Moving Boxes, Old Photos, & Reminiscing

Do you take a lot of photos?
I do.
It seems I take too many photos of things that don't matter much any more, or at least I used to.
I like to think I am a better photographer now than I was 30 years ago.
I suppose time (and my kids) will be the judge of that.

I also wish I had taken more pictures of my kids when they were little.
It seems I have too many pictures of scenery and things that don't matter so much now.

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about moving and how our family is in a continual state of transition.
{ http://steppinoutwithdwntwn.blogspot.com/2011/02/families-in-transition.html }
If you read the blog then you know its been 5 years since we started packing up and heading to Oregon.
The moving truck arrived June 26th, 2006.
2 weeks after that I had most everything unpacked and put away in the house.
Or so I thought.
Today I am still going through a few unopened boxes left stacked in the garage.
The moving company did a very good job of labeling the boxes so I was fairly confident that the remaining boxes were meant to be kept, but it wasn't necessary I open them for our day to day life.
Today I opened the last 3 boxes.

The contents were for the most part as expected.
But I was treated to:
almost a ream of printer paper...we were nearly out.
A box of envelopes... who can't use more envelopes?
and a half ton of old photographs.

There were old papers and documents, (that should have been tossed prior to the move),
and quickly made their way to the recycling bin.
But the photos...
I brought into the house.

I am glad that technology has advanced and photos are easily stored on the computer or discs now.
The space taken up on discs in comparison to the physical photos, and negatives is minute.
But I am also sad to think that someday down the road my kids won't have the pleasure of sitting together, sifting and sorting through the Kodak envelopes filled with photos.

There is something about peeling back the self stick flap,
pulling out a paper folder of negatives and photos,
and wondering what pictures might be hiding inside that is exciting to me. 
I saw pictures today that spanned 30+ years.
It was a bit like leafing through your life as if it had been photographed, catalogued, and neatly assembled in a coffee table style book... 
except the book wasn't assembled chronologically.
My 'paper sack', 'moving box' storage method is anything BUT chronological.
Today, I didn't mind so much.

I have never liked leaving the "Time/Date" stamp on my camera.
As a photographer, I always believed the blaring red date stamped on the front right corner compromised the photo.
And...
I have never been good about writing on the back of the pictures the date or the people in the picture. I will admit, my family disagrees with me.  They have been known to complain asking.
"How will we know who this is and when the picture was taken?"

I am pretty good at recognizing 'who and when', primarily by who I was pregnant with or when I had given birth..
When you have 8 children, I suppose that is the gage for a lot of events.
For example...."that must be #1's senior year because #8 is celebrating her 1st birthday'....

I do enjoy photography., perhaps too much.
I have been trying to take pictures that will appeal to the family.
Some of my kids are good at posing and love being in front of the lens.
Others dodge the camera making it an extreme challenge to capture them on film/disc.
And I will admit that I take too many pictures that will appeal to No One but me.
Regardless...
too many photos,
not enough photos,

I enjoyed sorting and sifting through tons of pictures today.

I sat in the garage all by myself and reminisced.
I laughed.
And I cried.
Tonight as I went through the rest of the photos with some of the family.
There was more laughter,
and more tears.
Tomorrow I will add this box of photos to the others already in the closet.
I will set them all aside and forget about them until the next time comes to clean out the closet.

I can see myself someday sifting and sorting through the boxes of photos, laughing and crying at the same time, all over again.
However, next time I hope that I am not sitting all alone in the garage.
I hope I am sitting around the kitchen table with all my kids so that together we can reminisce and catalog the 'who & when'.

{ I will most likely regret posting this old photo, but it is a great example of a picture that made me laugh.  Recently I reminisced with my brother how our folks loved to dance, especially my dad.  My brother and I used to practice dancing at home before a big school dance.  If my memory serves me, I was a junior, maybe a senior in high school.
He is a couple of years younger.
Our mom took this photo prior to our dates arriving. 
I don't miss those big glasses, but I do miss those skinny arms! }

Perhaps I should sort through all the photos, alone, just one more time
prior to my kids getting their hands on them.
There very likely could be photos more embarrassing than this one!

