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The Aardsma Weekly

January 7, 2009

Writer: Rachel Aardsma



Of Bathrooms and Microwaves

Those of you who have been following my last few Weekly’s know that we recently went to Canada, and that the day after we got back, Matthew and I drove Beka up to Virginia where we left her for two weeks. Her mission while there was to be as helpful as possible to my sister, Jennifer, who recently had a baby (well, not too recently—Sammy must be nearing three or four months now). Matthew and I drove back home, and we settled in for life without Beka. We all barely survived without each other. (Actually, we didn’t really miss her, and she didn’t really miss us. We all stayed busy and the time flew.) Then, when the two weeks were up, we stocked up lots of food in the freezer and fridge, said good-bye to Matthew, and the rest of us drove off in a jam-packed car—back to Virginia.

Perhaps a word or two about the various travels is in order.

I traveled basically the same route four times in three weeks. By the time we got to the Very Last Drive Home, I was an expert!

Each of the different drives was unique and a learning experience. The first one, with just Beka and Matthew, was fun!!! I had the whole back seat of Matthew’s small car to myself, we listened to music the whole way there, and we used a GPS so we didn’t have to worry about maps…much. We tried to use maps for the first few hours but missed a turn-off and ended up taking a few hours of scenic detour—very pretty but not very efficient. Oh well. We just relaxed and enjoyed the scenery!

The drive home with just Matthew was also fun but was more I-really-can’t-wait-to-get-out-of-this-car because I’d basically been in the car for the last week! However, Matthew helped make it bearable.
Matthew: “I’m really hungry.”
Me: “Me, too.”
Matthew: “There’s a box of Cheezits back there, right?”
Me: “Yes. Let me see…here you go…”
Matthew: “Wait!! Don’t open them! We’ll wait until ten o’clock.”
Me: “But I’m really hungry!”
Matthew: “I am too. But we’ll wait until ten o’clock.”
We waited until ten o’clock. By then we were both very hungry and ate ¾ of the box with no trouble. But setting specific goals did make the time go faster! Leave it to Matthew…

On the way there for the first time. In the distance you can see one of the sets of three crosses that dotted the highways along our journey. Photo by Beka.

We also listened to music. However, we didn’t have too many CD’s, and most of what we had we’d listened to on the way there. So after listening to everything we could stomach (I can handle most things but that Celtic CD was going too far…) I had an inspiration and we started randomly flipping through radio stations, pausing on those that sounded interesting. It was a Sunday, so we found some nice selections of Christian music and even a few sermons that we listened to until we were both less bored with the radio off.

I used the same radio-station technique on the way back up to Virginia, this time in our big van with two empty seats! I camped out in the back seat the whole way there, with lots of blankets and pillows, an ample supply of bubble-gum, a Walkman, and my super-duper-really-great-totally-awesome headphones. That was Veteran’s Day, so I got to hear lots of patriotic music and tributes to the veterans and news about the different parades and ceremonies that were going on in the towns with local radio stations I tuned in to. That trip went very quickly and enjoyably for me! Beka and I did basically the same thing on the way back, except now we were both in the back seat and we were running low on bubble gum.

It was my brilliant brother-in-law, Steve, who came up with the title for this article. We were sitting at the table at Jennifer and Steve’s house in Virginia, watching the long, hungry line bearing plates of various Thanksgiving foods, waiting to heat up their supper in the microwave. That’s when he turned to me and suggested the title. I loved it. And that’s why I’m writing this article.

While we were in Virginia we went to a drive-through, feed-the-animals safari! It was fun, and this curious llama had a good time too! Photo by me.

There were twelve of us temporarily ensconced in a small-er house with one bathroom, one microwave, and four beds. That was a fun few days! Timothy and Caleb shared a room and bunk-bed with their nephews and niece. After their second night spent in these cramped quarters, every one of them came down to breakfast complaining that their necks hurt!!

I could sympathize. I started out sleeping on the leather couch in Jennifer’s living room. It was a spacious and comfortable couch, but it WAS leather, and I remember waking up several times and sleepily hoping I didn’t slide off onto Beka, who was sleeping on the floor below. The second night, I moved down to Beka’s level and we shared the space between the couch and the chest in the middle of the living room. We wanted to talk that night and it was a lot easier to whisper to each other when we were at the same altitude! I’m not used to sleeping on the floor or sharing a bed with another person, but I liked the floor better then the couch! However, MY neck started to hurt too after a few nights!

Despite all this, it was definitely the bathroom that was in highest demand. I discovered that if I got up just as I heard noises upstairs, I could get dressed and ready for the day without waiting for too long. However I once made the mistake of leaving my socks in there and was sock-less for a full half hour before there was an opening for me to reclaim them.

All this aside, we spent a wonderful three days spent with Jennifer and her lovely family. But then we were ready to go home. Poor Beka, who had only spent one night in her own bed in a whole month, confided that she was MORE then ready to go home, although she had had a great time and couldn’t believe it had actually been two and a half weeks! More on that from her…I actually succeeded in talking her into writing a few paragraphs for me. Here they are, and this will close my little saga, ‘Of Bathrooms and Microwaves’.

On the way home...for the last time! Gotta love that scenery! Photo by Beka.

