Atlanta is HOT

We got back from 5 days in Atlanta on Wednesday night. Nothing like flying into the sunset all the way back to make for pretty skies! We also flew right over the Tetons so I could look out my window and see Yellowstone. Well, I basically could pick out the Lake and not much else because it was pretty dark by that time. I haven't been that close to the Park in 4 years, a little nostalgia.

Coke capitol of the world

It was hot and humid in Atlanta. Hooray for an airconditioned house and car that we borrowed from the Mission Year director while he was out of town. I even managed not to get sunburned until the last day when we went and played in the Olympic fountain right at noon. Smart!

Olympic Centennial Fountain

All the flags are from where the Olympics were held the last 100 years.

I finally got to meet all of Brian's friends that still live there that he talks about ALL the time! It's nice to have a little reference! Sunday we went to his church and he got a royal hard time for not telling anyone he was coming! Still we got invited to the Clarks house for lunch and a game of Scrabble for the girls while the guys all slept!

We went through Reynoldstown and met all the boys that he used to work with. They are not doing so well, into some bad stuff and starting their own gang. We tried to hang out with them and do stuff with them, but they really didn't want to and kept disappearing from the Wheelbarrow Festival so we didn't know where they were. It was kinda sad and really frustrating for Brian.

We spent the most time hanging out with Brian's friend Corey who is deaf. I never knew my husband knew so much sign language! We took him with us to the new Georgia Aquarium. It's pretty cool, but not like the most spectacular thing you've ever seen. Although maybe I'm biased since I've been to a few aquariums.

A Beluga Whale - there were 4 of them

Then we went to the Atlanta Braves game that night. $5 seats can't be beat! We were supposed to be sitting on the side facing into the sun, but I was so incredibly hot and the stadium was half empty that I convinced the guys to walk around to the other side and just take some empty seats. We did with no problem and the coolest part was we ended up sitting right across the isle from another deaf guy. Who happened to be a pastor and had gotten his master's degree. With Corey trying to go to college it was the perfect opportunity for him to be encouraged and make a connection. The guy said he would help him out so pray he does. As if that wasn't God already letting us "move out of the sun"... :)

My very favorite picture, a flock of manta rays that looks like a space fleet

Overall it was a pretty good trip and I am so thankful that we live up here where it's not 90 degrees and 90% humidity in the shade!

Student funnies...

I'm turning into my mother... I come home with crazy quotes that my students have written or said...

One of my advanced biology seniors wrote this on the final…

Question: How do your cells obtain energy?
Answer: They steal it from your heart and that’s why when you are old you get mean like old ladies because all their heart is stolen and hatred takes over.

The real answer is by cellular respiration and glucose :) Definately not as interesting though!

Another question asked how you could have a blue eyed child of two brown eyed parents.
The student wrote a whole long explanation of how the granparents could have had blue eyes and given the recessive trait to the father and then the child got 2 recessive traits to be blue eyed. And then he wrote: Or the second option is the child could have been adopted!
As if adopted kids don't have biological parents too!

Ay!

Family reunion!

So on Sunday we took my grandma with us to Seattle to my great aunt Lilly's 85th birthday party/family reunion. There were about 50 people there, most being Strand family relatives (my mom is a Strand). We had it at her church and she told stories and mom's cousin Sandee made Swedish food and it was yummy!

Happy Birthday Aunt Lilly!

Strand family crew! Originally 5 brothers and one sister (Lilly) from Sweden.

Lilly and Uncle Richard in the front row are the only 2 left. Grandma was married to one of the brothers.

Brian tries the pickled herring... yum!

Uncle Mike - DON'T TOUCH THE HAT!
I did when I was a kid and just about got ate for it so now it's a family joke.

A sunset on the way home after we stopped to see Brad and Holly and Baby Carter. She was my master teacher last year in McMinnville, but now they live in Monroe.