Laura's Joy

Ah yi yi and a tired sigh

2011-01-26T10:47:00.000-08:00

I know. I know. I did say I was going to be better about this.

I am horrible with blogging. I absolutely *love* to read other blogs and I even love to re-read my old postings. It's just sometimes I love to jot memories and stories down and other times, I could care less.

...Melodramatic venting here...

I am tired of this whole stupid transitioning point. I knew that it was going to be hard... but everyone knows that saying it and actually going through it is two different things.

This whole living out of a suitcase is overrated. I yearn to erase what I just wrote because I want to come across that I can easily travel and adapt to change. But why am I lying to myself? There are some changes that doesn't phase me and others that just brings meltdowns. And this is a meltdown change.

The Marine Corps has always been in my relationships with James... through our courtships, dating and marriage. It is like a tiny pebble in my shoe. I've learn to walk with it. I can shake my foot to get it to rest in a place where it's not so uncomfortable. Over time, I can endure it and go about life without having to wince with every step. The pebble becomes a part of my shoe. One day, rather suddenly, that pebble was no longer there. I have to relearn how my shoe feels, how to walk without doing a ridiculous foot jiggle, and to get into a new walking rhythm.

I have learned to accommodate myself to the way of life in the Marine Corps. I was able to get to a place where it became easier for me to be a Marine's wife. I could endure the long separations, the military jargon and give James up when Uncle Sam and country came a'callin'. I made my peace with how the Marine Corps was a part of my relationship.

Suddenly, things have shifted and the Marine Corps is no longer a part of the equation. I do feel a bit lost without it right now. I miss being a Marine's wife.

I am fed up with people who over exaggerate with mouths bigger than the Muppets. I am annoyed with people not understanding or taking the time to understand me. I am pissed with those who talk to James or others around me as if I can't talk for myself. I miss being in a place where people know me, understand me and love me.

...end of ranting...

Things I am LOVING right now:

:: change of weather

:: curling up under warm, thick blankets

:: donning on layers

:: gloves and mittens

:: lathering on lotions

:: twin is only two hours away

:: friends and family are near

Yes, it is a transition. A time of change... it comes with the bad and the good.

My joy is frosted breaths on crisp mornings.

A Year Ago...

2010-10-04T00:09:00.000-07:00

A year ago today, I posted my last post before I became a blogger hermit.... I just vanished. Poof. Gone.

A lot has happened... some not so great and some so grand.

A year ago, I received an unsettling phone call. Hmm, let me back up a little.

It was a beautiful fall morning, I remember the sun was streaming through the window and there were graceful shadows dancing on the walls. I remember being blissfully happy. I had just won a gold medal in Taipei and I was enjoying my last month being in Michigan before James was due home from a 7 months deployment. I remember I was sitting in the sitting room off to the side of the kitchen, with my laptop on my crossed legged lap, hoping to get a sweet e-mail from James.

I remember Mom had come into the house from being outside on the farm. I remember her being in the kitchen, checking the phone id, to see who had called. I remember her grabbing the cordless and dialing a number. I remember not being too concerned and I continued to roam the Internet. I remember looking up and seeing Mom's face as it fell and her hand came up to her lips. I remember the squeeze of my heart and how it slowed in to a loud thud.

I remember how Mom came to me, still talking on the phone and how she kneeled down onto her knees and said, "James has been hit." I remember how she went on to explain that he was still alive and breathing and how she stressed the fact that he was hurt but he was OKAY.

Then the rest of the story is a blurred memory. You see, James was a machine gunner on top of the humvee in the hot zone of Now Zad, Afghanistan. His convoy was hit by an rpg (rocket propelled grenade), a foot away from where James was on top. Because he was exposed to the elements, he perforated his ear drums. Since the rpg set off on James' right side, he lost more than 90% of his right ear drum and 50% of his left.

He said things went into slow motion, kind of like the scenes in Saving Private Ryan. He recalls being surrounded in a cloud of dust and blood was coming out of his ears. He shared his buddies down below were yanking his legs and trying to force him down. They were screaming at him and he was hearing nothing but ringing. He forced his buddies to finished the mission they were on.

When they returned to their post, the corpsman could not see pass all the blood and he wasn't sure about the extend of James' injuries. James was told that he would most likely have permanent hearing loss. He eventually was shipped to Germany to see a specialist and to get out of the war zone.

In Germany, they were surprised how at the extend of his injuries that he did not need surgery. His ear drums were healing on their own and he gained about 90% of his hearing back. The Lord is good.

Yes, it was a phone call but men in uniforms did not show up at my door. You see, even though the phone call brings bad news, it is those that show up at your door that brings some of the most heartbreaking news of all... your loved one is dead.

Rejoice with me, that my man is here. Rejoice with me, that he can hear. Rejoice with me, for the Lord, our God, is good.

My joy is starting again.

Victory

2009-10-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the three weeks of the deaflympics, I vowed that I would never do this again...

I guess I put my foot in my mouth...

Because I SO would do this all over again. When it was all said and done, I never have fathom that:

:: I would come to love my teammates as much as I do.

:: the victory can be so sweet.

:: the experience will leaving me longing for more.

:: the tears, sweat and blood that were shed and spilled would make me a better person.

The deaflympics was, in a word,

SUBLIME.

Sweet, sweet victory.

The Gold Medal

We are the champions of the world!

Pre-game photo. Love these ladies.

Stepping up onto the podium as champions.

Just received the Gold Medal

Waving and thanking our fans in the crowd

During the national anthem before the final game

Receiving support from home

Carolyn (best friend from college) came and supported me at the finals.

There was nothing like seeing a familiar face in the midst of a crowd.

The next deaflympics is in Athens, Greece in 2013. Wanna join me on that adventure?

Once again, thank you all for your love and support!

My joy is the camaraderie that my team and I have developed during the three weeks of soccer heaven and hell.

A letter to supporters

2009-09-08T22:42:00.000-07:00

My faithful supporters,

I know that my blogs are few and far in between, but it does not mean that I am not grateful for your support.

Your cheers, encouragement and support mean the world to me. After a long day, coming back to the hotel room and seeing what you have left me in the networking world brightens my day.

I love representing the USA. I so enjoy wearing the red, white and blue clothing. I enthusiastically join the team chants and cheers. Heck, I even take joy in donning on an American flag as a cape with the team.

We have had ups and downs as a team. We have come together and fell apart only to rise again. Honestly, I think we are acting like true American women. Sometimes, we bicker and argue among ourselves, but when someone (outside of the team) or something provokes us, we pull together and get through it. I am honored to know each and every one of these ladies as we go about our adventure in Taiwan.

Taipei, Taiwan- what a fascinating city. With mopeds zooming in and out of the chaotic traffic, the rottening smell that rises from the sewers and the mask covered citizens, Taipei is truly a city of its own. I have had mini adventures with the team all over the city. Hopefully, we will be able to gain more time to explore the metropolis.

Friends, family and fans, without your support and love, I wouldn't have gone far. Keep rooting me on as we go for the gold!

with all my thanks,

Laura- #17 (They, unfortuately, mixed up my number.)

My joy is getting encouragment from all of my supporters!

Four Long Years

2009-08-25T21:31:00.000-07:00

After four long years that flew by in a blink of an eye, I am standing on the threshold, ready to bid farewell to family, friends and well wishers. With my cleats and shin guards stowed away and duffel bag in hand, I am off to the isle of monsoons.

For four long years, I have trained with the USA Women's Deaf Soccer team. I have come to know many of the wonderful ladies, all who come from different walks of life. We have come together for the love of the game and we all have a common ground- we are all hearing impaired or aka deaf. As cheesy as it may sound, I can not express what joy it is when I am with "my people".

During the four long years, coaches and captains have combed the nation for futbol lovin', cleat wearin' ladies to represent the USA in the 2009 Deaf Olympics. We are now at the point where we are all going to travel to LA to meet as a team. From there, we are heading for Taipei!

Now that the four long years are behind us, I am proud to say that the games begin on the 5th of September with the Opening Ceremony and we will wrap it up with a Closing Ceremony on the 15th of September.

The best way to keep track of the games are through these websites:

the main US deaflympic site:

http://www.usdeaflympics.org/

for a live feed of the games: http://www.deaflympics.tv/

for the schedule:

http://english.2009deaflympics.org/ezfiles/27/1027/img/11/T2009-TCS-Football-200908172310.pdf

I am the blonde hair pony tailed gal with the #14 USA jersey.

Without a further ado, let me just say,

"Look out world, here we come!"

My joy is knowing I am in the right place at the right time.

James III

2009-07-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

I recieved this update from James last week right before my life got busier than a beehive. I was blessed to be able to chat with him for 4 hours on Skype. Lord knew we needed that conversation because honestly, I have no idea when the next time will be.

Many people haven't heard from him, including me (the wife) and his parents. His parents have been watching the news, which I purposely avoid, and they are getting a little worried. I know that James is in good hands and that is all I have to think about. It is so easy for tears to spring up if my mind wanders and wallows in where James is and what he is doing. It is so easy for my heart to twist uncomfortably with worries. It is so easy for me to lose my head and have a meltdown...

Which is why I have to almost pretend that he is not a part of my life. I do realize how horrid that sounds. James knows that in order for my heart and mind to deal with this, I need to go on living. It is what he encouraged me to do anyways.

It doesn't mean that I don't think of him every second. It doesn't mean that my body doesn't ache to be held just one more time. It doesn't mean that my heart doesn't skip a beat when I spot someone that looks similar to James.

It just means that at this time, even when he is always on my mind, I just have pretend he is not a part of my life in order to go on with living and love every second of it. It is hard to explain, but basically, it is a way to survive the heartache and sorrow.

