“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20
My sister, Carly, is more awesome than your sister. But not more awesome than Carly’s sister. Here are 10 things about Carly Jane:
1. My sister is 4 years younger than me. That means she is thirty (30).
2. For the first 12 years of her life, she had a share a bedroom with me. It was torture. I was the neat one and it was her fault our room was always messy.
3. Currently, Carly lives in Asheville. With someone named Villain.
4. When I was 12 and she was 8 and we got our first dog, she begged and pleaded for us to agree to name him “Trousers.” We did not. (We named him Bojo. Discuss amongst yourselves whether that’s any better.)
5. When choosing a college, Carly was SMART. She spent 4 years living on the beach in St. Petersburg, Florida.
6. Carly is a BLOCKER for the Blue Ridge Roller Girls.
7. My sister can crush you. But she probably won’t because she’s really super sweet and nice.
8. My sister’s partner is a girl named Jessie. Jessie is pretty fantabulous.
9. She has a new hobby! Geocaching! (oops, that may have been my fault.)
10. She does amazing stuff and I love her! She’s my favorite sister!
Today, I spent a few hours with my sister and her partner, Jessie, in Asheville! It was so fun and Asheville is beautiful. We ate lunch at Neo Burrito and then went downtown and wandered around.
There are lots of fun sculptures. Here’s Carly with an iron:
And while we were at lunch, I started to tell them all about how Jonas and I have been geocaching, and they were all–NO WAY! We’re expert geocachers! …
Okay, that’s a lie.
But I was such an exciting geocaching storyteller (my only conclusion), that Carly really, really, really, really wanted to find a geocache. Not surprising, there were tons in Asheville. So we found 4 of them.
This Sculpture itself was a cache called “Paley’s Passion.”
Then, I realized, “Hey, I don’t have my car keys!”
Then I said, “But I’m not going to panic.”
And then, on the inside, I panicked.
We drove back to Neo Burrito and found my keys! They were in the ignition of my LOCKED car.
Which means I had to hire this guy from ACME Locksmith to break into my car for me.
Oh well. Even waiting 30 minutes to pay a bunch of money to a locksmith is more fun when it’s spent in Asheville with Carly and Jessie!
On Monday, Jonas and I grabbed his friend Chris and one of our church’s 20somethings, Robert, and spent the afternoon together. I thought I’d share the pictures, but this will be the last post about this topic for a few weeks anyway, as this was our last chance to try geocaching before Jonas leaves for his Mom’s house and I leave for Montreat (next week. Yes, again.).
We looked for 10, we found 8. One church, two restaurants, one convenience store, a bus stop, two county owned buildings, one former movie theatre (those are the ones we found). We also walked backed to the Spring Hill Cemetery, where Samuel Hopkins (father of Henderson) and possibly Lucy Audbon (John James’ daughter) is buried. Unfortunately, we did not find that cache. And we spent about 10 minutes behind a strip mall searching for a cache and pondering the clue: “Lincoln would have loved it.” We haven’t found that one–yet.
Anyway, here are the pictures I took on Monday!
Jonas is a kid who doesn’t have a lot of hobbies. When he finds something that he’d like to try to do, Jason and I try to encourage it.
Yesterday, Jonas discovered Geocaching. In a flurry of information and activity, he determined that he needed to figure out how to geocache, where to geocache and when Jason or I would take him geocaching RIGHT NOW.
He commandeered my laptop and found geocaching.com
According to the site:
GEOCACHING is a free real-world outdoor treasure hunt. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using a smartphone or GPS and can then share their experiences online.
He discovered that there are hundreds of geocaches hidden in our zip code.
He found one located about a quarter of a mile from our house and decided he wanted to explore it.
Did you see in the description of the activity where it says that players use a smartphone to find the caches? Of the three people who live in our house, guess who owns the only smartphone?
If you said Becky, lover of all things gadgety and techy, you’re right. If you deduced that this means that Becky gets to go on every geocaching adventure, you’re right again.
So Jonas and I downloaded the starter app (read: FREE) from geocaching.com. And we pinpointed the destination. And we started walking. We figured out pretty quickly where the geocache was supposed to be (there are clues in addition to the gps location). We searched and searched for it at the corner of a busy intersection near our neighborhood. We searched so long I received a phone call from a friend wondering if we were okay and did we need a ride somewhere? But we did not find the cache. We walked around the neighborhood for a bit, just talking and getting some exercise and then headed back home.