With a great amount of convincing (and some bribery), I’ve been talked into writing something about my trip to Virginia. I keep telling Rachel I don’t have anything to say, but I guess I’ll say it anyway….
First off: the drive there was quite an experience. It was the first time I had ever done anything like that (i.e., on my own with just Matt and Rachel), but I have to say I had a blast. We got lost (numerous times), drank way too much Dr. Pepper, admired breathtaking scenery, listened to music for hours on end, and speculated on where in the USA we were (we were using a friend's GPS, so we weren’t following a map).
When we finally arrived after a twelve hour drive, I felt like I needed a cane! We had stopped a grand total of three times the whole day!! I was wobbly on my legs, and I kept seeing miles of road stretch out in front of me. Oh well, I got over it. Matt and Rachel left after a day, and I settled in.

I must say that Virginia has much to be proud of with its beautiful mountains. I was there just as the leaves were changing, and it was fabulous! Of course, mountains create something else as well: curvy roads.
Whenever we drove anywhere, Katelyn (my niece, 4) would produce an unceasing stream of words that went something like this: “Upppppp, downnnnn, currrrrrve, a little bit further, uppppp, dowwwn, upppp, downnnn, currrrve, uuuuuuuupppppppppp, downdowndowndowndowndowndown….” Yep, that just about describes the roads in Virginia.

As for what I did with myself: I cooked, held the baby, talked on the phone, cleaned the house, helped whenever needed, and generally had a good time. It didn’t feel at all like it had been almost three weeks I’d been gone when Mom and Dad came with the younger kids to pick me up.
Rachel said I’d changed somehow (maybe), looked older (possibly) and gained ten pounds (definitely).
Well, I’m running out of things to say and Rachel is barraging me with questions about my calligraphy pens she is attempting to use, so I guess I’ll end this thing now. After all, Rachel said I only had to write three paragraphs…

The Weekly Bible Verse

Isaiah 65:19: "I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more."

Day In My Week

Monday, December 16, 2008: My alarm goes off at six, as always, but this morning it is especially difficult to get up. We had guests last night and although I went to bed on time, the unusual noise and lights kept me awake until late.

I tidy my room, get dressed, write some e-mails, listen to music, and waste time until Beka gets up and I can go hang out in her room while she gets ready for the day. We talk and I play a few games of Solitaire on her computer while I wait for her to finish with her hair. When she is done we head out to the kitchen and find some fruit to eat. An unfinished Noah's Ark puzzle on the table sparks a conversation about whether or not Noah had grandchildren on the ark, which turns into a debate about how long it took to build the ark, how old Noah was at the time of the flood, and other deep and theological matters! We settle most of the argument by getting my Bible and reading over the account of the flood for ourselves. However, there still are a few things we want to ask Dad about.

Mom and Dad have errands to run and medical stuff at the hospital, so they head out shortly. I help Beka with the dishes, and then spend most of the morning working on a video project for Mom. Beka lends a helping hand with music selection, plus she is a deciding opinion when I can't make up my mind about length or positioning of this or that.

After a quick lunch consisting mostly of cookies (Mom and Dad aren't home, what are we supposed to eat??), Beka works on the puzzle while the rest of us sit around and listen to country music. We do the dishes, but progress is slow due to serious laughter and joking going on in the kitchen! Once we've all calmed down, there is school to do...lots of it. I spend the next several hours fighting with equations, and with Beka's help, I survive. Then I have some CD's to burn for a friend, so I spend an hour on that, after which I have a long e-mail to write, and after that...Mom and Dad get home and there are groceries to put away and a little work to do. I spend the rest of the evening reading to Beka, and then end the day the way I began it: listening to the beautiful music of Josh Groban.

Bits and Pieces

Well, Christmas is over and done with, as is New Year's, as is 2008! It is hard to believe we are finally here in 2009. We survived another year!!!

Our holiday season was fun and, as always, different from all the other holiday season's that have come before. It seemed like there were a lot more gifts this year--probably due to the fact that, instead of hitting the thrift stores with Mom like we usually do, Beka, Matthew, and I hit Wal-Mart...by ourselves. Actually, Beka and I shopped together but Matthew did his shopping later! It was definitely an interesting experience! Beka and I had never done that before, but we survived even the check-out, and were very happy with our purchases.

Our 2008 family photo!

Snow came early this year, on the last day of November. It came, and it stayed, until we were all sick of dirty, gray snow and wanted it to all melt, or wanted new snow! This was Farley's (the dog, remember?) first snow, but, as usual, he took it in stride. The only change is he came in from his daily walk a lot wetter and colder than normal.

Speaking of cold, it has been that here in Illinois! Cold and windy...constantly! While the temperature hovers anywhere below freezing, and the wind chill is usually at least five degrees lower. This is the it's-beginning-to-feel-a-lot-like-the-Arctic time of year, and hot baths, hot chocolate, and hot blankets are in high demand!

Beka and me!

School is a high priority right now, especially for those of us with extra-large school loads this year. I have to spend more and more of my time working away at it, but I have to say I feel like I'm learning a lot more this year then I ever have! And as long as we're on the school topic...I'm proud to say that Matthew got accepted into the University of Illinois last month!! We couldn't be happier or more excited for him! He will start next September on the long road to becoming a vet. Mom can now sit back and heave a sigh of relief. It is always a major undertaking for her to get one of us accepted into the school of our choice, and Matthew was no exception!

Mom also posted her annual update recently, complete with lots of photos and lots of news! For those of you who haven't checked it out, go ahead and do it! There sure have been a lot of changes this year!!

A Word About The Weather

Cold, cold, cold, cold, cold. There is no other word to describe our weather right now. Even on the days the sun does shine, the wind is still there, making things unpleasant on the open prairie!

A Word Of Wisdom

"...If we did all the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves." ~Thomas Edison (Thanks to Kaleigh A. for sharing this!)




            

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