Boating

Saturday we (Justin, Janette, Jerry, Ethan, and I) went boating on Lake Wateree. (No it is not a typo.) The guys had gone ahead to go fishing while Janette, Ethan, and I waited until 11 to go out. Well, the plan was to be there around 10, but Janette grabbed the wrong paper off of the counter and we ended up in the boon docks with little to no cell phone reception and no directions. We finally made it. Once we got there I had to overcome my fear of the boat suddenly capsizing in the middle of the lake or our "crew" being stranded on a "three hour tour...a three hour tour." (I wasn't actually too far off.) We launched sail and made it to the middle of the lake where we hooked up the inter tube for added fun. After 45 minutes or so we killed the engine and dropped anchor to enjoy sitting on a boat in the middle of a lake. Ethan was being so good. He has just learned to walk so he was waddling around with his life jacket, playing, and continually throwing his pacifier overboard. Well, we decided that it was time to head out into the open waters again so Jerry started the motor...or tried. The motor would not start so yes, my fear became reality...it truly was a three hour tour. The guys took the motor apart basically, trying to figure out what was wrong, but to no avail. Finally Justin used the inter tube and paddled to the nearest house for help. Our rescuers came with a platoon boat and tugged us back to the dock. The funniest part was when we found out what was wrong. In the midst of Ethan being an angelic baby he is, he had pulled the kill switch, making it virtually impossible for the motor to turn over. All we would have had to do was plug it back in! Overall we had a really good time.
Speaking of Ethan....

Here he is on the boat.

I think he just threw his pacifier over.

Ethan

Well, here it is, a picture of my favorite guy. I was so sad when I arrived in Columbia Wednesday and he didn't remember me! It has only been a few months. Today I won him back over though and he reached for me. My heart is overflowing with love for this little guy. (Oh, yeah. I finally made it South Carolina.)

Update

Just an update for all who need to know. The transmission in my car has gone to live with Cricket in car purgatory. (I don't plan on praying either Cricket or the transmission out anytime soon. I've decided to make them think about what they have done for awhile and be really sorry). Anyway, I am at my parent's house for a few days then I plan on going BACK to Cincinnati, picking up my WORKING car, and finally heading to South Carolina. Maybe I'll make it this time. Enough said on that topic.

Ethan took his first real steps by himself today while Janette and I were on the phone. Janette screamed and I about swallowed the phone. He walked from the couch to the middle of the living room before he plopped down and Janette screamed. He just started giggling.

They have paused the movie in the family room for me so I better go.

The Car's Name is "Burger!?"

The first car I ever owned was a gray 1993 Chevy Corsica. It was given to me by my Grandma Closser (on my mother's side). I named it Cricket because it was constantly making some silly noise that made me more nervous than anything I can describe. Finally, last semester the engine blew and Cricket went on to meet its eternal reward: the dump (insert smiley).
Soooooooo, last weekend I bought a new car. New to me anyway. I bought it off my Grandma Brown's (this one's on my father's side) ex-friend, Jerry, who is a used car salesman. He gave me a really good deal on a hunter green 1997 Ford Taurus. Not my first choice, but I was in dire straights and I needed a car in two weeks. My dad asked me what I was going to name this one and the only thing that I could think of was "Burger!" Why? Because it was green! What? I know I should be embarrassed, I was just kidding around, but for some reason the name stuck (there is not an innuendo intended here).
I proudly drove my "new" car, Burger, to school, packed it full of all of the junk that I would need, and started for my summer location, Columbia, South Carolina. About an hour down the road I saw a blanket of smoke billowing out of the back of my "new" car. I pulled over and before I even got out of the car prayed "God, PLEASE don't let it be anything drastic!" To make a long story short....I still don't know what is wrong. It's Memorial Day and every mechanic this side of the Mississippi is closed for the celebration. I must admit that I struggled A LOT at first with keeping my head on my shoulders. It was frustrating and I wanted to get to SC. Plus, add $15 bucks to the tow bill and I will have paid the first month's car payment!
As I look back on the situation though, I can really see how God was watching out for me. First, my parents called Saturday night and informed me that they were "not comfortable" letting me drive to SC be myself. I wasn't upset with them, just a little inconvenienced. So to appease them I waited longer than I planned to leave and was following the Stewart's. Second, I was only one hour away from school. Third, my cell phone worked. My parents didn't tell me that I couldn't drive down alone, but since they weren't real keen on me moving in the first place I decide to give in on this one. Thank God I did! I could have been stranded, scared, and an emotional basket case all alone. (I was all of the afore mentioned, I just wasn't alone)! Since I was only an hour away it was too difficult to get back to school where I have a mechanic I know and trust, where I have a safe place to stay the night, and where I have a little support system built. A little later the Stewarts called and said that almost exactly one mile down the road all cellphone signal stopped! What would I have done if I had been several hours away from school, all alone in this big scary world, AND without a cellphone? That is nervous break down material right there! Anyway, Burger is currently sitting at the shop waiting to be fixed and I am safe in the dorm typing this very long blog. God is good even when we don't recognize it!

First Time for Everything!

Well, this is the first blog I have ever written. I decided that I might as well join the ranks and start posting my jargon! (It took me awhile to come up with a word that started with "j"). Anyway, I will write more later, but for now I am going to explore my new found hobby!