Allie's Birthday Party

I'm pretty sure Allie had no idea that it was her birthday, but I think she had a blast!

Happy 1^st Birthday Allie Jean!

Time for a change

I cut my hair. And I didn't even cry. The last time I cut my hair, I donated it to Locks of Love. And I cried like a baby. This time around I only cut 8 inches (yeah, only), so I wasn't able to donate it. I absolutely love it! I'm not quite sure if I'll end up growing it out again (which is what I usually do when I get an urge to cut it off), but for now I'm loving it like this and it just might stick. The gal that cuts my hair was none too pleased with me. She has always loved my hair and wished that she had it. She made it a point to sweep all the hair in a pile on the floor so I could see what I had done, but she also knew that it would look great which is why she agreed to do it. She flat out told me she will never cut my hair if she doesn't like the way I want to cut it. That's probably why I love going to her so much. I never have to worry about her getting "scissor happy"!

Congratulations Rachel & Brian Fritz!

Courtesy of Rachel and Brian's photographer

Rachel and Brian were united in marriage on October 13, 2007. It was a beautiful ceremony and the reception and dance was a blast. Rachel asked me to play piano for the ceremony and everything went quite well (after a minor hitch with the piano at the Old Sanctuary ... I ended up having to bring my own!).

26.2

They did it! My parents (along with some of their friends) finished the Twin Cities Marathon!! They all did such an amazing job too. We had a great time cheering them on, along with all the other marathoners. They truly are an inspiration! You can check out my parents times here (just type in Bjerke and select SD; you'll have to select Medtronics Twin Cities Marathon to see the full results!).

The marathoners before the start

10,000 runners!

Mile 7.5

Mile 13

Mile 17

Mile 19

Mile 23

The final .2 miles!!

THE FINISHERS!!

Our Crew

I think what truly amazed me was how great they looked the whole time. It almost seemed like running 26.2 miles didn't even phase them. I'm so proud of my parents and this incredible accomplishment. They still aren't sure if this will be their one and only marathon, but if they ever decide to run one again you can bet that we'll all be there cheering them on again.

Ugh

That's the only way to describe the last two days. Dustin and I were both home sick Monday and Tuesday with the flu. Not fun. Today we both felt better and made it through a whole day of work. However, I am now ready for bed. I'm still very tired and weak. It's shocking how laying around for two days can be so exhausting.

Being sick has not helped with the practicing for the wedding that I have to play for next weekend. So, tonight I sat down for an hour and practiced all my songs that I will play (prelude, ceremony and postlude). I've done the prelude, processional, recessional and postlude before. This does not worry me. For the first time, I will be playing during the lighting of the unity candle. I've accompanied singers before ... twice. Never has it just been me. I'm a little nervous and am having flashbacks to my recital days. Yikes!

Riddle me this ... I struggled through a few songs (I know it's only because I'm tired; I've played these songs millions of times before) however, when I broke out some Chopin Nocturnes, I played them flawlessly. I haven't played Chopin in ages. Interesting.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Best Anniversary Ever!

Happy Anniversary!

Dustin and me with Don and Shelly

Now that's how you pack and haul your coolers (if you don't mind the horrible scraping noise when you bottom out)!

Our tailgating crew

Pretty sure Dustin was in heaven at this point!

Arrowhead baby!

Okay, so it was our first anniversary. But still. It was awesome! We headed down to Kansas City Saturday morning and stayed with Don and Shelly (my uncle and aunt). We went to a fun Mexican restaurant/bar Saturday night and Sunday we went to Arrowhead. The Chiefs beat the Vikings (it was there home opener to boot) and we had such a great time. A bunch of Don and Shelly's friends came out too ... I've met some before, but it was Dustin's first time meeting most everyone. You know how people say that Disneyland is the happiest place on earth (or something like that)? Well, they're wrong. Or they have never been to Arrowhead.

Our First Anniversary

Courtesy of Wisconnygirl Designs

Must ... finish ... book ...

I've been frantically trying to finish reading The Time Traveler's Wife. I was under the impression that book group was next week. It was tonight. I didn't get the book finished and I ended up having to work late, so I didn't make it. I was really looking forward to it too. Oh well. I will have the next book finished in time! I did finish The Memory Keeper's Daughter and it was excellent. I highly recommend it. I have a long trip ahead of me this weekend, so I know I will finish my other book and then I'll have to decide what I'll read next. I seem to be devouring books lately. I love it!

I'm in awe ...

