family

Greetings, I don't write very often, we did have a really great time with Gregg, Alicia, Mariah, John, Jacqui, and Tessa.  Dad, Julie and I drove there yesterday and really enjoyed the day.  Thank you each of you for making it a special day.

This morning, we got a call from Ronna just as we were about ready to leave for church.  She is living in an apartment, I think she moved there some time in October.  Her address is: 15 Plante Circle   Chicopee, Massachusetts  01013  she said Sun's cell phone number was 413-306-7906  I don't know what that meant. This is a rundown of her family.  Samantha is with her, but she lost custody of her son, she needs to have a job and a place to live to get him back.  Steven is working on getting his GED, she said he is doing bette, he has to check in twice a week with authorities., Brian is 14 he doesn't like school and they have a hard time keeping him there.  Brandon is 8 and Jennifer is 5, their school is near by.  Angeline is 2 she was born October 7, 2005, and on April 19,2007  she had another baby, Rebecca.  I told her that I had written to her but the letter came back so I don't really know what is happening, this is the first time we have heard from her since a year ago at Thanksgiving. 
To each of you a great day,  Merry Christmas, 

I have been reading a verse that is significant and I would like to share it with you

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandmensts that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

You might wonder why would I encourage you to read that verse.  Whereever you are today in your thinking about God. and I realize that I think differently today than I did 10-20 years ago.  But think about God, tell your loved ones what you  know about God.  He will honor that.  You will grow, your family will grow.  God is faithful Blessings to you tonight. Mom/Grandma. 

family

Today, Jerry got on the airplane and left for the rest of his time in America.  Tonight he must be in toronto.  We were home from Bismarck by noon.  It was a beautiful day.  Jack was going to work in the field, but his cultivator broke.  I was outside raking leaves, etc.  I love being outside.  I hope this was a good day for each of you.  Mom

lfe

Yesterday was a good day,  It is the time to do the "house cleaning"  which means to throw, so things are in piles and some are going to the burning barrel and some to Dakota Boys Ranch.  Some exciting things..... We had a lot of rain and wind, too.  Julie and I heard a sound and guess what, we no longer have a wall on the deck.
Earlier this summer when they had to do sewer project, Julie had to move Grandma Blasky's amerilys,  she put it by the back step in two parts.  I came out a couple of days ago and there it had sent up its beautiful shoots,  pink flowers.  (she had been so concerned that she had killed it)  well, the storm and the wall fell on  one part and broke off the flowers, so she has them up in her computer room.  Have a great day, Mom

Trip

Dear family,  I know that I am not very good about blogging, tonight we are in St. Ingnace, Michigan.  We started out Monday afternoon and drove as far as Fosston, Minnesota.  We ate at the Dairy Queen.  It is owned by Rose Potulny's daughter and husband.  I asked about them, they said she had been there an hour earlier.  We drove from Fosston to Duluth on Tuesday.  We stopped at Grand Rapids, there is a school that has been made into shops, it is atleast 3 stories high, it is a fun place to visit.  We got to Duluth and got a motel room and then went to the Richard Bong Museum.  Dad and I have been there before and it is very interesting.  They had a book of handwritten stories of people who had been in the military and in war, it was interesting to read.  After that museum, it was getting late and things close there at 5 or 6, we went down by the wharf and parked our vehicle.  We went to the IMAX and saw a show about Huricane Katrina.  Sometimes I  covered my face.We walked around along the wharf, there were a lot of shops,  Again there was an interesting building that had been made into shops on atleast three levels.  Today we got up and started this way.  We drove along Lake Superior, and one place we stopped and went down to the shore,  Julie stepped into the water, the beach was really sandy.  Later we were driving by Lake Michigan on the right side of the road.  and tonight we are by Lake Huron.  We plan to go by ferry over to Mackinac Island in the morning.   We drove down to the wharf and walked along the shore and out to a small light house. I guess this is all that I can tell about our trip.  We are in a super 8 motel that looks out towards Mackinac city.  This area is very touristy.  Goodnight.

