Meanwhile Back at the Ranch

I have tried more than once to update the blog about all the happenings. Usually I find the computer occupied by one of these lovely ladies, or we're on the way out the door, or I'm about to fall asleep from sheer exhaustion.

Here's Mariah & Felicie on 7/10 at the amphitheatre. It was 105 degrees and we were waiting for the other french students and hosting families to arrive for the Michael Jackson tribute band. We got there early and secured a shady location for all.

Since then we have been BUSY! And you know if I cap "busy" then that is saying something! Eventually I will find the photos and update better, but until then, allow me to just say everything has been going really well. We just returned from a Pigeon Forge vacation where Mariah finally got to ride a roller coaster for the first time in her life. Oh how deprived she was! Felicie, I've discovered, is very brave and likes things spicy. She never ate Mexican food before but loved it. She's not picky and she is unfailingly polite. Unless she is walking past Mariah sitting on the arm of the couch whereupon she just may give a nudge and send her flying backward, going "oooh, so sorry!"

Felicie's English is very good, and we have had very few communication problems. She is a girl of few words unless she is with Mariah, then I hear her quietly speaking more. They have a cute sibling thing going on. Felicie definitely understands much more than she likes to speak. But almost 2 weeks into her stay, she is more comfortable. Expressions like "pretty cool" don't throw her anymore. She still thinks we are "very strange" and I wish you could hear her say that because her accent is the best!

Meanwhile back at the ranch, so to speak....

Indie leaves in the morning for her trip to Armenia. They have an 8hr layover in Chicago so she'll be close-ish most of the day, then on their way again. Her last scan did not indicate a need for a biopsy so she is glad to be on her way without stitches. She is so done with dr's and appts. Not always feeling the best and this allergy to palm oil she's developed is a real pain. She is now armed with lots of antihistamine so hopefully her travel abroad this time around won't be quite so painfully challenging. Safe travels Indie!

Taryn is still at MS & T where she is apparently having so much fun she doesn't have time to call. Maybe she's like me and always on the go until her head hits the pillow. I get to play Words With Friends with her and the occasional text message though. We're tight like that. Hahaha! I am counting the days until I get to see her. That is, when I get told the day she wants to come home, I will. :)

Gib is home from Florida and had a great EFY experience and very much enjoyed his time with Grandpa Fred and Jan. Can't say his mini-golf game improved but ce-la-vie. As soon as he kicks himself off the XBox he can drive us down to the DMV and get his license. He also needs to work on writing up his Eagle Scout proposal.

Mike will be kicking it into high gear for Waterworld any day now. I'm pretty sure he needs the break a ski run at dawn brings.

It's All About the Food

Taryn and Tim are leaving us today to go back to Missouri. Taryn will be at the Hit The Ground Running working as a counselor and Tim will return to his summer job as a lifeguard at a big community pool. They ate their way through our house as you can see:

No, actually we played an old childhood favorite we creatively call The Grocery Game. Everyone picked 2 numbers and got to shop in those rows only for something for dinner. I would have restricted it to one row, but I didn't get to scout the store and eliminate the toilet paper aisle first, so we needed a fall-back aisle. It was fun and we had a very creative meal, and everyone did pretty good!

Here we are with some appetizers. Salt & Pepper Chips with 2 dips: French Onion and a Artichoke - courtesy of Mariah.

Bagel Bites and Clam Chowder

Somehow the photographer didn't get any other photos of the special event, but the rest of the meal had cheesy jambalaya and hot sausage (sorry Grammy - kids choice!), and Reese's and frozen Twix ice cream treats. Gib did not get any candied yams, beets or garbanzo beans; but that was only after I told him he had to eat them. That was when he decided to about-face and concetrate on the packaged pastas instead of gross canned goods.

The night before was another food fest: PF Changs for Taryn's birthday dinner. That was alot of fun. Indie has a friend who is a server there so we got in his section and of course received excellent service! Everyone loved their dishes and Taryn made a great restaurant choice! Can't go wrong with PF Changs!!

I'm gonna miss her! See ya in August Taryn!

