What's Different about Italy?

  Italy is a little different from the U.S. Our apartment is on base, which is as close as we can get to American, but even so there are some changes. Here's a list of the things I've noticed so far:

  1) All the floors are tile here. There isn't even one carpeted room in this whole building!

  2) The power isn't as reliable. A few days ago we came back from the park hot and sweating to find that the AC wasn't working.

  3) The water isn't always hot. Something's wrong with our water heater, so watch out! The shower water goes from perfect to freezing to boiling hot.

  4) We have to walk everywhere. Our car will take a few weeks to get here, so if we want to go somewhere it has to be within walking distance.

  5) We've had to make the change from loading the dishwasher to being  the dishwasher, as our apartment inconveniently lacks one.

  6) The library is very, very small, much different from what I'm used to. They only have five knitting books!

  7) Italians drive very fast. Try to avoid crossing busy intersections.

  8) There are palm trees! Okay, Las Vegas had palm trees, too. But these ones are different. They're just. . . .different. Italian. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed them. They're everywhere here.

  9) The ice cream is yummier! Italian gilato is much tastier than plain old American ice cream. I can't wait to have some more!

I think that's all so far. I'm sure that once we move into our house and start making new friends everything will seem different (we have yet to try Italian pizza), but that's all for now. I'll keep you posted!

Missing Ohio

  Right now I'm really missing my friends back in Ohio. I'm hoping and praying that we can find a good church here. I wish we could still go to Faircreek. I really liked Faircreek, and I have several good memories of our time there. But I know that God will provide us with a great church here in Italy, and good friends as well. However, as they say: "Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver, and the other's gold." I miss my best friend, too. I really hope that we will be able to visit each other.
  I'm praying for everyone back in Ohio, and I want you to know that I miss you. Please pray that we'll be able to find a good church here in Italy, and that we will be able to find a house soon (our apartment is very tiny). And please pray that God will bless us with new friends here as well. I miss you, Emma!

Beach Ball Planet and the Attack of the Darts

Life on the beach ball planet was good.
There were lots of swimming pools and plenty of food.
Every day the beach balls had lots of fun
Laughing and splashing, playing under the sun.
No one suspected that they were in danger
Until the attack of Dart Mcbranger.
After the beach balls were in bed for the night
Dart Mcbranger and his spaceship came into sight!
If anyone had bothered to listen to me
They would have been better prepared to flee.
For I had know since I was a little tyke
That Dart Mcbranger would once again strike.
I still remember that fateful day
When that old dart took my father away!
I don't think I'll ever get him back. . .
Anyway, the townsballs seem to have forgotten about that!
For Dart Mcbranger's visit was quite a shock;
Balls were running and screaming up and down the block!
Dart Mcbranger's darts gathered in the town square
And yelled"Surrender beach balls everywhere!"
Nervously we crept toward them.
Dart Mcbranger laughed. "Need some encouragement?"
And then, very suddenly, before we could blink,
He pricked old man Round Head, and he started to shrink!
I gasped. "You old meanie, we'll get even with you!"
The townsballs cried,"If it's the last thing we do!"
"Really? I'm scared! Look, I'm turning green!"
Dart Mcbranger laughed. Oh, he was mean!
I walked up to him 'til we were nose to nose.
"Dart Mcbranger," I said. "You have jelly on your toes."
Before he could look down, I punched him flat!
Next thing I knew he was on his back.
"Come on, beach balls!" I yelled. "We can take 'em!"
And with a shout they rushed toward the dart men.
The darts got off the planet, every one.
And the beach balls went back to having fun.
Old man Round Head was taken to the hospital,
And they restored him, round head and all.
That's the story of how the beach balls were saved.
And now that it's done, I'm gonna swim in the lake.

My Poems

  I started a book of poems about a year ago, and since then it's gained 43 pages of poems. My uncle Joel helped me self-publish some of them when we went to visit him. You can see and buy the book by going here.
  I decided to put some of my poems here so you can read them too. Here are a few of my favorite ones:

The Waterfall

See the water flowing in the river
Moving ceaselessly along
Music bubbles, issues forth
The music of the river's song

Here comes a cliff, a fall, a drop,
But the water never stops
It falls, it's going down
Rushing to meet the ground
Landing with a soft plip, plop

The water's falling, here it comes
Catching the light of the sun
The drops form a rainbow
It is high, now it's low
On and on the river runs

Beautiful, majestic, amazing handiwork of God
Powerful, glorious, wonderful handiwork of God

A waterfall



I Want to Be

I want to be the kind of girl
Who always loves and gives no reason to hate
I want to be the kind of girl
Who gets up and the devil says "Oh no, she's awake"

I want to be the kind of girl
Who always knows and chooses what's right
I want to be the kind of girl
Who's always cheerful, spreading God's joy and might

Forever I'll always be
Living for God
A light for all to see

That I have a wonderful peace
And that God gives us hope
He gives us reason to rejoice
When we're at the end of our rope

Forever I'll live for you, Lord
Always spreading your word

Because I am a daughter of Christ

Traveling to L'italia

The last two days were exhausting! From St. Louis, Missouri to Naples, Italy. Two days of travel, three different planes, and eight exhausted people. To sum it all up in poetic form:

Twelve carry-on items,
Eleven stuffed toys,
Ten checked bags,
Nine different snacks,
Eight J family members,
Seven flight attendants,
Six whiny children,
Five cozy blankets,
Four different airports,
Three different planes,
Two exhausted parents,
And a shuttle ride to the airport.

