Thanksgiving, Family, and Thanksmas

I got a bit crafty the other week and made a Fall/Thanksgiving painting.  I had fun. 

I think it looks quite nice.:)

 Wednesday evening, I did some baking for Thanksgiving. 

Apple pie.:)

Two pumpkin pies.  :)

The leftovers made small pies. 

The apple pies ended up boiling over into the oven.  I put a cookie sheet down, which didn't hold the juice, which ran over and down into the oven. The house filled with smoke and the smoke alarms went off. The joys of a gas oven with actual flames. 

We went to the Braker's (Martin's) for Thanksgiving day.  We went with them to church and then back to their house for the day. There was more than enough really good food. :) 

Turkey, stuffing, squash casserole, potatoes....

Pie!

Mr. Isaiah was also present.

 He enjoyed accidentally taking selfies with my phone. 

Friday, I spent the day cleaning and baking some more.  
I stepped out on to the porch and heard a crash. I looked over and this guy was sitting in my yard:

He stuck around for a bit, but ran off when I tried to catch him. 

Apple cider doughnut cake. 

Attemp #1 flopped. 

I didn't dust the pan in flour first. 

Attempt #2 was much better. 

And I got to eat attempt #1.  :)

Friday evening, Nathan's siblings came over for the night as a midway point for Saturday's Thanksgiving/Christmas Drayer reunion. 

Nathan read children's books to his siblings...:) like the old days. lol

They all spent the night.  We don't have enough beds so some slept on the floors. Ten people in the house, is not quiet either.  There was plenty of piano playing and other noisy activities. It was quite the house party.  :)

Saturday, all ten of us loaded up and headed to the reunion.  There was once again tons of food that stayed out all day. The main meal was lunch and the rest of the day everyone just scavenged. 
We played a long game of bingo with tons of prices for the winners. Every one one at least once. I think I got a lucky card because I got 4 Bingos.

The awesome old fashioned bingo card. 

After the reunion, Nathan and I went home and crashed. I think I had met my limit of socializing. :)

It was nice to have a long weekend away from work, but I'm wishing I had another day or two. Or maybe a whole week. :)

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

In Christ
~Michelle

The Messiah

Last week we went over to the farm for a meat-ing... Haha. I don't get the credit for that ridiculous pun, Nathan does.  Anyway, my parents had a hog butchered and Noah gave them half a cow so after splitting it all four ways, we still got plenty of meat for really cheap. :)

Pork chips, roasts, T-bone steaks, ground beef, sausage, bacon.... 

The benefits of being a farmer's daughter. :)

Friday night, Nathan and I went out to princeville. We decided it was about time that we get together with Tristan and Larissa.  We took them pizza and got a tour of the house. Their house is going to be cool. It's old and looks like they will have plenty of work. But the potential. Beautiful wood floors, woodwork, and a brick chimney and fire place. :) I've always wanted to build but now I'm wondering if I'd rather fix up an old house. You just can't build character. 

We stopped at Nathan's parents for a few hours afterwords.  They now have a loom, so I'm hoping sometime in the future they can teach me how to make my own wool blanket. :)

I woke up to this Saturday morning. 

Saturday morning began our weekend of singing.  We had dress rehearsal for the Messiah that morning. It was the first time singing with an orchestra. 

Saturday, afternoon I was actually really productive. I cleaned the house a little, did laundry, and tried out a few fudge recipes. The coffee fudge was not very good. The peanut butter chocolate, though, was amazing. I have a whole 9x13 of it in my refrigerator... Next time you see me I may have gained a few pounds :) hehe.

Saturday evening we went to Ed and Barb's singing shower.  I sang alto most of the time to spare my voice. Although, some hymns are just too good and I had to switch back to soprano. :)

Sunday, after church (more singing, of course) we went straight to Morton for the Messiah.  It was wonderful.  The words, mainly scripture, and the music tell the beautiful story of the gospel from man's sin to our redemption in Christ's death to His glory and power in heaven. It is kind of sad that the Hallelujah chorus is really the only well know chorus from the whole piece. 

