you have your forms done yet?”

“Uh…” I said, probably looking guilty.  “Well, not quite.”

He checked his watch.  “It’s okay.  You have… nine days.  I think that is enough time.”

It is, it is.

I’m glad that I have him to keep me in line.

I’m getting really excited about college.

Pop Machine! May 21, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration, smiling is good for you , add a comment

Tonight at youth group we were supposed to get in groups and act out a machine — group charades, I suppose you could call it, with an assigned area to do our charades in.

My group was rather large.  Arika, Mikaylah, Miss Dance, Richard, me, Aubrey, Caleb, and Peter.  Also, I wasn’t too sure that group charades were a good idea.  I mean, the last time I tried this I was in a group with a bunch of guys (Jordan, Josh K, and Greg, and someone else, if it matters) and we were being a forklift.  And as I was the lightest one in the group, I was elected to be the “load”.  They dropped me.

Anyway, Aubrey (who is not exactly the shyest girl on earth… I realized this when, after not having been in the US for long at all, she began doing the “Miss Hong Kong” act, leaving me rolling on floor laughing.) was spitting out random suggestions.  Finally she says, “Pop machine!”  It sounded promising so I told the other people “POP MACHINE!”  As we were in a state of great disorder, they all listened.

So, uh, yeah.  We were a pop machine.

Peter was chosen to be the pop.  First of all, he’s the shortest, and he doesn’t object to doing things like rolling on the floor.  Secondly, he was wearing a red shirt, and was thus a perfect Coke.

What I had not foreseen was that as Aubrey takes great delight in tormenting Peter.  She was the customer getting the pop.  She decided to “open” the pop can.  This meant grabbing Peter by the hair and tipping/twisting his head.

We all seemed to find it hilarious.

Birthday Boy!!!! May 20, 2008

Posted by Anya in : Uncategorized , 3comments
Currently Watching
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian [Theatrical Release]
By Ben Barnes, Cornell John, Damián Alcázar, Liam Neeson, Alicia Borrachero
see related

It is Ibey’s birthday.

He’s ten.

Wow, that makes me feel old.  I remember when we brought him home!  Not too long afterwards he was hospitalized and had to have a spinal tap and all that fun junk.  I was not pleased… for the first time, I had to miss giving my little bro baths.  That was not cool.

What was cool was that he recognized our voices in the hallway when we came to visit him and got all happy. 

Ib was always a pretty happy dude.  He never realized that he was younger and littler than my friends from youth group, so he’d always be challenging them to basketball matches in the gym.  And then he’d challenge the college students at the track to a race.  Every now and then they let him win, but it never seemed to phase him.

Let’s see, what else.  Ibey was the most faithful follower of anything I wrote.  He listened to pretty much everything that I wrote about Lonya and lauded it as better than Tolkien.    Ya gotta love that kind of brother.

He keeps us all on our toes with music and sports… piano and Little League…

And he says the funniest things, and can make the strangest faces.  Especially Mr. Bean-like faces.  Ib is all around incredible.

So today my youngest brother turns ten.  I pray that he will always keep learning, and growing in wisdom, and in maturity, and that he will use his talents to serve God.

He’s a knight

And a pirate

Out to slay the dragons and get the treasure

He’s a crazy little boy

And I’m watching him grow up

Someday…

His dreams will take flight

Someday…

But for now I am watching him grow up

As he learns and as he plays…

We have been given this day

To prepare for the rest of life

This day…

To live.

Happy birthday, Ibey!

Various Fun Things from Today May 19, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration , add a comment

~Talking to Andúnë about The Brothers Karamazov.  It’s an exceedingly weird book, but at least I finished it this time.  Next up, The Silmarillion.

~Listening to the bats in the chimney.  I’m glad that our house is no longer so loud that they don’t want to live there.  I like listening to them squeak and flop around.  It’s fun, for some reason.  And sort of relaxing.