  Our journey began August 15. We crammed our luggage and selves into the hotel shuttle to go to the airport. We arrived with about 2 1/2 hours before our flight, which was good, because it would take our family about two hours to get our bags checked and go through security and all that other airport stuff . When we finally got to the gate we ate some pizza, got some treats from the snack machine, did a head count, and we were ready to go.
  We boarded our flight and flew from St. Louis to Atlanta, where we would then fly to Paris, France. We rode the train to the F section (boy, did Lucan like that!) to wait for our next plane. The next flight was about 8 1/2 hours overnight, so we got to sleep a little. Well, most of us got to sleep a little. There were movie screens in the back of the seats, and, as you probably already guessed, everyone used up at least two weeks worth of screen time.
  They woke us up at one a.m. U.S. time (six thirty in France) and served us breakfast. Shortly after that we landed in France and boarded yet another plane, only to sit for two hours in the parking lot while they fixed a flat tire. Then we finally got on our way.
  I got a window seat, and the view was amazing! I saw the Eiffel Tower! It was disappointing though, as from that height everything was an inch tall. About half-way through our flight I saw some giant mountains. Mama later informed me that they were the Alps and that I should have told her. (She slept for about two-thirds of the flight, which is why she missed them. I was the only person in our family that didn't fall asleep on that plane!)
  Finally, we landed in Naples!

Kenna's Birthday Scavenger Hunt

For Kenna's birthday this year I wanted to do something different, such as a scavenger hunt to find her birthday present. This year I made the biggest birthday present that I had attempted, and it never would have worked without help from Grandma K.
We were out shopping for yarn when I saw a "Sew your own rag doll" kit. Immediately I knew that it would make the perfect birthday present for Kenna. Grandma kindly agreed to buy it for me, and we took it home to look it over.
There were four different pieces that needed to be assembled: two hair ribbons, one dress, and one doll. The dress turned out to be reversible, so Grandma decided to take it home to sew, and I got the hair ribbons and the doll. Grandma had finished the dress and mailed it out to me before I had even started the doll, so I felt pretty guilty. I got to work and finished the doll in two days, which is pretty amazing, because it was my first time using the sewing machine by myself. I think that Kenna will be pleased with her doll, which brings us back to the scavenger hunt. I've decided to post the clues here, so here they are before I forget what I'm doing:

1. You are holding your very first clue;
To find the next one go to Lucan's room.

2. You're doing well, now off you go
To the place where Charis likes to sew.

3. Your next clue takes you away
Where Mama will make your cake today.

4. You're doing such a good job so far!
Now run to the place where all our books are.

5. Your next clue is cold, I bet.
Look in the place where food is kept.

6. Is riding outside one of the things you like?
Hurry off to check your bike.

7. Look at you, over halfway done!
Go to the playroom where you like to have fun.

8. Almost there, Kenna, you're getting so close!
Your next clue is on Tobin's bed, I know.

9. The next clue is where music peals
And where we often eat our meals.

10. Oh my goodness, clue number ten!
Run to the door that lets visitors in.

11. You're getting excited, aren't you sweetie?
You'll find your last clue behind the T.V.

12. The very next one you will like best.
Go to the place where you always rest.

Narrative Poem

The Mouse in the Mail

Did I tell you the story of the mouse in the mail?
No? Well then, I will tell you his tale.
One day little Betsy found a small mouse;
She decided to bring it right into the house.
When her mother saw it she gave a loud shout,
"Get it out, get it out, get it out, out out!"
Betsy didn't want to let the little mouse go.
So she came up with a plan, a bad one, you know.
She decided to send the mouse right through the mail!
"I'll send you to Jack," she said, stroking his tail.
So Betsy got a pretty large box;
Unfortunately, it attracted a fox.
This time sweet Betsy just had to be rude:
Shaking her fist she cried,"Go away, you!"
When the fox had gone she took the box to her mother.
"Would you please mail this to my brother?"
"Of course, my little sweet Betsy dear,"
She said. Betsy grinned from ear to ear.
The poor little mouse didn't know what to think!
He was being lifted before he could blink.
Betsy's mother took him to the post office to mail;
The mouse ran around nervously chasing his tail.
Betsy's mother said, "Can you mail this to my son Jack?"
"Of course," the attendant replied."Be right back."
She came back and gave the box to the UPS man.
"Can you take this to Jack?" The man said,"I sure can."
He drove for half-an-hour, not very long
Until he stopped and said,"This is where you belong."
He went to the porch and rang the doorbell.
"A package for you from Mrs. Campbell."
"Thank you very much," Jack said. "Good-bye.
"Have a nice day." the man said,"I sure will try."
Jack took the box into the house.
When he opened it he was shocked to find a live mouse!
He must have liked the gift Betsy sent
Because he decided to keep the rodent.
Now you know all of my little tale
'Cause there isn't any more to tell of the mouse in the mail.