Memories

I sometimes wonder if I make up memories.

I very vividly remember being going to gymnastics when I was younger. There was a great big swimming pool full of pieces of foam. After gymnastics was over, the bigger kids got to jump into the foam and play. I remember wanting to jump into that foam so badly! I have no idea if there is such a thing. If there is, I would love to go jump in the foam sometime.

I remember stopping at a place somewhere between New York and Tennessee. It was right before driving through a long tunnel on the interstate. I'm not sure if the place was a rest stop or historical marker or what. But inside they had tunnels that I could crawl through and a slide. Does that sound crazy?

I remember walking with my mom to a girl's house in an apartment complex. My mom introduced me to another little girl, but I don't remember ever seeing her again.

I definitely remember seeing a bear in the Smoky Mountains, although I know my parents think I am crazy on that one. (Mom and Dad, feel free to verify or deny the other ones in the comments.)

I wonder if I made up these memories somewhere along the way or if they are so early in my life that they are more vague than others. Have you ever had a dream that was so real, you thought it might have actually happened?

I love the random memories. You can't necessarily remember everyday in your life, but you remember the random bits and pieces. Why does my brain choose to remember one thing, but not something else? Sometimes it is the smallest detail that we remember, but not the big events. I see pictures of myself in certain places, but don't remember it at all.

As we get older, we choose to remember things and choose to forget others. But thinking about the young memories are fun because there is no rhyme or reason to why it stuck in your brain.

Don't you love when you smell something or see something that triggers a memory? You sit there and figure out why it is so familiar. Our brains are amazing and incomprehensible! How can a person think we got this ability by chance?

Do you have memories like this? The ones that are really random? Or, am I just a crazy blogger or has to much time to sit and think about things like this?

17 days

So, I thought today, "What will all my readers do when I am in Hawaii for 2 weeks without a single blog post?" Well, there is a webcam on Waikiki beach. So, when you pull up the Feather Files in the morning with your cup o' joe, you will realize that there isn't a new post. Instead, you can click on the link and watch Waikiki Beach. Maybe, if you watch long enough, you will see us! Okay, probably not - we'll still be sleeping. Here is a view of "Turtle Beach" at sunset. I think you can figure out why it is called "Turtle" Beach. They're so cute!

Last night we hung out with some friends we hadn't seen in a while. Sam takes some pretty awesome pictures of nature mostly. I added his link to the side for your viewing pleasure. Here is a few of my fav downloads:

Looking for: a good, honest mechanic. Any suggestions?

The weekend in review

Friday at 2:00pm. Phone rings. "Haberfeld Associates, this is Heather." "Hey Babe." It's Richard. I ask him what he is going to do this afternoon. "I'm thinking about going to the pool." I pout. I want to go too, I say; I wish I could take off the rest of the afternoon. 10 seconds later, the email is sent and I am off for the day. 2 hours swimming and reading a book in the sun. A great way to end a rather long, exhausting week. Friday night we spent a great evening with friends eating and playing cards.

Saturday morning I met my friend, Laura, at the Farmer's Market at 8:15. We stocked up on veggies, looked at some really cute purses, and made it to Bible study by 9am. We are studying the names of God. There are so many and they all describe Him. It should be a great study and it just started if anyone would like to come along. I got my hair cut after that. Shorter than I thought I would go, but I like it. You should see the stub of a ponytail I now have! After a nice long nap, I went to the grocery store and then picked up Indian food for supper. It was a good day.

On Sunday Richard and I got a chance to help in the 3-yr old Sunday School class and we will be doing this for 3 other weeks this summer too. Our job was to keep the attention on the teacher and not on touching other people. I would say that it was fun, but definitely work. They were cute kids and who says kids can't know their verse and Bible story? These kids had it down pat! Sunday afternoon included another nap, another trip to the pool, laundry, and leftover Indian food. It was a nice, relaxing weekend.

Richard has 2 finals this week and we took his truck in to get some work done this morning. Other than that, we are just counting down the days to our vacation....19, by the way.

I...

I am totally copying this from someone else's blog for a lack of creativity on my part, yet a strong urge to post something today.

