Master SmAsh

My little sister (who I sometimes call Smash - her name is Ashley...I dunno) got her Master's degree! What?! Weird.

So proud though.

All ODU Grads. 

You're welcome for all that cashflow ODU...

we are anticipating our family wing sometime in the near future.

It runs in the family...

No, not babies...though that does too (apparently we are a fertile people)

but writing! Especially in blog format.

My leetle seester has started a blog! You can find her over on the blog roll, and at this link.

Currently there is an awesome post up featuring Baby G! So, get over there soon <3

"Parenting 101" or "Random thoughts of the Day"

Disclaimer: We are not, I repeat not, expecting a child anytime soon (sorry future grandparents).

For now this little guy is the apple of our eye: 

(apple of our eyes? does the idiom encompass a collective "eye"? who knows...)

But, we are talking about the type of parents we want to be when the time comes to add to the Gage family. We both agree that there were a lot of things that our parents did that we want to copy in our own parenting. Go Parents! Your first example of parenting after all, comes from your own parents or the people who are acting in place of parents.

{I secretly live in fear that my children will not obey me in public the way that we did growing up. How did my mom manage that? I don't even remember the option to misbehave...in public...but I digress}

In my newest "big girl" job I work with college students. 

Before this I worked with college students. 

Before that I worked with college students, 

and before that, I was a college student.

Working with college students affords an awesome opportunity to see a variety of parenting up close and personal. I have learned something from every parent encounter I have had, either a point in the kind of parent I hope and want to be some day column, or a point in the 'never in a million years do I hope to end up like this parent' column.

And you get to read awesome articles and books like this one about the parenting of college students. 

The book coins two phrases, "Parenting out of control" and "Parenting with limits". Though I haven't read the book yet, I think I hope to fall somewhere within the two. There are, of course, many different schools of thought and opinions regarding parenting, and there is probably no "one way" to successfully rear children.

{Yes, I did just say "rear children" and I may have thought about Knocked Up while doing it. And I may have left it in for just that reason and the fact that the entire movie made me laugh.out.loud.}

As our friends become parents {continually it seems, I feel like I have seen 120 newborn photos in the last month}, we learn from them too. 

Just the other day I ran into our backyard neighbor, also named Courtney. Her husband is also in the Navy. We chatted for a minute about how I always seem to catch her when I am walking our furry child by and she is trying to wrangle her two kids into the family van. On some mornings, I feel like I am in a movie where I am watching my own future.

She off handedly mentioned that parenting is basically trial by fire. Your friends give you tips and tricks, and you try them. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. You read the books, you employ some of those tips and tricks; some work, some don't. You figure out what works for you and what works for your kids.

So, basically what I have learned from my real world Parenting 101 lately is that parenting is a shoot from the hip sort of pursuit.

That sounds exhausting.

I think I need a nap.

A life at peace...

This past weekend, my family found out that we had lost one of the sweetest people that any of us had the privilege to love. My great-grandmother, Mayme, passed away on Friday. To me, she was the embodiment of grace and humility, one of the most loving people that have ever entered my life.

Two years ago, while I was working in Wisconsin, her husband, my great-grandpa Lute passed away at 93 years old. Though it is always hard to say goodbye, I feel more at peace knowing that the two of them are together in heaven than I ever did at them being apart. They were a team when it came to everything in their life, and I hope that we can celebrate her life the same way that we did his.

These two individuals left such an amazing legacy behind, with the best example of love, faith and family for the rest of us to follow in their wake. I only hope that Austin and I can be as happy as the two of them have been for so long. I will forever be grateful that with some family's help she was able to make it to our wedding in June.

Here is a copy of the obituary written by those who loved her:

"Mayme A. Pettis of Osceola died Friday April 9, 2010 at Golden Age Manor in Amery at the age of 93 years. Mayme was born July 22, 1916 at Nye, WI to Martin and Amanda Johnson.  She attended Meadowview School.  On March 11, 1935 she married Luther Pettis in Minneapolis.  Before her marriage she worked at Strutwear in Minneapolis.  After the couple moved to Osceola she worked at Parent cleaners, Osceola Bakery, Juanita Clarke's Women's Store, and did hair.  She was a blood donor, 20+ year volunteer at the LOS Extended Care, and a faithful member of Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church.

