Don't help me!!!

One day while living on Qualibrook, I walked home from school to find that Tara had "helped" me clean my room. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! When Tara helps you clean anything, that generally means that half your stuff goes missing and you'll never see it again. Now, I admit that I wasn't always the cleanest or most detailed organizer in my earlier years. But, I was organized none the less. I knew that my homework was over in the corner, by my dresser, under that pile of clothes, stuffed animals and a few prized rocks. But when I came home that fateful day, the top of my dresser was bare, there was empty space under my bed, and my pathway on the floor was gone - EVERYTHING on that cement floor was gone (we didn't have it carpeted at the time). I was devastated! Where was all my stuff?!? When I asked her, she insisted that I wouldn't miss anything she threw away. What?!? You threw them away?!? My precious posessions?!? I was especially sore about my favorite stuffed animal, the scotti-dog, which I promtly pulled out of the garbage bin. As I pulled it out, I also saw the other things that I knew I would miss for sure! But when Tara saw me hauling in all the stuff she'd just purged, she demanded that I throw it back out. I threw most of it back out, except for the scotti dog. I kept that. But somehow it disappeared again.

I'm Bianca...

As most of you know, there was a time when I changed my name. You see, the Rescuers Down Under movie had just come out, and Bianca was just soooo beautiful, and ladylike, and classy, and she had an accent, and all that la-dee-dah stuff that I wanted to have and be. So I changed my name. Now I could be beautiful and lady like and classy.... Anyway, I guess Tiffany didn't get the message. We were living on Gentry and I was playing with my toys in the living room by the scratchy blue couch. She walked in and called me by my old name, "Jannie," and waited patiently for my reply. When I didn't respond she repeated, "Jannie?" I continued to ignore her as I played with my toys. Less patiently, she tried again and raised her voice, "Jannie!" ...no answer... "JANNIE, I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME! I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE IN THE SAME ROOM AS YOU! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!!!" Very calmly and collectedly, with a slight accent, and without looking up I replied, "I'm Bianca." I guess that didn't make her very happy. Through clenched teeth she growled, "Weeelll BIANCA..." and she delivered whatever message she had to say.

I did change my name back to Jannie eventually. I think that happened when I repeated the scenario with Mom and she decided out of frustration that I wasn't allowed to change my name to Bianca... or anything else for that matter.

Aaron did it!

Poor guy, Jayson made him the scapegoat for everything. Even if Aaron didn't do it, Jayson said he did. We all knew better, or we think we did. It's hard to decide which one (Jayson or Aaron) to believe. But either way, Aaron did it!

Frogging

I swear she did it. Everyday. For two years! In the same spot!!! On my right arm just below the shoulder. I would be innocently walking into the kitchen on Gentry, minding my own hungry business, when all of a sudden, out of no where, she'd plant a hard knuckle right into my arm. She had it in for me. And it hurt sooooo bad! Because she just kept frogging me in the same place, so the bruise would never heal. What did I do to deserve that, anyway? I could never retaliate. I was too good natured and kind. So, I would tell Mom, but nothing would happen. Tara would just giggle wickedly and run away. I'm still trying to forgive her for it.

Better photo of Me!

Since it is my month... I thought I would post a picture of me that I liked!

Jannie - great shot!

Memories of Aaron - by Jannie

Aaron, Aaron, Aaron.... Where do I begin? Most of my memories of Aaron are in my later years. I do remember, however, when he came home from his mission he brought me a little porcelain bear and a leather pouch, both hand-crafted from Argentina. I took them to school for show and tell. Ooooooo, ahhhhhh! I was so enthralled with all of his mission stories that I did my 6th grade country report on Argentina.

Aaron's a creative kind of guy. I remember he took a 6 inch peice of a broken machetti, sharpened it, and mounted it in a wooden handle that he bound in rope. Then he made a leather-wrapped wood sheath for it, with feathers and beads (which make me friendly), and gave it to me. I loved it! I remember taking it with me to girls' camp and everyone being impressed that my brother made me a knife - and a cool knife at that! I think he made a second one too and gave it to Sundee or Charity.

I've learned a lot from Aaron. Besides the hot-water-freezes-faster-than-cold-water kind of "facts" (and he had more of those by the way), I've learned a lot of real stuff, like how to make sawdust candles and wilderness survival tips. I love that kind of stuff, and he always had something new he could teach me. I remember going to his house and finding him in his backyard teaching his kids about growing food and building fires. His oldest, Adom, came up to me and told me all the different ways Aaron had taught him to start fires. I wasn't sure how great it was that his 11 year old son was already a pyro, but apparently he got it from his dad. At least Aaron didn't light the house on fire like Jayson did - although Jayson probably used the classic "Aaron did it!" Usually when Jayson said that, Jayson was the one who actually "did it," but he was still all too happy to give Aaron the credit.

I'm grateful for the time I got to spend with Aaron after college. After I graduated, I lived close by and would get to see him fairly often. We had a lot of meaningful conversations, and still do - some that make me think, some that make me laugh, some that make me cry. It means a lot that I can count on him. The other day when I was stranded in the road, Aaron dropped what he was doing to come rescue me. He brought Adom too, teaching him to rescue the damsels in distress - or at least his distressed Aunt! I appreciate my older brother. Thanks Aaron.