However, on that glorious day, when he steps off of the plane and our lips meet, and our reunion complete, he will be apart of my life again, wholly and fully present. Oh, I can not wait for that day!

but in the mean time, here is an update from James (July 3):

the past couple of weeks have been busy. long days, early nights. post at night, things to do during the day. one good thing that has happened is that i finally got some mail. i woke up the other morning to see that i had three boxes sitting right beside my rack. i also had one box that my lovley wife sent to one of my really good friends here. so in all i had four boxes. i opened my boxes and found that my wife sent me a birthday gift, some dvds, her parents sent me a dvd player, and some snacks. talk about christmas in june. not getting mail like we should be getting and to get three boxes was just amazing.

also i have been getting with three to four guys each week for a bible study. I asked them what would they like to do for their study, they said for me to pick because they didnt know where to start. well i was thumbing through the bible and decided to start with philippians. as i was reading to get started it was just amazing on how the Lord talks to you. here in phillippians, paul is chained to wall and writing to rejoice, just in the first chapter alone he talks about it several times. now, here i am in this country wanting to complain about all sorts of things. one thing was the mail, the other the heat, another not getting enough sleep. and as i was reading i was realizing how much I complain and gripe about everything. paul kicked my butt these past couple of weeks going through his book with these guys. what the Lord is showing me is that i need to fully rely on him to show me how to act and behave. i desire to be that example but so many times i fall. i slip. i bust. but at the same time i must rejoice because the Lord is near. paul writes that in phil. 4:5. its just reassuring when i do fall the Lord is right there beside me, and therefore iI must rejoice. even when i dont fall but just go through a tough time, bullets flying by my head or whatever this life throws at me, i must rejoice. and the man writing that is chained, literally, to a wall. he is imprisoned for his faith and he is rejoicing. the scriptures say those in ministry may never see the fruit of the labor, i have been involved with ministries before the marine corp and i know i may never see the fruit of the labor. but that is okay. if the seed is planted and the Lord waters thats later on these guys lives, then i will see these guys again when i am dancing with my Lord my savior.

laura, my wonderful wife, has asked me to make a list of things to be sent out here. candy- like fruity type candy. skittles, starburst, stuff like that, gum. slim jims. kool aid packets, gatorade powder. baby wipes, that is what we use when we can't shower and they make really good rifle cleaning.

other than all of that, things here are going okay. we have been mentioned online by the associated press and viewed on youtube. its exciting to see that we are getting our backs slapped. its a good feeling from the press. i love you all and miss you dearly. peace till later.

My joy is feeling the late evening summer breeze stirring up my hair and gracefully dance upon my face.

Homage to Allie

2009-07-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

Ahem...

These pictures are from,

oh let's see...

*counting down the months on my fingers and muttering out loud*

"March, April, May, JUNE!"

With a bewildered acclamation,

I just now realize that it was 4 months ago.

FOUR. MONTHS. AGO.

Wow, I am loving and enjoying life so much

that time is flying.

Four months ago, Allison Galoob,

a dear friend and teammate,

came out for her spring break.

The timing could NOT have been

PERFECT.

After all, James had just left for 6-weeks training in CA

and a few mere hours later,

Allison arrived.

Bringing smiles, laughter and sunshine.

I am FOREVER grateful

that she decided to spend her spring break

with me.

She helped me

by pulling me back from the edge of

depression

and even

despair.

God knew what I needed and when I needed it.

He gave me a friend

who brighten my days

during a lonely and difficult time.

Thank you Allie,

I am forever grateful.

Father's Day

2009-06-22T14:59:00.000-07:00

On my wedding day

Daddy,

I am so thankful that God has saw you fit to be my father. I have learned so much from you. You have taught me how:

To love life.

To work hard

and

to play hard.

To be loyal.

To be faithful.

To be understanding.

To love family.

Thank you for loving me and encouraging me. Thank you for allowing me to spread my own wings and to welcome me home.

I love you Daddy. Happy Father's day.

xoxo- Laura

Matthew Cole

2009-06-22T12:04:00.000-07:00

High School Graduation Day

Dear brother of mine,

Thanks for all the wonderful memories.

Happy birthday!

I am so proud of you,

of who you are

and

who you will be.

I will always love you.

Always.

xoxo- Laura

Graduation Party

James II

2009-06-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

Two things you may not know about James:

James is part of 2/3 company. Within 2/3 is 4 platoons (i think it is called platoons), and they are: Echo, Fox, Gulf, and Weapons. Weapons is James' platoon.
Along with being a machine gunner on top of humvees, he is also a layreader/layman. Basically, he steps in when the Chaplain is not availble and prays or talks to/for anyone.

I just receieved heart breaking updates from James and the two facts may help make things a bit clearer...

June 5th-
Sorry about yesterday. river city means that all communication must shut down due to a causuality. they do that so that the higher ups can get in touch with the family first. yes it was a guy from gulf. he ended up losing both his legs. it was hard for alot of guys in golf to deal with that. so if i am online and i say hey i got to go river city, it may be in my area or in another area. but just know i will let you know what happened.

June 7th:
Please pray for golf company. they had someone kia (killed in action) yestersday. it has hit really hard to some of the guys. when i came back from the patrol i was told i had to go see the first sergeant. i went and he said that i needed to go to one of their tents to see if anyone needed prayer or someone to talk too. i went to the tent and they all looked at me like what am i doing there. i told them who i was and why i was there. they said now is not a good time. i said okay, just to let you know where i live if any of you need to talk. now some of my guys are asking if God looks after us in combat. its a joy to be able to share what i believe, but at the same time it is hard. its hard because these guys resist the gospel. but the Lord is good. i hope during this time hearts will melt for him. melt for his desire. to know him more. so pray that i stay firm in the Lord, to have my words his only. to speak with gentleness but with love. to have my heart guided to the right scripture when needed.

I am on my knees.

My joy is being able to witness such great high highs and low lows. I appreciate life so much more.

James

2009-06-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

3.5 weeks has passed since James and I wrapped our arms around each other for our last embrace.

We had to "stage" at a big parking lot that was luminated by lamp posts at 11pm. The drive from our apartment to the base was a ride full of silent tears, stolen kisses, spoken promises, I-love-you's and I'll-miss-you's.

Once we arrived, James had several check-ins and report to 'this and that' jazz. The whole night turned into a long affair of coming and goings of soldiers. There were many other wives/girlfriends and families staying for the all nighter to say goodbye to their loved ones and praying that it wasn't the last time.

Two of James' buddies, Hinther and Thaete, hugged me goodbye and promised me that they will watch over James and bring him home to me at the end of the 7 months. I told them that they better bring themselves home too.

Saying goodbyes suck.... they cause havoc on my heart and mind.

"I really hope this isn't my last hug... kiss... smile...."

"I hope I didn't send him to his death."

"I pray that if he does return that he is still my beloved, the one my heart knows."

When he stepped on that bus, I climbed to the top of my car. He slid down a window and stuck out the "I love you" hand signal. I waved an "I love you" back, blew a kiss and the tears streamed down my face as I watch the buses pull out. I stood there for a bit, praying for God's mighty angels to surround the troop, to guide them there and to bring them home.

Like I said... it has been 3.5 weeks. James has been able to email me several times and here are some of the updates:

May 19th:
things got a little weird with where we are going. i dont think i will see eric. the reason why is because they sent a few guys to different areas to do the turn over. i am right now with sgt soto at a different place. its okay, they have Internet here and i am doing cog, corporal of the guard, which means i am on post for 4 hours walking around once an hour to all the post to make sure they are doing okay. so far its okay. i have to wake up their relief so that is the interesting thing because i have no idea who these guys are to wake up and where they sleep. i am sitting the coc, center of command, and i just ran into a guy that went to bootcamp with me. i came in here and said my name is yon what is yours, he said landy, i said did you go to boot camp on the east coast and where you in echo company there. he said yes and said that i looked familar, i said i was the scribe, then we just started catching up. the guys here are ready to go home. they said its been a good and long deployment. there arent showers here so they all look really rough.

May 24th:
well i got moved again, thats why i havent been on lately. we got moved the next day from where i was at to a bigger place, then i got told that i am going back to another small area, not with my platoon, and stay there for the 7 months. so right now i am waiting for 2nd platoon to get here so that we can go to this other place. i hope you know i cant exactly tell you where i am going so ill use the word place instead. all i have been doing is waiting to get going because the sooner i start doing something the faster these months will go by. the first week went by fast for me, the second however has gone slow due to all of this sitting around and waiting bullcrap. but i do have something interesting.

i woke up about two days ago to find a fly in my eye. i swiped it off and went back to bed. apparently that fly gave my eye pink eye. so i went to the doc they gave me some eye drops that burned like hell and made my eye go numb, then they put this black light thing on my eye to see if it scratched it, don't worry it didn't. then they gave me some more eye drops. so far it has gone away. but isnt it funny that a fly gave my eye pink eye. its so weird.

soto and i have been hanging out. he really isn't that bad of a guy when he is just one on one. he has been asking me a lot of questions about my bible and religion degree and where i stand. so its cool to be able to talk to him about that.

