4 weeks already!!

It will be 4 weeks this Sunday that she left. I can't believe how this works, at first when I realized she's really going to be gone for 2 months I panicked and thought ....that's a long time. I thought for sure that I would get sick with missing her, and I was for about the first week and a few other days here and there. I do miss her immensely, but not in a sobbing, sad way. I know she's doing great and that's all that matters. We talk everyday, in fact she text messaged me today "ohhhh I'm so hungry, I had such a long hot day". She said they spent the day out in the field in the sun, she's not really appreciating her tan lines... She doesn't have the time she usually does to work on that perfect tan.....I said well that's one of the benefits of being a scientist, getting that perfect farmer's tan....ha ha.

They were out scouting in the kayak's (which she loves), measuring, and doing whatever they do scientifically. She just wanted to get to her room and have a relaxing evening. Once she was relaxed she called and told me she made herself some Thai noodles for dinner. We talked about today's happenings......Michael Jackson died!!!! Sad!! What a musical legacy he leaves...we both were stunned by that devastating news!

On a happier note, she's heading to Chicago on Saturday and has plans to take a city tour, finding a few nice restaurants hoping to get a delicious seafood dinner, do some shopping, etc. Plus, her boyfriend Teochen is flying down to see her over the 4th of July weekend he already bought his ticket and will rent a car when he gets there......so she's happy about that and so am I.

After that, she's on the home stretch and will be home in no time!

The pictures here are of Emma in the green house, this is where she works part of the time, germinating and such. The other, she's out in the field in her hip waders getting ready to take the kayaks out to check the project sites and scout for new sites.

She said she thinks gram/gramps plan on sending her popped wild rice, she was pretty excited about that. And, she finally admitted to me this evening that she misses her family. I am so grateful that we have the family we have, the old fashioned family values that have been (for lack of a better word) incorporated into the fabric of our everyday lives.

I'm hoping she'll have a chance to post more pictures, especially after this weekend when she goes to Chi-Town!!

Cat and Dog...on the deck.....

I forgot to change the date on the camera, these were taken this evening. I thought they looked pretty cute laying there looking at each other. Last night Orville was all spread out on his back looking at the puppy, and the puppy was laying pretty close to him practically face to face. I was wishing I would've taken a picture of it. So this evening I grabbed the camera.

The first picture is a little 'fuzzy', you'll have to double click to see it better.

For someone who's not an animal person, not sure how or why I ended up with a cat and a dog! Here's a picture of Emma's cat Orville and Gary's dog......doesn't have a name yet. He came home one day with him and surprised me in the same way I was surprised with Orville! So far, he seems like a nice mild tempered puppy. He stays by the house and is nice to the cat, and he doesn't cry or bark at night. He's a pretty playful little thing, he seems to be a fast learner and continues to stay a safe distance from me and not lick at my ankles and run under my feet anymore!

And Orville of course is such an affectionate cat, he'll love up to anything. Even a skunk if he could!

Kayaking for Science...

That's what the professor titled these pictures he took at the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area in Medaryville, Indiana located a few hours from Purdue. http://in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3091.htm

Emma and her research partner Becca are checking out the new kayaks in one of the project areas. I'll try to explain a little of what they're doing.....About 50 feet from shore, they put out a transect line of rope to set points of where the wild rice stands are. Tomorrow they're going back to measure the line and put out buoys to mark the study areas around the wild rice stands, they will take air and water temperatures and monitor the water depth. They'll also scout other areas for more wild rice stands.

The plants here are called Spatterdock, they're a water lily that prevents the growth of wild rice.

Becca participated in the same program last summer as an undergraduate student and decided to go on to grad school at Purdue after her experience. So this summer she's doing her research as a grad student.

Emma looks like she's concentrating pretty hard in that second picture!

June 14, 2009

Gary and Jordan. I know people like to tease them about being gay and whatever, but I have to say I think they really have turned out to be very good friends. In times of frustration, I even took my turn in making subtle (low blow) comments to Gary about their friendship.

They do have the commonality that our families have close ties and Gary considers Jordan to be his cousin even though they are not related by blood.

They have bonded as friends over the last 4 years or so. It's understanding in so many ways. They are two young Native guys walking the fine line between trying to stay out of trouble, getting in trouble and going to court, problems in school, becoming a young father, almost becoming a young father and dealing with the heartbreak of losing that possibility (for now anyway), looking for jobs, and still trying to maintain the identity of their own culture.