I am: excited for vacation this year.
I think: a lot.
I know: that I will be in heaven someday.
I want: a dog.
I have: a huge imagination.
I wish: I could take the rest of the day off.
I plan: to graduate from college someday.
I hate: it when people over-react before getting details.
I miss: big trees, everywhere.
I fear: worms of all shapes, types, and sizes.
I feel: content.
I hear: the Eagles on my i-tunes.
I smell: my cocoa butter lotion.
I crave: iced tea.
I search: for my keys alot.
I wonder: where we will be next year at this time.
I regret: sins in the past, but praise God for his grace and forgiveness.
I love: to read.
I hope: to write a book someday.
I ache: to go on a shopping trip with Ruth.
I always: hang my towel over the shower bar in the morning so it will dry.
I am not: an athletic person.
I believe: God's word is truth.
I dance: only in the privacy of my own apartment, and then Richard usually laughs.
I sing: in the shower.
I cry: when I'm tired.
I don’t always: express myself clearly.
I fight: when I am riled up about something.
I write: to express my thoughts.
I never: say "I never..." anymore because it always happens.
I need: a pedicure.

Is it Friday yet???

Nope. It's not Friday yet, but it will be tomorrow and I can't wait. Its been a pretty exhausting week and I am not sure exactly why. On Tuesday morning I went off to my early morning Bible study. Right in the middle of it my phone starts ringing loudly. It was one of those times where everyone is looking at you, but you can't find the phone to shut it up! It was Richard, but I ignored it. Then I got a text and another phone call. Realizing that it must be important, I left Bible study to find out that the truck wouldn't start. So, I took Richard to school and picked him up. Later that night, he decides to ride his bike back to school to finish some lab work. Gets out the bike and the tire is flat. It was just one of those days. The truck goes in on Monday to get fixed.

Dad and Jake came up on Tuesday night. They got into Lincoln at 11pm and left the next day at 5:30pm...not even a 24 hour trip but it was good to see them. I saw Jake for approximately 20 minutes the entire time. I wonder if this is any indication of how it will be when he moves...

The week hasn't be bad, just draining and long. Plus, really uneventful as you can tell with this post. I leave you with 3 thoughts:

1. I need a pedicure. Big time.
2. I'm craving a slushie right now.
3. 23 days until Hawaii. I already want to start packing.

Dying for Christ

The Last Words of Martyrs

Henry Voss: “If I had twin heads, they should all be cut off for Christ.”

Castilla Rupea: “Though you throw my body down off this steep hill, yet will my soul mount upwards again.”

John Buisson: “I shall have a double jail delivery: out of my sinful flesh and out of this loathsome dungeon I have long lain in.”

Taylor : “Now lack I but two steps, and I am even at my Father’s house.”

Carpenter: “All Bavaria is not as dear to me as my wife and children, but for Christ’s sake, I gladly forsake them.”

Where do I start?

Our weekend consisted of doing what we wanted to do and not what we needed to do, which means playing "catch-up" for the rest of the week. Oh well, it was worth it.

Saturday consisted of a morning run and trip to the Farmer's Market with my friend Laura, a tiresome shopping extravanganza in the heat, laying out by the pool, a run, fried chicken and a movie. I got some great flowers at the Farmer's Market, but forgot to take a picture so you will have to imagine them in your head.

Sunday we had a great time in Council Bluffs visiting Richard's Grandparents. Last Tuesday, Richard's grandma suffered a stroke and seizure. She is recovering extremely well due to many prayers. We visited with her for about an hour and she had us laughing the entire time. Richard and I went over to spend time with his Grandpa and it was a fabulous way to spend our afternoon. We had supper at a great little place called Christy Creme. They have a sherbet of the day flavor and twist it with vanilla ice creme. Oh my, yummy. We got to hear some fun stories, and I fell in love with the town of Council Bluffs. Lots of hills and trees. All in all, it was one great day!



This week is gonna be a busy one, but that's okay. Why? Because it makes Hawaii get here even faster!!! (26 days, if anyone is counting...)