Independence Day

I was doing homework every free minute of the 4th of July. What kind of instructor has a major bit of homework due on a national holiday!? Anyway, I did take a break when it was time to see fireworks. Sandra and her boyfriend, Brandon, set off a few. Otherwise, we enjoyed the massive neighborhood show! You'd think they'd have planned it. Sounded like we were in a popcorn popper! :)

My Birthday

Nothing else really happened for the rest of the month. My birthday went by pretty well un-noticed. We celebrated on the 4th of July by going to Fontenelle Forest. It was fun! We ate, we learned (Learning Center) and we explored (trails). Just to give you an idea of what it was like, here are some pictures...

Learning in the Learning Center...

Ivy meets a snail...

Time to eat...

Taking to the trails...

Interesting side note...

I fell down. I got dirty. Even stained my pants. That was annoying! :p

With my friends Samantha and Michelle...

Everyone seemed to have a good time and that's what's most important!

Missionary's Presentation

I know I talked a tiny bit about it earlier, but thought I'd put a couple pictures up from the presentation Mom and I went to. The missionaries work in Indonesia where it is illegal to go around talking to people about their faith...especially if one is a Christian. But the government allows them to run schools and help in the community. The part they are in was devastated by the tsunami/earthquake back whenever that was (don't remember).

So, here are just a couple pictures...

The whole family spoke. The picture on the screen in the first picture was of that area of Indonesia in which they live after the tsunami. It was like the island was half swallowed up by the ocean and wiped clean. Unbelievable!

Their whole presentation was amazing.

Taste of Omaha

On Sunday, June 6th, we (everyone living here in Omaha) went to something called The Taste of Omaha Festival. Basically, it was a whole lot of booths of different restaurants and other food vendors in the Omaha area. You buy tickets like at a carnival and use them to get food from the different booths. It was at Lewis & Clark Landing and Heartland of America Park combined. It was a pretty awesome thing.

We tried alligator on a stick!



I think it tasted like seasoned pork, but chewier.
Sandra and her gumbo type stuff got to stand under the Robert's Dairy cow.




There was a carnival there, too. Justin and Trisha went on the ferris wheel while Nikki and I rode the train.






Right before we left I decided to try lamb tacos. Not bad!






The last thing we saw as we were leaving was this band: Silver Bullet, "The number one Bob Seger Tribute Band!" Couldn't get over the "look" these guys had going!




Overall, it was fun to walk around and see the river and all the different kinds of foods and bands and people. The best part was that it was something different to do. None of us had ever been there before, so it was a great adventure!

So Behind!!!

I can't believe I've let this get so behind! I can't remember what all I wanted to post. I'll figure it out and be back in a moment.

A Blessing...

Probably one of my favorite blessings to come out of all that transpired ultimately bringing me to Nebraska...

(Never posted a video before, so I hope it works for everyone.)

At the gate, 6-19-09...

Bad News...

My friend, Michelle Dobrovolny (whom I have spoken of frequently here), died Wednesday evening. It was rather a surprise despite the health problems she'd been having.
It has been really hard as she had been really sweet, kind and supportive to me all the time I've known her (since our freshman year in college).
I miss her very much!!!!
Brought a whole new meaning to the word "delete" and "remove" when I took her off my e-mail contacts list. :(
The funeral is Tuesday.