Do you hang on to embarrassing photos or delete them right away?



Steppin' out with DWNTWN
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Volunteerism-Part 1

Do you volunteer?
Do you volunteer often or have a favorite place where you volunteer?
What makes up a person who volunteers?
Is it boredom?
Is it court ordered?

Lack of Employment?
Desire to learn a new skill?
Or is it passion for helping others?


I think there are as many reasons why people volunteer as there are volunteers.


All I can attest to is why I volunteer.
I spent some time volunteering today at Habitat for Humanity, my former place of employment.
 {I wonder how many people end up volunteering where they used to work. 
I imagine that number might be small.} 
I saw some familiar faces in the office, and met some new ones.
The folks who have filled my former position, have asked for some assistance and history in regards to the work they are doing. 
At first I thought it might be awkward going back to the job I left,
but it wasn't.  The new staff are very welcoming.
It felt familiar, almost comfortable.

While spending some time sifting and sorting through papers and files,
the volunteer coordinator and I had a chance to visit a bit about why,
...why do people volunteer?
How do you invite more people to volunteer?
How do you explain to a group of students from Japan, why the volunteering spirit is so strong in the United States?
And ultimately she asked me, why do I still volunteering?
I answered all her questions as best I could and used a couple of stories as examples.
She asked me if I had any of what I shared could be found in the old files.
I said, "no, its just in my head."
And she said, "Its clear that you are passionate about this work."
She is right.  It isn't just information in my head, its in my heart.
She then asked me if I would begin writing the stories down for her.
I said 'yes' right off the bat.  I have never been very good at saying 'no'.

I couldn't help but wonder...
How do I begin to tell the story, the many stories?

Where do I begin?
Do I begin with... 
the ins and outs,
the whys and hows,
or my journey of volunteering and working with volunteers?
Do I begin with the people? 
The absolutely amazing people I have had the pleasure of working with over the years....
Lord knows, I have a lot of stories to tell!
I think there are good ones, if I can tell them right.

I thought to myself, "this is a huge task!  She doesn't know what she is asking of me.
Many of the stories are personal, or a better way of putting this is
I am emotionally tied to the people in the stories. 
I don't know if I can do them justice.
However, I agreed to try.

Sometimes I still wonder how I landed at Habitat for Humanity.
Many days I feel like a shy little girl from Kansas,
who is still wondering how she ended up in Salem Oregon!

When I think about it...
How does a mom/day care provider/youth minister end up working for a construction company?

Oh that's right, I started by volunteering!  
I was new in town and bored.

And, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything.

The past 4+ years I volunteered, then worked, then volunteered again at Habitat have stretched and pulled me in ways I would have never gone on my own. 
On the build site I did everything from set, pour, and strip foundations to roofing, and finishing work.  In the office I did everything from simple filing to writing newspaper articles including being interviewed for a fundraising video. 
Being bored is what got me on the build site.
Being passionate is what keeps me volunteering.

My family didn’t travel much at all when I was a kid.

I was 30 years old before I ever got on an airplane. 
But in the past 20 years or so I have been to Chicago and seen the Sears Tower.
I have seen the space needle in Seattle, Coit Tower in San Francisco, and crossed the Golden gate Bridge by car and on foot.
I’ve seen 3 Frank Lloyd Wright houses, the Lake Yellowstone Hotel, I’ve been in the book depository in Dallas.
I’ve seen the Oklahoma City Memorial and been to the top of the St. Louis Arch…
3 times, no wait... 4 times.

In my limited travels I have seen some wonderful architecture, buildings, and homes.

Yet all of these structures pale in comparison to what I have seen on Wendy St., Ford St., Samaritan Lane, or any Habitat for Humanity build site around the world.
There is something about watching a home go up that brings tears of joy.

The awe, and the wonder, that go through me when I watch walls being raised pale in comparison to standing before the greatest structures in the world. 

The ultimate is standing side by side one of my children working hard to raise that wall.

There is something about knowing that you are building with a family, and helping to house a family, that surpasses any work designed by any architect, or constructed by any company.  And sharing that feeling and experience with my children escalates the joy of it all.

