A Sweet Surprise

a sweet surprise
Originally uploaded by Rael1.

I went to work today thinking it was going to be like any other day… and it was… it was when I got home that it was weird. Ok so I’m getting ahead of myself. On September 18th I got this email:
Hi Rach,
I hope you had a good weekend. If you're around tonight (say, after 7) maybe we can talk. I forgot that Michael and I are going to see the Lion King tomorrow night, and then off to Australia!
Love,
Mom
As many of you know there is no way my mother is going to Australia any time soon so I wrote her back:
Sorry think you got the wrong person. i live in Montana???? Ring a bell??? Hear the Lion King is a good show. what are you going to do in Ausi Land??? Whether i know you or not i hope the Lion King was everything you hoped it would be. Have a safe trip to the Land Down Under.;-)
someone who has no idea who you are yet still willing to write you back.
Rachael
I didn’t think anything of it. I just got the message when I happened to have a few minutes.
On December 1st I got this:
Hi Rach,
Sorry I haven't called you back yet. I had Landmark on Wed night when you called and Sunday was busy all around. If you have some time this weekend, I'd like to give you a call. Just let me know what might work and at what #.
Love,
Mom
I was in kind of a giddy mood so I wrote her back:
had Landmark huh? that's too bad. hope it all worked out for you. pretty sure you're not my mom since i didn't call her this week (oh maybe i should get on that) my mothers name is Evelyn Stanley and she lives in Pablo Montana. if you've been hanging out on the Indian Reservation lately maybe you're her but some how i don't think so. As far as this weekend goes i do have a lot of time but unfortunately i believe as my mother you should already have my phone #. my address however is not a problem (Address) like most college students i love Chocolate, care packages and cash!!!!
love always
Rachael
She wrote me back almost immediately thanking me for correcting her and signed it “the other mom”
I thought it was cute but yet again didn’t think anything of it.
TODAY I walked in to the house after a long day at work and I saw a package in my mail box. I thought this was a little strange (nobody sends me packages unless i've spent money.) I began opening it up as I walked down the stairs to my room. I was like Tucson??? Do I know anyone in Arizona? At the bottom of the stairs I screamed. Meg Young thought I had seen a spider. But no, it was not an unwanted arachnid, in the package was a HUGE bar of CHOCOLATE and a little note:
“Enjoy! From the other mom”
isn’t that the sweetest (no pun intended) thing you’ve ever heard????? I’m giddy with happiness. I never get care packages!!!
I wrote her a thank you and I hope she keeps in touch. I don’t mind having more than one mom. My mom has lots of kids… she’s busy!!

Really great memories.

The spring rains are about over and we’ve officially moved into summer. Today the clouds are rolling in and we might have some thunder and lightning. I hope it will rain it’s so hot that when I go outside it makes me think that my skin is going to melt away.
In my childhood the spring rains were one of my favorite things. I loved to run outside when it was pouring. And when it got too cold I would go inside and watch the lightning and hope that the power would go out. Even if it didn’t I usually turn off all the lights just so I could pretend.
I loved it when the power went out at our house. All five of us would run around the house finding ALL the candles. We would light every single one of them “worried” that people wouldn’t be able to see. After a lot of whining my mom would let us light the oil lamps. I would play that we needed the light because we lived in a time without electricity. I would make up stories in my head about how I would survive the night with the storm raging outside. I was a dramatic child and my brothers and sister didn’t appreciate it. I was usually left to play these games by myself. It didn’t really bother me I made up whole worlds that they never saw. Oh! Wait! Got to stop reminiscing it’s raining outside and I want to get in it.

Easter Play 2006

Easter play 2006
Originally uploaded by Rael1.

this is the whole fam. Ok so not really my dad isn't there. I guess I should have said this is the whole fam who's ever been a part of the Easter play. From top left to right its: Evelyn, Jonny, Jim, Cathy, ME!!!, and Joe. We were all involved in the passion play at CLC (the church I've attended since I was in second grade.) sadly this will probably be the last year we are all in this play as a family. My parents and my little bore Joe are moving to Pablo. I know Pablo I wouldn't wish that on anyone but it looks like its the way it has to be. My brother Jonny will be joining the marines in August and who knows when he'll be back. (its really ok I'll miss him but I think it's the perfect place for him.) my little sis is feeling God pull her in a different direction like say... Asia. She thinks that she won't be in this sate much longer. My older brother Jim is hoping to have a different job by this time next year and will probably won't be able to get off work. I am going to be in x-ray tech school (if God blesses me that is.) which will take up a great deal of my time and I know I wouldn't be able to do the play.
so all that is to say that this is the end of an era. I know this will never happen again for my family. It's exciting to see that we are all going off to do what God wants us to do but I'll miss all the fun times we've had.
I've been doing the passion plays since I was (wruffly) 12 which means I've done at least 10 passion plays throughout my life time. I think it might be more cause I can remember doing them when the other guy did Jesus and the guy who does them now has been doing them for 9 years. It's kind of cool to think about how many people my life has touched through this play. Around 7000 people come to see it every year. Wow. Well this is really getting mushy so I'll just say it
so long Easter Alive. It was good while it lasted.