Jonas hopped back on the computer and began searching. He found another cache withing a mile of our house and asked if we could go find it. Jason agreed to take him, but guess what? I still own the smartphone. And it was actually beginning to be kind of fun to think about actually finding one of these things, so I went along.
But first, we downloaded the full version of the app (Read: $$$) and read a little bit about the location. We determined the cache was located on the grounds of a local church. We loaded up in the truck and drove over to the church and followed the map to as close to the locations as we could get and parked. We then spent about 15 minutes looking, attempting to find the exact gps coordinates. We found it but couldn’t see the cache. Until Jason had a bright idea and located a single, magnetized contact lens case. Jonas unscrewed the lid and found the small log inside and recorded his name and date before carefully replacing the magnet in its hiding place.
At that moment, he was hooked.
Every other question was a request for us to take him somewhere to look for a geocache. Every other conversation was about geocaching. When he thanked God for his food at dinner, he also thanked God for geocaching.
Today, he met me at the church for youth group and then he and Molly (a 7th grader in our group) and I looked for seven caches. We found 4 of them, including one that we discovered had been hidden by our friend, Nibby, and his nephew, River. That one was fun to find because we had already unsuccessfully looked for two caches downtown, we went to find that one Jonas and Molly found it right away. And it was full of fun things to look at.
Then we were on a roll and found a few more (and failed to find one of them. We just couldn’t figure that one out.).
It’s seriously fun! And it was a great hobby for him to adopt during Fall Break, when we have some time to play with the app and spend some time together.
Do any of my dear readers geocache?
Ten years ago today, I was waking up at the Ramada on HWY 41 in Henderson, KY. Within the hour, I would eat breakfast and then head with my bridal party across town to have our hair done. The day would be an adventure from start to finish and would include a missing bridesmaid dress, a late groom, a thousand pictures, a really fun reception full of family and friends, prayer, flowers and candles–and the highlight of the day–marrying Jason.
Ten years have gone by. Honestly? They’ve flown by. I can’t believe it’s been ten years.
In ten years, we’ve bought and sold a house and bought another one.
In ten years, we’ve parented a child who went from being 3 years old to 13 years old.
In ten years, we’ve owned 2 trucks and 2 cars. We’ve had 3 dogs, 1 cat and a hamster. We’ve celebrated 10 Christmases, Easters, Thanksgivings, Halloweens. I’ve turned 30, he’s turned 40. We’ve been to Branson, the Smoky Mountains, St. Pete Beach, South Dakota, Destin, Houston, Nags Head, NW Indiana and I’m getting too old to remember where else. We’ve planned together, struggled together, dreamed together, worried together, laughed harder than I’ve ever laughed together, cried harder than I’ve ever cried together.
Most days, I figure we couldn’t be more different. He loves the great outdoors and all things primitive and could sleep in the backyard every day when the temperature drops below 40 degrees (and seriously, there are some days when he could sleep in the backyard for all I care!). I love the great indoors and all things books, music and technology. We’re registered with different political parties. We don’t agree on the best movies. He’s an extreme extrovert and I’m extremely introverted. His dream vacation spots include mountains and tents and waterfalls. Mine include luxurious hotels, beaches and balconies. We laugh at different things and most of the things he thinks are hilarious just don’t seem all that funny to me. He’s brilliant with money and I lose receipts and forget to record transactions. I suppose we’re the poster-couple for “Opposites Attract!”
Marriage is hard, which is something most people don’t mention before you get married. It’s hard to commit to living life together until death do you part. What should tip us all off is the vows: For better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health. At the altar, all we see is the better, the richer, the health. But when you share life with another person, there’s usually plenty of worse, of poorer and of sickness too.
“It’s about compromise,” someone told me sagely before the big day. This person meant well, but their statement was simply not true. Compromise means meeting in the middle with both sides getting some of what is wanted, and that hardly ever works in our marriage. Usually, one of us has to give up our way and our interest for the sake of the other. I can look back at the last ten years and see many points and places where either Jason had to give up his way or I had to give up my way. I remember some instances where that giving up was painful and difficult, but the one who laid self aside did it because that’s what marriage is about. Neither of us can only think about his or herself only anymore.