Even though I haven't fit volunteering on the build site into my schedule as often as volunteering in the office or on committees, it remains my favorite kind of volunteering.


But for now... I best get to writing.

Share your passions!

Share your volunteer stories! 


Steppin' out with DWNTWN
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Looking for Work

I have been looking for work,

Yet it continues to elude me.

I don't mean household work.

There is plenty of that kind of work surrounding me.

And regardless of how much of that kind of work I accomplish,

it seems to always be there.

I am just looking for work, 

a job, 

some place that will pay me for completing tasks efficiently and on time.  

2 years and 6 months ago I blogged about my career/job/work 

http://jbrownflash.blogspot.com/2008/08/careerjobwork.html

At that time the unemployment rate was quite low and finding a job for most teenagers was as easy as applying at the nearest fast food restaurant or gas station. 

A lot has changed in the past 30 months.

A lot has changed in just half that time.

Its been 15 months since I left my last job.  

There are times I miss the work I did at Habitat for Humanity. 

I miss the ministry aspect of that job.

I miss the committees, 

the Habitat families, 

and I miss the construction work.

I don't miss the interoffice politics and struggles.

I left at the right time, 

for the right reasons.

And I have no regrets.

But its time to start looking for something.

My challenge is I am not alone in my search for a job.

I join my son, 2 daughters, a son-in-law, a former co-worker,

and thousands of fellow Oregonians.

Finding employment is vastly different now, 

than it was in August of 2008.

Oregon has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.

In many cases adults are competing for the same minimum wage jobs as the teenagers. 

I have written and re-written my resume countless times.

I have submitted more online applications than I can remember,

and waited patiently to hear back from anyone.

All I hear is the chirping of crickets.

I am keeping myself busy with writing for a blogging service,

but that work doesn't come frequently enough to keep me out of trouble.

My photography and writing fill some of my time, but that doesn't put food on the table.

I thought about going back to school to complete my degree.  

But I have kids in college.  

It doesn't make sense to add more expense to the already unaffordable college bill.

This sounds like a lot of whining and complaining.

That is not my intent.  

I am mostly puzzled.  

I don't know what else to try.  

I have a strong skill set that would fit well in most any work environment.    

I am competent with both PC and Mac computers.  

I am detail oriented, focused, and organized.   

Being able to multi-task is ingrained in me.  

I also have the skills to evaluate and analyze various topics and situations and communicate effectively with others.   

I am a very quick study and don't shy away from difficult tasks.

I am committed, responsible, and time oriented.  

I have always been intuitive, insightful, and good with people.  
Communicating well with others has been an integral aspect of the various jobs I have held over the years.  It comes naturally to me.  

I think these skills would make me a great employee ... anywhere!

But I don't have a degree.  

I don't have that piece of paper that says I paid thousands of dollars to an institute of higher learning.  
I don't have the magic key that gets your foot in the door 
in a skinny job market that is fat with job seekers.

So I will continue to put my vast job skills to use here at home,
budgeting, establishing menus, streamlining food costs, 
mediating teenager disagreements, networking satellite siblings, 
communication specialist, scheduling queen, fulfilling janitorial duties, 
lawn and landscape care, packing/moving/transfer/storage guru, 
minor auto repair mechanic; including auto detailing, 
inventory & ordering supplies, and any other duties as assigned...
At least until a paying job comes along.

Steppin' out with DWNTWN
DWNTWNimages.me

Love & Roses

Portland Oregon

The City of Roses

The climate here in the Pacific Northwest is ideal for growing roses.  

 

Our Summers are warm and dry,

while our winters are mild, yet rainy.                                                                     

 

Rose gardens are prevalent here, 

and roses are frequently found growing along the roadside, and along highway medians.  

The International Rose Test Garden is also located in our area.

http://www.rosegardenstore.org/thegardens.cfm

I have always loved roses.   I don't recall having a rose bush in our yard when I was a child.

And I don't know all the ins and outs of being a great rose gardener.

I just know I love them and am always learning more.

I think my love began when I lived in Nebraska when I inherited a handful of rose bushes from the previous home owners.

