30.5.06

May 30, 2006

This weekend was a lot of fun. My family went to Illinois for an engagement party for Ben and Keri.

While we were there, Papa found the house that he use to live in when he worked at the airforce base. We went over Sunday afternoon and the lady who owns it now gave us the full tour of the entire house, from porch to cupola (that's the very tip of the tower.) The house was built in the late 1800's and the family is in the process of restoring it. It is beautiful and very interesting to look at.



This is Kari, Keri's maid of honor...Keri and her brother, Sean.


My wonderful soon to be sister-in-law flying off to show us more of the wedding location (her grandparents back-yard).

21.5.06

Johanna Joy

I went to Seneca today with April and Cam for Annie's baby shower. It was a lot of fun! She is so cute pregnant. :)



Look at that! It's Justin with a $13.88 stroller!!! (well, Cam?)


Annie getting all excited over the beautiful baby blanket Oma crocheted.


"This, is a baby hat."

3.5.06

How to End a Letter

When I am writing to a new acquaintance, I sometimes am unsure of how best to end the letter.
"Love, Amanda" is often inappropiate, especially with someone of the opposite sex. "God bless" or something like that always sounds like I'm trying to be super spiritual. "Best wishes, warmest regards, sincerly, etc." all sound so stuffy. For a while I did use the tag line, "Stay strong in Jesus," but after a few years, I wanted something different.
With my friends, it's easy because they know me and understand where our relationship is. But with new people you don't want to express too much familiarity too soon.
Maybe I'm just old fashioned to even be worrying about such a thing. But I did tonight Google to try and find an article to give me some ideas on how to close out an e-mail to a new friend.
I ran across this amusing, somewhat dated, article about real letters.

Eight or Nine Wise Words About Letter Writing

#4- How To End a Letter

Charles Dodgson
If doubtful whether to end with “yours faithfully”, or “yours truly”, or “your most truly”, &c. (there are at least a dozen varieties, before you reach “yours affectionately”), refer to your correspondent’s last letter, and make your winding-up at least as friendly as his: in fact, even if a shade more friendly, it will do no harm!

A Postscript is a very useful invention: but it is not meant (as so many ladies suppose) to contain the real gist of the letter: it serves rather to throw into the shade any little matter we do not wish to make a fuss about. For example, your friend had promised to execute a commission for you in town, but forgot it, thereby putting you to great inconvenience: and he now writes to apologize for his negligence. It would be cruel, and needlessly crushing, to make it the main subject of your reply. How much more gracefully it comes in thus! “P.S. Don’t distress yourself any more about having omitted that little matter in town. I wo’n’t deny that it did put my plans out a little, at the time: but it’s all right now. I often forget things, myself: and ‘those, who live in glass-houses, mustn’t throw stones’, you know!”

When you take your letters to the Post, carry them in your hand. If you put them in your pocket you will take a long country-walk (I speak from experience), passing the Post-Office twice, going and returning, and, when you get home, will find them still in your pocket.


So...I still don't know the best way to close out a letter. But I probably spend more time thinking about that then all the rest of the e-mail put together!!!

2.5.06

1.5.06

It has begun!

Tonight was the first Beauty and the Beast rehearsal. It was so fun! I love every part of putting on a show and am so thrilled I get to be a part of this great theatrical group. It is such a pleasure working with Scotty and the gang.
Tonight was just basics, going over the big group numbers. In a few weeks we'll start working on costumes and props and stuff. I am so excited and have so many questions about how everything is going to work and what it's going to look like, but I'm just going to have to wait and see!

For the next 12 weeks my head will be spinning with play.
Wow. I get more excited over stuff like this than Christmas!

English Country Dance


I am happy to announce that the next engilsh country dance will be held Sunday, May 7th from 6:30pm-8:30pm at Franklin Covenant Church located at the end of Belle View Park Road.

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, it's a very fun form of folk dance that was used in the 17th and 18th centuries. We start off with just basic steps and move on as they are mastered. Each dance is taught and practiced before we put it to music. Everyone can do it!
If you've ever seen the new Pride and Prejudice (Kira Knightley), Emma (Gwyneth Paltrow) or the A&E Pride and Prejudice, then you've seen English country dancing.

("What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy! -- There is nothing like dancing after all. -- I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished societies.")


  • Families are welcome to come and if you think your children won't want to participate in the dancing, then they should bring an activity to occupy them quietly and calmly in the sanctuary.
  • I would recommend bringing a drink to refresh yourself. Of course, there is always the water fountain!
  • It's more fun if the ladies wear long skirts, but it's not required.
  • If you know of someone you think would enjoy this, please pass the news on to them!

May 1, 2006

Tonight is the first ever Beauty and the Beast rehearsal!
I am so excted about being a part of this show. It is going to be so much fun!

Last night I played keys at the Celebration of Praise.
Celebration of Praise is a community praise and worship event hosted in a dfferent church each time and wth a worship team comprised of people from different local congregations. (But don't worry, we're all in the congregation of the righteous!!!) It is held every time there is a 5th Sunday in the month.
We sang the song, "You are Good" by Israel Houghton. It is a really fun song that I first heard out at IHOP. It was great to hear someone doing it here in Franklin! Maybe my church will start singing it soon!!!