And parenting adds a whole other layer to this, for there were many times when neither of us got our own way because the best interest of the child trumps everything else always.
Jason and I are a team. He’s the one who stands by me when I feel completely abandoned by everyone else. He’s the one who reminds me who I am and what I love. He’s the one who can always make me laugh. He’s the one who folds the laundry when it’s the last thing I want to do. He’s the one I can never stay mad at because I know he loves me so much and I love him back. He’s the one cheering during my most successful moments and holding me during my moments of greatest defeat. He’s the one I don’t mind making sacrifices for and I wouldn’t change a thing about him.
Ten years of marriage is about sacrifice more than compromise. it’s about a laying down of self and a taking up of “us.” And it’s been completely worth it. At the end of this day and all days, God gave us each other and a million great memories. And I’m grateful.
Happy Anniversary, Jason!
A story of accompanying four thirteen year-old boys to the hotel pool at Jonas’ overnight birthday party, told thru tweets:
Perspective: when *your* kids are the annoying teenage boys in the hotel pool.
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
Watching the 4 boys in the hotel pool. 3 teenage girls in bikinis showed up. Boys have yet to notice.
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
Ah–now they’ve noticed. 2 boys are trying to make the other 2 stop being dumb and splashy.
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
The teenage girls have noticed son’s 13 YO friend that looks like he’s 16. #HotelPoolBoyMeetsGirl
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
The girls are obviously not happy being ignored by the boy(s?). They’ve begun doing cartwheels off edge of pool and jumping in near boys.
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
Ha. Our 13lookslike16 YO was in hottub. Girls got in, he got out and went back to pool. He’s still 13, after all.
#HotelPoolBoyMeetsGirl
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
Girl to one of our boys: she said your name is Kendall? Son: quickly introduces all the boys and swims away. Fast. HotelPoolBoyMeetsGirl
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
Son just said: I’m a ninja turtle. Girl: I’ve heard of ninjas and I’ve heard of turtles, but there’s no such thing as a ninja turtle. Ummmm.
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
My husband has left me as the lone chaperone at the hotel pool. He went to “check on something” 20 min ago. He’s in trouble.
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
Told son quietly 10 min ago they had 10 min. Promised not to yell it was time if they wld pay attention. Made “it’s time” sign, they got out
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
Ha, husband came back. He’s embarrassing enough for both of us.
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
While leaving hotel, we run into the pool girls. “Do you guys have phones?” they ask our boys. Trading #s now #HotelPoolBoyMeetsGirl
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
“We got three girls’ numbers at the same time!!” one of them shouted on their way to the car. #HotelPoolBoyMeetsGirl
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
Me: how romantic! You met at the pool in the Drury Inn! A story for your grandchildren! Son: whoa, whoa, whoa!
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
I think I spelled ‘woah’ wrong. #tired #sleepoversurviver
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
And finally, this afternoon:
Husband took all the boys home. Except he didn’t. He brought one of them back for another night. He is a pushover. He is also on his own.
— beckydurham (@beckydurham) February 4, 2012
I never thought I’d have a reason to watch Justin Bieber’s documentary (Rockumentary? Hairumentary?)…
Katie (My little sister through Big Brothers Big Sisters) and I usually hang out on Tuesday afternoons. We usually plan a week ahead. Last week was her birthday, so we skipped our outing. She asked if this week, I could pick her up from school, take her to our house and watch “Never Say Never” with her. So we did. Katie and I watched the first half of the movie together and then were joined by an almost thirteen year-old guy when he got home from school (name withheld intentionally).
Katie is a true Belieber. She loves everything about Justin Bieber. You should have seen her birthday party last week–Biebertastic to the max! It was fun to watch the movie with her.
Two things I didn’t know:
Justin Bieber plays instruments. Drums, guitar, piano (I think). That always kind of gives a singer a little more credibility for me.
He also is a really good dancer.
One things I guessed correctly about:
There are a lot of scenes with teen and tween girls screaming loudly.
Oy.
Would I recommend the movie?