Eagle Project: Pit Spot

This morning, Gib met with people from the Fifty Forward to discuss the potential location of the future horseshoe pit he will be proposing to build as his Eagle project.

I went along as Project Photographer and Blogger. I hope I get to keep that job.

Here is the general area. There are other ongoing Eagle projects for the Senior Center. This one is the Firepit.

We thought perhaps this area to the side of the pathway, but alas, two problems:

1) too close to the creek

2) on city property

Scouting for another site (that firepit is just to the right)

Checking the property boundaries and considering possibilities

"What about in THERE?"


"Hmmmm.... it could work. Plenty of shade. Looks like it might be flat. Will know more when all the honeysuckle is gone"

The Before Shot: The Perfect Horseshoe Pit Spot.

The Good News: Our meeting was just before a church group arrived for a 4 day work project and hopefully they will start in on clearing out the land!

The area in there is about 100' x 25 ' - may be enough room for 2 horseshoe pits, and a bench at the end for players. That'll be some project!

Mercer Service Scholars, 2011: Poland, Armenia, Georgia...

From the Africa II post:

And, just as a teaser for a future blog post. Indy, will again, be traveling in late July through mid August for a Mercer sponsored service learning opportunity in Armenia. Details to come...

Well, now it is time to give you the details.

PLS 385: Post-Communist Life in the Caucuses
Dr. Chris Grant,
Department of Political Science

What was once the Soviet Union has disappeared and with it, the regime stability that dominated the Eastern half of the European continent and much of Asia. We have discovered that communism had more faults than we had ever known and when it crumbled, social, physical, and financial infrastructures were in shambles. All said, over the last 20 years this has been a part of the world that has been utterly reshaped in all aspects of life.
Our exploration of the region’s history, politics, culture, and future will include:
- The role of personality and power in society
- Discussion of recent political and cultural outcomes in the post-Soviet Republics
- Discussions of economic and political viability of fragile regimes
- Georgia and Armenia specific issues

PLS 400: Practicum in Service-Learning
Dr. Mary Ann Drake,
Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

Service to others is a critical part of moral reasoning and identity. Ironically, so are cruelty and the infliction of suffering. As we explore Armenia and Georgia and explore our role as servant leaders, we will reflect on the meaning of our service and the human condition in the world. We will seek to better understand the conditions and lives of those that we serve so as to level the relationship and gain as much from their experiences as they do from ours.
Our academic and service work includes:
- Intensive physical work with the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia
- An attempt to understand the political, psychological, social, and economic factors, which underlie our ability to help and harm each other
- Recognition of the need to be respectful about cultures and backgrounds other than our own

Participation: We expect full participation from everyone. Grades are recorded after class discussions

Journal: We, and MOM, require journals. The journals are NOT “dear diary”; they are to be reflective, thoughtful, soul-searching entries describing your encounters with the culture, the issues of the two courses, and your own fears, hurdles, areas of growth, etc.

Final Project: The final project is a creative expression based on our time abroad. It can take the form of (but is not limited to) a digital story or a photo essay. In the best case, the project will have value to others beyond just the individual student and the professor. One digital story will be used on the MSS website for future student recruitment (make sure that music is not copyrighted) and one photo essay will be presented to President Underwood as statement of appreciation for the scholarships with which he supports the Mercer Service Scholars.

Pre-Departure Paper: (2-3-pages, typed double-spaced) on a topic of interest related to your presentation. You need to address an issue or problem that you discover in preparing for your presentation. Please find a key focus and develop it fully. Make sure you look at the roots of the problem and possible solutions.

Post-Return Paper: (3-5 pages, typed double-spaced) is a revision of the pre-departure paper and includes insights and perspectives gained during the experience. The insertion of personal narratives related to the topic from your experience is acceptable (and encouraged).

Final Analytical Paper: (4-6 pages, typed double-spaced) is an extension of the first two papers incorporating suggestions from your professor and colleagues. You must include 5 scholarly references in this paper.


