APA Sympathy please

It is 2:06 am and I have been editing spaces, fonts, alignment, margins, and citations for the past 3 hours. Before that I was working on making sure the language was not bias and the design was valid. Ahh, sigh.. the best part is it is a rough draft :)

I love group projects.

This semester may just mean for me....... Axis I, III, and IV!

September

My birthday flew by this year, but I was happy to share my 25th with this long time friend- Andrea! I will always remember her wedding anniversary - the day before my birthday. We enjoyed our weekend in Indianapolis and the wedding was GORGEOUS as was the bride! We also had a great time celebrating September (both our bdays and wedding anniversary) with close friends at North Beach. I have decided I should drop out of school and go pro with volleyball. I think I have a good shot at it, especially since my serves never went over the net.

A New Favorite Treat

A simple, yet heavenly indulgence. We are hooked on Sharon's Sorbet. The coconut flavor sends you straight to the beach! All of us here in the Peterson household agree. Yum Yum.

Fill the Pews!

Chicago area friends- please consider coming to this event. I know many of you have church homes, but please see this as an opportunity to support a Covenant Church that is trying to reach out to the community and get a glimpse of what God can do. It would mean the world to me if you could come visit- you might even win a prize! www.fillthepews.org

This Sunday, 10:30 am Sojourner Covenant
Evanston, IL

Wilma

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Wilma

Several weeks ago now, my Grandma passed away. My Dad's Mother was 86 and died in her sleep. I am thankful that she was able to go peacefully. She had prayed her last breath might be taken that way. I believe that was because she had lived with an independent spirit for so long and didn’t want anyone else to have to worry about taking care of her through the last stages of life.

My Grandma, Wilma Hoffman, was born, raised, and planted in New Jersey/New York area. She was quite a woman with quite a story. Wilma could be described as a tough cookie with a good heart. Looking back on her life history, it is no wonder she learned how to be a strong and independent. She transformed from girl into woman rather quickly- living through orphanage life as a child, raising her younger brother, holding her own in a calloused neighborhood, becoming a "Rosie the Riveter" during the war, being a single mom for two kids, and taking in countless numbers of other children when the going got too rough in their own families. This last account was the most touching part of her funeral. To hear grown adults speak about how Wilma had literally taken them in off the streets or from broken homes and taught them how to be kind and responsible. One of them stated, “Before I knew Wilma, I knew how to do two things- fight and run. She taught me how to be a kind and responsible young man.” I never knew my father shared his childhood with so many brothers and sisters in this way. One of the most amazing things about the death of a family member is the way God seems to give you a glimpse of all that has been, and all that will be, according to his seamless plan.

This side of my family history allowed me to get to know an area of the country I would otherwise likely remain clueless. My Dad was born and raised in New Jersey, and actually he and my Mom spent their first two years of marriage there. They ended up deciding Jersey wasn’t quite their style, and moved to Chicago thinking they were more of the "Midwest" mentality. But when it comes down to it- there is so much about my Dad that still screams Jersey Boy! This may slip out in talk of the Shore house, Frankie Valley, or just a simply stated “Don’t worry bout it”.

Our family took summer vacations to Jersey frequently during my childhood. We would often spend time at the Jersey Shore. I absolutely adored going to the boardwalk and indulging in cheesy arcade games and rides. I also adored getting to know my Dad's gang of lifelong friends. Every time we came into town it was an excuse to throw a party so they could all reminisce about the good old days. I recall the sounds of the Doobie Brothers, Four Seasons, and Sinatra spinning through the air in the midst of Cigar smoking and deep hearty laughter. They are quite a pack and still remain extremely loyal to one another these days.

Reflecting on this as an adult, I can recognize how special and rare that is. I see this rubbed of on me without conscious awareness when I was younger- I took in my Dad's value for friendship that crosses miles, social status, and life choices.

In fact, I find I am gaining more and more respect and love for my Dad the more I learn about my family background. I was deeply inspired by the example of faith he portrayed this past trip, and it was evident that God's love was working through him to touch others.

It is with great sadness that the New Jersey chapter in my life seems closed. Although I know, all things considered, it is not. The memories will live on and I have been blessed to have the chance to get to know my Grandma. I will always remember and greatly appreciate her life perspective.

3 years!

My wonderful amazing husband got me another band for our 3 year anniversary. 3 years- 3 rings. Wow, I am a lucky girl. It is the same as my wedding band, and I have been wanting it ever since I discovered it- I LOVE IT!!

This past year of marriage has proved to be one of the most challenging years for both of us. Despite all we have been through we have grown closer together and come out with a deeper understanding of marriage. I am so grateful for God's provision in my life and couldn't ask for a better match for me.

P.S. I will eventually post about the other promised things.....

Down in the Dells

Over two weeks ago now, we made a trip to the Wisconsin Dells. When we left it was raining, and when we came home it was raining. For a week. All of you who live in Chicago remember that week- many of you dealt with floods, power outages, and days and days of endless clouds and water. So on a happy note- at least we didn't have any storm damage to come home to.

On a sad note- the Dells are not the place to go when monsoons hit the midwest. That is unless you are a sucker for tourist traps and gift shops straight from the Oriental Trading Post. We were looking forward to a week spent hiking, golfing (Jon not me), laying out by the pool, paddling boating, riding the Wisconsin Army Ducks, BBQing.... you get the picture. None of this can be done in the rain. Now I am a fan of a cozy day inside- just not 5 of them when I was anticipating outdoor adventure. I found myself becoming extremely bratty and sick of being pent up inside. My husband being Mr. Positive was quite content to sit by the fire and read (Yes I said read... he actually did!). This stirred on some interesting discussions on our ideas of vacations and get aways. Even on Vacation- I prefer to be Ms. Active. Even if "active" may mean the activity of sipping a Pina Colada by the Pool. Jon is content to just be away and zone out from normal routine. Thankfully, I think we were able to learn from each other and compromise.

Days were spent in our little cabin:
really not a bad place to be stuck, and nights were spent eating out or going to Ho-Chunk Casino (a long time legend within my group of friends). We didn't win any money, but it was entertaining. On our last day we were able to go for a lovely hike. Complete with a snake scampering right over my feet. All in all, to the Dells I say- It was nice knowin ya, we shared some good times, but I don't think we'll be seein each other again.

Summary?

Well the past two weeks have been incredibly unpredictable and full. I don't even know where to start. I just wanted to post some sort of life on our blog.

Here is a table of contents of postings to come, in chronological order

1) Wisconsin Dells
2) My grandma Wilma/ New Jersey
5) 3 year Anniversary

a must see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnZHiuJZ7CQ