Letters From Granddad

Every so often, you will meet individuals that forever touch your heart. Sometimes they are simple acquaintances, most of them friends. I had the pleasure of calling one of them family.

The day I met Edward Gene Boehm will be a day I will never forget.  I remember where I was standing, in what room I met him, where he sat, and the smile on his face as I walked into the room. Now, I would be lying to you if I did not mention that this meeting had some built up pressure behind it. Not only was I meeting the great Gene and Jane Boehm of Angleton, TX, but I was also being introduced to Jordan's beloved Grandma and Granddad.

Before the introductions, I had heard so many great things about Grandma and Granddad. The more Jordan spoke of them, the more I grew to understand the relationship. To say they are very honored and respected people whom many people hold in high regard would be an understatement. So, you can imagine how nervous I was to meet them. Nonetheless, Mr. Boehm did what he does naturally, and made me feel right at home and loved the second we shook hands.

Over the past 8 years, I have gotten to spend a lot of time with Mr. Boehm. I witnessed many of the things that gave people reason to respect him so much. I talked with him, listened to his stories, and admired the way my husband loved and looked up to him. I listened in on countless number of Sunday evening phone conversations between he and Jordan as they discussed business matters, such as the Aggie football program, the new machines rolling out of the John Deere factory, and the land out in Moulton. As Jordan and I pulled out of the driveway after a long weekend visit in the summer of 2007, I turned to Jordan and said "I absolutely love your grandparents." He laughed and smiled, for he already knew of their greatness.

There are many things I will never forget about Mr. Boehm. Many things that make me smile and laugh, and a lot that I will cherish and remember forever. If you have not had the pleasure of knowing a man as wonderful as he, allow me to shed some light on what I have gotten to know since 2005.

I will never forget his laughter and his boyish grin and the ability to find joy in life's most simplest pleasures. I will always admire the beauty of the family that he built and which surrounds him to this day. I will always honor and respect his love for hard work, and knowing that the most satisfaction you can ever gain from life is putting all your effort into something and watching the fruits of your labor bloom. I will be reminded of him every time I see a tractor out in the field shredding the terrain, or a giant burn pile being lit up at the end of the day. Phrases such as "well I'll be," "too many chiefs and not enough indians," and "I stepped on a frog," will never be heard the same again. I will miss his weekly letters in the mail that contained explanations of their daily routines and recent weather activities and rainfall amounts. I will forever be amazed at his ability to fall asleep in any position, at any time of day, and the way his foot would keep tapping all through his naps. I will miss his skill at ending any debate with just a few simple words, and his belief that all of the worlds problems are solved with a bowl of Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Mr. Boehm has taught me so much in the past 8 years. I am very blessed to have known him.
Every so often, an individual will come into your life that touches your heart. I have known such an individual, and I am going to miss him dearly.

I love you, Granddad.

500 Miles to You

One of the hardest things I find about writing is that I can never do it on command. The power of my words is played heavily off my emotions. If I don't feel the inspiration then I usually come up with diddly squat to put on paper. Nonetheless, there are times where I'm left alone with my thoughts and the ideas and words come flowing from my mind with ease. A week ago, Jordan and I were driving home from Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. A 20 hour drive covering 1,200 miles. During long trips we like to split up the driving time and I was lucky enough to cover the 6 hour stretch from Northern Alabama into Illinois on the way home. I had the bluegrass satellite station blaring and Jordan was asleep in the passenger seat. It was only me, the road and my thoughts, and thus the inspiration for the post below:

The weather's turned colder
we're another year older
and it's been so long since I've heard from you.
So we pack up our lovings
for a year's worth of comings
for Christmas in that southern town hue.

And it's 500 miles halfway to family
and then 500 more to do.
We've longed for a reunion
and that's just what we're doin'
but I've still got 500 miles to you.

The weather's been hot
and our workloads we've fought
and it's been too long since I've hugged you.
So we'll take a vacation
and drive across the nation
for a beach stay in the Florida dunes.

And it's 500 miles halfway to family
and then 500 more to do.
We've longed for a reunion
and that's just what we're doin'
but I've still got 500 miles to you.