 The performance that afternoon was actually the first time we had sung the Messiah beginning to end with the soloists.  I think it went well though.:)

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." ~I Cor. 15:21,22

In Christ

~Michelle

weather and work things

Cold, blustery, wet, and grey
October, you are not my favorite month. 

Alas, it will be some time before I see perfect weather again. :)

Since the temperature has dropped outside, getting dressed in the morning becomes increasingly more difficult.  Mainly, because the temperature in my office is more unpredictable than the Illinois weather forecast.  One week,  I don't think I took my coat off at work all week. I have a corn heat bag that I heat in the microwave and keep in my lap all day. I warm my fingers up in between bouts of typing.  Then, the maintenance man finally got the boilers working.  And the radiators were on full blast. I of course was loving the temperature, a nice 85, but my coworkers however, were not.  I eventually conceded and allowed them to open windows. That lasts for a few hours until the school (on the other side of the building), complains and off go the boilers, on goes the coat. 

I've been spending a lot of time at ICC these days with my clients.  If I haven't said it before: just because the opportunity is there does not mean everyone has the same opportunities in place to get there.
 When I went to ICC, I signed up online, completed my FAFSA, took out a loan, scheduled a time to register for classes, and I was in. 
That is not how it works for people whose parents, socioeconomic status, family background etc. are different than the typical middle class family.  
I literally feel like pulling my hair out trying to get these kids enrolled. It's exhausting just thinking about every way the system is so much harder for them.  
Transcripts- most ICC students come straight out of high school, and maybe even sign up and send their transcripts in school, before they even graduate.  My clients- lacking the stable family, being tossed around through DCFS, they have to call their high school, mail them paperwork and money, and wait, and wait, and wait for their transcripts to arrive after classes start.

Residency- most ICC students live at home with parents, or at least they can give their parent's address at the start of school. Most of them have their driver's license since the age of 16, and can provide that as proof of residency.  My clients- no one ever went driving with them. At the age of 18,19, and 20 most of them still can't drive.  A state ID is the alternative, but like with the transcripts the chances of them living in one place long enough to collect the paperwork to get an ID placing them in district is slim to none.  This becomes a problem how? Cost of tuition. My clients, if I don't spend ridiculous amount of time with them gathering documents and running back and forth from ICC to the DMV,  get charged a higher rate. 

Financial aid-  Now most middle class kids just take out a loan, pay out of pocket, or have their parents pay. My clients-  most are eligible for a grant through the state. However, if they are registered as out of district. Financial aid will only pay the amount up to the in district cost.  This leaves my clients with upwards of $1000 in debt each semester.  That may sound like nothing, but to them, that is a huge set back.  In one case, Financial Aid wouldn't pay at all, and my client had to drop all of his classes halfway through the semester.  
I can hear the middle-class person inside of me saying "well they should just work." Ha.   Note above where I said they can't drive.  They have to take the bus. Which means an extra one to two hours, depending on the bus schedule, to and from class.  Add an hour to and from work.  And, that equals 25 hours a week spent on transportation alone. They can work yes, but not enough to cover tuition. 

So, no, not everyone has the same opportunity to go to college. If I wasn't there doing all the leg work, some of my clients would have given up long ago, like many young adults in the community, and worked a McDonald's for the rest of their lives. 

So from now until January 16th, the start of Spring semester, I will get to spend more time than I would like haggling with the financial aid office and the enrollment office. 


On another cheerier note, last Saturday night, Wendi and I carpooled out to Larissa's personal shower.  I barely get to see Wendi anymore so that was awesome to begin with.  Then, I got to hang out with Larissa for the first time since she was engaged!:)    There were a bunch of other good friends from various times in my life and it was wonderful to see them again too.  
I'm so excited for Tristan and Larissa. Not only is she my good friend, Nathan and Tristan and great friends. :)  

I hear snow is on the way this weekend. While I am not a fan of all most things cold, pretty white fluffy snow does sound much better than this dreary rain. 