My parents are going to run the Twin Cities Marathon the first weekend of October. We're all heading up there to cheer them on. Today, they ran 18 miles. I got up at 6 this morning and headed out with my mom's friend Kristen and her daughter Sheena (who's a good friend of mine). We followed them along the Brookings Marathon route and cheered them on and provided drinks and power bars too.
I am so proud of my parents right now. They keep saying that never in their lives did they think they would run 18 miles, but they did it. And they did an excellent job to boot!
They are going to run the Jackrabbit 15 next weekend, which should be no problem for them now! Unfortunately, I won't be here next weekend to cheer them on, but I'm sure they'll do a great job!
Now there's talk that Kristen, Sheena and I will train to run the Breast Cancer 5k in Sioux Falls next year ... I haven't run since I was in the National Guard and I never ran before that either. It should be interesting. But I can't help but be inspired by my parents. You guys are awesome!

Another end to a chapter in my fascinating book of life

Today I decided that I will no longer be instructing my lone student in piano. Most of you know that I have been considering this for quite some time. I have been instructing him for three or four years now and it has become increasingly apparent that he is no longer interested. Of course there are several other mitigating circumstances that have led me to this decision. Next Tuesday will be our final lesson. I'm still not quite sure how I feel about this. Several people have told me that I should not feel bad about this. While I agree with them completely, it's difficult to not feel bad. I think it has something to do with the fact that piano is such a passion of mine and I was hoping that maybe my student would feel the same way. Now I have the opportunity to find another student that has that same passion and will enjoy learning. Or as my mother put it to me today ... "Even if you never teach again, you can always include that in your autobiography"!

Disappointing

Maybe painful is a better word. Today marked the kick-off to the NFL season and my Chiefs were down in Houston to take on the Texans. A game they should have won. A game they could have won ... if they didn't suck. Missed field goals. Turnovers. Final score: 20-3. Are you kidding me?!?! I realize that this is the first game of the season and that there are plenty of opportunities ahead to turn this around ... It was not a great start.

Ah, to be young again!

Dustin and I went out to Jessica's last night. She had a birthday party for Camden (still can't believe he's two already) and we caught the tail-end of the party. However, we made it just in time for the adult party. Camden got this motorized tractor and while it was quite amusing watching him and his cousin zip around the yard, it was much more fun watching Jessica ride around on it! After all that excitement we decided to play some cards. For whatever reason, we played P&A and then Ring of Fire. It brought me right back to my drinking days in high school. Although we were all ready for bed at 12:30 and I don't remember turning in quite that early in high school. I guess that's what happens when you get older.

The Labor Day Weekend

Dustin and I headed to Pierre Friday after work. As most of you know, Dustin's parents are moving to Washington, D.C. Pretty exciting, huh?! We are so thrilled for them and can't wait until our first visit out there. I've been there a couple times, but I'm anxious to see the non-tourist things.

Dustin and I assumed that the weekend would be spent helping them pack. Turns out, they have people that are going to do that for them. Sweet! So, we packed up some of Dustin's things that his parents will no longer store (I had to do that a couple years ago and my parents aren't even moving anywhere!). We also packed up a few things that we are going to keep for them while they are gone. We scored a ladder, a snow-blower, a poker table, a book shelf (cause I really need another one!) and a bunch of other stuff. The best though ... we're keeping their boat for them while they're gone! We took it out for one last hurrah on the river yesterday. Even though I managed to get a sunburn (I know, I know, very surprising) it was still a great time.

We're keeping our fingers crossed that it's nice out next weekend, I've been hearing talk of rain, because we really want to take this out one last time. After next weekend, my schedule is jam-packed again!

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass.

It's about learning to dance in the rain.

Happy Anniversary Nichole and Randy!

Finally ...

A weekend off. I think this was the first weekend that we haven't had anything going on since we moved into our house.

Yesterday started with family pictures at Melby's, followed by a jewelry party in Bruce that my aunt hosted. Then off to Lowe's with my mom and grandma to pick out paint for grandma's kitchen. Once I got home I had to pick up apples so Dustin could mow the lawn. Then my friend Jessica came over last night with her son Camden. She finally moved back home ... yay! Oh yeah, I also finished Harry Potter! It was excellent!

Today I got my piano/library room cleaned and organized and Dustin took care of the basement. Finally, a place for everything and everything in it's place! Nichole and Allie came over this afternoon and we watched Allie while Nichole and Randy went to a movie. My parents stopped by tonight to drop off another set of curtains for us (it just didn't seem complete with only the one set on our huge window). Now, I think I'm going to go to bed.