~Playing Crazy Eights and Liar with Miss Dance and Ibey.  Ib’s birthday is tomorrow (the 20th) by the way.  :)

We were playing characters from Star Wars while we played card games.  I regret to say that Ibey is a very poor representation of Luke Skywalker.  Luke was acting in a most un-Jedi-like manner, i.e., he kept tackling Han and other such stuff.

Han:  “So Leia, how come you’ll go on a date with me but won’t tell me if you’ll marry me?”
Luke:  *seizes this moment to throw a ball of sparkle putty at Leia*
Leia:  *is hit in the head with it and her glasses are knocked all caterwumped*
Luke:  *goes absolutely hysterical with laughter*

Something about the timing was rather amusing, I admit.

Miss Dance/Leia, talking about Han (I was being Han, obviously) to Ibey/Luke, who had been mixing his genders horribly and kept referring to Han Solo in the feminine, for some reason… “He’s a gir–I mean, boy!”

Glad that we have that cleared up!

I remembered the book Wise Words by Peter Leithart yesterday, so this evening I pulled it out and started reading it to Ibey.  It’s incredible how much of that book has stuck in my memory.  And not just the stories, either, but the imagery used in them.  It’s a really good book, I’d recommend it highly. 

Window into Our Dining Room May 18, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration, smiling is good for you , 2comments

This is the oddest family that I’ve ever had.

Case in point: supper tonight.

Miss Dance: “But what if some perfectly nice Christian guy proposed but I only liked him as a friend? What would you say to him?”
Dad: “I’d want to know what he was lacking that you wanted in a husband.”
Ibey: “Looks!”

We were also discussing ideas for a care basket for an elderly man…

Ibey: “Silly String!”
(there followed much discussion of the merits — or demerits — of Silly String.)
Miss Dog Lover: “I’m gonna get Silly String for your graduation or wedding.”
me: O_o “Graduation, please!“
Mom: “You should only use it at her wedding if you can get it in white!”
me: “Application to court my daughter: Are you prepared to be sprayed with Silly String at your wedding?“
Mom: “When guys need that application, let us know and we’ll mail it to them. Or, if they’re exceptionally good, we’ll email it to them — it’s faster.”
Dad: “I was thinking Pony Express.”
Mom: “You don’t HAVE a pony.”
Dad: “I’d have to get one.”

He is obviously in quite a rush for us to get married.

*back to care packages*
me: “Does he collect anything?”
Miss Dance: “You know, coins or stamps or flies?”
me: *rolling on the floor laughing*

FLIES? As in, houseflies? I asked. She said that yes, that was what she meant. Um. Okay.

We (Miss Dance and I) were making cards today. We ran into a bit of trouble. I went to put the one for Glen into its envelope and discovered why Miss Dance had been complaining that it seemed to be sticking shut. No fake. She had addressed it upside-down. So she got a new one. This time we made certain that it was rightside-up, but she wrote “Gleu” rather than “Glen” on it.

*when we quit laughing*

Miss Dance: “How do I fix this?”
me: “Give me that.” *grabs pen and envelope from her in the futile hope of turning the u into an n* *sees the vanity of such hope* *glares* “Give me the stickers.”

So we got the envelope fixed… it looked fine… and I went to put the card into it.

Anyone care to guess?

Yep. The envelope was too small.

I laughed. And laughed. Miss Dance came to see what was going on. “It do–” I began, and couldn’t get any further.

For some reason, she just gave me a strange look. The why are you laughing for no obvious reason type of look. I tried again but really couldn’t speak, so I just threw the card and envelope at her while laughing hysterically. She tried comparing the relative sizes and saw what the problem was. “Oh nooooooooo,” she said, laughing and falling backwards onto her bed. I was crying from laughing so hard.

Oh well, it’s what paper cutters are for, right?

Not, to be just, I really need to tell as story about myself which is the sort that makes me wonder how well the NMSQT people do in picking students who actually have any measure of intelligence….

Here it was. Yesterday I was emailing out the presby’s newsletter. As Grandma Millie emailed me about a while later, I forgot to actually attach the newsletter to the email. Duh, that would be rather helpful. So then I sent out an email apologizing for my scatterbrainedness.

And, uh… forgot to attach the newsletter again.