The nights they are quiet
my loneliness I hide it
It's been 20 days since I've kissed you.
But you'll soon leave the cotton
that you tend to so often
and I can't wait until I see you.

Cause it's 5,000 miles until I see you baby
24 hours flying over the sea
I've longed for the reunion
and I know you'll be here soon and
it's 5,000 miles to me. 

(Yes, this is a song. If you want to hear the guitar accompaniment, well then I guess you'll have to come to Iowa.)


- Shirley

Forever More

A single man walks the earth
In search for meaning and love
Knowing in faith that always
A plan is set from above

One day the man meets woman
And both their souls collide
For the plan is set in action
They know this can't be denied

And so they make their promise
 A vow never spoken before
They swear to love each other
From now and forever more

They grow in love and devotion
Building a home rooted in Christ
Their promises are never broken
For any temptation nor heist

The years fly by quickly
Gray hair places what was before
And still the man and woman
Love now and forever more

But lo a challenge arises
As pain begins to set in
The woman clutches her rosary
For she knows what's to begin

The labs and white costs preach
But the couple sees not a chore
The man hold her hand tightly
Through this and forever more

The poison drips slowly
And a deadline is all but set
But the courageous feel no fear
The end is not here yet

Through sickness they sing and pray
And the woman her life she fights for
But she grows weak and with her eyes
Says she can fight no more

The man holds her gently
As her spirit leaver her side
And her soul finds its peace
As the man softly cries

His tears tell the story
But he knows as was told before
He kisses her cheek softly
Promising to love her forever more

And the woman she rejoices
And her eyes how they open
Her heart is filled with love
As she enters the gates of heaven

And just as the man promised
And our Savior did before
She and we can live in his kingdom
Now and forever more.

Dedicated to the memory of a woman who ended her fight against cancer last month and a man who loved her dearly.

A long-winded Update

Howdy from Ankeny!

Look! I used the word "howdy!" After a full year in the Midwest, I seem to be retaining at least some of my southern vernacular. Although, I can't say the same for my Texan Drawl. This has caused me a bit of depression over the past few weeks and I am quickly learning to accept it. However, losing my twang has been a hard pill to swallow. I am now dropping my Os and Is and using common Iowan phrases, such as "you know" and "oh yeah." I hope to alleviate this situation by traveling down to the Lone Star State in less than 7 days, but I'll get to those details in a minute.

One year. One whole year has passed since Jordan and I made the decision to move north. A lot has changed in the past 365 days, and I am proud to say that most have been blessings, with one or two rough spots along the way. Not only has our location been an adjustment, but so has our state of mind. I am quite happy I have chosen to document the path of my life. Rereading old posts is fun and fascinating. I get to witness how I grow and mature as I advance in age, and I know this is only the beginning.

I'm glad you have also chosen to enjoy the ride with me. I know blogging can be a bit narcissistic at times, but I feel with me and Jordan being so far away from families, this has been a great avenue to let loved ones and friends know all the minute details of our lives that we may not get to share over the phone or through email. Everyone's lives are getting so busy as we grow older, and we are no exception.

Since it has been a while since I last blogged, I figured I'd give you all an update and maybe hit on some of the highlights over the past year.

- December 2010 - Both me and Jordan graduated from the wonderful Texas A&M University with Bachelor degrees. Now that school had ended, we needed to decide on our futures. Jordan tossed back and forth between two job positions as I began to work full time, fully prepared to move across the country if needed. Jordan secretly snuck down to Moulton and asked my father for my hand in marriage.

- January 2011 - After prepping to relocate to the metropolis of Minneapolis, MN Jordan broke the news to me that he had, in fact, landed a dream job with John Deere and Co. in Des Moines, IA. He was to start work at the end of February so we quickly had to change our original plans and began preparing for a move to Iowa instead. I put in my two weeks at work and we told our families the exciting news.

