Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Hi from Nelda Young Jackson,
I'm trying to send some pictures from Mother's Memorial service. Most of the people are on the Young side of the family but it would be good practice - ha. This is a challenge to me.
My husband, Dan, and I have just moved to Phoenix, AZ. for him to be interim pastor for about a year. We are buying and fixing up a condo since it seems it would be a good investment. When we go back home to CA. we can rent it out.
The church is little and everyone is related to someone so I decided real quick to not say anything bad about anyone because I can't even get the names straight much less who is related to whom. ha
I want to thank everyone who came to Mothers' service. I was a great celebration. More about that is this works.
I think this a grand idea.
Love in Christ
Nelda, Vera's daughter
I'm trying to send some pictures from Mother's Memorial service. Most of the people are on the Young side of the family but it would be good practice - ha. This is a challenge to me.
My husband, Dan, and I have just moved to Phoenix, AZ. for him to be interim pastor for about a year. We are buying and fixing up a condo since it seems it would be a good investment. When we go back home to CA. we can rent it out.
The church is little and everyone is related to someone so I decided real quick to not say anything bad about anyone because I can't even get the names straight much less who is related to whom. ha
I want to thank everyone who came to Mothers' service. I was a great celebration. More about that is this works.
I think this a grand idea.
Love in Christ
Nelda, Vera's daughter
I want to do this but I am not sure if I'm doing it right.
Love
Nelda
Love
Nelda
Monday, May 12, 2008
Hey everyone from Hovd, Mongolia! I'm excited about this blog....I loved reading the family letter when I was younger. It made me feel a part of the bigger family. I'm looking forward to hearing more about all of your lives....
As for me, as some of you know, I'll be heading back to the States June 29th from Mongolia. I can't believe how quickly the last 6 years has flown. It's been almost 2 years since I've been to the U.S. so I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone. These last few weeks it seems the time just goes by faster and faster. Even though I really want to see my family and friends in the States, in many ways I don't want to leave here - my home for the last several years. I'm planning to come back to Mongolia, most likely after a year, but when/if/where exactly aren't clear and so many changes are happening with people here, I know even when I come back it will be in a very different situation. As I write this I think I'm in some ways starting to grieve this process, sorry!
When I get back to the States I will be at my parents' in Missouri, heading to TX July 18th or so, then maybe to Bushnell, Illinois (my hometown) at the beginning of August. After that, there is a huge question mark! I have this dream in the back of my head about living, working, and studying in the evenings in Denver, CO for the next year ---there are a lot of Mongolians there, it's a place I've dreamed of living, and I have a few friends there...but it is also far from my family. So that idea very well won't transpire and I might end up living with my parents. Which would be great of course because it's been a long time since I've been with them. It's been interesting to hear my Mongolian friends' opinions about what I'll do for the year. They don't understand at all why I'm a tiny bit reticent, as a 29-year-old, to live with my parents again since for Mongolians that is completely normal if one is not married.
Anyway....my time left here looks like it will be full of finishing up classes (May 23rd), giving tests and then the National Exams (May 29th and June 10th), graduation, and then packing and visiting friends in the countryside. I plan to take a machine (oops - van!) to UB since I'll have quite a bit of luggage. As I think about leaving, sometimes it is hard not to let the questions about the future, my sadness about leaving here, or my excitement over seeing family crowd out TODAY. If you are praying for me....please ask that I will finish the task, the 'race' here well and have the grace to live in the very real present each day.
Now, y'all, it's your turn to write!
love, charis
(Rollene (Shields) Storms' daughter, Rollan and Juanita Shields' granddaughter)
PS - recently we had 3 weeks without electricity. Once we got a little camping stove from UB(Ulaanbaatar, capitol of Mongolia), making food wasn't a problem. Although I was really excited when the electricity came back, I enjoyed the time without electricity in the evenings. I spent more time talking with friends and caught up on my sleep! I think perhaps power outtages in the States could have some good effects.....
As for me, as some of you know, I'll be heading back to the States June 29th from Mongolia. I can't believe how quickly the last 6 years has flown. It's been almost 2 years since I've been to the U.S. so I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone. These last few weeks it seems the time just goes by faster and faster. Even though I really want to see my family and friends in the States, in many ways I don't want to leave here - my home for the last several years. I'm planning to come back to Mongolia, most likely after a year, but when/if/where exactly aren't clear and so many changes are happening with people here, I know even when I come back it will be in a very different situation. As I write this I think I'm in some ways starting to grieve this process, sorry!
When I get back to the States I will be at my parents' in Missouri, heading to TX July 18th or so, then maybe to Bushnell, Illinois (my hometown) at the beginning of August. After that, there is a huge question mark! I have this dream in the back of my head about living, working, and studying in the evenings in Denver, CO for the next year ---there are a lot of Mongolians there, it's a place I've dreamed of living, and I have a few friends there...but it is also far from my family. So that idea very well won't transpire and I might end up living with my parents. Which would be great of course because it's been a long time since I've been with them. It's been interesting to hear my Mongolian friends' opinions about what I'll do for the year. They don't understand at all why I'm a tiny bit reticent, as a 29-year-old, to live with my parents again since for Mongolians that is completely normal if one is not married.
