Memorial Day

We went to Amee and Jeremiah's place for a Memorial Day cookout last night. We made:chocolate strawberry cupcakes (which taste just as good as they look!), and..
patriotic rice!!!! It was inspired by Johanna's story of how her family colored the rice green one year for St. Pat's day. We've been having SO much fun with food coloring. ;) Just think, in the future we can also make Halloween rice, Christmas rice, Valentine's Day rice, Easter rice... (On a side note, its also a good way to get your kids to eat some more. My friend's 2-yr-old son was captivated by the colors ;))

Anyway, I almost cried during Memorial Day service at church yesterday. They had a ceremony for the soldiers from our county (Tippecanoe) that have died in the last few years. Some of their family members were present and they were tearing, and there were some people that I know who were or are in the armed forces, and so I was very moved as well. Sometimes I think that the USA is full of Fox Mulders - all believing passionately in something and giving up their lives for it. Their beliefs sometimes seem "crazy", but I still deeply admire the passion.

Yesterday I also met so many cool people in church!! I met this amazing Japanese girl Erisa who attends a Baptist university in Wisconsin with a major in biblical counseling and a minor in music. She is here for the summer studying biblical counseling at my church and her parents are missionaries in Japan. She said she'd teach me some Japanese because I've always wanted to learn (and also because people always think I look Japanese!).

And then I met my friend Jeanie's parents who drove all the way from Pennsylvania to visit. They are the sweetest people. Her mom is such a darling old lady, and she even played Big Taboo! (which is like Taboo, Pictionary and Cranium rolled into one) with us at the cookout.-- my latest acquisition from Amazon! --

At the parking lot Erisa and I bumped into Courtney's parents and siblings, including her little 2-year-old sister who was recently adopted from China! (How coincidental is that? *see previous post) Anyway when I get the chance to, I'd find out more about adoption from them. They are one of many white American families I've seen that have adopted little girls from China. Even Johanna said her mom is thinking of adopting, even tho she already had a huge family of 5 girls, 1 boy!

And there's more! We were talking by the campfire and Amee told us how she and Jeremiah were travel nurses for about 3 years. Its like contract nursing - they move from state to state to the places they want to go to and work in hospitals there for a couple of months. They went to San Francisco, Vegas, South Carolina... so much fun!! Yes, I admit its giving me ideas... HAHAHA. I should write to ASHA and suggest they come up with a similar "travel SLP" program!