May 25th:

Ok another update on where and what platoon i am in. i was sent to 2nd platoon for a total of one day. while i was there i was a team leader and vehicle leader for the 1st truck. then after doing all of the work that requires getting the trucks ready to head out, i get told that i am going back to 3rd platoon. my platoon. i was like, what the heck! keep me somewhere. well when i got back i found out that i lost my teamleader position. i am upset about that. but i am in hinthers team. which i am okay with. we have a good team. its just that i wish i had my team back. i doesn't look like i will be getting that position back anytime soon. as of right now i am still going to my original place and with my original platoon.

my eye is getting better. i have been using the tear drops that the corpman gave me. however it is hot and i have been drinking a lot of water and eating a lot. i don't think i am retaining any of it. i feel as if i am still losing weight. i have gotten to where i am drinking about 7 liters of water so far. i eat like crazy so that the water can absorb in my stomach. but i still feel as if i am losing weight.

i found out where the I and I stations are in michigan. one is in saginaw and the other is in grand rapids. the thing that i found out about the stations is that it is very hard to get into them. but when the time comes for me to think about re-enlisting i want to find out if i could get one of those stations and then just do nothing but pray about where we are suppose to go next. i have watched a few british movies latley and i wouldn't even mind seeing if there is a mission opportunity in great britian. hopefully scotland. or even wales. but if the Lord calls us somewhere else we will answer that call.

May 30th:

as far as being in the turret, no, i am a dismount. that means i will get out from the back of the truck when we get contact or need to get one of our guys out. its a different feeling to go from team leader to team member. but dan and i talked about that and he said he will do what he can to help me out with that.

June 1st:

as far as i am feeling i am feeling good. yesterday eisert and myself had a layreaders service. only one person showed up. that was the lieutenant. it was just the three of us. i was reading the night before on what to read. i read from 2nd samuel 23. the versus about davids mighty men. on how each on of those men stood their ground against the enemy. but they did that with the faith of the Lord on their side. then i read from galations 6. the armour of God. then asked what are some of their prayer request and i asked the lt if he wouldn't mind if we could come up to him during the deployment and pray with one another and just ask him how he is doing. as christians we shouldn't have this separation of enlisted and officers. we are one big family so act like it. he said he didn't mind that at all and said he would be okay with that. then we prayed and that was it. a good start the meetings.

as far as being back in the gun, i feel okay. i am the senior gunner now so whatever i tell the other gunners to do they do it. i am not in the lead truck which i am okay with, kind of wish i was though bc of my experience. we haven't had time to shower and get cleaned up in the past couple of days so i am smelling extra rank right now. its bad that you cant sleep when your own stench is what keeping you awake. so i am hoping that soon we will be able to get a shower and sit back and relax soon.

**Obviously, I have cut and pasted from my e-mails. I decided to spare you all the mushy-mushy.**

I have been lucky to be able to talk to James about once a week through Facebook chat. He sounds alert, healthy and motivated. Also, I hope to keep posting updates for those who want to know what is going on with my man.

He would love to hear from anyone:

Lcpl Yon, James

2nd BN 3rd MARINES WPNS CO

Unit 44065

FPO AP 96607-4065

james.m.yon@gmail.com

My joy is the magic of a Michigan sunset on a lonely country road.

Goodbye and Hello

2009-04-16T23:15:00.001-07:00

I just said goodbye to a great friend.

We had a blast swimming in shark infested waters, leaping from rocky cliffs into rolling waves, slurping up delish hawaiian shave ice and soaking up the glorious sun rays. I loved every moment of every day.

Now that Heather is gone, I am looking forward to the day my husband returns. It is rumored that he may be home, Saturday, in the late afternoon. I simply won't know till the day of.

I long for his hugs again. I long for the companionship. I long for good conversations instead of 10 words texts.

I hope that the next two days pass by mighty quickly. However, when he is finally home, I want time to

s...l...o...w...l...y

o...o...z...e

o...u...t

t...h...e

m...i...n...u...t...e...s

over the one, maybe two, weeks that I have left with him.

My joy is rare two hour naps cured up in a warm blanket on a rainy afternoon.

Shaken but not crushed...

2009-03-29T22:19:00.000-07:00

An errand of paperwork for Sally Jo, the little red car of mine, found me plopped smack dabbed in the middle in a shady part of downtown Honolulu. Because of limited parking, I had to park the car in a dark and creepy basement parking lot. When I emerged into the warm sunlight after weaving through a maze of cars, stairways and halls, I sought out to find the specific building I was looking for.

In the cluster of buildings, the numbers are oddly mismatched. I walked up and down the street for 332. I see numbers 329, 330 and suddenly it jumps straight to 341. Frustrated and fed up, I walked into this walkway that was in between two buildings. It wasn't an alley way but a inlet that allows you to go up stairways and elevators. I spied a man and a woman sitting and eating pizza on a bench. They didn't quite have the homeless look but they have definitely seen the harshness of poverty. I head straight for the woman with wild black hair and tanned skin and ask if she had heard of the office I was looking for.

Suddenly the man leans over and states that he knows exactly where it is and that he would take me there. Before I know it, he led me to an elevator and we were inside of it. This man seems to be in his late 60's, with a receding hairline and silver cavities on his front teeth. He was not small by any means. He stood at 6'3" or so and had a belly that would make Santa Claus proud.

He offered up his name, Oliver, and held out his hand while asking for mine. I simply said Laura and firmly shook his hand. In that moment, I realize just how big this guy was and how small the elevator is. As that nagging fear crept up my spine, sudden images of assault, robbery and rape flashed through my head.

Still holding fast to my hand, which went limp in his, he lean closer with every personal question he asked. I gave fake or vague replies. His eyes held me captive and I forced myself to remain calm and to give him the benefit of doubt. Perhaps he was just being a nice guy... but... still, I had that nagging feeling. I started praying from the heart.

Finally the elevator reached the top floor and we stepped out. Spying the office, I make a beeline for it and threw quick thanks over my shoulders. To my dismay, he was following me, too closely for comfort. He asked what I needed and what I wanted help with. I just told him that I can take it from here and handle it on my own. He was persistent.

As I step into the office, the man just stood next to me, skin to skin. I took a step away and he step closer. I looked at the receptionist and found her looking at the guy warily. I decided to state my business and just get the hell out of there. The lady kept eye contact with me the whole time and I think she knew that something was not right. I just plastered a smile on my face and told her that I was fine. She told me what I needed to do for the car and all the paperwork. I finally gathered up my stuff and hastily walked out the door.

Of course, the guy followed me right back onto the elevator. This time he decided to get even more personal. I had just told him that my husband was in the Marines when he had the friggin' nerve to ask me what I was doing that night. I told him that I was working. He wanted to know the location and I told him that it didn't matter.

Stepping off the elevator, he went on explaining that we could have a lot of fun. We could go out to the movies since he knows this place where you can watch a movie for a dollar. He asked what I was doing the next day and the day after. When he finally couldn't find a day that I was free, he asked me for my number.

Unfortunately, I happened to have a pen and paper in my hand so I had to write down a fake number which I hope is no one's number and he gave me his. The creep continued to ask if I wanted to get together the next morning and he can go with me to the marine base to help with the rest of my paperwork. I firmly said no thank you and told him that I had to get going.

I could not walk away fast enough. I could not stop shaking. I could not get rid that awful nagging feeling. I still had to walk back to my car. With a glance over my shoulders every few steps to be sure he wasn't following, I went back to the same garage door I came out of. To my dismay, it was a one way and locked from the outside.

I had to walk around the block to the entrance of the garage. There are signs posted everywhere screaming that no pedestrians were allowed to walk down the ramp on foot. I walked up to the paying booth and asked the lady if I could just run down the ramp to my car. With a grumpy scowl, she growled that I better read all the signs and she better not see me go down the ramp. She pointed out that I could go back to where the elevators are and take it down to the garage level. I tried to explain that there was this creepy man by the elevators and that it would be just so much easier if I could run down the ramp. She glowered at me and said, "Look lady, I can't help you anymore. I can't babysit you and walk you over to the elevators. I have a job to do."

Blinking back the tears, I prayed and gathered up all my courage and march back to the elevators. Without looking around, I slipped inside and quickly closed the doors. The elevator doors opened to the bottom floor. I ran to my car and got in and locked the doors without another mishap.

The worst part of this whole thing was that there was no one here that I could drive over to their house and spill the whole story. There is no one at my apartment that I could just fall into their arms and sob out my fears.

However...

The best thing about this whole thing was that I had to learn the hard way to turn to Jesus. In the midst of being frighten to my core, I felt Him pulling me close and whispering that it was all over and that I was safe. It was a learning experience that made me realize just how much I miss my husband, my family and friends, but also just how much I need to turn to the one who cares the most.

My joy is... knowing that He is there, all the time, everywhere.

Beauty in Paradise

2009-03-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

A day after James left for training (the first training in January) on the Big Island, I flew out to Kauai to be with Mormor and Papa.

Kauai- the "come as you are" country island is so chill that it is easy to lose track of time, to gaze into every oasis sunset, and watch the ivory moon rise as it reflects off a blue sapphire lagoon.

I so enjoyed my time with Mormor and Papa. Mormor and Papa have 20 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. In the midst of life, the hustle bustle of each person's own schedule and splitting attention between family and activities, it is always a joy to spend time with the grandparent alone. It is like getting that last bite of brownies... that first smell of spring...

We all went on a boat ride to see the world famous Napli coast. It is so grand in its splendor. The mysterious clouds hug the rugged coastline as the mighty waves crash upon the jagged surfaces of cliffs. Mormor and I were in heaven just to be able to be on the water. We could easily spend the whole day on the boat. So the mixture of our joy and being smack dabbed in the glorious creation created a certain high... it was very addicting.

(Regardless of how my top looks on me, I promise you that I am NOT pregnant.)

As the boat swayed and rose with every swell that rolled in from the sea, flashes of grey frolic in front of the bow. Dolphins swam in pods and happily entertained the besotted tourists.