Travel Dates: July 21 - August 14, 2011

Approximate In-country Itinerary:

July 22: Arrive Warsaw, Poland
- Auschwitz Excursion

July 24: To Yerevan, Armenia
- Fuller Center project site in Vanadazor, Armenia -- Info here

August 6: To Tbilisi, Georgia
- Working with the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia -- Info here

August 14: Depart for USA


Classroom Studies:

July 18 - July 20, 2011
Mercer University, Macon Campus


Who are Mercer Service Scholars?

Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration, motivated by passion, generated by vision, produced by conviction, ignited by purpose.

Myles Munroe

The Mercer Service Scholars is a highly-selective program for exceptional undergraduate students with a passion for service and a talent for leadership. The program selects 12 to 18 highly motivated incoming freshmen. MSS is a four-year program that focuses these selected students on making a difference on campus, in the Macon community, and in the world.

MSS is a dynamic program that engages diverse students in substantive service in both the local community and internationally. Mercer Service Scholars are leaders on our campus and are developed to become leaders in their careers and life-long contributors to their communities.

While at Mercer, Service Scholars take selected classes together, form bonds with one another, and learn how to become change agents in the world. In addition to participating in unique service-learning and leadership course work, Service Scholars are singled out for special attention and programs with leadership professionals and community leaders. The University also provides the fundsto send Service Scholars who have met eligibility requirements on a Mercer on Mission service-learning program abroad, tuition free.

Pool & Planning

The bullet points:

• I've been planning our July for the past two days.
• Taryn went to the pool first.
• Mariah eventually joined her.
• Indy watched like 10 episodes of Big Bang Theory and I listened to it from the office and smiled everytime she laughed. It's great to have her home! She is getting re-adjusted to our time zone and being able to eat food she isn't allergic to. What a relief!
• The girls came home from the pool for lunch.
• I made myself 3 lunches - one for Indy, one for Taryn & Mariah who arrived home after I offered Indy my first lunch. The last one I ate before Gib smelled food.
• All the kids went back to the pool together.
• I picked Chino up from his day at the vets. He had to have a little "procedure" and isn't too happy with me now. The vet recommends I find a new canned meat and feed him twice a day meat and only a small amount of dry food to see if it helps Chino's "issues". Enough said.

The July details: Smak dab in the middle of Felicie's American Adventure will be a 5 day vacation. I'm pretty excited about it! We're spending a day in Chattanooga followed by 4 days in Gatlinburg. We'll do Dollywood and Splash Country, see the Smokey Mountains and maybe take in a dinner show. There's ton to do in Pigeon Forge, plus about 3 outlets for shopping. I spent HOURS, well basically 2 days researching hotels, prices, and reviews to plan the trip. I hope it was worth it! The rest of the time with Felicie will be spent at home doing low-key American type stuff like:

• The Pool (of course) on every day that isn't filled with something else
• The Mall (double of course - I understand the french foreign exchange students plan on shopping alot)
• Whatever free art shows or exhibits I can find in town
• The Free Concert in the Parks
• Drive-In Movie Night (sweet!! Rednecks in their jammies and soccer chairs sitting outside their pick-ups - that should leave an impression)
• Bowling
• If my friend comes thru: Ms. Carla's Southern Manners Day and a behind the scene tour of the Grand Ol OpryA different mall (unless we strike major gold at the Outlets in Pigeon Forge)
• Free Telescope Observation night (it's on one of the Thursdays - I need to check that out)
• A Downtown Franklin on Foot Tour
• Wildhorse Saloon line dancing (and Mariah will say the $10 store)
• A craft day - maybe go to a pottery place
• Good Shepherd is planning a trip to Alabama to help reconstruction efforts and clean up from the tornados. If we can all go on that I'd like to show Felicie how Americans pitch in and help one another, even if all we can do (due to their age and inability to work at construction) is help provide the meals for volunteers. It's just an overnight trip and our group will be totally self sufficient - obviously since they are going to an area wiped out by the tornados.
• If we can't go on that trip, I will find another service project the 3 of us girls can do together.

AND NOW...... I have to go wrap Taryn's birthday gifts, even though she knows what every single one is. If they are not done by the time she gets home from the pool, I'll be in BIG trouble!!!