KING KONG?

Ok so after resisting for many days I finally saw King Kong. Can I just say I love the last line? I think I might just pull it out of now where all the time. Jess and I will be at Ruby’s eating bad pie and all the sudden I’ll just blurt out “it wasn’t airplanes… it was beauty that killed the beast.”
So the movie wasn’t that bad, but as far as last lines go it’s kinda pushing it. I really didn’t want to see this movie cause of all the people that kept telling me I had to see it. The things I was hearing were right: a lot of long face shots. Could there be more shots of Ann’s face in this movie? They could have taken out a half hour just by removing a few seconds from every face shot. And why didn’t King Kong kill Ann? He sure was flinging her around a lot but she didn’t even seem to get whip lash?!?! What’s up with that? And why did the bats attack Kong in the first place. They didn’t seem to care about the humans that were perfect pray for them.
Any way had to get that off my chest. I don’t hate this movie and I think my parents should buy it so I could watch it anytime I wanted but I don’t think it’s as good as everyone says it is.

I know this is kinda wired for my first post for a long time but i figured it's as good a spot as any to start.

A pic of an old Ohiodawinian

So, I'm here in Korea and I thought I'd send over a good ol' peace sign - take a picture of anyone here in Asia, and it seems that they all do the peace sign (although I forgot whether it is more PC to have the hand facing inward or outward). This is my roomate and best friend, Jessica Burgard, and I in our new hanboks. They are big puffy outfits and they are the traditional Korean women's outfit. The women wear them also for their wedding (only they are a lot more fancy) and different colors are for different members of the family (mother-of-the-bride, bride, etc.). Neither one of us is getting married, mind you, we just wanted to get one and they are pretty. :)

Indiana Zach

oohohohohoh, and since I'm feeling slightly devious...I was looking through some of my old pictures and happened upon this studly one of Zach. ...I just had to share it. Zach, don't be angry with me. ;) You look quite nice in a hat. I could see you roping in the bad guys already. ;)

What a Beaut'

Ahh, Jahasika Don Schlabeh...she is so beautiful, although perhaps this picture does not do her justice. To be fair, she was showing how one can make really terrible pictures if one turns the head upside down, wiggles and flops one's face around, and then takes a picture of the resulting expression...

Tribute To My Brother.

537310-R1-18-18A
Originally uploaded by Rael1.

So I had the best Christmas ever!!!!!
My little brother is the sweetest kid in the world. I asked for an Ipod for my birthday this year and needless to say my family is poor so I didn't get it. I didn't really think I would anyway I know how things work but I have been joking around since then about people getting me one. What I really wanted for Christmas this year was the Jason Upton CD Faith. I knew it would be a hard thing to find but I figured it was a little more in my family's price range. As Christmas approached my family made it clear to me that I would not be getting the CD cause they couldn't find it. I guess as my friend John says "gullible isn't a word in the dictionary." so Christmas comes and I got a pretty scarf from my Aunt and Uncle, some small stuff from my sister, and Jojo, the great kid that he is, gave me two free car cleanings. They were all great gifts. Then Jonny hands me a gift that I can tell is a CD. I wasn't surprised Jonny usually gets me a CD but I opened it up and surprise surprise Jason Upton Faith. What do you know? He had it overnighted at Budget tapes. So I start in on the nasty wrapping and the annoying stickers they put on those things to keep them inside. I guess they just leap out of the jewel case otherwise. I open the case and the CD wasn't there. Instead there was ipod software. I just sat there in shock. I didn't believe it. Jonny got up and pulled the box out of the closet. I was a 20 GB photo and they had put 950 song on it to give me a start. I started to cry. Apparently Jonny had bought most of it for me. I was so touched! he's 18! Works at McDonald he doesn't have that kind of money! My Parents and my big bother had helped too so it wasn't all on his own but it's still a lot. I was so blown away! Any way that's my awesome Christmas story!