In the distance, salt water sprouted in the breeze and we heard the captain mention for everyone to look as he steered the boat closer. We were able to get, oh lets say, about 30 yards from the giant of the deep. The blue whales are extremely shy and prefer to stay away, but to come up along side of one... wow. They aren't exactly the most beautiful creature on the earth but one can't help but be in awe.

The only way to view the majestic coast line was either by boat, air or foot. Papa and I could not fathom on how marvelous the coastline is in person so we gladly voted to hike part of the coastline trail. The next morning we got up early and drove around the island to the first access point of the trail.

The hike was muddy, slippery and very narrow but the beauty did NOT disappoint us. We enjoyed every bit of it.

Quick story...

I mentioned that the trail was narrow... I really am serious. At times the trail got so narrow and dangerous because it is muddy with a rocky cliff wall to your right and a sheer-gasp-and-swoon drop on your left. The trail would be as narrow as eight inches wide. The traffic was fairly heavy in both directions.

As Papa and I were heading back, we met up with another couple head on the 8 inches strip. In order to pass each other, we had to hug the cliff wall while the other carefully presses their body into yours as you help them pass. I was in the midst of helping this lady pass when her foot slipped off the edge. She went down and I grabbed for her. Her husband and Papa reacted quickly by reaching for us. With our hearts in our throats and blood pounding in our ears, the lady and I made eye contact. The poor lady had pure terror in her eyes as she had one leg dangling over the edge and her fingers digging into my skin. The men gathered us up and hugged us to the wall. Somehow we were able to make the switch and continue on down the trail with a shake of our heads and shaking whispers.

What amazes me is that this whole thing took less than a minute, but I vividly recall that time stood still for several seconds.

(This is actually on one of the safer parts of the trail.)

At the turn around point for Papa and I, we went down to where the river met the sea. There were signs posted every where, warning people to stay away from the mouth of the river. The waves that crashes on the shore are so unpredictable and so powerful that many people have lost their lives.

Of course we threw caution to the wind as it looked relatively calm. I hung back and perch on a high rock while Papa went and stood on the beach just past the last rock. I called out to him to get higher. Of course, he just brushed aside my plead and just stood there marveling at the gigantic waves and snapping away pictures.

Before he could blink, a wave crashed up on the shore and flooded the area. He scrambled to fight the current, hold the camera above his head and leap over the rocks. The river that wasn't there suddenly rose to his waist in a matter of nanoseconds! I finally sternly told Papa to get his butt up by me... Still didn't listen, instead, I had to lure him with promises of snacks and water to get him to come and sit by me.

I am sure Papa has a different side of this story.

(He went beyond the rocks. I felt like a mother fearfully watching her child doing something dangerous)

The Waimea Canyon of Kauai is truly a sight to behold. I faintly recall visiting the Grand Canyon. They, of course, are very different. I love thinking that there is this vast gorgeous canyon on one of the small Hawaiian islands.

I am so very glad that I went on this trip with Mormor and Papa. They help ease the ache of separating from my husband. They lighten my heart with sweet smiles, hugs and conversations. I dream of the next trip that I can take with them... just the three of us.

My joy is having 4 living grandparents that I love and adore... not many people can proudly boast that fact.

Happenings

2009-03-15T20:39:00.001-07:00

To try to tell you all that has been said and done in the last two and half months since James and I got hitched is overwhelming. Instead, I thought I would just briefly list what has happened, then I will tell of what is going on now.

January:

James and I were married for a week before he left for a month worth of training on the Big Island.
I went to Kauai with my grandparents for two weeks.
I made a surprise trip home to Michigan for 5 days.
I went to Pensacola, FL for soccer training.

February:

James returned from training. It was SO thrilling to see him again.
I have a job as a nanny.
We moved from Kailua to Honolulu.

March:

James left for training in California called 29 Palms or CAS (don't ask me what it stands for). He is gone for six weeks.
Allison Galoob, a friend from the Deaflympic soccer team, came out to visit me for a week. We had a blast.

________________________________

I am so very glad that I was able to have James all to myself for a whole month before he left for 29 Palms. We were had a taste of just how hard marriage is but we got a whallop of a bite of how wonderful and great it is and will be. When he returns from CA, I may just be lucky to have him home for two weeks before he is gone overseas for seven months. Otherwise, it may only be a week. It is far easier to dwell on the times I will have with James instead of moping on how little time I have.

After all, I have to:

"Keep on the sunny side,

Always on the sunny side.

Keep on the sunny side of Life."

Though my heart is aching with missing him, I have several happenings that will keep me busy. The day James left (a week ago from today), Allison Galoob or Allie arrived, bringing sunshine and laughter with her. We had a marvelous time just soaking up the aloha spirit and having a bit of adventure everyday.

Besides having a friend for a week, I am also working Monday through Friday as a nanny. I am primarily responsible for a 6 years old boy named Sammy. Sammy has two older teenaged siblings. The oldest is Stephanie who is in 10th grade. The middle one is Christopher who is in 7th grade.

My responsiblities includes but not limited to:

Taxi Driver
Cook
Dish Washer
Laundress
Butt Wiper
Housekeeper
Shoe Tying Teacher
Homework Helper
Bath Giver
Tickler
Reader
And on it goes.

Honestly, in short, I am your average typical "housewife/mom" type of nanny.

The mom is a full time pharmectical student on the Big Island as well as a part time flight attendant. She comes home on Friday nights and leaves Sunday nights. She is a wonderful lady who loves her family very much but is also a career woman.

The father owns his construction business in Honolulu that specializes in restoring old buildings. Right now, he is the site master on the set of the tv series, "LOST". He is a busy man, but he always makes time for his children, especially his youngest.

I enjoy the job I do. It helps keeps my mind and body busy when James is away.

Other things that I look forward to is, I have two more friends that are arriving to Hawaii. One is actually another soccer teammate from the Deaflympics, Erin Hoganson. She will be visiting her family here on Oahu with her husband but we plan to get together several times.

Another friend is a friend that I hold near and dear to my heart, Heather Hable. She is one of my closest friends from college. Heather will be with me during the last week before James returns. I look forward to spending Easter with someone special like her since I can't be with my family.

I will be moving back to Michigan on May 7th for the summer and fall. I look forward to be surrounded by family and friends again.

Life is hard at times but it is so full of grand splendors, that my heart can't help but sing praises to the One.

My joy is tears-pour-down-my-face-and-my-sides-aches laughter with treasured friends.

A Wedding Day Scrappost

2009-02-25T13:09:00.000-08:00

As requested by my twin, I added MANY photos to illustrate the story of my wedding day.

It is a bit blurry- I gave Gabe a huge hug

for the master pieces she created.

Again, it is blurry, but still you can see my joy.

The rehersal was under way...

We started with the tiki torches.

Here is the most faithful prayer warrior.

Ever.

Hands down.

Sonja took James' place...

James was just told where to go minutes

before the wedding actually started.

The babies splashed and waded in the bay.

Gabe was the hardest working woman

in the wedding.

She made it so relaxing for

the rest of us.

Carolyn and Erin actually dugged up

sand to cover up the stones.

This is one of the better pictures that show all of us

giving directions,

talking,

bickering

and figuring out things.

It turned out quite well.

I wasn't kidding when I said we piled into cars.

My beloved family

in the

fun waves

Mormor and Papa took care of the wee ones

while everyone else frolicked in the waves.

See...

here is Sonja,

telling me to get going.

What did I tell you about Gabe?

The lovely purple orchids.

I was pampered,

beautified,

and fed.

I adore this man.

We have unbiased

silly

joy

together.

My cup overflowth with love for this man...

The two loveies

that made my day

flow with ease.

LOVE

family

pieces.

His parents were

able to come out

due to the

marvelous generosity

of friends.

Matthew LOVES

the fact

that he now has

two

brothers.

The ladies of the family

As you can tell,

we adore her.

The next three pictures

puts a smile

on my face

every time

I see them.

Last minute touches

Getting laced up

It was special

that he

wore his blues.

Moments before

the walk down the aisle

on Daddy's arm

The two beautiful

ladies

that I have the

HONOR

to call

sisters

This what I saw

at the end of the aisle.

I loved that these people all were standing

and forming my aisle...

these people

who are

near and dear

to my heart.

Giving me up...

My dad is quite handsome.

I love this picture...

the lovely ceremony in the

simply beautiful

cove.

This is lovely.

My little "duh" moment

It is that

kiss...

the kind

that seals

a sacred

promise.

And for the first time,

May I present to you-

Mr. and Mrs. James Yon!

Hugs

all

around

Family pictures

I am

VERY

glad that

I was able

to surpise James

with these two guys...

the brothers of his heart.

My favorite

The warriors

that fight

side by side

with James

My heart swells with love

at the sight of my family.

The two cousins were the baby sitters...

just so the parents can participate

in my wedding.

The two sisters...

they stood up with me.

Oh! What love comes out of me...

The next few pictures....

I haven't mention how the day ended....

After all, we did get married on New Year's eve.

So we watched the ball drop in New York City- four hours ahead of the Hawaii time.

Then we went out....

for a little celebration. A celebration of love and a celebration of the New Year.

A quick picture before

the ball dropped

in NYC.

We headed downtown- Waikiki...

there were all sorts of entertainment.

We went to the Cheese Cake Factory.

They gave us a

yummy

melt in your mouth

cheesecake

with a candle

nestled in whipped cream.

We blew it out with wishes for the bright future

and

served each other

the traditional first bites.

At midnight, the island was alive

with fireworks,

cheers,

and good wishes

for the

New Year.

Wow...

It is the end of the beginning.

Now... let's hang on for the rollercoster ride called life.

I am going to be in the front seat.

Arms up in the air

and hollering with joy.

