To Alaska, with love

I miss my mom and dad!

They are in Alaska. And have been since June 1. And will be until the middle of September.

(Mom and Dad, I'm still holding you to your word that you are coming home in the middle of September...)

If you want to see what they've been up to, check out their blog (Litwiller Travels) that is chock-full of wonderful pictures...a few of which are below.


Mom and Dad, I miss you and can't wait to see you again.

The little things

It's the little things in life that make me smile. Like going for a walk in the evening with my family.

Welcome, Brianna

We were so excited to hear of the birth of Kent's niece's daughter, Brianna Nichole Sky, born on July 16th. (Does that make Kent a grand-uncle?) She looks like such a sweetheart - I just want to kiss her chubby little cheeks! :)

Congratulations Ashley, we can't wait to see the adorable little bundle in person!

June 7, 1984

Do you remember where you were 25 years ago? To the minute?

Unfortunately I do. So does my family. And so do many of the people that live in my community.

June 7, 1984 started like the days before. It was hot. And my sister and I had Bible School at church. This was taken on the morning of June 7th. (Don't you love Kristen's glasses? And I'm not sure why we were holding the flowers like they were attached to our chins.) But anyway, the day started normally. (Just disregard the stupid black dots on Kristen's face and on all the subsequent pictures. Stupid scanner and it's dirty glass that I didn't realize was dirty until I scanned everything in.)

That evening, at about 9:45 p.m., a tornado ripped through our community. And right through my parents farm.

I was six at the time, and my memories of the actual tornado are a bit fuzzy. I remember my dad telling us to go to the basement, and my mom running back up the stairs to do something or get something. She did make it downstairs finally, although it has taken me a while to not have anymore dreams where my mom doesn't make it to the basement and to safety with us. As for memories of the actual tornado, I have brief memories of what we did and how it sounded. Thankfully not too many though. (I have enough issues without having to remember it in detail!)

I do remember having to stay in the basement for what seemed like forever. And when we did venture out, it seems like it was up the back stairs to the garage where we either got a phone call that my brother and sister were OK or maybe my brother Mike had gotten home then or something. (Mom, you can verify if that is correct or way off base.) That night my sister and I went to my grandparents house to sleep. We slept in the basement (no bedrooms were in their basement, but I'm assuming we were too scared to sleep on the main level of the house.) Grandma gave us Pepto-Bismol, and to this day I can't stand the stuff.

The next day was when we saw the extent of the damage. Not just to our home and farm, but to our whole community. And in my 6-year-old mind, my whole world had just turned upside down.

Our house didn't sustain too much damage considering what happened to the other buildings on the farm. The large windows in the front of the house were broken (hence the plywood nailed to the front of the house in the picture below.) I think our garage was moved off the foundation a little bit. But this was pretty minor damage to the house.

Our barn was gone. The big, red, awesome old barn was blown to bits. The picture below is obviously before the tornado.

Our beautiful old willow tree in the front yard was damaged beyond repair. And I was just getting to be old enough and big enough to be able to climb it.

The white shed that is wrapped around the tree in the picture below had just been painted a day or two before.

This old corn crib was torn down shortly after the picture was taken. If you can tell, that's my dad carrying me as he walks away from the corn crib. I'm pretty sure I remember crying as that corn crib went down.

And although the destruction seemed devastating to me (and I assume my parents), our farm was a lot better off than our neighbors that lived just up the road from us.

This was our neighbor's house and what used to be their farm. Everything was destroyed. Their house was beyond repair and was demolished. And they moved away.

This was what I've remembered for 25 years. What I've had nighmares about for 25 years. And what has haunted me for 25 years.

I recently heard the rest of the story. How even though so many things were destroyed, God protected us. And sheltered us. And provided for us.

The hundreds of people that came the very next day to help. And they kept coming for days and days after that. They helped clean up the rubble of the destroyed buildings. They brought food. And snacks. And drinks. They picked up debris in our yard. They walked in the fields and rode on wagons in the fields to pick up debris. After they helped us clean up, they also helped us rebuild.

