Vodka Pancakes

On Saturday Linz and I went over to the Sikma's house, who were going to make us breakfast. I knew they lived on Lake Michigan Drive on a hill between two white walls. I'd read John's emailed directions Friday afternoon, but was unable to look at 'em again Saturday due to my challenged computer. We got off the exit and headed up LkMiDr, but didn't see the house we sought. I turned down Covell, spotting the Englesma apple stand, planning on stopping there to call and get further directions. As I turned, I called the Sikmas and Pete answered. Unfortunately, it turns out the driveway to the applestand is rather small, not even appearing to BE a driveway until you're half way past it. Added to the fact that I was on the phone, it is MORE than understandable that I missed the drive, but didn't quite make the NEXT one I was aiming for. Instead I went FLYING over BOTH curbs. Linz and I were screaming our heads off and laughing VERY hard. Pete, on the other end, was asking rather worriedly if we were ok. He gave me directions from there. We got in the turn lane as instructed, only to find that cars go rather fast on Lake Michigan Drive. After waiting for quite awhile, I decided to just go. I came screeching into the Sikmas driveway, finally safe and sound.

We entered the house to see John with the box of pancake mix in front of him and Pete trying to decide if he should make scrambled eggs or an omelet. Soon enough the pancake recipe done, but John proclaimed something missing. He reached into the cupboard and pulled out a clear bottle labeled vodka!! I was a bit dubious, but Pete assured me it was homemade vanilla. Pete had decided to make omelets. I put myself in charge of making the pancakes. I made a lovely P for Pete, J for John, and L for Linz. Pete tried to make an E for me, but alas, it looked more like a sideways hippo. I was soon ejected from my post, as I supposedly flipped the pancakes too soon. I was redeemed by my wonderful sourcream coffee cake, which thankfully was only eaten by PEOPLE, not large dogs named Hunter!! With our milk, juice, eggs, pancakes, and coffeecake we had LOTS of cornerstones of a complete breakfast!!

We got a tour of the "pre civil war" house, complete with a showing of where the soldiers got embalmed and how the large front picture window was used for viewings of bodies for passersby. Linz and I got special viewings of the movies that the Sikmas made with the Miskinvich's, including the deadly banana man and the curse of the fur coat. TRUE STORY!! The movies made me rather melancholy, missing the miskinvich's. One part, with Gordon declaring how it had been difficult for him to play a part of a murdering drugdealer because he wasn't a violent guy by nature, had me laughing, but also wanting to cry at the memories it brought back. Its SO much fun hanging out with the Sikmas, they always put me in an awesome mood, but its not quite the same as with the Miskinvichs.

Prayers...

I don't have any inspiration for a regular post, but Doug and Chris are on my mind right now. As you may remember, Doug is a senior at good ole PCHS and our Student Council VP. He has been fighting leukemia for over a year now. He's awesome, dealing with everything with a smile on his face. He's a great role model!! Anyway, right now he's in Ann Arbor with his sister Christie, a good friend of mine, awaiting tomorrow when, if all goes well, his bone marrow transplant will take place. Christie is Doug's donor and will be giving him her stem cells so his bone marrow will start working right again (...or something like that). The weeks and months ahead will tell if the transplant is successful, but this is the beginning of it all. I'm asking all of you out there to pray for Doug, Chris, the Timmer family, and all the doctors working with Doug. Here in GR we can't do much else but pray...so please join me in doing that.

2020

BREAKING NEWS- Erika VanUnknown has just announced her intent to run for president in the 2020 elections. She plans to have John Sikma be her vice-president. She plans to run on a Hugs, Not Drugs platform. Says VanUnknown, "It's very important for kids today to remember to make good choices!!" Sikma agrees, saying, "Hugs can fix anything, even cars." Together they plan to implement a new policy regarding boyfriends and girlfriends. They intend to outlaw such relations altogether. Aware of the controversy that could surround such an issue, VanUnknown says, "Boys are VERY overrated. Who needs them?" Sikma, from the other side, says that though he doesn't want a boyfriend as he's not gay, he agrees with VanUnknown. More information on the election to follow.

It's Official

The Miskins no longer reside in the house by the church. In fact, they don't even live here in GR anymore. This morning at 6 they boarded the flight and left us. A whole bunch of us went to the airport at 4, which has made for an extremely long day. We were all crying our eyes out by the time they hugged us good bye.

Scarlett is kind of like another little sister to me. I've just gotten to know her better in the last couple months, but I wish we'd begun talking long ago. We started the triple L club together, commiserating about guys. We made bets about bowling, and she won. We gave marks of coolness, too. We've laughed a lot together, and now we've def. cried together. I'll miss her a TON!!

Mrs. Miskin was great. She was always willing to let us come hang out at her house without any fuss. She's also one of the classiest ladies I know. She greatly encouraged me in my plans of going to SA this summer. She told me that if it's God's will and if I've been called to work with the kids as she belives I am, that a way will work out for me to come. I hope and pray so much that she's right.