Care to join me?

My joy is getting comments from people that enjoy my writings.

It's Untold Bliss

2009-02-17T23:46:00.000-08:00

Here it is... the novel of untold bliss. Like I said, it is drawn out... I wouldn't have it any other way.

When we (Carolyn and I) arrived at the hotel, I was greeted by different members of my family pouring out of the hotel rooms. The guys were hustling and bustling about, getting ready for a relaxing morning on the pontoon boat out on the bay. James paused briefly, gave me a quick kiss and a "Good Morning, my bride."

With stars in my eyes, I turned to see the ladies just coming and going. Eating breakfast. Talking. Laughing. And doing whatever. I just remember at that moment, I felt so at rest, so surrounded by love.

I was pulled into a hotel room by Gabe and was blown away by a lovely sight... she had created three stunning, mouth-gaping-open bouquets.

Gabe, Tj's (my cousin's) wife, sweetly volunteered to take care of the flowers. The night before, Gabe pulled me aside and said that she took classes in college on how to arrange flowers. If I wanted, she would like to take care of the flowers. I gladly let her. The Saturday before the wedding, we all went to the Farmer's market. My mom, grandmothers and I grabbed different kinds of tropical flowers, all different colors and sizes. We brought it home and put it in the refrigerator. We showed them to Gabe and allowed her to create a masterpiece.

What she created as the bridals' bouquet was just too marvelous for words. It was one of my favorite things about my wedding. The flowers had colors that brought life into my wedding. Against my ivory gown, it radiated loveliness. It was a beautiful accessory that made my wedding outfit complete.

After gawking at the flowers, we were told by my appointed schedule bearers', Sonja and Kim, that we were to wear our swimsuits to the rehearsal. We all piled into the cars and headed over to the cottage on a small, private beach.

We set up the tiki torches, poured fuel into the canisters and lit the fuses. They smelled of summer time, bringing me back to my childhood to tiki torches burning in the little spot down at the creek. One by one, my cousins grabbed the torches and held them as the white fuses slowly burned to charcoal black. Standing side by side, they looked like a cool army of chicks in bathing suits holding burning tiki torches. If only we painted black marks on their cheeks and have them raise the torches over their heads while uttering a war cry, they would have fit some kind of army for the Amazon princess warriors thingy.

Anyways, we brought the torches down to the beach where Gabe tied strands of tropical flowers to the posts. As Gabe was tying, Mormor held the torches and watched as Mom, Sonja and Kim got the rehearsal underway. We all talked and gave directions, tumbling our words together. We laughed and teased and bickered our way into a make-do ceremony. Sonja pretended to be James and held my hands as we positioned ourselves. We figured out where certain people were going to be, for example, my father in law has one leg. We figured that it would be easiest for him to just go ahead and walk down to the beach and sit in his wheelchair and watch everything from there. We also decided exactly where James and I would stand so that the background was a gorgeous view of the bay. We decided where the guest aisle would be.

In the midst of figuring out the details for the ceremony, the paradise sky darkens and raindrops fell. Mormor raised her hands to the sky and prayed. The beach was on the Marine base which was on the windward side of the island… the side that often rains. Mormor, the most faithful prayer warrior I’ve ever know, has been praying all week for a beautiful day for my wedding, for the clouds to hold their buckets of rain and pass over the beach. All around us, it was cloudy except the spot we were in. It was a wonderful day. So when we felt the sprinkles, Mormor started to pray. As soon as she did that, I knew everything was going to be okay. It was an instant feeling of yeah-this-is-going-to-be-okay-even-if-the-clouds-poured.

After the rehearsal, my aunts gave me a delightful little surprise. They gave me the gift of time to go swimming in the waves. Growing up on Lake Michigan, I have so many cherished memories of playing in the waves with my family. To be able to do it again, here in Hawaii, with my family was just simply icing on the cake... cherry on the top... cream of the crop...

Anyways, we made our way to Pyramid Rock beach.

This is the beach where the waves crash regularly. This is where the lifeguards constantly stand on their deck blaring out on their warnings of the undertow on the loudspeaker. This is where the wind whips the sand across your skin, leaving you feeling every sting. This is where we had some fun.

We undressed, and dove into the waves. We met up with every wave, diving into them right before it broke. Our eyes turned bloodshot, our fingers turned into prunes, but our hearts became children again as we laughed, swam and tumbled about in the glorious waves.

We would be pull out into the sea and we would ride the waves back in. Finally, the lifeguards couldn't handle it anymore and told us to come ashore. Sonja exclaimed, "Perfect. The bride needs to get on her way."

With grins as wide as the moon, we stumbled out onto the sandy shore. Piling back into the cars, we all head back to the hotel for showers and to get ready for the grand reveal of the day.

After Gabe beautified my face and adorned my hair with purple orchids, I slipped into one of my old, most treasured white sun dress for photos with James on the beach. We quietly slipped away with Tj and Gabe (the photographers) and went to the beach. We wanted to get most of the traditional pictures out of the way. It ended up being a special time of being together before becoming one.

Simply just by seeing each other, James and I were able to be at rest. We were able to express our love for each other, our excitement for the day and our hope for the future. We were able to laugh away worries that we may have had. Above all, we were able to have some of these moments capture into photographs.

After the fun, relaxing photo shoot, family met us up at the beach for some family pictures. There aren't enough words to express what each person means to me. I get choked up with a lump in my throat and my eyes teared up. As I sat watching everyone pour out of the cars, my heart swelled with love and gratitude for each special person.

The family photos were traditional but not so traditional either. For cryin' out loud, how many people can proudly boast a picture of their families in the utopia of Hawaii? With the magnificent Waianae mountains striking tall in the background and the stormy clouds topped the peaks with marvelous sun rays streaming through, James and I stood with endearing family members as we beamed, smiled, grinned and laughed through snapshot after snapshot.

With a glance to their watches, Kim and Sonja told me it was time. The clock was ticking. The countdown was starting. I was to clothe myself in a dress befitting for a bride. I was to have final touch ups on make-up and hair. I was to hide myself until I was ready to walk down the aisle to meet the one who held my heart.

With my mom, Lisa and Gabe, in the small bedroom of beach cottage by the cove, I slipped into my dress. As Lisa and Mom laced me up, Gabe replaced wilted orchids in my hair.

My dress fit like a glove. My hair was charming and sublime. My make-up was just right. Mom stood behind me to clip on my too-cool necklace... I must gush over my wedding jewelry. Weeks prior, I was leafing through pictures and magazines, trying to figure out what exactly I wanted for my wedding jewelry. The more I looked at strings of pearls, the more I was turned off by the sight of them. I wanted something more. One day Mom showed me a jewelry magazine and pointed out several. I recall loving both sets, but one seems to be perfect... It was in gold hues beads, pearls and crystals. The set was earrings, necklace and bracelet. The earrings dangled at the right length, the bracelet charmed my wrist gracefully and the neck fitted to my neck and dress so beautifully. It was the final pieces that made my bridal ensemble complete. Oh I just love it and still do to this day! (I swear I really am not materialistic.... despite my gushings.)

With soft kind words from Mom and Lisa, they quietly slipped from the room. Gabe asked if I wanted my netting or go without. At that point I really didn't care. At one time, I envisioned it to look savvy and chic. After several frustrated attempts, I decided that I wouldn't make up my mind until my wedding day. Gabe ended up trying with and without. Simply by angling it over my face, I was won over. Finally, it was that savvy chic look I hoped for. And... looking back at the pictures... it was a little bit awesomely ridiculous.

And suddenly.... it was time.

I walked through a quiet beach cottage outside where I met up with Dad. Somewhere outside music was playing. The sun had disappeared behind the mountains and clouds. The lighting was that perfect afternoon glow. The blue turquoise waters of the bay was calm, gently lapping the sandy shores.

Kim swept out my train behind me as I stared at my lovely sisters in front of me. Daddy held out his arm with a certain smile. A smile that is letting me know I am loved and a range of emotions played across his face. I kissed his cheek and then looked out across the yard into the little private sandy beach.

A breeze stirred the tall grass as they reached up and tickled my ankles. The music changed. Soft tempo of the music floated on the breeze...

"The splendor of a King,

clothed in Majesty.

All the earth rejoice.

He wraps himself in light

Darkness tries to hide.

Trembles at His voice.

Trembles at His voice."

Kim mention for Erin and Lisa to start walking. Hand in hand with smiles that brighten their ever so lovely faces, they slowly walked down. The tempo was building...

"How great is our God.

Sing with me.

How great is our God.

And all shall sing,

How Great,

How great is our God..."

Kim turned and faced me. With a soft nod, she smiled and mentioned for Daddy and I to start walking. Family and friends that were able to come stood at the edge of the grassy yard, in two lines, forming a intimate aisle. Beyond the aisle, my father-in-law, Larry, was sitting in his chair looking on proudly. Behind him stood Anthony, Travis and James. (Travis and Anthony stood up with James, but Anthony was also officiating the ceremony.)

As Dad guided me down the aisle, I suppose I should have been looking at each person. However, I just could not pull my eyes away from the man in dress blues. He was standing tall and looking so handsome and sharp. Best of all was the way he was gazing at me, adoring me and beckoning me with the love in his eyes.

Dad and I walked around Larry and came face to face with James and Anthony. We stood there as the crowd of family and friends formed a half circle around us. The music died and Anthony asked, "Who gives this woman to this man?"

With a half smile and slightly teary eyes, my dad strongly answered, "Her mother and I do." With a sweet kiss, he gently passed me off to James.

