A Friend Lost

How many of you have ever wondered what happened to an old acquaintance? Ever lost track of a friend? Did one of your little clique disappear?

Sure, the answer to this, most definately is yes, on all accounts.

The internet is a wonderful thing. Some crazy thing called "google". I think googling is a sport. Just type in all sorts of things and shazam! There they are. And usually MULTIPLE links to them.

Elizabeth packed up and left Ohio almost 10 years ago. She headed to Seattle, mainly because she had never been there before and it sounded like fun. Her travels took her from Seattle to ElSalvador to Peru to Bolivia and even a study abroad in Spain! Man, does she have the life or what? Just being able to travel whenever and wherever---

Every once in a great while, we'd get a phone call saying that she would be in Cincinnati for a day or two, and if our schedules would allow, she'd love to give us a minute. It usually never worked out, seeing as how the rest of us had jobs or kids and couldn't just pack up on a whim and drive 5 hours. But, at least she would call and let us know she was in town.

After a couple years, Elizabeth stopped giving us the heads up on her Cincinnati trips. I guess she realized that we couldn't just drop everything. It's not that we don't want to see her, quite the contrary actually. The OU crew would LOVE to get with eL and catch up and play and share stories. We are all at such different times in our lives, each with our own sets of stresses and responsibilites. But Elizabeth and her seemingly gypsy-like lifestyle seems so ideal sometimes that we would love to sit and chat with her and maybe get some of the REAL eL story. Where she has been. What she has been up to. How the travelling got old after a while and she decided to just stick to Seattle. All of it.

Back to the sport of googling.

I was able to google Elizabeth the other day. Just for grins and giggles. Elizabeth Lambert Spanish was the google of choice. And I hit paydirt. There she was. Teaching freelance spanish lessons out of her home. It had to be OUR Elizabeth. So I sent her an email (although her classified for the freelance spanish lessons said "no soliciting"). IT WAS HER! We exchanged phone numbers and that night I was able to catch up with our elusive Elizabeth. And it was wonderful. Hearing her stories of travel and school. Chatting about her live in boyfriend that she thinks is "the one". Getting the scoop on the old VW bus she finally sent to its hippy junkyard in the sky. Her dog Milford. The whole shebang. And she was shocked that there were so many kids between the OU crew. And that we still get together as often as we do. And that we still bicker and infight and make up. And that we all still wonder about her. And that we still consider her "one of us" even though she has been away from us for so long.

So, for those of you who have your own Elizabeth. Go find them. Let Google be your guide.

A twist on a classic poem....

"Twas the night before Christmas" is a terrific poem.
I received a varied version this morning.
Powerful. Enjoy.


Twas the night before Christmas
He lived all alone
in a one bedroom house
made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney
with presents to give,
and to see just who
in this home did live.

I looked all about,
a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents,
not even a tree.

No stocking by mantle,
just boots filled with sand,
on the wall hung pictures
of far distant lands.

With medals and badges,
awards of all kinds,
a sober thought
came through my mind.

For this house was different,
it was dark and dreary,
I'd found the home of a soldier,
once I could see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping,
silent, alone,
curled up on the floor
in this one bedroom home.

The face was so gentle,
the room in disorder,
not quite how I pictured
a United States soldier.

Was this the hero
of whom I'd just read?
Curled up on a poncho,
the floor for a bed?

I realized the families
that I saw this night,
owed their lives to these soldiers
who were willing to fight.

Soon 'round the world,
children would play,
and grown-ups would celebrate
a bright Christmas day.

They all enjoyed freedom
each month of the year,
because of the soldiers,
like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder
how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve
in a land far from home.

The very thought
brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees
and started to cry.

The soldier awakened
and I heard a rough voice,
"Santa don't cry,
this life is my choice;

I fight for freedom,
I don't ask for more,
My life is my God,
my Country, my Corps."

The soldier rolled over
and drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it
I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours,
so silent and still
and we both shivered
from the cold night's chill.

I didn't want to leave
on that cold, dark night,
this guardian of honor
so willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over,
with a voice soft and pure,
whispered, "Carry on Santa,
It's Christmas, all is secure."

One look at my watch,
and I knew he was right.
"Merry Christmas my friend
and to all a good night!"

GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!

Have you tried?

It is holiday time again...How many of you have tried to do the "photo" cards? Or even just a nice family photo as a gift? We have tried to do it since the younger kids have come along....And sometimes it works (see the picture from 2003), and sometimes it turns out like the photo above....

We had one heck of a time trying to coordinate two adults, a teenager, and three under four. Now, the adults, sure, we can do it. Say cheese. Piece of cake (chocolate preferred). The teenager, sure he can be almost adult-like at times. So he can cheese on cue this weekend. Then there are the wonderful younger offspring. You know, the ones that don't want to be there anyhow...The ones that will say cheese AFTER the flash has gone off....The ones that are more worried about watching their movies than smiling for some "stupid" picture that we are sending to people they don't "really" know anyhow.

But

As many of you will see in the next couple weeks, we were able to get the money shot.