- February 2011 - After locating a place to live in Ankeny, IA Jordan and I treated ourselves to a ski trip in Aspen, CO. We had been planning this trip for over a year and invested quite a bit of cash. We were fully prepared to spoil ourselves for a week in the mountains. Little did I know, Jordan was also prepared to pop the question. We were engaged on the 12th and told our (not so surprised) families a few days later. We packed up our belongings and made the long road-trip to Iowa for the first time, officially moving in on the 21st.


- March 2011 - After getting our feet wet in our new Midwestern lifestyle, I headed back down to Texas for a few days to help out with our Annual Team ReJoyce Washer Tournament to raise funds for cancer research. Jordan went south to help out a dealership and deal with his first real test at his new job. He passed with flying colors while our family raised nearly $15,000 at our annual fundraiser.


- April 2011 - Jordan now in full swing with Deere and Co. kept his travels up by heading to Memphis for two weeks. Just in time for the deadly "Tornado Outbreak" of 2011. I prayed in church, attended Aggie Muster, and celebrated Easter with my cousins in Ames, IA. Jordan returned home unscathed by the storms. Plus, my sister announced she was pregnant with her first child!


- May 2011 - It was only a few days that we were reunited in Iowa before Jordan made his first trip overseas to Australia in the beginning of May. While he spent the month in Brisbane, I headed back down south to watch my lovely cousin and friend walked down the aisles at their respective weddings, did a little wedding planning of my own, and attended the final Stevenson 8 High School graduation.


- June 2011 - A relatively calm month. A friend of mine had landed an internship in Waterloo, IA and she came down for a weekend visit. It was nice to catch up and was comforting being able to have a familiar face around in strange territory. She was a native of the Midwest and filled me in on the northern lifestyle. Jordan didn't have to travel for work and he and Emma got to watch the Fightin' Texas Aggies play in the CWS.


- July 2011 - I finally got to meet the neighbors (Jordan had previously hung out with them a few times while I was away) and spent the 4th of July holidays watching contraband explode in the sky. We both got to fly down for the Jamboree, but said our bittersweet goodbyes to each other at the end of the weekend. Jordan left for Brazil for a month and a half and I decided to hang out down south until he returned in late August.


- August 2011 - The peak of the Texas drought hit, ungodly hot temperatures soared, and I spent most of my time putting the final touches on our wedding plans and waiting out the days in the dry country spending time with my dad. Jordan had a ball traveling the country of Brazil, eating their ethnic foods, and gaining all the weight that came with it. SO worth it in my opinion.


- September 2011 - WE GOT HITCHED! Best weeks of my life. We spent our honeymoon in Antigua and did nothing but sit on the beach and relax every single minute we could. Someday we will get to do that again.


- October 2011 - We returned to Iowa on my 24th Birthday, but had to make a quick turnaround and head down for a funeral. Jordan's dear sweet Nanny had passed and we still miss her to this day. We love you Nanny and think about you all the time. We got to watch the Aggie football team play in Ames and experienced our first Iowan Halloween, or as they call it "Beggars' Night." Everyone must come here and experience this. SO FUN!

- November 2011 - A calm month as Jordan's work was slowing down and the temperatures were getting cooler. We spent our first Thanksgiving as a married couple by under-cooking the turkey and eating with our lovely neighbors instead.  We got our first snow on the 11th and I had to shovel the driveway for the first time. Not a fun experience. We also got to travel to California to watch my cousin get married. Wonderful weekend on the west coast!


- December 2011 - Crazy month! Another quick trip to Brazil for Jordan, but not before we were notified that the house we were renting was going into foreclosure. After a depressing few weeks and contemplating our options we came to terms with the situation. My sister and her husband gave birth to their first child, my 4th nephew, on the 10th. We ran away from the "mild" Midwest winter and spent two weeks in Texas with family. Rang in the New Year by celebrating a Boehm wedding and visiting College Station.


- January 2012 - Life kicked in to gear after a quiet Christmas Break. I began looking for jobs (eek!) and touched up my resume. I hit the pavement hard by mid month and had a few interviews. By the end of the month I was notified that my hard work had paid off. I got my first big girl job! I saw dollar signs, Jordan saw tractor toys.