They cried with us. And they laughed with us. (Mom, Ed Martin shared the story during Sunday School this morning of the little stone donkey planter that survived the tornado...and we all had a good laugh. I'm assuming you remember that donkey?) They didn't just help us. They restored our faith and our hope.

This morning our church held a remembrance of the tornado of June 7, 1984. The whole morning we heard stories of God's faithfulness to his people. And stories of the strength of community. And I finally got it. That the tornado doesn't just represent destruction and fear. But community and hope and healing.

Bunny Burner Breakfast

So let's just clear the air right now. I'm not talking about burning bunnies. Let me repeat - no bunnies were harmed in the making of this breakfast!

Bunny burner breakfasts are a tradition in our family. My Dad's family made these breakfasts and now our family does. It's a breakfast that you make outside on a tin can. It consists of bacon, an egg, and bread. Oh yeah, and smoke. And burned bits of who knows what. And more smoke. And maybe a little dirt. And then more smoke.

So for Memorial Day, we had a send-off party for my parents (who will be leaving for Alaska for 3 months in just a few days) and we made bunny burners.

Step #1
Preparing the tin cans. Sorry, no pictures! You need large cans that already have the top off the can (that open part now becomes the bottom of the can.) Then you cut an opening on the side at the bottom for the fire. You also cut small air holes around the top of the side of the can.

Step#2
Put a corn cob (minus the corn on it) or two under the can. Then dip another cob in some kerosene. Or gasoline. Not quite sure which was used. Light the fire very carefully with a match. Making sure to keep away when you throw the match in the can. (I believe we all have all our arm hair and eyebrows still, but there were a few close calls on Monday!)

Step #3
Add bacon. 2 or three pieces.


Step #4
Check fire. Add more cobs if needed.

Step #5
Move bacon around with a fork. Or a poker. Or a stick.


Step #6
Check fire again. Add more cobs if needed.

Step #7
If your bacon is done, use it to form a ring in which to crack an egg.


Step #8
Check fire again. By now the fire is probably out, in spite of your best efforts. First you have to determine if your fire is getting too much or not enough breeze. Then you move the can around accordingly. Then you need to add yet another cob that you dipped in kerosene. And then you get to light the fire again.


Step #9
Carefully flip the egg and bacon over. Take extra care to keep it on the tin can so that it doesn't fall on the ground.


Step #10
Line up who will be using the can next. I am always bummed that Kent likes to make these, because I would gladly make enough for my whole family. The fun is in the making of the breakfast. Well. I guess it's in the eating too!


Step #11
When the egg is cooked through, you will need to have 2 pieces of bread. One goes on the bottom of the egg and bacon, and the other on the top. When the bottom piece is toasted, flip the sandwich and toast the other side.


Step#12
Enjoy all the greasy, outdoorsy goodness of your bacon and egg sandwich made outside. On a tin can. (You'll see that I was halfway done eating before I remembered to take a picture!)


We also had a campfire on Monday. (Is it still called a campfire if you're not camping?) It was a good way to be together as a family before my parents leave for Alaska. We had a great time, but I was definitely ready to go home and take a shower to wash all the smokey smell out of my hair.

Congrats Grad!

On May 17th, my niece, Taylor, graduated from high school. (You may recall that I recently blogged about her graduation party here.)


Taylor graduated with 32 other seniors from Iowa Mennonite School. Yes, that's right for everyone reading this who is not from around here - 32 other people! My graduating class was 44 people. Kent's was at least 500, right Kent? As I sat there on the bleachers listening to the speakers during Baccalaureate and Commencement, I thought a lot about the community that I live in. And the fact that I was able to live in a small-town, sheltered community during my formative years. I won't get into that now, but despite the fact that yes, it is sheltered, and no, I didn't have as many opportunities at my high school, I am still so thankful and blessed to have grown up here.