Throughout Anthony's marvelous words of wisdom, James and I would steal glances at each other, squeeze each others hands and share smiles. At the beginning, James was a bit tense as he held his arms out stiffly and his hands felt like rocks. I slightly shook his hands and whispered to him, "Relax."

"I am." He whispered back. I raised my eyebrow and he smiled and winked. Stimuateously we loosen our arms and we were drawn under Anthony's spell that he casted with the help of the Holy Spirit that encircled us.

With encouragements and warnings, Anthony told us of how hard marriage is and how wonderful it will be. Like warriors before a battle, we drew the words on over our hearts like armor.

After his message, we said the simple but powerful traditional vows. Placing the rings on each other fingers, we ensure each other the symbol our love.

However, as I was about to place the ring on James' finger, I suddenly wasn't sure if it was the right hand or not. I had to pause, make a "L" with my left hand and pivot my body so I could see that it was indeed his left hand. With a short laugh and a goofy grin, I smiled and placed the ring on his proper finger.

James and I looked at Anthony, and Anthony grinned at James. With a shrug, he said, "Well, you may kiss your bride."

With that, James pulled me into his arms and sealed our vows with a kiss.

**My awesome brother, Matthew, was the video camera man, he was able to post unedited clips of the wedding ceremony.**

My joy is kisses- the kind that seals a sacred promise.

The Day of Bliss

2009-01-28T19:04:00.000-08:00

With a small voice from somewhere in my soul urging me, "Write it down. Write it while you still remember. Write while the smells are still vivid, the sounds are still clear and the emotions still raw. Write."

I can't imagine not remembering my special day. I can't imagine not loving every detail about that day of bliss. Some how, some way, time has a way of reaching into our memories and fading them until you can only remember certain things. Perhaps it is just the fact that we are constantly making new memories, encountering new phases in our lives that require certain memories to fade just so the new ones can glow.

But for now... my wedding day is a glowing memory, a burning brand that is marked on my heart forever even when it fades.

From the moment I woke up on December 31st, I was enthralled with the anticipation of what the day would bring. One of my best friends and roommate from college, Carolyn, stayed at my tiny apartment with me. We woke up in my bed, face to face. We smiled as I felt a giggle bubbled its way to surface. I was positively giddy even with morning breath, crusty eyes and bed hair.

We rolled out of bed since we had planned to meet up with everyone at the hotel around 8. The night before, despite my grumbling, Carolyn made me pack my bag for the day and for later that night. I am so thankful that she forced me to do it because it made my morning so carefree and fun.

(Kaiula Beach- where we tried in vain to catch some serious sun rays)

All I had to do was pull on shorts and a tank top, brush my teeth and I was out the door.

We slid into my little red car, Sally Jo. The sun was shining through palm trees and the breeze smelled of salty sunshine. We rolled down the windows and roared (Yes- roared, Sally Jo doesn't know the meaning of quiet.) out of my peaceful, calm neighborhood. I reached for the Ipod and search until I found the song I wanted.

Long, long time ago... The words floated out of the speakers. I looked at Carolyn and grinned. She smiled and started singing along. American Pie has been a favorite song of mine because of many things and because I love the fact that I can sing the whole thing by heart. It has a way of pumping me up and just for a moment, I can fit into the hearing world.

As we got nearer to the base, the song ended. I sighed with a smile and glanced at Carolyn. She smiled and reached for the Ipod and press replay and cranked up the volume. Once more, with our hands waving out the window and voices out of tune but loudly singing:

"Bye-bye, Miss American Pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
Them good old boys were drinkin',
whiskey and rye.
And singin',
"This'll be the day that I die.
this'll be the day that I die."

I love that she wanted to replay it again. I loved that she sang with me. I loved that she cranked up the volume. I loved that she was with me on that morning.
I will continue with the rest of the story in another post. It will be long. It will be drawn out. I don't care how long it will take because it is my wedding story... my day of bliss.

My joy is sharing my joys with my best friend, Carolyn.

Going home...

2009-01-27T08:52:00.000-08:00

On January 24th, I made a surprise visit home. It is just a quick visit, only 5 days.

Mom and I decided to just keep it between us and surprise everyone.

I landed in Grand Rapids at 9:30 in the morning, I was exhausted from jet lag, traveling all night and getting only 3-4 hours worth of sleep but through my fogginess, I was thrilled to see everyone again.

Mom and Lisa had planned to go to the bridal show in Grand Rapids to scour the area for some sweet wedding deals. Brittany, my cousin, decided to join in on the fun. As they were driving towards Grand Rapids, Mom told Lisa and Brittany that she needed to stop by Sam's Club first and do some other errands. When she pulled off the exit towards the airport, Lisa's suspicions grew. As Mom turned onto the road towards the airport, Lisa finally asked, "Mom, there aren't any businesses on this road except the airport. What are we picking up from the airport? Laura?"

Mom smiled.

When Mom pulled up at the airport, I stepped out into the frigged cold. I couldn't believe that I had already adapted to warm tropical weather so quickly that I forgot about the biting cold of the Midwest. Lisa and Brittany jumped out and gave me a wonderful welcome-back-home hugs.

We went to Sam's club to pick up supplies for the parties that night. One was the 2008 Beckman Christmas party celebrated in January of 2009. Most of the family was in Hawaii celebrating my wedding with me that they decided to postpone the traditional family get-together till everyone was home. The other party was Matthew's party. That day was the same day as Matthew's midwinter dance. He invited everyone over for pictures and they brought their parents. Our house was filled to the brim, I was just surprised not to see the floor fall out from our feet.

After Sam's Club,we went to the bridal show. I am just glad that I am not a bride anymore. Just dealing with the sales people was exhausting. However, it was fun just to go through it again and watch Lisa deal with them all. It was also fun to give Brittany my ring and pretend she was a bride so she can get free stuff.

Finally, we made our way home. My family was to bring the fruit platter. I brought home three fresh yummy pineapple from Hawaii. So I prepared the platter with delish fresh, melt-in-your-mouth-goodness fruits. Lisa and I left to head over to Mormor and Papa's for the Beckman Christmas.

I sent Lisa ahead to grab the camera and start taking pictures as I walked through the door. I wanted her to capture the emotions of my loved one's faces. She only snapped four... but it was enough.

Mitzi, my beloved aunt, gave me the best reaction. She just stood there with her mouth gaping open. Then she smiled and covered her mouth. I think she said "Oh my gosh" and started laughing. She was the first to notice me and to give me a wonderful hug.

Then Mormor and Papa saw me and were just shocked. They couldn't believe their eyes. I was in Kauai with them for two weeks. During that time they had expressed that they really wish that I could come home for the party. When I left them at the airport, they expressed their sorrow that I wasn't able to join the fun festivities. I just gave them a sympathetic pat on the back and fake a sad face, declaring, "Oh me too."

Now with a grin on my face, I approached them. Mormor just stood there shaking her wet fingers at me, saying" You. You. You." I laughed and was enveloped into her arms.

As Papa hugged me, family started pouring into the kitchen. I have to say this is one of my favorite pictures. Just peeking over Papa's shoulder, I saw my beloved cousins' faces. Each one of them priceless.

For the rest of the night, we swamped stories, shared laughter, opened presents and ate a feast of delicious foods. We ended the night with no other pictures. Just warm memories that are stored into the deepest parts of my heart.

My joy is remembering priceless memories.

A brief glimpse...

2009-01-14T22:13:00.000-08:00

On New Year's eve, I married my one true love.

It was wonderful...

Intimate...

Beautiful...

Special...

I was surrounded by loved ones. Loved ones who put together a ceremony too marvelous for words. Loved ones who loved on me all day and made me feel like a lovely, precious bride. Loved ones who made me feel so blessed.

So. Very. Blessed.

The whole day was wonderful. From the moment, I woke up till the time I walked away with my man, my husband.

*I will be recounting the moments of that day as soon as I have more pictures.

My joy is marrying my man, my marine, my love.

Engagement

2009-01-13T20:09:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am hitched now.
I PROMISE to post about the wedding but first, I need to tell of my engagement story.

Every year on October 31st, I celebrate two things, my birthday and Halloween. This year for my 24th birthday, I was in Hawaii. James had to work all day so I decided just to keep myself busy.

I had been recieving birthday messages from friends and family throughout the day. It brighten my day but it simply was not the same as celebrating and seeing them in person. The only person on the whole island that knew it was my birthday was James.

After texting James once, asking, "Did you forget to tell me something?"

To which he replied, "What? What do you mean? Happy Halloween?"

I decided that I wasn't going to beg. I would just let him tell me when he finally remembered. When I went to pick him up from work, I said, "Hey, why don't we go to the Cheesecake Factory for supper and then meet up with friends after that?"

He made a face like he really did NOT want to do that plan. After a moment, he answered, "Why don't we go to the Cheesecake Factory and then we will see what happens after that?"

Letting his attitude affect me, I shrugged, "Fine. Whatever."

We had to go back to his barrack so he could change clothes. By the time he came back down to the car, I had decided that I was tired and didn't care to go to the Cheesecake Factory anymore. I told him how I was feeling.

"What? No. We ARE going to the Cheesecake Factory." was his huffy reply. By this time, I was thinking that he really has had a long week and was acting strange.

So off to the Cheesecake Factory we went. When we reached the hostess' stand, we were told that it was a 60 to 90 minute wait. James happily exclaimed, "Great!"

Okay, honestly, who in the right frame of mind would be happy about an hour and half wait? The typical responds is a groan and/or ask whoever they are with if they want to wait that long. Right?

By this time, I knew something was up. I decided to just roll with the punches. James suggested that we head behind the Cheesecake Factory to walk on the Waikiki beach. After walking a little ways, I asked if we could just sit and talk. He looked around and said, "No, not here. Let's walk a little bit more."