It depends. If you are 10 years-old (or maybe a bit older or younger…), yes, watch it. If you like Snoop Dogg or Usher or Miley Cyrus, yes watch it. If you are related to or mentor a 10 year-old or Snoop or Usher or Miley, yes watch it with them. If your favorite color is purple, yes watch it. If you’re looking for a way to help your kid sell out Madison Square Garden by the time he/she is 17 years-old, yes watch it.
Otherwise? Well, maybe you don’t have a reason to watch it. But never say never!
My little sister Katie and I at the Evansville Icemen Game on Friday night
Just for a moment, close your eyes and picture yourself as a ten year-old. Think of all the adults who helped you be a kid every day.
I think of my mother. My father. My Godparents. My Sunday School Teacher Mrs. Graves. My church choir director Mrs. Barber-Pederson. My school music teacher Mrs. Birk. My fifth grade teacher Mr. Stone. There were others along the way who took time to love me.
I was blessed with a lot of adults who took time to nurture me, encourage me, develop my talents and help me find my way. I realize now how important those relationships were and still are in my life. I can picture people who came alongside me at all stages in my life and mentored me and helped me be a better version of myself. I’m grateful.
I am a Youth and Children’s Minister, a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters Henderson, a Girl Scout volunteer, and a Boy Scout parent because I realize the importance of adults taking time to build relationships with children and teenagers.
Today is National “Thank Your Mentor Day” and January is National Mentoring Month. Mentoring has always made a difference in my life–in official and unofficial capacities.
We can all mentor and nurture and encourage and love the kids in our lives.
If you’re a parent, be the best parent you can be to your children and look for ways to help them develop other meaningful relationships with their teachers, leaders and family members.
If you’re an adult with time to give (and really–we can always find time if it’s important enough), lead a Scout troop, become a Big, volunteer in a children’s or youth ministry at church, coach a little league team, give lessons, raise money to support organizations related to any of the above.
And guess what? If you mentor, you become a better version of yourself too! It’s really a win-win.
I’ve read the Hunger Games series, and one of the thing that intrigues me about the post-apocalyptic world described in the story is the lack of mention of the conveniences we’ve come to enjoy so easily (at least in the districts of Panem).
One of the things that is missing is the Internet.
Now, the internet has only been in the general public’s consumption for about two decades (hey, geeks–don’t argue. Most of us came in with AOL’s pay by the hour service, not BitNET). I was first introduced to it on my second day at UE in 1996. That’s where I got my first email address (mb48! UE had no use for our full names, just our initials) and learned how to chat. I even made a super-fly webpage that I could actually now provide a link to so you can marvel at my use of font graphics, html code and cheesy stock photos–we were far from the days of me being able to upload pictures of the actual people involved.
Yes–I could provide a link because currently in another window in my browser I’m looking at it. I think they promised me when I signed up that if I didn’t make any changes to it for a year, it would get deleted. I kind of wish they would delete it since it’s been TWELVE years. I was an interesting college sophomore…I won’t provide a link because I feel like that would be pretty embarrassing and the basic idea of the page is that I love Jesus and html code.
Anyway–what if all of a sudden the internet disappeared?
I would never be able to take long trips again because I would have no idea how to get there or how long it would take. In my adult life, I’ve never had to plan a trip without Rand Mcnally’s software or Mapquest or Google Maps.
Also, how would I find and book hotels? How do you do that without the internet? I mean, I could manage going to a hotel and asking if they have rooms, but how would I book a room for a trip? SERIOUSLY–I’m asking you.
Without the internet, I would never know who was in a movie until the credits roll. Or how long it will be until the credits roll. (Yes, I’m guilty of googling a movie mid-way through just to see how much longer I’ll have to sit through it.)
How would I communicate with all my BFF’s and keep up with their lives? Phone calls and mail, I guess. I’m pretty bad at both though. It’s only because I excel at Facebook and email that I still have friends.
Where would I buy my books? The bookstores keep closing! Wait…
I would miss my blog and writing in an online format. I’ve never been great at pen and paper writing or journaling.
I would also miss Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, Pinterest and Netflix. But not Myspace or Google+ or my college webpage–I kind of want out of those!
What about you? If the internet disappeared, what would you have to learn to do without it?