Mayme was preceded in  death by her husband of 73 years Luther "Lute", daughter-in-law Elenore Pettis, sons-in-law Dale Haugen, Charles Beaver, sister Agnes Mork, brothers, Sam Johnson, Morris Johnson, Clarence Johnson, George Johnson, Howard Johnson.  She is survived by her children Sherman of Osceola, Marlys Haugen of Roberts, Gail Beaver of Ojibwa, Becky (Arvin) Larson of Star Prairie, Velma (Daryle) Larson of Saginaw, MI., Mark (Joey) of Hertel, David (Diane) of Osceola, sister Florence Christensen of Osceola, loving "brother" Clarence "Kelly" Carlson of Osceola, 23 Grandchildren,  56  Great-Grandchildren, 5 Great-Great-Grandchildren, other family and friends."

The big 3-0

{This post is two days late because clearly something is wrong with my auto-post. will investigate.}

Today, {read: January 5th when this was supposed to post} is my parents' wedding anniversary!

They have been married for 30 years! Together they have moved 9 times, raised 3 brilliant children, lived in 4 different states, had one grand-dog, survived the Navy and their *sometimes* high maintenance daughter planning a wedding and acquired a son-in-law.

Congratulations Mom and Dad! I love you!

Highlights of Thanksgiving

We had an AMAZING time in Virginia, and though it was quite a whirlwind, I managed to snag a photo or two, and stole some from others...

Austin: turkey carver extraordinaire: 

The pup, exploring some fabulous smells:

and the after-effects of dinner-a nap on the floor:

 

Hope everyone else had a fabulous Thanksgiving! 

Party like it's 2032

My parents are currently at their 30th Class Reunion (those are their senior yearbook photos, HA!) which got me thinking...where will we be in 24 years?

It's hard to imagine what a reunion would be like, not even having our 10th yet, (2012, here we come) but let's see we will be 48...well if we have it before August I will be 47, but Austin will be 48 ;)

Hopefully we will have a couple of kids off doing impressive things so we can brag about them, as parents are wont to do...and with the Navy reopening the fourth fleet, which covers the Carribean, Latin America and South America, hopefully we will have lived in Europe and some other amazing places, mayhap Brazil.

Austin will either be pretty high up in the Navy or retired...and I will be...who knows? Maybe somewhere along the way I will have gotten a PhD. Austin said he would cut a deal with me and retire wherever I wanted to since I would be following him all over the world for years, but where will that somewhere be?

And where will our friends be in life? OSL will really be old school then. Maybe we will actually be able to afford annual beach house summer vacations by 2032 - hopefully sooner, rather than later :)

In any case it is fun to dream about what the future may bring as we begin this military journey. I am sure my parents never thought they would do half of the things that they have done in the last 30 years.

4 days until I hit RI!

Celebration of Life

Yesterday I went to my great-grandfather's funeral, which was actually very amazing. While everyone was saddened by the loss of such a great man, it was actually a celebration of his life.

My uncle Mark (Lute's son) who was a state represenative for Wisconsin for 8 years spoke, as well as his long time friend Bud Grant, long time coach of the Minnesota Vikings and member of the NFL Hall of Fame. Grandpa recruited him out of college to pitch for the baseball team he managed in Osceola, WI. (Bud also played professional basketball for the Minneapolis Lakers, who later moved to LA...you didn't actually think there were lakes in LA, did you?)

My great-grandpa was an amazing man: I got the numbers yesterday and he had 7 children, 23 grandchildren, 54 great grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren at the time of his passing. What a family!

He had an impact on so many people's lives; he hosted a radio show, wrote two books and happily passed out business cards that read "Professional Tinkerer" for years and years. I have posted the obituary from his hometown newspaper below so you can get a glimpse of what his adventures looked like:

"Luther Roderick "Lute" Pettis of Osceola died July 18, 2008. He was 93.