Anyway, back to Taylor's graduation. As we were urged to do during the Baccalareate message, Taylor, we are so proud of you! You have a bright future ahead and we look forward to seeing where you go and what you do.


In my mom's blog posting about Taylor graduating (go here to read it), she reminded us that Taylor walked across the very same stage to get her diploma that both her parents, at least 2 of her grandparents (Beth, did Chuck & Lorena go to IMS?) and 7 of her aunts and uncles walked across to get their own diplomas. A lot of things may have changed through the years, but the school, the stage, and the ceremony are still the same.


As Taylor was walking across the stage, I tried my best to get Jesse to yell out "Go Bubble!" But he wouldn't...yes, when I actually wanted him to be loud he wouldn't! (Jesse calls Taylor "Bubble" because she taught him to say the word and because she is usually chewing gum so he asks her to blow a bubble for him.)

So congrats, Taylor! When should I plan my road trip to Harrisonburg next year?

Party on!

Last Friday I had the honor of helping my niece, Taylor, with her graduation party. My sister Beth had to teach school until 2:30 in the afternoon, and the party was that evening, so my other sister Kristen and I rallied at Taylor's house to help get things ready for the party.

Plan A was to use a tent in the backyard. People were supposed to walk to the tent via their side yard. Which meant that no one needed to go into the house except to use the restroom. So we planned for that. The tent was up, all the flower beds in the front and back were weeded and mulched. The pool was cleaned and ready for floating candles. We were set.

Then Friday came along.

And it rained. And poured. And was really, really windy. Se we had to change our plans.

Plan B was to still use the tent in the backyard. But to have people walk through the house to get to the tent.

But it still rained. And misted. And sprinkled. The grass under the tent was OK. It was just that to get to the tent, people would have to walk through muddy, spongy grass. And then they would have to walk back through the mud to leave. It just wouldn't work.

So on to plan C.

Plan C was our final, last-ditch effort. Keep in mind that it was now 1:30 or 2:00, and guests would be arriving by 7. The house was clean, but not ready at all to host a few hundred people. In short order, Kristen, Taylor and I had relieved the house of all vestiges of Christmas. We also figured out where everyone would be situated (Beth and Rod welcoming people on the porch and Taylor and her pictures in the living room.) Then we found out the tent guys could come back and put up a tent on the driveway to basically extend the garage. Thank goodness we knew someone who had large panels of fabric to hang in the garage to hide everything (like shelves, a grill, ladders, was there even a lawnmower back there?) And thank goodness that either 1) Beth and Rod always have a clean garage or 2) they had previously cleaned it out just in case.

And before long, we had many hands to help set everything up, finish getting things cleaned up, and in general, just getting ready for the party.

We set up the food and drinks in the kitchen for people to get while on their way to the garage and tent.


And before we knew it, it was time to get ready for the party. The house was transformed.


We were ready for the party to start!

There were 3 different kinds of pie and ice cream. The pie that is closest in the picture below is black raspberry. That was definitely a favorite. The problem we encountered with serving it was that it wasn't set up. So as soon as I put it on the plate it would just puddle everywhere. So even though it didn't look very nice, I was told that it still tasted wonderful!


After guests left, Taylor opened her presents. Times have changed because when I graduated people gave actual presents. Now the vast majority is a card with money. It was still fun to see the goodies that Taylor got!


Below she is opening the present from my family - a purse I made for her. The surprise was that I gave it to her a month or two ago and she didn't realize that I took it back and wrapped it up.

One of the sweetest presents was from her former babysitter. Her babysitter and her daughter made Taylor a denim comforter and they gave her the cup that Taylor used every day when she was at their house. Like, it's the actual cup with Taylor's name on it! It was such a sweet gift - and Taylor was thrilled with it.


So maybe the graduation party didn't go quite as expected. But it turned out really nice in spite of the poor weather. And we had so much fun getting ready for it and helping at the actual party. And I think Taylor had a blast too!