Friday, October 28, 2011

Letter #1 from Bev


October 12, 2011
Chris,
I guess you could say that I’m playing into your fears that no one will write you while you are away, but all of a sudden I have been super busy. I know that it sounds like a ton of excuses, but on a positive note it does give me a ton to talk about. And to be really honest I have thought about writing you every day and it’s hard for me to tell what you will care about so I will just tell you everything.
Mom and I went to see the movie “The Help.” It was such a great movie that I went out and got the book and read all 522 pages in less than a week. The entire story was funny, sad and left me thinking. In case you don’t know anything about the movie/book. Set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960’s. It kind of gives a real face to the civil rights movement. The author really did her homework she talked about Medgar Evers getting shot, schools being integrated and Martin Luther King’s march on Washington D.C.
Compared to some of the stories that have come on in the past couple of years it has a very new story line. A white woman named “Skeeter” wants to be a writer and decided to think outside of the box with her first writing assignment so she decided to enlist the services of the hired help from around the area. Talking about working for the white families and there are some shocking stories.
I also had a pretty big interview for a school in Traverse City. It came down to me and one other person. They went with the other person for the main reason that they were internal. The really cool part even though I didn’t get the job is that they liked me so well that they looked for another position for me. They tried to piece a job together for me. Unfortunately I was unable to fill any of them. Well I could of filled the half time special ed teacher but I would have spent more in gas to get up there then I would have just being a sub.
Katie has been coming over about once a week. For many different things, we had to watch Milo this past weekend. It was kind of nice to have a dog again but it was really nice to send him home too.
Mom and Dad have decided to be vegans but I think that it’s turning out to be more of a vegetarian diet then anything else. You should see the lentil burgers mom made. They look a lot like turds formed into patties. They are this grayish/green color and sometimes they have black specks in them. Sounds yummy, doesn’t it? Honestly, I haven’t tried them as a burger with all of the fixings, I have tried them plain and they really aren’t that bad. But for some reason I just can’t bring myself to eat them.
I have recently have come crossed the idea of photo journaling. One of the author’s blogs I read hires photographers to walk around and take pictures at his speaking event. It is a really neat way to chronicle anything and I love journaling anyways as a way to keep a record for future generations to have a personal account of what happened in the day to day stuff. So journaling with pictures would be even better.
With this in mind, this Christmas I plan on starting a new project called “December Daily”. December Daily is a photo album project that documents the 25 days leading up to Christmas. It will be super easy for me to accomplish because all I do is take a one picture from each day and journal about it. My plan is to do a photo book from Snapfish because they do all of the work for you. They check my spelling for me and everything and they are always having specials on them. 40% off or Buy one Get one Free, life doesn’t get much better then that. I’m praying that you can make it in the book because you will be home, but I’m counting on you to send me pictures to add to it as well.
The woman that started this project starts planning her album in October and really puts some neat work together. With the different textures that she uses she is really imaginative and at some point I would like to put together some of the albums that she does, I think I need to be realistic and do what I know will work for me. She makes a living doing scrapbook projects and blogging about them. I really like the digital work she does and I think I fall into that category of how I will scrapbook. Another thing I really like about the books from Snapfish is that they will be much easier to store then the albums she makes.
I also want to write on the blog mom made for you but I’m pretty sure that I should get a letter out to you first. But I will probably post my December Daily on there as well as on my own blog. I will probably post my letter on there too just so you know that someone was writing you even if the letters get lost in the mail.
So right now I have a ton of plans and good intentions. We will see which ones I get done because we both know the road to hell was paved with good intentions.
I have a book for you. Someone from my church brought it to me last week after they saw your name on the prayer bulletin and brought to me to give to you. This person served a couple of tours in Iraq and said it brought a ton of comfort to them.  
Mom, Dad and I are all planning on going to Caty birthday party this weekend. Maybe I will do a photo journal of that for you.
Well all love you and miss you dearly. I will continue to pray for you until forever. Bev

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

By Now I Don't Remember What Day - from Mom

Honestly I've not forgotten you but I'm having a hard time...I thought this would help but it has not! I am going to try anyway to keep this up now...hahaha!!

I've been remembering how I always said it was an honor to serve? I take it back - I know you can't but I want you to come home - now - I don't want you to go! I love you and miss you and I will always be very, very proud of you - always!!

I'll try to type more later and know I will be ok but I can't see past the tears...love you forever...Mom