Aunt Debbie's

We stayed an extra week with Aunt Debbie and Uncle John. (June 3rd-18) A job opportunity came available for me and it took a week to secure a pianist, recording engineer and get all my materials together.  What a supportive environment.  Debbie spoiled us with numerous delicious meals and John took a week off work to serve as our tour guide and computer coach for our job applications.  We missed going to Olympic National Park so that I could get my materials in but Janae and Stefan weren’t for the worse.   They got to go to Mt. St. Helens, the Bonneville Dam, indoor jumping gym, garage sales with Uncle John and Aunt Debbie took them to the Omzie (Portland’s science center).  They loved it and said it rivaled the Whittaker center in Harrisburg.

They didn’t mind getting to watch lot’s of tv either.

Mark also got to perform with Rich Inouye’s Clark College Jazz Band.  It was a good concert and fun to see Rich in his element.  A special treat was going out after the concert with Rich, Sue and Tom and Casie.  Tom had been a former student of mine from years ago and he’s married to an awesome gal who’s a violinist in the Portland Opera and Ballet.  They were nice enough to come to the concert and meet up with us afterwards.  We realized that all three couples had met while studying at UNC.

UNC couples

A highlight was getting to visit Steven’s youth group.  Stefan and Janae thought it was pretty special to hang with high school kids.  Stefan loved playing ping pong with Steven and having his big cousins rough house with him.  It was a treat to get to see Tim when he came home from college.  Mark loved playing trumpet with him and going fishing (albeit leaving at one in the morning was even a little too early for this die hard fisherman).  Loved attending church services with everyone.  A moving ceremony was when the high school seniors parents gave blankets and prayed over their children.  I was crying and I didn’t even know anyone.

It was fun celebrating Father’s Day by attending church, eating take out Chinese on a blanket in the front yard and going bowling with everyone.  Wished we didn’t live so far away but then it maybe wouldn’t seem as special when we do get together.  Janae and Stefan loved being spoiled by Aunt Debbie with all her gifts of toys and books.