This is the area that I think Gary has always been very strong, he's been singing and drumming since he was 2! I have it on video and I have the memories of him constantly singing and pounding on anything and everything......singing powwow songs, I think he was born with it.

Gary grew up without his dad in his life, his father figure's have always been his grandpa, grandma and me...but mainly his grandpa. Even though we all think (and get very frustrated) that he's not retaining what we're teaching him and telling him.... over the years, I think that he really has been listening....Gary has always lived life to the beat of his own drum.

Maybe that's why these two make such good friends. Jordan (I think) does have a dad in his life, if not, he has brothers that have taught him some pretty important and interesting life surviving skills.

This is why I've decided that I don't mind if they hang out at my house for now. They have a safe place to stay and they are fed.

I really believe that they will be friends for life, I've also decided not to 'go against the grain' when it comes to this friendship.

I will say without a doubt......No....they are not gay! Ha.

Jordan has court this week, we'll see what the immediate future has in store for him.

Meanwhile, I will continue to hope that Gary stays out of trouble and steps up his efforts in finding a job!

June 9, 2009

So far so good! She's doing really good, adjusting as I expected she would. Of course her days are pretty busy, she spends most of her days in the green house 'planting seeds' and in the lab doing 'lab work'. ha. Today they went shopping for kayaks! They plan on using the kayaks to go to the project sites to transplant the wild rice seeds they are currently germinating in the greenhouse.

She sounds really happy and I know this is an adventure for her.

Yesterday they had a GRE seminar to prepare for the GRE! Today, they listened to students that have gone on for their Ph.D's needless to say....but will say it anyway....they are in the Ph.D program.

I know this sounds pretty simplistic in contrast to what she's really doing on a daily basis. Once she gets settled in maybe she'll have more time to explain in detail some of the more intrinsic details of what she's doing. Her day is pretty full, she's busy from the time she get's to work with her Starbucks to the time she leaves.

I saw one of her BSU mentor's today, probably the professor most involved in the direction her studies have taken her to this point. He wrote the most impressive letter of recommendation to Purdue for the program she's currently involved in, plus he is the professor that recommended her for the scholarship she has received for the last two years.....Dr. Fu-Hsian Chang, Director of Environmental Studies...he has been following her academic pursuits very closely since she decided to major in ES. When he can't get in touch with her, he comes to my office looking for her!

But I will say, the person that influenced her the most is her grandmother. They talked about how Reservation lands are currently being contaminated by so many factors and there is virtually no Native representation when studies are conducted etc. I wasn't in on the entire conversation, but I know it was pretty special.

That's the reason Emma decided to go into ES, her focus is policy and planning. I'm hoping that she continues on with her interests and goes on to graduate school. This is only my hope for her future. It's up to her what she decides to do.

I will say one thing about her being gone this time...it's easier than when she was in South Africa....I could not talk to her, call her for the entire time she was gone unless she called me. At least this time when I need to hear her voice or know she's on the 'other side' I can just call her or text and she answers me immediately. We spend a lot of time on the phone talking. It's still not the same as being able to hug her like I do everyday, but at least I know she's doing good.

One more thing......I'd also be most happy if she decides to settle down and have a family.....that means cute little grandchildren!!

Old dead blog....

I've decided to revive the old dead blog. It's finally summer and I have a lot of time on my hands. Once again, as my family and friends know and I'm sure everyone's tired of hearing me cry about Emma being gone for the summer.

So, that's my big deal at the moment....is dealing and handling with her being gone for 2 months. So far though, it's good. We talk on the phone a lot, and as soon as she gets her new lap top, we'll keep in touch even more. I will say I've never been away from her for this longggggg.

On the other hand, she's happy and doing good. She's such a strong girl, she knows how to make the best of any situation - she's been that way since she was a little girl. Not to say or imply that her situation at the moment is not good, it's very good. She's loving her research and lab work and that's what she's there for. This will be such a life changing experience for her, meeting people from all over the U.S. and other cultures alone will be pretty damn interesting for her!

Hopefully, she'll take a lot of pictures. I want to get Grandma on Facebook so she can connect with the granddaughters and the rest of the family.

Here's the link to the program Emma's involved in for the summer http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/diversity/srop-marcaim.cfm

The great thing about this experience is she can use it as her internship toward completion of her undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies. But even more, Purdue is grooming and preparing her for graduate school if she chooses to do so.

I'm coming to terms with the magnitude of possibilities for her future. I am so proud of her!