Finally!

All is quiet and I’m finally going to sit a minute.

First I need to offer Bernie my deepest sympathies on the loss of her husband, Larry.  Thank you for all your prayers and support over the past year.  And thank you Carol for letting me know.

I keep saying I’m going to get a group photo of our dorm, but it has yet to materialize.  When I arrived back from NY I had meetings, orientation, and found out in addition to the full time nursing position, and running the donation store, I was also teaching three classes a day.  Since then, they dropped one of my health classes (whew!), I am no longer doing laundry in the dorm, (no time!), and things have slowly gotten in to a routine.  Slowly being the key word.

 

Ethan is adjusting well.  Our end of the dorm is only 7th and 8th this year so we only have 3 boys and Ethan.  All 3 were here last year, so they all know each other.  We have 41 so far total.  The little boys end has somewhere between 9 and 11.  I can’t keep track…  They are so precious when they come in.

Three of the little boys.

This year  is already better in that we don’t have the need like we did last year for clothing.  With the shirts I bought (courtesy of Bernie and Larry) and had donated (thank you Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA) our boys are well set.

There has been a ton more paper work this year though in my office.  Last year there was a young lady who was here visiting who made all the office copies and helped me put charts together.  She’s not here this year, so I’ve had to do all my own, while Rosie is busy with her end.  Indian Health Services seems to have decided they want some other things in the charts this year, so it’s been busy.  I had to get some lesson plans together with short notice too.  Glad to have homeschooled my kids for nearly two decades!  I’ve learned to improvise. 

Here’s me and Bob in my office.  He’s wearing the hat I bought last year for Spirit Week/ hat day.

Merf, sorry about the Disney half.  I really just couldn’t afford it.  It’s all I can do to get $3,000 together for Ethan’s braces… and you don’t want to have that conversation with me about money… ha ha. 

Speaking of Ethan, we were in Albuquerque, NM coming back and we met this man.  His name is Robert Walley. He is one of the last of 40 some Navajo Code Talkers.  Although you might read they’re all deceased, this is not true.  The last of the FIRST group is gone.  These men are from the SECOND group and are very much alive.  He was a really sweet man to talk to.  He told us how they worked together to change the language to code that contributed to our victory in the War.  Pretty amazing.  He was very quiet and you had to listen carefully.  Photo taken with permission.

Also in Albuquerque is this Old Town.  Where has this place been all my life?  you guessed it, shops, shops, and more shops!  All within walking distance… ahhh….

Raspberry Truffles of course!

Not the most flattering picture, but after traveling 2,000 miles… these truffles were almost $3.00 each.  Not as good as Watson’s in Ellicottville, but yummy enough. 

Oh, getting back to running… I hit an all time high of 8 miles last Saturday (in your face Brion).  I’d have to look at my phone for the time, but I don’t care enough to get up.  I tried to do another sub 30 on Monday but missed it at 30:14.  Some day dear sister we’ll run a half together.  Promise!

Christine, by the way, you need to answer your phone.  You can’t stay mad forever. I’m sure your not mad, but that last day did get crazy and I’m sorry I didn’t get over to say goodbye.  So I am publicly apologizing… let’s just blame Nancy.  It’s all her fault.  She kidnapped me. Then we might as well blame Sarah while we’re at it!

The weather here is mostly awesome.  As you figured out, and Nancy you already knew, I will never live in WNY again. Not after getting a taste of paradise… (Speaking of paradise Merf, I have the Meatloaf album on my iPod… almost called you!) I can’t take the rain and gray of western NY.  I am spoiled. ( no comments Mother, or Ginny for that matter.)  I want my sun and I want ocean.  I’ve got one down and one to go.  Once my license as been active for two years, Florida offers reciprocity.  Works for me! Unless I find that sunset first… Someday, Funcy, someday…. sooner than later, one can hope.

So, school is under way… we’ve got a great group of kids.  They’re not without their issues, but with some of their backgrounds it’s amazing they are as sane as they are…  speaking of sanity, it’s the same old broken record.  Nothing changes.  If anything the insanity has reached an all time low… but that’s another email for another day.  Or possibly a phone call… 

Oh Carol, if you’re not too bored with all this family and friends stuff, I got a package from someone from your group, or your organization.  Her name/ card is in my office so I can’t tell you now… my brain is off for the evening.  It was a really nice letter with a ton of stuff in the box.  Lots of white T shirts which always goes over well here!  I promise the next blog will be more about the boys with more pictures.  They are at the gym with a work and witness team right now.  But hopefully soon I will get get you their names and info.  (you, too Mother… I did forget sorry).

Speaking of Work and Witness, this older lady was helping me in the store this afternoon.  We got 20++ bags in from the back of a UHaul.  So we’re going through these clothes.  Now most people get very upset when I start tossing things.  But this lady was hysterical.  We had so much fun.  The clothes 1. Go to the students. 2. Go to the staff. 3. Get put out for the community at 25 cents to a dollar an item.  If we can’t use it, and it’s 100% cotton, the maintenance man gets it for the shop.  Some things are too damaged to use.  Well this lady had me laughing so hard I fell off the bag I was sitting on.  We found this Carol Brady skirt (that even I wouldn’t wear) and I said to her, 1975 is calling, they want their skirt back.  Sorry, it was just funny.  I don’t know how I got off on that.  My ADD kicking in!  But just so you all know, the donations really do get used.  Sometimes even what we discard goes in to a free box and people will come in and take it for scraps/ rags, lambing, etc. 

Oh, one last note, Ethan is running cross country.  He’s not thrilled about it, but some one has to run my 5Ks with me!  I hate going alone and I want to sign up for some this winter down near Phoenix/ Chandler.  We’ll be in Phoenix for Labor Day weekend.  It’s Ethan’s belated birthday present.  I’m pretty excited.  The hotel has a lazy river and water slide.  The weather is looking to hover in the 90s to 100s.  Can’t wait to take my camera and relax.  And run.  Always run.

Love to you all.

-GMEthan at the Allegany State Park, July 3, 2013