camp

Dear family, I'm sorry I just don't get time to write at camp atleast not every day.  This week we had 16-18 year olds, and this was the largest camp we have had for that age.  It was special to see young people that you have watched come to camp since they were really young.  For some this is their last year, they have graduated and some are leaving for the military.  There were new campers, too.  I had a wonderful crew in the kitchen, they didn't stay all week so there were changes, but it went really good.  They were good eaters so not any left overs.  Friday, Gabe Damschen rode home with me, we stopped in Devils lake to do errands, and saw Frank and Dorothy, so we had lunch together.  Today, we went to Park river to get the airplane, and I did a bit of shopping, the have some really nice stores there.  We mowed O'Brien lawn, and later dad mowed at missile.  I planted more plants, herbs this time.  I had to water them this evening.  Tomorrow the plan is to go to Fargo to see Mary ann Lewis she was a missionary who use to come to our house.

camp

A new week of camp has started.  At noon before I left the DQ Pastor Tony and Martha came and wanted info about camp for Jordan.  He came with Mark and Josh.  There are a lot of 16-18 year old kids here, and it will be a fun week.  I just pray that they will meet Jesus.  I visited with Trish Unruh, she is one of Wayne Hauglands daughters.  The speaker is her husbands brother.  Her husband is in South Korea building a factory.  by   Mom

Saturday, June 9,2007

I haven't written for a couple of days, it just didn't work out to use the computer.  It has been a pleasant weekend.  Tonight dad went and viewed the car races, east of Devils Lake.  Julie and Naomi went in to Senior Center and viewed a movie on the new tv I think that Gabe was with them.  I was at home enjoying a beautiful evening outside.  lacey and her pup, tucker came over and we sat on the swing on the back step, first thing we have wind and it starts to rain.  I took Lacey across to the house where she stays and i got some gas in my jeep.  I need to be ready to return to camp tomorrow.  I had gotten some perrenials at DL so I have been busy getting them planted.  Also trying to straighten the area where the sewer was dug up.  It is night, no exciting news, except to say that camp was great.  This week they are 16-18 years old, and there are quite a few coming.  God night.   Mom 

camp Tuesday

It was a beautiful day, and we are thankful for sun shine.  I am thankful for a good report from the clinic(I had to call them this morning).  I am thanful for good help and really our days are rather repetitious.Cooking, and more cooking.  We have a good devotion time before we start the day.

Jeff talked about taking your faith home with you and living it everyday and the need for being in God's word.  This group of campers are really special, I feel God has blest us with this group to start the summer, in a sense to help us learn and become more confident in what we are doing.  It doesn't mean that we don't trust in God, we will need his help and directions everyday, but that we will kind of know some order of what we are doing.  Dan is our new program director, he has never done it before, and he has changed somethings,  they are very good changes.

So I leave you with those thoughts.  Goodnight.  Mom

Camp, Monday first week

It was a good day, we can see that the new equipment really makes a difference, it isn't the stress of trying to keep everything warm up to the last minute.  we can put everything into the holding oven.

It was sunny out and we appreciate that.  Several of the guys on staff managed to get a sunburn. 

Jeff spoke about Jesus the good shepherd he leads, you follow.  He is the gate and he gives you permission on how to live.  He mentioned about the Jewish culture, where from the ages of 12-30 the person has ten mentors in their life that they go to to get help in making decision.  He said that only 1% of Jewish people are in prison.  They are also good at making business decision.

We need to be willing to submit my ways to him.  What takes me away from God?  from being in church?  You might want to read proverbs 10:16  I trust that it has been a good day for each of you.  I love you  Mom

camp

It is sunday evening, I wasn't able to get through to my family on the phone tonight.  It was a good day.  Jennifer and her husband Jason Parker came over and Marilyn was with us when we had devotions and prayer time.  Darin Cox was our speaker and we arranged our food so we could be with them in the service.  The service closed with a commissioning service for staff, first for counselors, as they went to Paula, Jay and Naomi and those three prayed for the counselors,  afterwards, the five of us who are there all summer we called to the front, and they prayed for us, in our roles at camp.  It is an awesome feeling of responsibility that we have as we officially started camp for this summer.

I took a long nap and when I came to the kitchen, campers were already there.  Tia and bobbi are there this week.  I know many of the campers from other years.  The children this week are 12-13.  Jeff Kappelle is the speaker, his children are here with him, or atleast some of them.  Halley is helping in the kitchen and she is a wonderful help.  Ellen Dick, Maria Deckert and Wilda Brown are here in the kitchen this week.  (For some of you this won't be significant.)

We spent some time talking about menu's for the coming week.  Right now we have only beef, but I think some pork is coming this week.

Janet called this evening and we talked for a while.  She had some sewing questions and I think now she knows how to find this blog.