"How about here?"

"No, not here." And on we would walk. Finally, after glancing over his shoulders, he motioned that we could sit. I noticed that it was in a spot where the lighting was good so I could easily see his face. (Sweet guy.)

We watched as the waves crashed on shore in the dim starlight and streetlight beach. There was a gentle breeze floating from the sea, reaching up and tickling our hair. After soaking in the peaceful setting, we talked of our day. At one point in the conversation, I looked at him and said, "It is really bothering me that you won't say something to me. I know that you know what day today is. And you still acted like you didn't care. That you forgot that it was my birthday."

Swinging his body around and pinning me with a pointed stare, he answered, "I knew it was your birthday. I did not forget it was your birthday. In fact, I have something for you."

He got on one knee, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet black box. Opening the case, he asked,"Happy birthday. Will you be my wife?"

"Are you serious? You are kidding me." was my shocked reply.

He rolled his eyes and asked again, "Laura, I am serious. Now, will you be my bride?"

To which I answered with a choked laugh and a hand to my throat, "Yes. Yes, of course."

Just moments after he popped the quesiton.

After a kiss and hug, we grinned at each other. Then the questions and comments came rolling out of me. "So this is why you were acting so strange all day?? Did you ask my dad? I kind of knew that you were going to ask sometime because Mom kind of let the cat out of the bag. I have got to call my family. No wait, I can't. They are sleeping." And on and on I went. He sweetly answered my questions.

He had planned to act standoffish all day and take me for a walk on a private beach. Then he was going to pretend to see something on the ground, get on one knee and ask. Unbeknowst to me, I kept messing up his plans so he had to improvise.

Of course, he asked my dad. He told me how nervous he was and how the conversation went.

Finally, we went up to the Cheesecake Factory and had a celebration of sorts.

My birthday, Halloween and now, our engagement.

The next day.

My joy is surprises.

Home Sweet Home

2008-12-23T11:22:00.000-08:00

On December 16th, I arrived in Oahu, Hawaii. I moved into my apartment that night. Here are many pictures of my humble 16' by 18' home:

I am standing in the door way looking in.

Carolyn is standing in the doorway...

The next four pictures provides a 180 degree view of the place.

The door on the left side of the picture is the bathroom.

The center is the small bathroom.

The left is the pantry closet.

From right to left:

bathroom

pantry closet

kitchen

There is a small wall that ensure some privacy for my bedroom

and it separates the kitchen from the place where I lay my head.

I have two sweet ceiling fans...

along with the great windows, my place is very open and breezy.

I love it.

Obviously, I am sitting on my queen size bed.

In the mirror's reflection, you can see my kitchen.

From the bedroom,

looking out into my

dining room/living room/entry way/kitchen.

Mom got this rug in Peru.

Look closely, you can see the palm branches outside of my door.

The second ceiling fan.

I love the high ceiling in this place.

In the bottom left corner, you can see my stove tops.

To my dismay, this place does not have an oven.

My refrigerator is outside.

Here is a close up of my bathroom.

The bathroom has walls, but no ceiling.

You can hear everyone doing their business in this bathroom.

I thought this was a cool photo.

Even though this place is small, I simply love it. It will do for me and James' first home together.

My joy is feeling and smelling the warm fragrance breeze blowing gently through my home sweet home.

A taste of what is to come...

2008-12-22T22:55:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures...

My joy is the sound of laughter on the beach.

Dating is an adventure.

2008-12-12T20:19:00.000-08:00

Dating is an adventure by itself. It has the wonderful, glorious, magical moments as well as the lousy, awful, down right rotten points. Like every adventure, it is the journey, not the destination that makes it all worth while. I mean, the destination (engagement and marriage) is fabulous, but I can honestly say that I have enjoyed the period of when we were still just learning about each other as a boyfriend and girlfriend can.

Here are some high points in our dating adventure:

Love letters- I have mentioned before that James and I mainly had to communicate through letters in the first part of our dating. Those letters are dew drops that drip reminders of how he loves me.
Simple and meaningful conversations- These conversation were nothing big, but it meant every thing to me. They would be about anything from what we ate that day to what our dreams were of the future.
Long instant message chats- Because James was in the Marines and I was in school, we had to do a long distance relationship. Also, because I am deaf, I couldn't simply pick up the phone. It was just done over the computer through instant messaging. Later, Skype became the main way we communicated.
Spur of the moment trips to see each other- When James was doing more training in NC at Camp Lejune, his parents would call me up and invite me to ride down to visit him. When I moved back home for the summer, he flew up for a short 36 hours. I loved those times because they were few and far in between.
Flowers- One time, he went on the Internet and search for all kinds of flowers on different sites and just copy and paste the pictures and sent them to me saying "I am giving you all the flowers in the world." For my birthday, he sent me a beautiful bouquet of mini sunflowers and purple Irises.
Thoughtful gifts- For the one year anniversary, he got creative and sent me a real 'message in a bottle.' He found a site that makes the 'message in a bottle.' The message was a sweet poem that he thought defined our relationship. It was a wonderful kind of surprise.
Holding hands-I am a hand person. His hands are big, strong and just perfect. I feel loved when he holds my hands.
Sweet kisses- 'Nuff said. :)

Here are some not-so-great points:

Long distance relationship- Out of the entire year and half, I believe we only 'saw' each other for about 3 months.
Learning each other's flaws- It drives me nuts when he cracks his knuckles or bends his fingers in strange ways. I am sure I don't have any flaws. *Chortles* He finds me perfect in every way. *Guffaws* Okay... Okay... I have so many flaws, it is ridiculous (like be really obnoxiously annoying on purpose, turn off my implant and shut my eyes when I don't want to listen and push buttons until he snaps at me). The cool thing is, he loves me anyways.
Uncertainty of whether we are meant to be together or not- When James was deployed to Iraq, he was gone for seven months. The first months plain and simply sucked. The middle months were fine and good. However, the last few months were awful. Our communications (especially mine) was poor. I was just doubting whether we were suppose to be together or if I needed to take a step back. James and I made a promise that we would be honest to each other and stick through it no matter what. I plainly told him the blunt truth-"I don't know if I want to date you anymore." Instead of getting upset or angry, my words just added fuel to his fire. He turned it up several notches and pursued me until all doubts were erased from my mind and heart.
Goodbyes- Because of the long distance, there were wonderful hellos and dreadful sad goodbyes. Sometimes we weren't sure when the next time would be. I cannot wait till the day where I don't have to say goodbyes as much.

He is really some kind of wonderful. James is a compassionate and loyal friend. He is a lover of children and a hater of veggies. He is sweet and he is tough. He makes me feel small and protected. He makes me laugh and makes me cry. He is stubborn and he is a good listener. He can stew over a heated argument for days but he can love deeply...

Yeah, he really is my kind of wonderful.

My joy is relating with my aunt, Sonja, and twin sister, Erin, through the joyful triumphs and harsh trials of being hearing impaired.

First comes love...

2008-12-10T17:13:00.000-08:00

After writing letters for four months, James was finally graduating from boot camp. Erin, Anthony, James Michael Sanders (a friend from college), and I drove down from Montreat College to Paris Island, SC to celebrate with his family and friends from home.

Waiting for the ceremony to start

Erin and Anthony

We arrived late to the big rental house that everyone was staying in. The next day, we headed to the big field where the ceremony was going to take place. The ceremony was nice. In a sense, I think each and everyone of us felt very patroit when the Marine marching band played the National Athem. Each and everyone of us swelled with pride when James and his platoon marched by. Finally, the ceremony was over and the soliders were released, the field became a sea of color as families, friends and the men rushed to find each other. We stayed fixed in one place as we waiting for James to find us. As he came towards us, he found Anthony first. The reunion was sweet to watch.

It was an emotional moment for us all.
Then it was my turn... I was finally about to hug the guy that I had fallen for through letters for the first time.

It was a bone-crushing-I-can't-breathe-choke-the-air-outta-me hug. Like what most tall people do, James grabbed my neck and squeezed the heck out of it. Later, I had to teach him how to hug me. To this day, he is one of my favorite huggers.

Anyways, besides almost passing out, I really enjoyed being near James, just hanging out with him and the rest of the gang. It was nothing like I thought and dreamed of. It wasn't fireworks, or even teeny tiny sparks. Instead, it was a glimmer of a growing glow and it started deep in my soul.

The Montreatiers that came down to see James' graduation.James and James MichaelJames and Anthony

That night after returning to the rental house, I told James that I had a card for him in the car. Everyone else got the clue and went inside. I gave him his graduation card and told him how proud I was of him. With a bashful smile, he quietly said thank you and asked for a walk down the street.

The streetlamps were dim and the South Carolina spanish moss hung low from the trees. The air was chilly but I didn't even care. After bumping shoulders and talking quietly, we found ourselves back in the driveway. James looked at me and asked somewhere along the lines of "Where are we going with our relationship? We both like each other so do we want to go beyond the "I think I sorta kinda like you?"

I just remember looking up into his face and simply having peace of standing near him. We both finally agreed that we would like to start dating, to offically be "boyfriend and girlfriend." After a hug, we went into the house. We were grinning from ear to ear but didn't say a word. Instead, James sat down on the couch and I curled up next to him. Everyone looked and simply just smiled.

My joy is warm hugs from loved ones.

Wedding Dress

2008-12-10T16:57:00.000-08:00

I just went in for one of the final fittings. And let me just say this...

I love it! I just LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my dress.

*happy, dreamy sigh*

I know I am jumping ahead of the story, but I just wanted to let everyone know.