He was born to Clarence and Hester Pettis Jan. 4, 1915, in Buffalo, Minn. At an early age he lost his father in an occupational accident. The family moved to a small farm in Alden Township near the West Immanuel Church. Luther, being the eldest, found employment as a "cowboy," locating a ranch in South Dakota that was in need of one. He would "ride the rails" as he put it, to the ranch for the spring roundup, work until after the fall roundup and return home the same way. He earned a living in his father’s stead, with boots and cowboy hat still in a closet somewhere. While at home he met his wife of 73 years at a church function and quite a large family evolved as two of Lute’s sisters married two of his wife’s brothers. God blessed their lives with seven children, they all survive including Mayme his exceptional wife of 73 years.

Also surviving are children, Sherman (Elenore) Osceola; Marlys (Dale Haugen, deceased) Roberts; Gail (Chuck Beaver, deceased) Winter; Rebecca (Arvin) Larson, Osceola;Velma (Daryle) Larson, Saginaw, Mich; Mark (Joey) Hertel; and David (Diane) Osceola; and sister, Jean, in California.

He was preceded in death by his father, mother, one brother, Leland, and four sisters, Iylla, Mary, Audrey, and Ida Dell.

He often would boast the total of well over 80 living direct descendents and his loving wife, who was with him in hospice when he died. She repeated several times "those hands were never out of work."
Luther and Mayme began their married life in New Richmond where Lute was employed by Bernard Motors. They traveled, as their family grew, to Horse Creek, then to Southern Minnesota and his first blacksmith shop in Kasota. It was here where his interest in the game of baseball blossomed. Managing his first team there, he often told of how he made bats for that team, turning them out on the lathe in his shop.
It was on to St. Peter, Minn., where he was employed, because of his mechanical skills and abilities, by Hallet Construction Co. World War II then required these skills be used for defense. He worked for a defense contractor in the Twin Cities, then named Northern Pump, welding and building gun mounts for the U.S. Navy.
Lute and his growing family were now closer to his wife’s home and it was on a trip to visit them that he saw a for-sale sign on the blacksmith shop in Osceola. He inquired, but not having immediate funds for the purchase, was introduced to a local businessman by his wife’s father, Martin Johnson. As for the money, he recalled, this man said to him "you look like an honest man...how much do you need?" The purchase was made and his extraordinary reception into this new town told him he was to settle his family in the community he grew to dearly love, Osceola, (then population just over 600). He used his God-given talents with mechanics to support the growing family, 19 years of which with H.G. Stocker and Son.

Shortly after moving to Osceola a group of young men learned of his interest in baseball. The team was short one man and requested he play with them, at least for this one game. They won the game and as Lute explained many times, they wanted to continue playing but needed a manager. "Since I was the oldest, I was elected to the job." This launched an honest-to-goodness love affair with baseball in Osceola that included construction of a new baseball field, the lights, fences, dugouts, grandstand, uniforms, exhibition games with various semi-pro teams, equipment, Bud Grant, managing the Osceola Braves for 19 years, many lasting friendships, and so much more.
Also, during his life in Osceola, he hosted a radio program that was broadcast weekly on Saturdays over the station in Stillwater, Minn. The name, "Hello From Osceola," gave him an opportunity to boast of his home town, and he did just that. There were no notes, no script, just delightful conversation. The show was so popular that there was an actual waiting list of sponsoring advertisers.
Lute made so many friends and found it terribly difficult to make enemies. He was a devout Christian and left Friday on the arm of his very best friend and his manager, Jesus Christ. You are safe at home now..... we’ll see you, Dad." (The Osceola Sun)

"Good men must die, but death can not kill their names"

I have been a little hesitant about posting about this, but I am just going to go ahead and do it. On Friday I found out that my great-grandfather, Luther Pettis (my dad's grandfather) passed away in his sleep.



Grandpa Pettis certainly lived a long and very full life with my great grandmother Mayme. They were married for over 70 years, had seven children together, tons of grandchildren, and a myriad of great grandchildren. He was very loved by many people in the community and always volunteered when necessary. He lived such an interesting and varied life, which included publishing books about his experiences such as those on ranches in South Dakota in his youth. He was a man of very great faith and I am taking comfort in the fact that he is in a better place.