In Christ
~Michelle

Duncan Manor

Last Sunday evening, Aaron and Kendra invited us over for pizza with Wendi and Henry. William and Henry were pretty much the center of attention.:) 

Last Tuesday, I had to stay late at work to take my parenting clients to a parenting class. So, while they were in class I went shopping.  I didn't get anything but I gathered Christmas ideas. I've been in a search ever since we got married, for a painting or picture for above our couch.  I haven't been impressed with anything I've seen so far. I think I'm too picky. We've been in our house over a year, and I still have random fabric covering the windows in our bedroom. I just can't decide on curtains. 

Friday night, Nathan and I planned to go to Timber Ridge for a singing with the residents. Nathan listened to my terrible suggestion and we decided to take the interstate.  We left home at 6:45 and didn't make it to Morton until 7:30. Apparently they have started closing the interstate to one lane at night. We didn't make it to the singing. 

the traffic backed up for miles.

Saturday, I had an extremely productive day. We cleaned the gutters and finished raking some of the leaves, cleaned the house,  and I baked bread for potluck in the morning.  In the afternoon,  Jenny, the girls, mom, and I went to Duncan Manor.

Duncan Manor is near Towanda, IL not far outside of Bloomington. It was built by the William Duncan in 1869. It was for sale for a few years and was pretty run down. Someone recently bought it and they are fixing it up. They have open house tours to raise money to restore it. 

Duncan Manor :)

sigh. just look at those beautiful windows.

servant's stair case

the view from the front porch. 

Emmy liked the couch.

beautiful exposed brick.

this was the children's room on the 3rd floor.

the attic 

the full grand stair case. 

The door to the basement. 

 It would have been such a cute picture, but Cecily didn't feel like posing. 

The back...maybe technically the front. 

Emmy enjoyed being outside.

Attempt at another picture

:)

If only...:) 

It is such a beautiful house. I'm glad someone is fixing it up.

The inside of the original barn.

Saturday evening, we  went to Max and Mary's for potluck.  Ed and Barb were there and they told their engagement story. It was a wonderful testimony of God's faithfulness. It was also quite humorous at times:) 

This afternoon (Sunday), we went over to the farm. Kay and Larry, my relatives, were in town so my parents had an open house for the family to stop by and see them.  I don't see that side of the family very often, but it was good.  Us "kids" have grown up a bit and it makes it easier to connect on an adult level. Where, when we were kids we didn't have much in common and being shy, I didn't really want to get to know them. 

In Christ

~Michelle

How October passed me by

October is almost over and I really have no idea where it went.  I can't even remember what I've been doing for a whole month to have passed by.   Really, I haven't done much. 

Two Sunday evenings ago, we were at Aaron and Kendra's for potluck.  We have a really good potluck group. We are diverse enough that we have very good discussions. Which I love.  And then at one point two-year-old Gabe brought a spider to show his dad. He had it pinched between his fingers and then let it drop on the ground. It was still alive.  I shrieked. It was a while before I put my feet back on the ground.  I do not appreciate spider season.

Speaking of which. One found its way into my car and made its appearance while I was driving down the interstate. I prayed my way home. It truly is a miracle that I did not drive off the road.  I just stared at the road, bit my tongue to keep my mind off the spider, and prayed that I wouldn't see it until I got safely home. I barely breathed that last two miles of road. I was so tense, my muscles were sore for days afterword. 
That is a phobia. 
And if I am ever found dead, crashed in my car on the side of the road with no explanation. That is why.