And no, I am sorry but I can't post pictures of the dress just yet because James reads this blog. It is considered "bad luck" after all. :)

My joy is finding dresses that fit marvelously and has the perfect spin when I twirl.

Snowy Day

2008-12-06T14:32:00.000-08:00

It is a glorious snowy day.

My twin and I share a deep love for the grand splendor that winter displays. Throughout the day, I have been remembering Erin and how much she would enjoy this day. I miss you, my snow buddy.

The first thing I saw when I walked out the door... a winter's wonderland.

I tried to capture how much snow had fallen through the night.

Perhaps this is a better example. Don't you just love it?

This was 3 in the afternoon- the snow clouds darken the day considerably.

Mom and I went to town and we just love the snowy pines.

When we left for town at 10 in the morn, half of the road still wasn't plowed.

Matthew got out the sleds! I am SO excited.
He is too.

I am so thankful that I got to experince a great day of snow before I went to a tropical place for winter. I am going to miss being in the winter's wonderland.

My joy is my brother. He makes my heart smile.

Letters

2008-12-04T19:30:00.000-08:00

Even though my eyes were open to James, we were still just friends. After all, James had signed away his life for the next four years to the Marine Corps and I still had a year and half left of school. When we said goodbye, we really had no idea if we would see each other again, if we would keep in touch or if the feelings would eventually fade due to infatuation.

James is actually the first solider (or warrior as James likes to be called) that I personally know. I decided that I would be a supporter of his or more like a "fan" of his. In the Marine boot camp, the warriors-in-training have very limited access to the outside world. The only communication they were allowed to have were hand-written letters. Throughout the four months of boot camp, I wrote and he faithfully replied. I remember the first letter/card I sent- I was just so full of doubt and uncertainty, yet full of hope.

My poor brother-in-law, Anthony, was stuck in the middle of all this. James and I would use Anthony to decipher the whole "read between the lines" messages. Finally fed up with the whole 'matchmaker' business, Anthony told us to just buck up and confess the truth to each other. Mustering up my courage, I wrote a letter that basically described my feelings for James. At the end, I wrote, "If you want to pursue me, I promise, you will not be rejected."

Now, the bad thing about snail mail is that you have to wait several days/weeks/months for a reply. Finally, after about two weeks of nail biting, "I shouldn't haves", best friend wailings, reverent prayers, I get a letter from James. In the letter, I swear, word for word, he replied, "I think I sorta kinda like you."

Wow...

"I think I sorta kinda like you." Wow. How romantic? Huh? What does he really mean? Does he like me? Or is it more of a friendship kind of like? So, back to Anthony I went.

With a sigh and a grin like the cheshire cat, Anthony said, "James really, truly likes you in a romantic type of way." Giggles bubbled up to the surface as I thought, "It is true. It is a fact. James likes me!"

Needless to say, from that point on, our letters took on a different tone. He was pursuing me through his letters, telling me stories, sharing thoughts and memories. I adore the love letters from that period. I have them in a bundled, all tied up with a string. Now and then, I will leaf through the letters to be reminded of where we are and where we've been.

My joy is my warm flannel sheets on a cold snowy night.

It's Tradition

2008-12-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

Every year we always get our christmas tree with the Heinzmans. We don't always go to the same place to get the tree, but we always go together.

Why? I don't know.

Perhaps we enjoy each other's company. Perhaps we love the idea of hunting for the perfect tree. Perhaps we don't have anyone else to go with. Perhaps we all have the same taste for adventures. Perhaps it is all just for the sake of tradition...

Morg found the perfect tree for his family.

Pepper

The boy didn't have decent winter clothes on so he just did it indian style with a blanket.

The family picture with our tree right behind us.

Cutting the tree

Watching Dad cut the tree

Triming the bottom

Family...

Adam and Lisa

Since the family will be heading out to HI on Christmas day, we decided to go with a small and simple tree. We actually entertained the thought of getting a fake one. Thankfully, we all banished that idea.

Mom Hauling the trees home

Sisters

more family...

These two LOVE to take pictures of themselves and posing as well. This is such a classic picture of them.

I love this one of Petra.

Matthew was practicing for his senior pictures.

My joy is watching the snowflakes falling gracefully.

The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing

2008-11-29T12:22:00.000-08:00

Throughout the year and half that we were buddies, James was falling for me. I, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with him and romance. I recall one night after James and I went for a jeep ride and stopped by the Drip (the local coffee shop in Black Mountain), I realized that James was interested in me. After hunting Anthony down, I told him that he had better warn James that I was not interested. Apparently, James humbly accepted the rejection but made a vow that he will someday go out with me. He quietly pursued me, just through conversations, quick chats in the hallways, and even occasional lunches in the college cafeteria. Clueless, I was just relieved that he wasn't asking me out.

Every year there is a winter ball. The college hires several dance instructors to teach college kids how to waltz, swing, salsa and fox trot. It is a great time since I love to dance.

Well, when the winter ball of 2006 rolled around, I was bound and determined to go with a guy, just so I would have a guy partner. After years of dancing with girls and arguing about who is going to take the guy position (girls- you know how hard it is to find a guy who is willing to dance), I was just ready for a change. I went on a hunt to find one of my guy friends and everything was falling through. Discouraged, I decided not to go and just to stay at home with my roommates and watch a movie.

The night of the ball came around, I went up to the campus to check my mail. I ran into James and we chatted for a bit. A light blub suddenly went off in my head, and I quickly asked , "What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing" was his reply.

I grinned and boldly ask him to dance with me at the ball. After stammering that he didn't know how to dance, I challenged him, "All I am asking, is for you to learn with me."

James' face brightened and with a grin, he said, "Okay."

Mere hours later, we met up at the ball and enjoyed dancing the night away. Sure, there were times where he stepped on my toes and I messed up a few... okay... a lot of steps, but we laughed through it all and went on dancing.

(A friend snapped our picture that night.)

As I walked home later that night, I don't think my feet ever touched the ground. Over the next several days, I realized that God opened my eyes to James and spoke to my heart- "He is the one."

There is a song from "White Christmas" called The Best Things Happened While You're Dancing. I heard it a couple weeks after the ball and I realized that is exactly how I felt about the whole night.

"The best things happen while you're dancing

Things you would not do at home

Come naturally on the floor

For dancing soon becomes romancing

When you hold a girl in your arms

That you've never held before

Even guys with two left feet

Come out alright if the girl is sweet

If by chance their cheeks should meet while dancing

Proving that the best things happen while you dance."

My joy is dancing in my beloved's arms.

The Beginning

2008-11-28T14:51:00.000-08:00

Several friends and family have inquired what our love story is... that is James and mine. I had no idea where to even start, but a friend reminded me, "Why not the beginning?"

James actually remembers the very first moment he laid eyes on me. I, like usual, faintly remember the moment.

I was scheduled to leave for Guinea Bissau, West Africa in the September of 2004. Before I left, my mom and I made a trip down to Montreat College in North Carolina at the end of August. When I arrived, I was able to visit with several of my friends along with Erin. We had decided to go to the guys' dorm to visit Anthony. As I was wandering the halls, I stopped and said hello to a friend, Zach. In his room next door, James apparently heard our voices and wanted to see what the commotion was. All I remember that there was this guy that suddenly appeared at the Zach's door, but I didn't think anything of it. I did not even remember his face. It wasn't till later that James said that it was him. He remember the encounter vividly, down to the dress I was wearing.

It wasn't till a year later, when I returned from Africa and went back to Montreat, that I came to know James. Because Anthony is one of James' best friends and he (Anthony) was dating my twin sister, Erin, I saw James frequently through out my sophmore year of college. We would occasionally hang out. I never viewed him as anything more than a "brotherly" friend. This friendship would continue for the next year and half.

James and I at Anthony's Graduation in 2006.

to be continued... :)

My joy is the aroma of my mom's apple crisp baking in the oven.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T08:59:00.000-08:00

Spending time with the family for thanksgiving was simply bliss. We enjoyed stuffing ourselves with an ambrosial feast. After leaning back in our chairs and adjusting our pants, we swapped some stories, comments and opinions. Later, I decided to set up the living room for a photo op.

It started with just me...

Slowly, some family trickled in...

Then another...

A couple more...Lisa came along...My aunt grabbed the cammera and took a couple shots of all of us cousins that were there that night. We are missing a couple- Allen (CA), Erin (South Africa), Eric (The U.P.), and Brian (The U.P.).

Aw, what the heck, let's have a couple whole family pictures...

That was a fabulous Thankgiving night.

**In addition to my first post- When I was describing my blog name, "Laura's Joy", I forgot to mention that I am going to be a bit of a "Pollyanna". I enjoy finding joy in my everyday life, so for each blog, I plan on posting a simple or even grand joy that I found that day. So here is mine for this post.

My joy is my family.

Blogging

2008-11-27T08:53:00.000-08:00

I did it. I started up my own blog. I did it for several reasons...

I love reading several people's blogs. I feel that I know what's going on even if we are miles apart and haven't talked in days, months or even years. Perhaps I can do the same for my loved ones...
I need to keep many people informed of what's happening in this chapter of my life, being engaged and getting hitched.
It is a way to jot down some thoughts if my mind is going 100 miles a minute.

Now, I chose laurasjoy.blogspot.com as my url address because everything else that I wanted was taken. Finally, I just thought that I would put my first and middle name, but go figure... someone else has it... sigh. Then it hit me, why not put Laura's Joy? This blog is mainly going to describe me and James' journey to where we are now and where we've been. It's my joy to tell you of what's happening in my life right now. It's my joy to share our love story. It's my joy to remind you that life isn't perfect, we will have days of low lows and high highs.

It is my joy....