Another great poem by Taylor Mali now with kinetic typography.

 This is short but EXCELLENT. My older kids are taking Speech and Debate
this year and I had them watch and listen to this video. They loved it!
Just had to share.

Typography from Ronnie Bruce on Vimeo.

Christmas and the holidays are much on my mind these days. We are heading north just before Thanksgiving to visit Cory's family. And then back to Boise for Thanksgiving with my side of the family. So I would like to have much (if not all) of my extended family shopping done by then. But, of course, what to do for everyone. That is always the question.

And I have especially been considering trying to make gifts using some of my photos since
A. I already have them and
B. They bring back such great memories.
I've been perusing some digital photo album websites and trying out different software just to see if there is something quick and easy AND looks great (more like a scrapbook and less like a photo album). Haven't found the perfect thing yet but I will keep looking.

One year we did custom photo calendars through Costco for Cory's family and our German extended family and they turned out great! They were quick and easy and only about $10 a piece.

And I did get this idea in my email inbox and I might try to make one of these photo notepads and see how truly easy or difficult it is:

http://photojojo.com/content/diy/photo-cover-notepad/

It looks cool.

I thought the kids might like to each have one of these in their stocking this year. And I already have the photos and the paper and glue. So, we will see...

Grandma Rose's obituary

Here is Cory's Grandma's obituary. She lived a long life. Cory flew up to Coeur d'Alene this morning to be with his family for the funeral and burial this weekend.
(And, of course, while he is gone the battery died in one of the vans. Why do these things always happen when he leaves town? Funny, huh?)


Nita Rose Witherup, 95



Nita Rose Witherup, 95, of Post Falls, Idaho, passed away Sept. 9, 2009, in Post Falls. She was born Feb. 3, 1914, in Slater, Mo., to James and Catherine Allen.

As a teen Nita moved to Kansas City, Mo., where she met and married Mervyn, the love of her life. She followed him west when the Hanford project was birthed and spent many happy years in Richland, Wash. In 2000 she moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to be near her daughter and son and live independently until 2004.

Nita was an avid tennis player and an accomplished bowler. She enjoyed pinochle, gardening and baking. She spent most of her years as a homemaker but in mid-life worked in retail sales in the music, jewelry and clothing industries.

Nita is survived by her children: Sandra Hankins (partner Ted Granger) of Seattle, Wash., Mervyn Witherup Jr. (wife Linda) of Spokane, Wash., and Connie Isakson (husband Ron) of Post Falls, 12 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
Nita is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 53 years, Mervyn; son William and five siblings.

The family would like to thank her wonderful caregivers and friends at The Loyalton in Coeur d'Alene, Moran Vista in Spokane and Life Care Center in Post Falls. You are truly our kind of heroes and heroines. She felt very loved and "special" throughout her years of assisted living and skilled nursing care.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, at Life Care in Post Falls and graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009, at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Richland, Wash.

Please sign Nita's guest registry and view her online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.

Our Momentous Week!

I just had to share a few highlights of our crazy, busy week with you:

While Liz and Kendall have been enjoying their MCT drama camp this week, Mariel has begun vision therapy for her eye focusing problem and I have driven Phillip around to a haircut, job interview, and finally to get his Driver’s License!!! (He only missed two questions, so he beat Jenny’s score—which is really all that matters right? Ha! Just kidding.) We also got Phillip’s Congressional Record book in the mail to D.C. for his Silver Medal which represents almost 250 hours of voluntary public service on his part.

And then…..Phillip just received a phone call from the library, where he interviewed, and they offered him the part time job!!! Whoo Hoo! And Praise the LORD!!!

Now, in a couple of hours I get to traverse the city in my van (once again) to go pick up 5 of our summer-reading refugee girls so they can attend Liz’s play with our family tonight!!! I think it will be as much fun to watch their faces glow as to watch the play. There were dozens of them that wanted to come along but I only had so many extra seats in the car and so much money for tickets. I will take some pictures and pass them along later.

We have barely been home, the house is trashed, the young girls are bickering, and I am tired but rejoicing in what has been accomplished.

Just had to share the joy,
Angela

editorial note: The 5 girls dwindled into 3 when it came time to transport them to the play but they all had a great time and we were able to get a refund on the 2 unused tickets.

My Blondstar Moment

If you need a chuckle then do I ever have one for you. Here is the email I sent my family yesterday describing my latest faux pas:


Well after you hear what I managed to do, you may not want to claim relation any longer.

After driving around for several weeks with an electronic window stuck in the halfway down position (in rain and hot sun) Cory finally gets some help from a body mechanic friend to get it fixed before Grandma comes down for the weekend. The only day we could work it in was today (yes, Phillip’s 16th birthday). So, After three hours of taking the entire door of the Toyota van apart, our friend discovers that nothing is really broken after all. I had simply pushed the ‘child’s safety lock’ that I didn’t even know I had and “locked” the window in that position!!!

I guess my only consolation is that neither Cory nor the car-mechanic friend thought to try the button lock either.

I just amazed myself sometimes!
Unbelievably yours,
Angela

Just Questions

Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

This verse keeps returning to my mind and my question is:

1. Am I letting the word of Christ richly dwell within me?

And

2. How am I letting the word of Christ richly dwell within me?

I don't have any answers yet, just questions.

Anyone else with answers is encouraged to share.
Your prayers are appreciated also.
Thanks!
Angela

20 years and counting...

Well, February this year has already come and gone, but I do remember thinking sometime during that month that it marked my 20th year of walking with God. Twenty years, wow.

I am so thankful that the Father, in His infinite grace and mysterious ways, reached down and redeemed my life; my mistakes for His forgiveness and my sins for His righteousness. It certainly wasn’t a “fair” trade; thank the LORD! I’m glad this world is not always fair or my life would have been radically different these past 20 years had I gotten what I deserved instead of what I needed. God is truly Great and Wonderfully Good.