The funeral service will take place on Friday morning, so I will probably be leaving my internship a little early to make it up there with my family. It saddens my heart to know that I will be ending such a great experience in such a depressing way, but I will always remember this summer for the highs before the lows.



Friday will also mark five days before my trip to Rhode Island - I am hoping to be able to continue focusing on the way that Grandpa Pettis impacted my life and not the way that his passing has affected me so as not to be an emotional mess while I am there.



I will leave you with the title quote from proverbs "Good men must die, but death can not kill their names."

Graduation Stuff

Ok so, I know I said that I was going to sleep this weekend and now it's almost midnight and I am posting -- but I just got off the phone with Austin.

Graduation Updates:

Thursday night there will be a fancy schmancy dinner. He is checking on times, prices and how many people he is allowed to have come.

Friday morning is graduation. All those wishing to attend have to be there at "0830"...graduation starts at "0900 hours" (hehe, that's a direct quote)

If you are interested in attending any of the events listed, please let either he or I know...

After graduation is completed, he is free to go!!!

Wooooo!

Also, he told the Navy he would be taking care of his own travel arrangements...so, he is flying with me! We got him on the same flight and will be arriving in Norfolk at 1254. Yay!

...and we're back.

And with plenty of updates! First and foremost, I hope that everyone had as good of a weekend as I did!



I enjoyed getting some R and R with the family and enjoyed a few days of boating, eating lots, enjoying fabulous weather, watching Wimbledon (tough break Federer) and watching fireworks at the town of Greenwood :)

You just can't order days like these.

  

Zach slalom skiing

  

Cousin Noah in the boat

  

My cousin Dylan and I getting ready for fireworks

  

Yay for fireworks right overhead!

In any case, I had a great weekend besides that in that I got to talk to Austin a WHOLE bunch!!! He passed his navigation test! Woo! One more evolution down!

Because he passed the test, on Wednesday, he got to have off base leave for the fourth. He was pretty excited about going to a parade for the fourth and then getting a tour of the newest ship in the Navy (which I cannot remember the name of at the moment...).

Unfortunately, he did not get to go to the parade after all, because he and his class didn't get the regiment clean in time, but they did get to go on the tour of the ship so that was exciting. They also got to go explore and hang around Newport, RI that night. He was pretty proud walking around on the 4th in his uniform :)

So, he has two more evolutions which take place tomorrow. He has his PT and PI left and will complete both of them tomorrow. They are the last things that stand in the way of him graduating on time, so cross your fingers!!! If he gets through this tomorrow, he will get his cell phone back and have calling privileges every night, and it will basically be just a waiting game until graduation, yay!

In other news, congratulations to my sorority little sister Katelyn who got engaged over the weekend to her long time boyfriend Joey! We are so happy for you guys!

I will --hopefully-- be back with good news tomorrow!

busy busy busy

Sorry to keep you all waiting on the updates, but it has been a busy week for me!

We started Freshman Orientations here at UW and in case you haven't been paying attention to the news have been conducting them despite the state of emergency across most of WI...

A little about the fam first -- Zach Brawford graduated high school this weekend! Yay! It was a really long and hot ceremony, but we are all quite proud of him. He will be attending school at UW-Eau Claire and double majoring in Music Education and Music Composition. Pics to come soon!

Also graduating were my cousins Danny and Karyn Malnory. So, we had their party on Saturday and Zach's on Sunday.

I talked to Austin Sunday morning which is when he told me about the ridiculousness of RLP.

Apparently only 20/41 people in his class passed, so he was really happy to be in the passing group!

His test consisted of basic knowledge and prep of uniform etc, and then random things like why he loves the Marine Corps and jumping on and off his bed 100 times...

ohhhh Navy. I love how hazing is legal, so long as it is done by an organization other than a fraternity or sorority, lol.

In other news he got fitted for his dressiest of dress white uniforms and thinks he looks very dapper in it :)

on the flip side when he gets out of OCS he will owe about $2500 in uniform costs, yikes!

I think it is time for a little equality, in the form of a new Coach purse and beautiful new shoes of course, don't you? ;)