DiGennaro Family

Thank you to the Ohio and Kansas contingents for making the pilgramage to Missouri last weekend; it was so great to see you all! For those who were not there, we went hiking, climbed around on rocks, swam in frozen creeks in our underwear (or less—pictures NOT coming soon!), sat around and ate and talked, passed Priska around and around….. She is getting big and beautiful and very, very clever—-just like her parents (the clever part, anyway). Maybe someone can put some pictures on here of our time together?

A very happy birthday today to Tirzah Grace, who has made it all the way to the ripe old age of 19 years. Why, I remember it as if it were just yesterday…

Mary Ellen came and stayed with us in the middle of the night, and I sneaked downstairs and saw her come in. It was a Sunday morning, and when Simeon got up, he turned on the water in the bathroom to see if it worked, and was surprised. He had heard talk about how Mom’s water had broken, and thought they meant the faucets. We had a new goat, Tonya, and she ran away while we were milking her. Aram was 8, I was 10, but we caught her again all by ourselves, and I am still proud of us.

We went to church; and we all sat in a row and tried to behave; and everyone knew why mom and dad weren’t there, which was a little embarrassing (I’m not sure why). I still remember the little off-white velour skirt and blouse I wore, one of the prettiest outfits I ever had. After church we went to the hospital to see the new baby sister, and she had lots of black hair! It was exciting, but pretty disappointing when she did not come home with us right away….

So, happy birthday Tirzah, and many happy returns of the day! I would say at 19 you are definitely “old enough to know better”—better than what, I’m not sure—but there you go.

I love you.

A waiter asks a patron, “May I take your order, sir?”
“Yes,” the man replies. “I’m just wondering, how exactly do you prepare your chickens?”
“Nothing special, sir. We just tell them straight out that they’re going to die.”

I happened upon a significant milestone in my life last week, so I thought I’d take advantage of if to join the DiGennaro blog spot.
I may not lead the most placid or careful life, but before last week, I had never had to get stitches because of some accident or stupid thing I did. Whether it is because of God’s almighty power or because of some amazing phenomenon that I reached twenty-three years of age with out ever having stitches I’m not sure. I am pretty sure that it is not because of the amount of care that I approach life with. Unfortunately I broke this stitch-free streak last week at work.
I am working at place called Arched Casings. They make curved wood for windows, trim, stairways, and any other curved wood thing you want to pay lots of money for. I am working on redoing a huge pole barn so that the factory can expand. On Wednesday John Scroggins and I were putting up tin on the ceiling. We had a piece of the said tin on a rack on the side of the scissor lift that we were using. As I was happily carrying a box of screws to the lift so that we could ascend to the ceiling to put up the said piece of tin, I finally, for the first time in my twenty-three years, did something careless. I glanced down to see what type of screws were in the box and walked right into the end of the said piece of tin on the lift. I was wearing a stocking hat which absorbed most of the blow of my head to the tin. After my hand came away from my head with blood on it, I knew that it had not totally saved me from my mistake. I had cut my head a little. As I walked over to find John, and the floor became sploched with blood, I still was not sure how bad it was because I know from my twenty-three years of experience that head wounds bleed a lot more than they really need to. I was supplied with a tin can to drip in so I would not get the floor bloody and was husled off to the bathroom. Under closer inspection, I saw that my hope of it only being the deceiving amount of blood was a false hope. I was really not looking forward to having to get stitches, but that was the general consensus. John drove me over to an urgent care center and after spending quite a bit of time filling out paper work, I was finally numbed and sewn up, six stitches in all. Shooting the numbing stuff in was the most painful part of the whole fiasco. After having the blood that had run down my face and puddled on the pad under my head was cleaned up I was given a tenus shot and sent out to pay the bill. The receptionist was informed that it was going to be self-pay, but the sum still came to over $300. I thought of saying that that was the most I had ever paid for a few centimeters of fishing line, but the other receptionist told the first lady how she was supposed to run it through the computer and the bill was nocked down to $154. That was at least much better. We finally made it back to work and got the said piece of tin safely screwed to the ceiling.
So after getting over being really annoyed with my self I am now the proud barer of battle wounds from working at Arched Casings.