It's a Small World After All

So, my Mom comes for a visit recently and tells me that she brought a jar of cookie mix with her to spend some time together making cookies with my girls. Well, she forgot and left the cookie mix in the car the first day, but two days later she comes by and delivers the cookie mix, along with other presents and goodies on her way elsewhere for the day.

I had a baby shower to attend that afternoon and left the girls behind, due to an eye infection working its way through my family, to make the cookies together while I was gone. When I returned home the were in the kitchen diligently working away and I picked up the glass canning jar and read the homemade label. It said, “Sparkler Cookies. [baking instructions]Enjoy this treat with our heart-felt THANKS for your dedicated service this year! We thank GOD upon our every remembrance of YOU!
Ric and Lisa Schumacher.”

Then, I about fell off my chair! I almost couldn’t believe it!

Ric and Lisa Schumacher were the support group leaders for our homeschool group while living in the Stuttgart, Germany area. And they were also in charge of the Sparks age-group at the AWANA program my girls attended while living there.

And now, less than two years later I was holding a handmade label from them that had been given to my Mom for her volunteer service at the Sparks AWANA program at my Mom’s church in Pullman, WA.

It’s a small, small world. :)

Here is a photo of Cory just a few steps outside from his new office in Eagle, ID during his lunch hour. He now works next door to Merrill Park and a fishing pond near the Boise River and the greenbelt. Three months later it is hard to believe that...

1. He was laid off from his previous job
2. He was unemployed (just a few weeks)
3. And just three short months ago he didn't even have this job!

Well, from the photo, you can see all is well and he loves it. :) Including lunch.

Unemployment Final Chapter by Cory

Well, it looks like we are nearing the end of the latest mini-series of Isakson Family. Lets recap what we have seen and remember that they were asking Jesus to be with them all along.

This episode began just before Christmas on December 16th when Mr. Isakson was given notice by his employer that he had until the end of February to find another job.

Angela’s response of “Woo Hoo now we can go back to Germany” was surprising to some viewers, but the real fans knew that was from her heart.

The excitement grew as viewers then watched Mr. Isakson get immediately let go on New Years eve.

Several options unfolded for the Isakson’s to consider during our last few weeks. First was the Email from local friend Richard Hundhausen on Dec. 18th.

 “Hi Richard, Do you know any very good Boise area / northwest shops that are available to develop a large cross-platform .net and silverlight application?” – Jeff Bull at Unity Media Group

 You might check with Cory Isakson. He’s good, and might have some availability. – Richard

This began a working relationship between Unity and Cory. He began working as a consultant to help them with a product they needed to get developed, having no idea how long the work would last.

Then the big surprise came on January 7th in the form of another Email from a recruiter in Stuttgart Germany.

 “Cory, Just going through some old emails... Looking for a programmer initially for the Web Portal over at SOCAF ... Are you interested? 4 month base and two option years... Please reply to all...” – Chris Foley with Lockheed

We watched the family process the Germany possibility and saw that the biggest concern was Phillip who had been openly opposed. With a big prayer of thanksgiving we all rejoiced as Phillip opened up and reconsidered his previous fears.

Unity continued to meet with Cory and decided they wanted to hire him full time and make him a member of their team. Meanwhile Cory completed the application for Germany and kept that option open.

During our last episode we saw the options coming to a conclusion as Cory met with the leadership of Unity Media Group.

Then came the decision point on Thursday when Ken called him with the offer. Would he take it and stay in Boise where friends and family were wrestling with God to keep him. Or would he hang onto the possibility of returning to the land of Castles, Cars and Beer ?

Again, we find the answers in Email.

 Cory - just had meeting this morning with the govt... They have chosen another guy.... Good guns... Grab what you have... Will keep you in mind for other things as well so lets stay in touch...

And thus concludes this episode of Isakson Family. Tune in next week as Cory goes back to full time work and jumps into the .COM startup game with Unity Media Group.


The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are the personal property and copyright of Cory Isakson. This summary is provided for information and entertainment and Praise Jesus purposes only. It does not represent the experiences of most families and therefore should not be taken to mean that viewers can and will experience similar things. The use of Email in this drama was entirely real and while it is often a weak form of communication it can still be useful. Twitter, Facebook, and Social Networks have been expressly omitted from Isakson Family, though some on the set occasionally catch glimpses of family members on Facebook. Right wing fundies who get their undies into bundies are asked to please exit through the side door. Everyone else is welcome to stay for the shooting of infomercials.

Unemployment Day 8

Well, I thought I should update, but really there is no news yet. Cory is off at Microsoft this week doing training (for FREE) but still no official local job offer has materialized.

So, we are trying to decide what to do. He is trying to decide what to do.

Do we stay or do we go back to Germany as that is the only job offer on the table so far.

What to do, what to do?

The family is all game to move back overseas, but Cory is a bit hesitant---hhhmmm, I wonder why that could be?

Unemployment Day 4

What to say....

It looks like my husband will have about three different job offers in writing by next week. Now he will just have to decide where to work (Boise or Germany) and for whom.

Amazing...Astonishing.. Astounding...

Almost Unbelievable

EXCEPT for GOD, with whom all things are possible.

Day 1 of Unemployment

Some may know that my husband was given a 2 month notice of a job lay-off recently.

However, two months turned into two weeks and he is officially unemployed NOW. He was let go on December 31st, 2008.

So, actually Day 1 of umemployment was last Friday, but who's counting?! Ha!

And all I can say is God is Faithful and True! We are looking forward to a new chapter of faith and trust in 2009. I'll let you know the end of the story...later.

To be continued...