So...the story of Miriam. It was early last December I believe. Derek and I made our way into the sanctuary at church after depositing Micki at her class. We'd just sat down when somebody came up to me and in this soft little voice said "excuse me, is your name Melissa?". I looked up and immediately knew who she was. "Miriam?" I said. It so happened that Miriam's husband Tom saw me walking into church and told Miriam "I think that's Melissa Kerr. Bud and Bonny's daughter." He had her chase me down, and sure enough, that's who I was (although my last name has changed).

I have known Tom and Miriam since I was about 9 years old. They lived in Portland and started traveling back and forth to Bend because they planned on moving there when they got married. Our church, Cascade Christian Fellowship (CCF) was a small transplant church from the 5,000+ member Bible Temple church they went to in Portland. They got married at age 18 and 19, why I remember that, I don't know. Anyway, they moved to Central Oregon and my parents took them under their wings like they were their own kids. Miriam was constantly at our house and my dad and Tom worked together in construction, they were like family. Miriam played the violin and tamborine in church and she became my first violin teacher. Tom became one of the worship leaders, my favorite and I loved when he would bring out his guitar and play, especially when we would go on camp outs. They became parents to Benji and then Anna (now she's called Julie, her first name). I have babysat those kids many times, especially Benji. They moved away (to Salem I think) when Anna was about 2 or 3, I was a teenager by now. I know my parents kept in semi contact with them, and my dad had even dropped in and paid them a visit when Miriam went into labor with her youngest child Shannon.

The next time I saw them was when my dad put together a church renunion campout over 4th of July weekend in 1998. Micki was a baby and Derek was 3. We saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in years and years that weekend. It was fun, a little overwhelming for Chad who didn't know who the heck all these people were. I found out that Tom and Miriam were pastoring a church in Eastern Oregon and that's the last I heard of them until last December. Turns out they moved to Medford right before summer last year and started going to my church just a couple of weeks before they saw me there. Talk about small world. They had lived in Eastern Oregon for 13 years and felt a tug to move, so here they are. Tom's brother lives here and his mom is in Grants Pass, which is where he is originally from. (30 miles away)

I was so excited, I phoned my mom, my brother, my uncle, my grandma... "guess who goes to my church?". They all think it's great and can't wait to visit with them when they see me next. My brother was super excited, turns out he works with several of their friends at ccli. One in particular was really good friends with Miriam's sister Julia, who sadly passed away last fall, her youngest is only 11. Mike (my brother) lived with Steve and Julia in Portland when he went to Portland State University.

Their kids are all grown up now, I think there are 4, two boys and two girls, a granddaughter and another on the way via Julie.

I know it is long, but that is the story of Miriam and how we came to be back in each other's lives. It is amazing what a small world this really is.

It's Thursday. Almost TGIF. Chad and I had a disagreement this morning (yeah right, more like me bitching at him). I got a copy of the cable bill in my e-mail and instead of the $99/month, this month is $153 and then it's going to be $110 each month because he has added stuff. Tired of it, I'm ready to just chuck the tv altogether. Give me my scrapbooking and my internet and I'm happy. I had no idea that when I decided to get the new entertainment center it would cost us as much in a new plasma tv, plus more $$ tacked onto the cable bill. Ugghhh....Men!!!

Last night Miriam called me. We're meeting at the Olive Garden for lunch on Friday. We had a really good time when we met at Applebees a few months ago. I'll start a new post about the story on this and who Miriam is.

Oh, one more thing: When I logged on here, I can see all my pictures I've posted! Yeah. I don't know if it will last, but for now I can see them without clicking on the little rectangle boxes.

Here's some more pics. I know the last ones were really screwy, who knows why.

Here's some pics I took of the Ali Edwards class Saturday. We got some pics of all of us together in a big group, taken by a customer but I just asked that one be e-mailed to me after about 6 or 7 shots from different cameras.

Here's a few more pics. I don't know why some show up and some don't, but if you click on the little rectangle box where the pic is supposed to be it will pull up the picture.

Pics from the last week. I hope they come up ok.

Today was the kids last day of school. They had a 2 hour early release. Man, they were so excited. I now have a 6th grader and a 3rd grader. I can't believe I am a mom to a middle schooler. Who knew? The stinkers are growing up way too fast, I am kind of scared about starting this new stage of life with Derek. So many changes, I wish we could keep them tiny for longer.

I didn't try posting a pic from my home pc yet. Been very busy. I had a great time on Saturday. I went to No Bare Pages and took two Ali Edwards classes. It was a lot of fun, she is so full of energy and has a booming voice. Her story is very interesting, she didn't try her hand at it until 2002 and then started submitting layouts to CK and became a Hall of Famer. Out of the blue they called her up and asked her to write a book, and now here she is, a scrapbook celebrity. Last year I missed out on her class at NBP, it was only her second time teaching and now she has been all over the world. I really like the owners Val and Carma and the ladies who crop at NBP are wonderful. Too bad it is the furthest store from me in my area. My co-coach took over my girls' last softball game on Saturday. I was sorry to miss the game, the only one I haven't been there for, but I needed to take some me time and was so looking forward to the classes and the crop afterward.

Well, I'm pretty disappointed. One of the reasons I haven't been as diligent as I would like in posting here is because last September I couldn't upload any more pics here. I wasn't sure if there was a limit, but after seeing other posts with the same problems, I think it is just a glitch. I've tried and tried and still cannot post any more pics, kind of a bummer, that is the main reason I like having the blog. Pictures are awesome. I'm going to try again when I get home this evening.