At least that time I realized that I had forgotten to attach it and thus I quickly sent everyone a third email. (YES. I attached the newsletter that time.)

Oh boy. I felt rather… dumb. Dumb as a bug, we could say.

Cheri teased me about it at church today. “*cough* Anya, were you having a little computer trouble yesterday?” she asked, with a rather evilly innocent twinkle in her eye.

Thanks, Cheri.

She added that when the SECOND email came through with no attachment, she thought that maybe the attachment just wasn’t coming through… I wish that I could blame it on the computer, but the attachment was not what wasn’t coming through.

She also says that she was really amused though… amusing a mother of six young children is worth making myself feel like an idiot, right?

What I did not mention was that I also forgot, when I was first submitting this letter to Christine, the wonderful crafts lady from camp who puts it all together, to attach the newsletter in my first email to her.

Auuuuugh.

Rally Hats: Check! May 17, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration , add a comment

This post is pretty much a follow-up to Cheering, due to some excellent work by our team at an early morning, rainy game.

Ah, yes. The 8:45 game. Lovely, isn’t it? And it began… raining. I thought of Rob McKenna. But still they played on.

I think I’ll mention here that they won too.

Also that I did not really know that it was possible for three innings to take the better part of two hours. Yeah. Two hours is the time limit. And we got three innings in.

There was chatter on our team. They picked up where they left off on Thursday night — excited, ready to cheer, and ready to play hard. In the first inning, they all had their rally hats going. Rally hats, for some reason, are extremely important.

You don’t know what a rally hat is? That’s okay. I believe that our team coined the team and the peculiar method of wearing them. They turn their hats inside out. And yell, “Rally, rally, RALLY!” But it sounds cooler to call them “rally hats” rather than “inside out hats”. Coach Doug actually told the players to put on their rally hats the other night, and did it himself. How cool do you get?

I was especially proud of our team — and coaches — because the other team’s coaches were not being good sports. It’s sad when the kids on the team are acting more maturely than the adults. Miss Dance and I decided that we would have been issuing warnings from the press box… “Less chatter in the home dug out!” No trying to psych out the other team by complaining that they aren’t swinging at anything when nothing is coming in the strike zone! Bleh.

And then, directly after we won the game *grins* I was listening to the kids in our dugout. They were busy commending each other — especially Josiah, who pitched quite well the rather tense last inning — and Brayden added, “And the other team played a good game! They almost came back! That was a GREAT GAME!”

Great attitude, too.

Cheering May 15, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration , 2comments

Mom posted about the “chatter” at Ib’s Little League games.  I love it.  It’s so much fun.  I enjoy cheering for the kids on his team, knowing who is who and what they’re good at.  I enjoy watching them play.  I also enjoy having a book along so that when the game gets slow I can take a break from watching and just read, but if they’re up to bat I want to be yelling for them.  I don’t really know why I so much enjoy this… getting to be friends (sort of) with kids who I won’t see much of, if ever again, after this summer.

And part of the cheering is being able to still smile at them when they strike out (again) because they all were swinging at the balls way over their heads (it’s not tennis, guys) or the balls that hit the dirt before they crossed the plate (no, it’s not golf either), and admiring their scars (yes, Logan, nice black eye… that will be very interesting by game time… try to pay a little more attention next time). 

I don’t know.  It’s just fun.  Learning to encourage each other.  To find what is good in everything and to say, “Hey, it’s gonna be okay.”

And it gets just plain funny sometimes too.

Coach:  “That’s it Josiah!  I want you pitching like that every time… knocking Megs (the catcher) over every time!!!”

Oooookay.

Brayden:  “His favorite word is ‘Ball’!”  (To be fair, the ump did call a lot of strikes too.  Brayden is our resident comedian.)

Coach Ron:  “Keep that elbow up!  I’m gonna have to ductape it to your head!”

All the coaches to every kid as they go out:  “CHECK YOUR FEET!  ELBOWS UP!  SWING!  BE A HITTER!!!”

The cheering is so much more varied in baseball than it is in quizzing.

That’s fun too.Â