A couple Friday nights ago, a few girls came over to ask questions about my job. They were interested in the field and volunteering opportunities.  It was fun. I love to talk about my job, because I love it. Normally I try to keep my mouth shut, but I finally had any excuse to talk all I wanted. :)

Saturday, we worked outside despite the drizzly weather.  We burned off the garden, cleaned up the grill, and cleaned out the garage. Then I cleaned the whole house. :) I love productive days. I had so much more energy than I normally do. 

Saturday night, the song leaders from Washington sang at the Eureka nursing home benefit dinner. I got to tag along. I used to waitress the tables at it every year. I'm so glad I don't have to any more. :)  

My Monday evenings have been filled with practices for the Messiah. :) It's so much fun to sing but so ridiculously hard. It's been so long since I've had to sight read and count to sing a song, I am badly out of practice. 

So, yes, there has been things going on, but my calendar is strangely blank. It's probably good because the holiday craze will be on me before I can blink. 

I probably should be using this time to work ahead on something... but the couch is just too nice. :)

In Christ
~Michelle

Chicago

Last Saturday, I chauffeured  Lori and the kids to Chicago for their appointments.  My trips up to Chicago for work has made me quite used to driving in crazy traffic and so I loaned my services out. :)

The bean

The city

Michigan Ave. 

The cost of parking in Chicago is ridiculous, by the way. 

We left down town and headed to Woodfield Mall and Ikea. 

The Cheese Cake Factory :)

It was fun. I always enjoy Ikea and Cheese cake. :)  I think Cliff was a little less thrilled than the rest of us. But, I think he survived :)

In Christ

~Michelle

Funeral

Nathan's Grandma, Edna, died this past week. Her funeral was on Thursday. 
I didn't know her very well but she always made me feel very welcome in the family. :)

Nathan and I went out to Princeville on Wednesday night for the visitation. We stayed the night at his parents and then went to the funeral on Thursday.   It was nice, I guess. I still feel uncomfortable calling a funeral "nice", but it was.   

~~~
I have decided that some people must appreciate the way visitations and funerals are traditional performed, or else they wouldn't be the way they are.  I however, would prefer visitations and funerals to run slightly different. Don't ask me how. years of cultural tradition has impaired my ability to think creatively about the rituals we perform after someone has died.  If it were my choice I think I would have something like the Indian tradition of floating candles down a river or maybe sending the family member over a water fall.  They are both very legitimate ways to symbolize the letting go of a deceased loved one. 

In short, I have had few people die in my life. I watched the family stand for hours on end receiving the same comments over and over, with the occasional odd comment thrown in,  and I realized how emotionally and physically exhausting that would be.  It would be so much easier for them to stay home curled up in bed. And, yet for some reason, it is good for us to pull ourselves out of bed and face the reality that she is in fact dead. 

Anyway, enough of my rambling thoughts about culture, traditions, and death... On to ramblings about emotions... :)

The atmosphere of a visitation or funeral tends to be very somber. Or at least it is expected to be. But, I've decided that is an incorrect assumption or expectation. Funerals are emotional. Not sad.  Not somber. Not even a "celebration of life".  They are all of the above. In one moment some of the family is crying while others are laughing.   People grieve in different ways and heal in different ways.  And, when you pile a whole bunch of grieving, healing, reminiscing people in the same room together, you are going to get the full range of emotions. 

~~~

People do say some odd things at funerals though. I will keep most, due to it being my opinion, to myself, but the best comment of the weekend was: "She looks so natural, she could just start snoring" :) 

After the funeral, we spent the afternoon with the family. 

On our way home,  Nathan and I decided to go to Tanner's to buy apple cider donuts. :)  They are wonderful. 

When we got home,  just as the sun was setting, I got to jump on the combine with my dad for the last few rounds in the last field of the season. 

Sunset. 

They are done!

We were both back at work on Friday. All week I kept mixing up the days and calling Thursday the weekend. It got quite confusing.  

Thanks for all of the prayers for Nathan and his family. I know they are appreciated! 

In Christ

~Michelle