Gordon, of course, is the one I'll miss the most. Our relationship is the hardest to explain. Although we weren't as close as we once had been, we had a really special friendship. He knew me all too well, and sometimes it seemed like he could read my mind. We had so many good times together. Bowling, our looooong phone convo's, his violent computer games, Mean Girls, his awesome accent, his soap operas with Con, hallmark cards, Austin Powers, and SO much more. He was always willing to listen to me, no matter how retarded I was being. It seems like when I need someone to understand me, he'd be the one I'd want to talk to. He made school so much fun. He picked up on the tiniest teacher quirks and mocked them like CRAZY. He could do the BEST imitations of anyone you could think of. He told the greatest stories and could BS with the best of 'em. No matter how bad of a day you were having, he could make you laugh. He was so much a part of all of us, and now he's gone. Our class isn't going to be the same without him. I miss him already.

In some ways, it doesn't seem real that they're gone. I think the next time I wanna talk to one of 'em and they aren't there is when it's really gonna sink in. I can't call Gordon up anymore just to talk. When it's 9 pm here, the time Scarlett usually gets on IM, it'll be 2 pm there, so I'm sure I won't talk to her as much. The whole idea makes me cry. Who knows when, if ever, we'll see the Miskins again. Lord willing I'll make it down there this summer, but who knows what'll happen in the months that follow. I think that they are in Africa now, I'm not quite sure. I hope that the looooong flight went well. Pray that the mission efforts they will work on will be successful. Pray that the family will be able to settle in and be ok. Pray for all of us who they left behind who are having a hard time without them

I miss you guys, and I'll never, EVER forget you.

2005 Survey

1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before? Lets see, I got my ears peirced, I got a real job, I started volunteering at the children's hospital, and I'm sure other stuff, too. The hardest part of this thing is going to be figuring out what happened when!!
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't think I really made any actually. Next year my resolultion is to keep better track of how I spend my money!!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? my cousin Kate had a little boy
4. Did anyone close to you die? not really. a little boy, Crew, from the hospital that I hung out with died though. He was only 2...adorable little guy. Pray for his family.
5. What countries did you visit? Sadly, I didn't really go anywhere out of the US.
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005? MONEY!! that and more time to just do what I want to, not homework or work!!
7. What dates from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? all the saturday mornings for Mission Possible...Feb 4, the night we spent at Walkottons, the BEST sleepover of the year!!...March 19 and April 30, reigonals and State science olympiad competitions....March 30, the day we left for AZ for spring break....April 15 and May 27, got asked to and went to banquet...May 29, my bday!!...June 9, seniors graduated....July 11, 12, HOFFMASTER!!....August 16-18, cran hill...August 26, got my drivers liscense....SEptember 16, first time we hung out with the Sikmas...Sept 24, Race for the Cure....October 18, found out Doug relapsed....November 18, operation Christmas Child shopping, Footloose muscial....December 17, Gordon's going away party
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? all my stuff I've organized, esp. Race for the Cure and OCC
9. What was your biggest failure? still not getting help for someone who I KNOW needs it
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?nothing major....lots of colds
11. What was the best thing you bought? all those bags of gummi bears!!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?everyone who is still out there doing their best!! Also the Timmer family, who are still hanging in there, esp. Doug!!
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? the crazy people running around killing and raping and abusing others
14. Where did most of your money go? graduation, birthday, and christmas presents
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? junior high MP getting a perfect minute!! and senior high MP medaling at regionals!! and going to banquet!! and raising $1100 and filling 128 shoeboxes!!
16. What song will always remind you of 2005? She Will be Loved
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? right at this minute prolly about the same b) thinner or fatter? prolly the same .c) richer or poorer? the only good one...a little bit richer I'd say
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? hanging out with the miskins
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? spazzing out
20. How will you be spending New Year's? I spent it working and then watching a movie...quite boring
22. Did you fall in love in 2005? kinna sorta i guess...but can you really be in love at my age?
24. What was your favorite TV program? Friends!!
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? nope, it takes too much energy to really hate people!!
26. What was the best book you read? The Truth about Forever, by Sarah Dessen
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? the stuff on 104.5
28. What did you want and get? to go to banquet...to sucessfully organize OCC
29. What did you want and not get? a certain guy...to have a car
30. What was your favorite film of this year? A Cinderella Story
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I went to church...it was on a sunday. Thankfully the days before I hung out with a bunch of fun people (Joe, Bri, Jen, Jon, and all the other people at banquet, and Jen, Jon, Paula, Christy, and Lanae at mini golfing) I turned 16
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? getting asked out...not that I NEED a guy btw....earning enuff $$ for a car and a plane ticket
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005? same as its always been!! lots of skirts cuz of school, plus jeans and sweatshirts for saturdays. Ooh, and I LOVE those gauzy filmy lacy shirts, too.
34. What kept you sane? Paula Lou and the Harem, my Better 1/4's, and Maggie, who loves to hear all about the Plymouth drama, but can be totally seperate from it
36. What political issue stirred you the most? umm...i can't really think of one right now...omg, that sounds so ignorant!! Ok, thought of one on inspiration from Abbs. The war seems so removed and far away, but before June a couple of my good friends are leaving for it, and that scares the crap out of me!!
37. Who did you miss? the seniors!!
38. Who was the best new person you met? the Sikmas prolly...i didn't meet a whole lot of new people
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005: that change is something that happens, and it def. sux sometimes, but life DOES go on somehow!!
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: Every little thing that you say or do, I'm hung up, I'm hung up on you, Waiting for your callBaby night and day, I'm fed up, I'm tired of waiting on you-and just for the record thats not JUST about a guy!!