For not having anything going on it sure was a busy weekend!

We've been in our house for about two months now and I finally found curtains and an area rug! My sister and I spent an entire day in Sioux Falls about a month ago or so and couldn't find anything. Saturday we took my Mom to Sioux Falls for Mother's Day (yeah, we're a little behind) and she managed to find this rug and these curtains for me. Unbelievable! I absolutely love them and now our living room actually looks, and feels, like a living room.

On a side note, if you're looking for a place to eat in Sioux Falls, check out Sanaa's. It's downtown on 8th Street and they serve Mediterranean food. It was pretty good.

Bryan and Jessica's Wedding

Dustin's brother, Bryan, got married last weekend in Watertown.

I meet Dustin's uncle Jim a few years ago, but was finally able to meet his wife, Tammy, and their kids, Bayley Anne and Tyler (top two photos). We had hoped that they would be able to make it back for our wedding, but with school it just wasn't possible. I was so happy to finally meet them. Those kids are just great. They were the junior bridesmaid and groomsman in the wedding and they did such a great job!
The bottom photo is my attempt at photography. I've decided that I want to get into that a little more. We'll see how that works out!

Honey Days 2007

A few weekends ago (the last weekend of July to be exact) was Honey Days in Bruce, South Dakota. The parade was great, the whopper feed excellent as usual and, of course, Rentsch Volleyball! We ended up in the A bracket again this year, meaning we didn't win the tournament, but we had a great time. Weekends like this make me really appreciate the fact that I'm from small-town South Dakota!

Happy Birthday Nichole!

Allie didn't care for her dad's driving, so she decided to take over!

Allie and Grandma

Incredible view, huh?

This last weekend, Dustin headed south for his brother's bachelor party and I headed west with my family. We had a surprise birthday party for my mom's cousin Jan. Her and her husband recently moved (as in last week) back to SD. Jan is from here, her husband is from Maryland where they have been living for as long as I can remember. The view of the river from their house is amazing. I'm told it's about a mile or so to the water from their house. However, I'm also told that there are snakes in the bluffs, so you won't see me trekking down there! Jeff and Cindy were kind enough to let me, Nichole, Randy and Allie crash at their house (Thanks for everything!!). It was so stinkin' hot out! At one point, the thermometer at Jeff and Cindy's read 112 degrees. It wasn't long after seeing that that Nichole, Randy, Allie and I headed for the river!

It's Friday the 13th!

Better refresh your memory ...

Plus a little trivia for you.

The telling of a secondhand story with an apocryphal spin may be one of these. (Answer)

Children born at midnight have the power to see these. (Answer)

Happy Birthday Mom!

Weekend Project

This last weekend was spent painting Nichole and Randy's house (it used to be white with black shutters). It was a lot of work, but I can't believe the difference a couple gallons of paint makes ... ten to be exact!

Fredrik, Susanne, Klara and Karl

Allie, Klara and Karl

Enjoying the fire

Klara's first S'More!

Swedish Invasion!

Our "family" from across the pond came to visit us last week. Fredrik was an exchange student and stayed with my grandparents many years ago and we've stayed in touch all these years. When I was in Paris ten years ago, he was there on business and was able to meet up with me. My parents stayed with his family a couple of years ago when they were in Sweden. It was so great to finally meet his family and to see him again. It had been far too long!

Soldier

by George L. Skypeck

I was that which others did not want to be.

I went where others feared to go, and did what others failed to do.

I asked nothing from those who gave nothing, and reluctantly accepted the thought of eternal loneliness ... should I fail.

I have seen the face of terror; felt the stinging cold of fear; and enjoyed the sweet taste of a moment's love.

I have cried, pained, and hoped ... but most of all, I have lived times other would say were best forgotten.

At least someday I will be able to say that I was proud of what I was ... a soldier.

It is the Soldier

by Charles M. Province

It is the soldier, not the reporter,

Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet,

Whoe has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,

Who has given us freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, not the lawyer,

Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the soldier, who salutes the flag,

Who serves under the flag,

Whose coffin is draped in the flag,

Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

The Employee Committee

Me and Amanda

The Dunk Tank

Summer Picnic

We had our annual summer picnic Friday night. It was a perfect night for it and the picnic was a huge success. I somehow ended up being the emcee for the night (I'm still not quite sure how that happened). And someone thought that it would be great to have the President of the Employee Committee participate in the dunk tank from now on. Lucky me! That water was freezing!