 I trust that all is well for all of you, Brenna how was your trip?  I hear that Munich/Cando/Starkweather baseball was playing for state champ.  I wonder how that turned out?

camp Friday

It is Friday,  we are trying to get things organized, and we made some changes in the kitchen.  Actually Karen Hooge stayed with me last night and she helped me this morning as well as Jennifer and Marilyn.  I have been mostly trying things in the new kitchen equipment.  Ifind most things are working well, but I tried something tonight that I won't do again.  Mac and cheese can't be held in the proofing heater oven.  So it i a learning process.

Julie I saw your mural, I recognize some of the pictures that you used to make the people.  I like the concept, and It is easy to see our mistakes, but I like what you did inspite of how you feel. 

Jack, I hope that each new tomorrow is a brighter day, one where you can live with the things that don't go the way you want them to go, I am praying for you.

Darin continued to speak about chasing good, and tonight he referred to dealing with our spiritual blinders.  What is our vision in life, atleast the vision that we see today?

Goodnight

Camp

This is the first full day of camp.  I didn't have anyone to help in the kitchen til later in the day.  I have appreciated the youth that have come in the kitchen to help me.  Jennifer parker and Marilyn Soggie are with me for the weekend.  It is a weekend of trying out the new equipment and figuring how to use equipment effectively.  The proofer/heater is going to be a really great help.  At noon, I put each part of the dinner in it and held it at the right temp til noon and we could set the food out.  It was great for the pizza, because once we had it baked, we could hold it til it was time to serve it.  Julie we made your bars and they are a hit, we tripled the recipe for a very large cookie sheet.  They loved it.
I guess mostly it is a time to get the kitchen organized more effectively.
Darin Cox is the speaker, and he came and started tonight.  He has a 15 year old niece who is helping with their children, this happens to be amy's weekend at the Cando hospital.  Darin is a counselor at the human service center in DL  I first met him during Celebration 99, when we worked together on some projects for that event.
He is speaking to the youth who will be counselors this summer, and how they can be effective with the children they are responsible to,  He said character is wh you are when no one is looking.  He had three thoughts expect the nexpected, being willing to confront our own hyprocracy, and pursing purity.  we are to ask our selves is there anything that has a blinder on my eyes.
So this what I leave each of you in my family with for this day.
 Pray for Chris, the young man from Calif. whose step father was in an accident, his mother says they are o.k. at home, byt grandma thinks he should come home.

camp

Today, I left for camp, it is always hard the first time, there are so many things to remember, and to remember and to do before I go.  I wanted to leave things in order for Jack and Julie.  I talked with Lacey before she left for the pig farm, I feel that God has brought her to us for this brief time, to be encouragers,  I know Jack it is so frustrating with the sewer system, but in the end, God has been with us and it will be for the best.  Julie, I looked to see if you had posted a photo, and I will keep watching.
When I got to Devils lake I went to Country Bank and told Kathy the things I am learning as I work at budgetting our finances, she told me about unline bill paying, I think that is the next step. 
At Walmart I kept seeing people that I knew.  So it took me a while to get camp.  We have a large group for staff camp and they are very special young people, they are good eaters,too.  We have a completely new kitchen, one of these weeks I will take some video footage and try to fix it so you can see what the kitchen looks like.  This is a good time for me to try the new equipment, (a stove and proofer) 
We had a worship time and as I stood there, I was in awe that God would allow me to serve him in this way, I thank each one of your for supporting me in this ministry. 

life

this is the report for this day.  Really it was a good day, but what would be really great is sunshine.  I am thankful for yesterday and that we could be outside and really enjoy the day.  Today it was damp and no sun.  I did bookwork, I really appreciate being able to use the internet to enter transactions with the bank.  Since I leave for camp tomorrow, I wanted things in order.  Dad was mowing at O'Briens and I went and helped him finish.  On our way back we stopped to visit Spauldings.  They are taking back more of their household things.  They wanted to see the missile house, so we did a tour.  They may come back this summer again, but asked about the O'Brien house, so I showed them that and then they continued to pack and I am trying to get thins in order before I leave tomorrow.  Jerry, one day you asked me how old I was, I am 65, and officially on medicare.
     I talked to Ann tonight, they are going back to knee doctor for Don and they may put him to sleep so they can bend the knee, exercise doesn't seem to be working.  I guess this is enough for tonight.  I will try to send notes from camp.

