So many things in March...

March was a busy month in school. First, there was the 100th day of school, celebrated with pajama day and "100" snacks (grapes, cheerios, nuts, m&ms, etc.). Then, we had the Spring Festival, which hundreds of people come to on a Saturday for fun, games, and food. Then, we had Sports Day last Thursday. Now, we will have Neon Colors Day tomorrow. It will be interesting! I'm ready for the Spring Break!

With my friend, Emily, who is the 1B teacher

Out in the desert with Skinny & Omar

I also finally got the pictures from our buggy riding in February, so you'll get to see Chris doing some of his amazing stunts. By amazing, I mean crashing.

Sandstorm of the Year

And, the Sandstorm of the Year award goes to March 25th's apocalyptic-looking storm, hitting the city around 5:40pm and dying out somewhere around 9pm. We happened to be driving to our friends' house for dinner, so we got to drive in it! Quite the adventure, it's a little like driving in a white-out...only dirtier.

driving on the freeway

by the sliding door, 1/4" sand/dust

cleaning in the aftermath

Date Night Dinner

prepared by yours truly.

...and Nicholas!

Ok, as of my last blog post, I was thinking of birthdays that had already happened in February, but my sister gently pointed out that my nephew Nick's birthday is technically in February, too. It just so happens that he was born in a leap year, and his birthday is February 29th. I wonder if the little drop down categories on important websites always allow you to select the 29th day of February, or if they only let you do so in a leap year. Hmm.

Anywho, he's as cute as a button and I hope he has a great birthday tomorrow, if indeed that's when they're celebrating it. He loves Toy Story, so he will be pleasantly surprised by the present I have waiting for him already at Grammy and Pap's house.

Happy Birthday to Rebekah, Chris, and Kuwait!

We have a lot of February birthdays around, including several of my friends', my niece Bekah's on the 12th, and Chris' on the 14th. This year, a few friends and I bought Chris a new flat-screen TV for his birthday; it was a little tricking having the company deliver and wall-mount it while keeping it a surprise, but I pulled it off! Chris was spoiled this year with a surprise party, two fun weekends of activities, and a big present, but I don't think he minded. More pictures of our adventures are to follow.

This year's National Day celebration is a big one for Kuwait, as the country celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence, its 20th anniversary of liberation from Iraqi forces, and the 5th anniversary of the current Emir being in power. On Tuesday at school, our students showed their Kuwaiti pride by wearing the colors of the flag: red, white, green, and black. On Wednesday, each student wore a dura'a, a tanora (traditional Kuwaiti dresses), or Kuwait colors again. We also had a special Grade 1 luncheon with Arabic food, and a show with performances by different classes. This year, my class did not participate, but maybe we will next year. Here are some of my little divas doing their thing:

We miss your smile

December 18, 2005- one of the best days, ever

As I sit to write a few things about Gram, here in Kuwait is not where I want to be this week, but it’s where I have to be for now. I’ve thought a lot about what I could say if I were there, and there are just too many stories to tell!

Gram was a lady of preparedness. She was always ready for anything and ready to do anything anyone asked of her. 

She was always ready to have fun. I remember more than one time when I got to go to the movies with her when I was little, and she’d whip some “3 Musketeers” bars out of her purse. I think she might have even had two Pepsi’s- never Cokes- and sticks of Wrigley’s spearmint gum for when we were finished. Her handbags might have held anything!

She was also always ready for a sporting event. I can’t count how many of my softball games she came to, or during how many of Kenny’s baseball games I sat next to her in her flashy sun visor and photo-gray lenses. I still feel sorry for some of the refs that made bad calls.

Gram was always prepared to serve others, and never made it seem like an inconvenience, even if it was. She used to go visit one next door neighbor and take her grocery shopping. The only problem was that her neighbor had a large goose that lived in the yard and liked to bite! You knew Gram was going to Flossy’s house if she grabbed an umbrella on her way out the door on a sunny day.  

I think Gram liked to keep a lot of things around just in case she needed them, too. There was a master lock just sitting in one of her kitchen drawers that Christina, Kenny, Lisa and I tried to open for years. We never did open it, she didn’t know the combination for it, and I really don’t know where it has gone to this day. It’s probably still floating around her house somewhere.

Finally, I think Gram was prepared to be with God because she opted to not have surgery or chemotherapy after the news of her illness came. Because she had trusted God with her life, there wasn’t any need for her to have fear in the face of death. The Bible says that, “God showed his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”(Romans 5:8). Gram knew she was a sinner, but she also knew that God is merciful to those that trust in Him to be saved. I have the greatest confidence in saying that she is in Heaven now, because she believed these truths with her whole heart.

Chris and I agree that we will miss the smile and laugh we got from Gram whenever we were coming home for the summer or just coming over to say hi. We know she’s still smiling, and we send our love to you all.

(Written by Stephanie, to be read at her grandmother's funeral)

Gram's Obituary

Sara May Shankle, age 83, of Indiana, went to be with her Lord on Wednesday, February 16, 2011, at her home.

She was born in 1927 in Vandergrift, to Ward C. Fitzgerald and Zella May Mottarn.

Mrs. Shankle was a devoted Christian woman and attended the Bethel Presbyterian Church, where she was a member of the Missionary Society, a church Deacon, a member of the Choir, and taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. She was also a member of the VFW Post #1989 Ladies Auxiliary, and was a frequent donor to the Red Cross, earning the "8 gallon" pin.

She enjoyed quilt making, baking, and sewing. Her greatest joy was spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, whom she adored. She never hesitated to lend a helping hand to family, friends, or neighbors.

Sara is survived by one daughter and one son, Laird Shankle and wife Cindy, Indiana; Elaine Perkovich, Indiana; four grandchildren, Christina Tew and husband John, Grand Ledge, MI; Lisa Morgart and husband Rex, Centreville, VA; Stephanie Freeman and husband Chris, Salmiya, Kuwait; Ken Shankle and Kristen Bishop, Indiana; two great grandchildren, Nicholas and Rebekah Tew; a brother-in-law Gerald Shankle, Sr. and wife Betty, Indiana; a sister-in-law Alice Fitzgerald, Latrobe; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, by her first husband Kenneth J. Shankle, and by her second husband Ord P. Shankle.

Friends will be received on Friday from 3 to 9 p.m. at the Bowser-Minich Funeral Home, Indiana. Friends will also be received Saturday at the Bethel Presbyterian Church from 10 a.m. to noon, where a funeral service will begin at noon with the Rev. Robert Goossen officiating. Interment will be made in the Oakland Cemetery.

 

Memorial contributions may be made to the Bethel Presbyterian Church, 1470 Bethel Church Road, Indiana, PA 15701, or to the VNA/Hospice, 850 Hospital Road, Suite 3000, Indiana, PA 15701.