This picture taken by Zion at One Step Farm earlier this week. Thanks, Zion! And thanks, G.O.M., for sending it out. Isaac and Zion have been on a three (or five?) day canoe trip with Jim Protiva and Eli this week. From what I have heard, they have not drowned, or frozen, or run out of food (!), and apparently a good time was had by all. Except for Dad, who decided to quit his job because he did not like being away from his wife, or his river. If I have it right, he could not decide which reason to give for his sudden absence, so he may have done the “responsible” thing (yuk!), and the world is still safe for democracy. Isaac and Zion, I hope one or both of you can post a story from your trip when you get back.

After much slobbering and grazing on peculiar objects, Priska hatched her first tooth this evening!

Tomorrow I head out with my daighter to visit my parents in sunny Florida. Yay for parents, vacations, and the ocean.

John and I had our engagment pictures taken last week. This is one of my favorites, and Debbi said that I could share it with you here. Wedding plans for June 10th are coming along. It is a lot of work, but I’m having so much fun! Next week is my spring break, and I’m looking forward to spring cleaning and spending time in Houston with John’s family. Have a beautiful day!

All right everybody, we have a new cousin (or cousin removed, depending). Heidi was-a-Huber, Aunt Vida’s daughter, gave birth to her first born son on Monday, March 6. I have not yet heard whether or not she lay him in a manger. Her water broke Monday morning, and after 5 hours of “hard, peaceful labor”, Cooper David was born. I shall have to take notes.

Uncle Harold is bursting his buttons, and we may safely assume Aunt Vida is pretty pleased, too. Heidi and her husband Dave said they sensed her presence during labor, which is pretty special, because it would be hard to go through such a life-changing event without someone dear to you that you hoped to share it with. Heidi and Dave are excited and awestruck at this new life that has appeared.

The new member of Gen 3 weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce, and all is well. Sorry, that is all the vital stats I have at this time. Louise flew out on Thursday to be with the new family and lend her expertise in new mommyhood to Heidi. Let us hope some pictures will be forthcoming.

On monday, coming home from work, I stopped to get gas (first mistake, it’s up to 2.45 or something). Then I tried to turn left onto Indianola (second mistake, it’s a busy street). Then someone in the right lane paused to let me through. I went (third mistake). BANG!!!

Actually, I do remember seeing the car coming, but by then I was halfway across the left lane. I had forgotten there were two northbound lanes–the right lane stopped to let me through, but also blocked the view of the left lane, in which a Pontiac Grand Am was traveling about 30 MPH.

I saw the car, felt a hard jolt. My car was flung across the southbound lane, spun completely around and thrown onto the sidewalk and into the chainlink fence on the other side. I wiggled my fingers–well, at least they still work. Moved my head and shoulders–my back felt a little tight. I heard people screaming–but it sounded like shock and awe, not pain or horror. Hopefully that meant nobody was on the sidewalk I just comandeered. Someone came to the window, I ascertained this was the case.

The door had moved over to join me in the driver’s seat. The gallon of milk on the floor had burst from the impact. The CD player was still playing (I had just installed it that weekend, after being without a radio for 8 months–that really ticks me off.) I turned off the car and climbed out the passenger side door. Everyone was amazed I was ok, the cop was especially dubious about me driving the car home. My back felt tight, but I was afraid they would call an ambulance if I said anything. We did the paperwork, I climbed back through the passenger side window and went home (a few blocks).

Well, well, so much for the tax return. But I’m very thankful to still be walking, breathing, and wiggling my fingers. Sim and Janelle and Chad and Deborah were wonderfully helpful with transportation while we were carless. And also thankful, after a long and frustrating day of car-hunting (I think every car under $3000 has sold since people started to get tax returns) to find a 95 Passat maintained by an very meticulous Baptist with 8 home-schooled children. Real high miles, but EXCELLENT shape and only 1300 bucks. It has a sunroof, CD player, 5 speeds, and is nice and red. And it rained most of the day anyway, so I didn’t miss that much work. The chiropractor said he could fix my back. Now if we get our extra money into the bank before any checks bounce, we’ll be back to normal!

On a happy note, Priska started using a high chair today–given as a gift from Iglesia Cristiana Hispana!