She's Coming Home

Indy has landed in DC and will be taking off shortly for Atlanta. Mike will pick her up and drive back home. I expect to see them sometime late this evening. We are excited to hear about Indy's Ethiopian adventures! It feels like she has been gone a really long time. Aussie has missed her too :) We are getting his claws trimmed today; that's his welcome home gift for Indy because I know he will be too excited to have her back to remember the No Claws Just Paws rule. He sure wanted to know what I was doing at 5 a.m. in a duffel bag that smelled ALOT like his girl when I grabbed an outfit for Mike to take with him to the airport in case Indy wanted to change into fresh clothes. He was dancing on his paws when I told him his girl was coming home! Coulda been the early breakfast he was anticipating but I'm pretty sure he has been listening to the countdown.

Taryn and I had a nice afternoon together yesterday. We needed haircuts so we booked them together and went out for lunch afterwards. Next to the salon is the Shop Around The Corner in Downtown Franklin and she got a cute top off the sales rack. We had to reschedule Aussie's claw trimming appointment because we shopped but it was worth it! Plus, my visiting teacher was due to come over and I was going to be a tad late. Mariah was a gracious hostess and kept her company out on the patio until we got home. Mariah was quite the Go-To Gal yesterday, wasn't she?!

Gib met with a lady from Fifty Forward (or as I like to call them Five Alive), at the senior citizen community center Grammy goes to to discuss projects they would appreciate a Scout troop taking on when an Eagle project comes up. Gib shared their ideas with Mike and I last night and we all agreed the Horseshoe Pit sounded like a great idea! Mike especially thought it was cool because his brother Art also did the same type of Eagle Project. So now Gib will begin the process of presenting it for approval. AT LAST!!!!!!!!

Mariah is counting down the days before Felicie gets here. We have about 2 weeks to go. I have some serious planning to do regarding the 3 weeks of fun, fun, fun Mariah anticipates having with our foreign exchange student. I sure hope there are ALOT of free, free, free fun activities happening in July!

Taryn is counting down the days until Tim and his family get here. They will be in Kentucky for a family thing and will stop by for a visit. She is glad Indy finally gets to meet Tim.

Gib will be leaving for EFY and a visit with Grandpa Fred and Jan in Florida next week. That is always the highlight of summer! Mariah and I bought an early bday gift for the dude: a new golfing outfit and a couple of new t-shirts. Gotta look stylin' out there.

I don't know Indy's plans yet, but I can anticipate that when she is awake, she will have plans with friends! She won't be here for long after all and will have to squeeze in as much as she can.

Fathers Day & Stuff

We all celebrated Mike's special day of the year - Father's Day!
Hi, Mariah here. I'm being forced to make captions on the photos. My parents are so cruel. And while I'm doing the blog my dad is singing away to the Momma Mia soundtracks torturing me. As if this wasn't enough.

With that big present all those other ones seem WIMPY WIMPY WIMPY!

Doesn't look so wimpy now, now does it? From Indie he got Beatles Live Preformance Unauthorized. And... Some tricky brainteasers, real tricky. I keep getting stuck in that book. From Gib he got blackened seafood seasoning, we thought it was a good present considering where he just was (canoeing and fishing). From Taryn he got some peanut M&Ms Yum! From me he got beef jerky, mom's gonna regret telling me that dad loved beef jerky :)

So thats what the big present was! While Gib was assembling it, he found a TILT LOCK! Although, Dad unlocked it. Go figure. Dad, we better not here any squeaking from this chair. I picked it carefully, and if it squeaks I'm gonna be mad. It's too comfy!




The Kabobs- I had a special one I made JUST for me. No tomatoes. So did Gib and T.

This cool moth tried to land on my mom. It scared her because she thought it was a wasp. Way to go moth! I called it a hyperactive moth because it wouldn't stay still!

Taryn's pretty curls! They were worth missing Aussie's claw trimming. Good thing he's going tomorrow, we all have claw marks on our arms from him. He got me and Taryn's thumbs. He's been a bad boy!

and that's it! Finally done!