life

today, Tuesday,I had to make another trip to Cando for a repeat of mamagram, we trust that it will be o.k.  I got some groceries, plants, and items at hardware store.  I tried twice to see Lottie, but she didn't answer the door.  It was a nice day, Dad and I mowed this lawn, problem is that by the next day it looks terrible because of dandelions, I got some stuff to spray the lawn.  I planted some flowers.  So tonight it looks good..... Lacey had her first day at the pig farm, she was really tired when she came home.  We had let her little pup out a couple of times,  So we had an early supper and she and her pup went for a walk, and now are asleep.  Poor Brutus is really bent out of shape, the cat doesn't share its territory with dogs very well.  I think about each of you and wonder how your day was for you.  We have so much to be thankful for, to be able to enjoy God's creation.  The news always has lots of bad things to tell us, but it is so encouraging to read things that are encouraging.  To read how God is changing lives.  I am reading a book 'The day I died' by Steve Sjogren, it is about Steve who 'died' when a routine surgery went wrong.  His road to recovery was slow and his life was changed.  God wants to do that change in us, too.  I feel really challenged that I do not measure up to God's standards, and he wants to change me.  How do you feel about your day and your life.  I want you to know that I love each of you.  I care about what happens to/for you.   Mom

life

I didn't write on Sunday because, it was a long, long day.  Sunday school, church and the second service at the Dairy Queen went o.k.  Julie left for Fargo, Dad went home and I needed to wait a bit before I went to Leed's for Sam's (Swanson) graduation.  i visited with Matt and Mavis, they were fine.  They had some old time music on when I came there and I wonder if they were dancing in the living room.  Matt asked me if I wanted to dance!!!  When it was time, I drove to Leeds and went to graduation.  I have been to three different graduations within two weeks, they are all different, a different emphasis.  Afterwards I drove to Swansons.  It was mostly family.  Cindy has a large family.  Colleen Rohrer and a friend of Cindy's were in charge of food.  They took a lot of photos of their family and then they ate.  After I had been there a while I drove to Cando to Kyle's graduation.  I started for home, I made another quick stop and then was home.  When I got there, I know that Dad had had a frustrating afternoon.  Our sewer doesn't work, it is just the old bathroom.  He had taken the toilet apart and tried to open it, but it still doesn't work, so I am not sure what will happen.  We couldn't get any one to help us with problem today, so we just cleaned it up and closed the door.
    Patty had come by, she probably would have stayed but Dad couldn't get ahold of me, she looked around and then left.  She and her friend will be back this weekend, but I won't be home then either.
    Today, Lacey came to stay with us, when the weather was clear we went outside and did some projects.We removed the "dish" but now what do we do with the pipe that sits there? Then all three of us used mowers and mowed the Glenn Neidlinger yard.  After supper we drove to Cando for DQ and showed Lacey where things were located.  We had been in Hampden earlier.On our way to the yard we saw Philip and Sarah Spaulding walking along the road.So this tells you the facts about this day.
    So this is the diary of these two days. 

Mary Ann and Julie

This is a photo of Julie with Mary ann on one of the times she came to our home and told us what she was doing on the mission field.

Camp

Start:	Jun 3, '07
End:	Jun 8, '07
Location:	Fahocha Bible Camp

Camp begins with Counselor Training and we stay there for the first week of camp, it starts on Sunday, June 3rd and goes until Friday June 8. It is a jr. High Camp for 12-13 year old.

cemetery visit

    Grandpa and I went to visit the Storlie Cemetery.  Grandpa says you can come and visit us someday there yourselves.  Really I asked him if he would go with me, I usually go there every year and place artificial flowers on the graves.  Actually Grandpa and Grandma O'Brien had that responsibility not only for our family but for Bill Neidlinger family, too.  So when they could no longer do it, the cemetery thing, I did it.  I didn't feel like putting out the flowers and going back in two days to take them off............enough of history, so Grandpa and I went there, we walked around and looked at names of people buried there.  The legion puts flags on the graves of those in the military and some of the flags had broke off or fallen over, so we went around and put them back in place.
    When I was young it was a big thing, we had a service in the legion hall, with the guys in their uniforms and with their guns,  there was usually a hot luck meal.  Everyone went out to the cemetery and the taps were played and the guns shot.  They usually used a member of the school band to play the taps.
    I read in the paper where Cando is having a service,(they do every year) our pastor is going to be the speaker, he was in the military.
    I always enjoy the special times with grandpa and this was a good time, too.  grandma

Christmas family photo

Christmas Eve at the Saure's.

May 26, 2007

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