Anyway....my time left here looks like it will be full of finishing up classes (May 23rd), giving tests and then the National Exams (May 29th and June 10th), graduation, and then packing and visiting friends in the countryside. I plan to take a machine (oops - van!) to UB since I'll have quite a bit of luggage. As I think about leaving, sometimes it is hard not to let the questions about the future, my sadness about leaving here, or my excitement over seeing family crowd out TODAY. If you are praying for me....please ask that I will finish the task, the 'race' here well and have the grace to live in the very real present each day.
Now, y'all, it's your turn to write!
love, charis
(Rollene (Shields) Storms' daughter, Rollan and Juanita Shields' granddaughter)
PS - recently we had 3 weeks without electricity. Once we got a little camping stove from UB(Ulaanbaatar, capitol of Mongolia), making food wasn't a problem. Although I was really excited when the electricity came back, I enjoyed the time without electricity in the evenings. I spent more time talking with friends and caught up on my sleep! I think perhaps power outtages in the States could have some good effects.....
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Lyndall Shields:
Well, my "test" group of people seem to like this idea so next week I am going to send out invites to as much of the family as I can.
My big news for this week is that I got a new job. I quit the one I had last January with plans to take off for 3 months or so. It stretched out a little longer but in doing so it allowed me time to work on Aunt Vera's slide show, visit with kin folks more, and get to spend some time with my granddaughter.
I am very excited about my new job mainly because it is only 4 miles from home. In the last 25 years I have worked at 3 jobs that ranged between 32 and 43 miles one way. And the worst of it was that I was driving on Airport freeway and the north part of loop 820. These two freeways are the most congested in the Fort Worth area and I have come to hate driving.
So now I will be spending 2 to 2 1/2 hours less a day driving, putting 20,000 miles less on my car each year, and spending $55 less each week on gas. Plus it looks like a very good job with a growing company. It is a family owned business who have a reputation of being good people with high moral standards. This was not the case with 2 out of my last 3 jobs.
I believe God had a hand in both the timing of my "vacation" and in my getting this job.
Pray for our family, Vera's family, and Margie's family as we spend our first Mothers Day without our mothers.
Well, my "test" group of people seem to like this idea so next week I am going to send out invites to as much of the family as I can.
My big news for this week is that I got a new job. I quit the one I had last January with plans to take off for 3 months or so. It stretched out a little longer but in doing so it allowed me time to work on Aunt Vera's slide show, visit with kin folks more, and get to spend some time with my granddaughter.
I am very excited about my new job mainly because it is only 4 miles from home. In the last 25 years I have worked at 3 jobs that ranged between 32 and 43 miles one way. And the worst of it was that I was driving on Airport freeway and the north part of loop 820. These two freeways are the most congested in the Fort Worth area and I have come to hate driving.
So now I will be spending 2 to 2 1/2 hours less a day driving, putting 20,000 miles less on my car each year, and spending $55 less each week on gas. Plus it looks like a very good job with a growing company. It is a family owned business who have a reputation of being good people with high moral standards. This was not the case with 2 out of my last 3 jobs.
I believe God had a hand in both the timing of my "vacation" and in my getting this job.
Pray for our family, Vera's family, and Margie's family as we spend our first Mothers Day without our mothers.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Hi, This is Winelda aka Judy Bishop.
This sounds like a great idea. The way postage keeps going up, the "Family Letter" is getting expensive and I always hesitated to write very long letters.
If I may a suggestion first thing? Maybe each of could identify ourselves to begin our remarks. As we get more people writing, it would help understand what is being said to know who is saying it.
I am up to my eyeballs in work. It is a beautiful day and it is just plain mean to have to stay inside and work. Ask Rollene, Rita and Charis if our world isn't beautiful.
I'll try to write more later, maybe even find something more interesting to say.
Love to all of our great big family.
This sounds like a great idea. The way postage keeps going up, the "Family Letter" is getting expensive and I always hesitated to write very long letters.
If I may a suggestion first thing? Maybe each of could identify ourselves to begin our remarks. As we get more people writing, it would help understand what is being said to know who is saying it.
I am up to my eyeballs in work. It is a beautiful day and it is just plain mean to have to stay inside and work. Ask Rollene, Rita and Charis if our world isn't beautiful.
I'll try to write more later, maybe even find something more interesting to say.
Love to all of our great big family.
Hi this is Lyndall.
I tried this a few years ago and it didn't catch on. I am wondering with the concerns about the family letter collapsing under its own weight if this could now be an alternative.
My big news is that after Aunt Vera's Memorial we were worried that everyone might not stay in touch as well. It turns out that Tammy Wilson (Nelda's daughter) and I have had several email conversations since and I hope we continue. Last Sunday Daryle, Rita, and I went to clean up at Lynn Creek and met Elizabeth Moore (Margie's Daughter) and exchanged information. Yesterday, 5-8, I went back to Jacksboro and spent two hours going over pictures with Larry Shields. Then I went Elizabeth's house and spent an hour listening to stories about Margie last months ( she stayed with Elizabeth). I found that Margie had a large dose of Shields sense of humor that I hadn't realized. Elizabeth is going to send some picture to back this statement up. I ended the day by stopping of at Carl's, if you can count 2 1/2 hours as stopping off.
Labels: Meeting new family and staying in touch