I tended and added to the rose garden in the 13 years I lived there.  I was sad to leave my roses behind, but was excited to begin a new garden in a climate that was perfect for them.

This year my sister and I are both planting the 2011 Official Rose of the Portland Rose Festival Sweet Spotlight. 

Since moving to Salem, I have planted 7 roses plants, including the 2 given to me by my sister this past weekend.  

I am glad to have someone that shares my affection for this beautiful plant.

The other rose I planted this year is the Chihuly Rose.

This rose was named for Dale Chihuly the famous glass artist.  http://www.chihuly.com/home.aspx

If you seen the glass flowers in the Bellagio in Las Vegas then you have seen Chihuly's work.

Even though this is more a floribunda rose, 

(I usually prefer Hy-Brid tea roses)  

I was drawn to the rich colors of the blossoms and couldn't resist giving this a try. 

As I was planting the roses, my daughter (#7) and I had a chance to talk about the flowers and why I liked them.  She admitted hating yard work and gardening.  She also said she didn't like roses due to the thorns.  

I shared how I would prefer to be outside, digging in the dirt to doing housework any day.  

I will tolerate the thorns, pricks, pokes, and scratches I get in tending my roses any time.  The reward is the blooms I get to enjoy later in the year.

I told her Roses are a lot like love.  

It isn't always easy. 

Sometimes it even hurts.

But if you are patient, 

stick with it, 

give it some attention and care, 

you will find joy in the work.  

I reassured her the best is yet to come when 

we cut the blooms in the Spring and Summer.

My daughter also asked me, "Do you and dad have plans for Valentine's Day?"  

I said, "No, we don't."

She said, "That's sad. You should do something."

I tried to explain to her that for me it wasn't as much about what you do for your significant other on that ONE day in February.  I thought it was more about what you do for each other throughout the year.

I saw this example lived out in my parents relationship.  Mom and dad always did little things for each other throughout the year.  It was the small things, the little surprises throughout the year that make a difference over the long haul.  I remember mom putting notes in dad's lunch box for him to find later in his day.  And dad would on occasion bring mom a single red rose.  It was their tradition.

When I was with dad in the hospital last October I had the opportunity to take him outside for a bit of sunshine, as we came back in he spotted the gift shop.  

He said, "I want to by your mom a rose."  

He was very specific, "I just want one red rose, not a bunch of them, and not in a vase, just one red rose." 

His wheel chair wouldn't fit easily into the small gift shop so I said, "okay dad, I'll go in and see if they have one."

I waited nearly 10 minutes for the floral attendant.

I explained my dad's wishes and she hooked me up with one, single, beautiful, red, rose for mom.

When I walked out of the shop, dad said, "I don't have my wallet with me, but I'll pay you back."

I chuckled and told him, "Dad, its okay!  I've got it."  He said in his firm yet loving way, "NO!  I want to give your mom a flower and I'll pay you back."

He was so excited for mom to return so he could surprise her.  I used a sonic cup as a vase and tried to hide the rose behind some items on the shelf.

I know the surprise meant as much to mom to receive as it meant to dad to surprise her.  

The love my parents shared for over 50 years has extended to us 7 kids, their 19 grand kids, and everyone they met.

Their love was contagious.  

When they learned a favorite nurse was working late on her birthday, they both agreed to pass the one, single, red, rose along.  

The surprise gift brought tears of joy to the birthday girl on a very long, hard day.

 When it came time to bury my dad last December the mortuary began explaining the multitude of floral options for the casket.  Mom interrupted the flower schpeel in the same firm, yet loving way dad had with me and said, "I know exactly what I want. One, Single, Red, Rose. And we'll provide it."

Then mom shared the story and tradition her and dad had shared for so many years.

It was then I realized where I developed a love for roses,  It was from my parents and the love they shared.

To everyone out there whether you are married, single, widowed, divorced, or still longing for that special someone remember, how much money you spend on February 14 is NOT what is important.

What makes a difference is the amount of care, and attention you give throughout the year to the loved ones in your life.

I suggest you make time this year for little surprises.

The Best is Yet to Come!

Happy Valentine's Day

Steppin' out with DWNTWN 

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