I loved your gift to Rachel.  I was thinking maybe I could even tweak that for a daughter or grandchild.  Wouldn't that be fun for Austin to get a book about himself and how others perceive him?  I think I'll work on that.  Lynn 

In regards to your SPT for January 1st, my kids think I have two laps.  They will often say when I have one child on my lap, "Can you scoot them over so I can sit on your other lap?"  I guess my thighs really are big enough to be considered laps   I love your "Mom 2007" scrapbook idea.  What an amazingly creative (and thoughtful) sister you are!  I have a question about the travel pillows you made for Trevor's girls.  What size did you make them?  And do they fit in the bag with the blanket and extras?  I wanted to make the kids some for Christmas.  But I ran out of time.  I was really touched by your story about your own travel pillow when you were growing up.  We are oftentimes finding ourselves traveling (to see family or to move where the Air Force sends us) and with limited van space.  I think the kids would love one in their assigned colors.  So, I'm going to give them their own for their birthdays this year.  And there's one birthday coming up next week.   Nikki

(Nikki and Lynn--Yes, Lynn, this idea is definitely tweakable.  That's what I did with it.  I saw a similar idea from Jill's blog and also a book made by a friend and tweaked them to work for Rachel.  I'm not so creative, I'm just good at loving other people's ideas!)

Jane,  I love this idea!  I have wanted to do something like this before and am completely motivated now.  Thanks for the great idea!  Mandy        

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Life in my World—The Ball

January 1, 2008

            I could either use the metaphor of six mice with a pumpkin or a sleigh pulled by reindeer—either way we made it over the hill and through the woods and past the snow.  Last Saturday all of the cadets in Washington State from the five service academies (West Point, Naval, Air Force, Merchant Marines and Coast Guard) and their dates and families were invited to a military ball in Seattle.  It was held at the very fine Marriott Waterfront Hotel down on the wharf.  The lobby was decorated exquisitely and all of the cadets in best dress with gold buttons, shiny black shoes and silver medals just added to the sparkle. 

            The food was wonderful.  We had our choice of salmon cooked in a slightly sweet sauce and served over fingerling potatoes with a fresh tomato, grape and zucchini relish, filet mignon served over mashed garlic potatoes or roasted chicken over spicy potatoes.  The chocolate mousse was served in a chocolate shell and topped with a fudge ribbon, it was not only wonderful and smooth but beautiful.  Oh, lest I forget, the spinach salad with roasted hazelnuts, Portobello mushrooms and crumpled bacon was wonderful, too, and the honey mustard dressing was the best I’d ever had.  The souvenir crystal goblets had academy insignias etched into them and were fun to put in the glass cupboard when we got home.

            The program of the evening was superb and the speakers—a granddaughter of President Eisenhower, General Jacoby and Master of Ceremonies, Michael Medved—gave inspiring talks as well as funny quips.  Two officers who were former West Point grads and their wives dined at the table with us.  They were very interesting to visit with and observe.  I loved hearing Abe talk to them as everything was said in proper English and he addressed them as “Sir.”  “Sir, I’m not aware of that.”  “Sir, it has been suggested that the reason that West Point has changed xyz is because of xyz.”  “Sir, I am majoring in xyz.  What did you say your major was, Sir?”  I don’t care how many times I have corrected him through the years; I have not had the impact that officers in the army have had. 

            A few of the most inspiring events of the evening was a slide show of the different academies and the posting of the colors as the American flag was quietly honored.  Each cadet stood at stiff attention.  Each officer’s chest filled as their eyes and feet pivoted to follow the flag to its post.  That flag embodied all for which they were willing to sacrifice.  As General Jacoby thanked them he pointed out that less than one percent of our nation protects one hundred percent of us.  It was an honor to stand at attention with the men and women who secure our safety.

            General Jacoby talked of one of his officers that died while fighting in Iraq.  I noticed that one of the officers that sat with us closed his eyes tight and bowed his head while the General shared the details of this man’s heroism.  It was easy to see that the officer at our table had personally known this soldier.  There was no fanfare or extra sympathy offered to the officer near us, he just quietly mourned. 

            General Eisenhower’s granddaughter told personal anecdotes of the President that were fun to hear.  She shared that he had become an avid painter and that he gave the pictures to his family.  All except her.  For some reason, though she sat next to him while he painted at his easel for hours at a time,  he forgot to give her one.  One day, after it was brought to his attention, he set his brush down and turned to her and said, “I understand I forgot to give you a picture.  You may have your pick.”  She looked all around the room at the pictures in varying stages of completion and chose the one on the easel where he had just signed his name.  He asked her if she was certain that was the one she wanted and she assured him it was.  He turned and humphed, “Mamie.  Did you hear that?  She wants the one you didn’t think was very good!”  Several years later this granddaughter drove up the Hudson Valley to West Point with her husband (who, like her father, was also a West Point grad) and as the road curved around a bend in the river she saw for the first time the beautiful river and valley in front of them.  She immediately recognized it as the picture her grandfather had painted those many years ago.  She had no idea that he was painting a specific spot when she chose it as he always painted from a snapshot.  This one however was done from his memory and she was thrilled when she recognized its origin.  She also shared stories of Winston Churchill and other world leaders visiting with her grandfather while she quietly played at their feet.

            The dance after the program was really fun, too.  The first dance was of all the cadets with their mothers or fathers, whichever the case may be.  The dance floor stayed filled the rest of the evening as the cadets danced and danced and danced.   It was funny to watch the West Point cadets dance to the song, “It makes you want to shout” where everyone throws their hands into the air.  There isn’t a whole lot of mobility in the West Point uniforms as they are made of wool and have no darts sewn into them and are the same as the ones made 200 years ago.  While all the other dancers were waving their arms wildly in the air, the West Point cadets were doing little shoulder high hand waves.

            What a night.  We have been blessed as a family to participate in events such as these.              

I forgot to get permission of Abe’s date to post a picture (and she's gone back to college now)so instead I’ll post a picture of Calvin and the girls in the lobby before the dinner.

Not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to our family and due to poor

lighting, I didn’t take many pictures.  However, Calvin managed to get one of

Abe and me and all ten of my chins on the opening dance.

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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com  Thanks!  They’re always appreciated.

What beautiful memories and what an honor it must be to you to have such dedicated kids to be proud of in a world where so many kids go astray!   Happy New Year to you and yours!

 Michelle Rogge