- February 2012 - I began work and had to go through an adjustment period. It had been a year since I held a position so getting back into the working lifestyle was going to take while. To this day I am still pretty busy and come home exhausted, but thankfully I married a great man and Jordan has been there for awesome support. He is even cooking, and cooking well!

March has started off great. Jordan celebrated 24 years yesterday and in just 6 days we get to travel down to Texas to help fight cancer once again. I'll get to see my aunts, uncles, and friends for the first time in almost 6 months. I am way excited. Let's hope the drought busting rains take a break next weekend!

We've gotten updates on our house situation slowly over the past few months, and none of it has been good news. Nonetheless, we remained positive. We prayed, analyzed the facts and looked at our options. We've made a decision on our next plans and hopefully we can update you all on those soon.

And so there you have it. A full year's worth of highlights. I look back and think about what has changed. Our family has grown exponentially, I have fallen in love with the Midwest lifestyle, and can even handle temperatures in the 20s now without complaint. Jordan and I both agree that we are immensely happy with our lives. We feel totally blessed by everything and everyone and couldn't imagine being anywhere else at the moment. We look to the future and see what's ahead with anticipation. Children? Maybe not right at the moment, or for the next few years, but it's a possibility. Calling Europe home? Maybe! Only time will tell. The only thing I know is we are happy with our current state and look forward to the road ahead.

I'll try to blog soon, and promise the next post won't be as lengthy (or boring). I hope everyone's 2012 is going well, and I can't wait to see all you again, whenever that may be :)

Until next time,
Prosit!

Encouragement

I think tonight I am going to be a little whiny and divulge you all in my latest self-revelation. I hate the fact this happened, but I can't deny it didn't either. Those who hold close relationships with me may have noticed, and I apologize. For the past few months I have been in a funk. A funk, I now believe, was inevitable to happen.

Perhaps this is a normal part of life. When we reach milestones we can't help but take a look at ourselves and examine what is deep within. We ask ourselves many questions, such as: "am I happy?" "Am I contributing something of value to society?" "Have I failed anyone?"

I couldn't escape my self-evaluation. No one was judging me but myself, and I tore my self-esteem apart. Of all the inquiries I continuously asked myself, I never had a good answer. I felt like a failure in life. I had a college degree but no job. I had an amazingly brand-new husband, but felt like a worthless wife. I witnessed many of my peers land awesome careers and a few family members started to raise their families. I quickly felt like my only contributions in life were limited to vacuumed carpets and feeding the dog. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life while others my age were bringing in paychecks. I felt behind, anxious, restless and angry.

I felt worthless.

I neglected everything that brought joy to my life. I turned away from music, telling myself I sucked. I stopped writing and believed I was not good enough to make anything of it. Sure, I can put a sentence together, but a whole story? Forget it. I had no drive, no discipline and absolutely no motivation.

I was a mess.

Jordan, oh so sweet Jordan, helped me one night. We talked it out for a few hours dissecting every little thing that bothered me. I let him in on my self-evaluation and kept asking him why my results were so negative and demeaning. I realized I was tired of feeling the way I did, and he helped me find a way out of it.

I searched within myself for my own answers. I reflected on many things, focusing on my faith and prayed for a better attitude. I knew I had a lot to be thankful for and I shouldn't be so quick to compare myself to others. In time, I began to come around.

I picked up my guitar again, relearned a few songs and set new goals for myself. I began to pick up a pen a little more often and write down a few words here and there. I realized I needed to focus on what I did well and be proud of it, no matter how minute I or anyone else may feel it was. I figured out what I needed to do to feel more like myself and not so much like a failure. It was as if I awoke one morning and I saw my life in an entirely new light. I was content. I was focused. I was ready to take charge again.

And if it wasn't for the man I married, I'd probably still be sulking in my pity party. Working a job I hated just to pay the bills. He pushes me to be a better person and encourages me so much to make me believe I can do anything I want to in this life.

With him as my husband, I sure as hell can :)

Iowa is Home

What makes a house a home? Is it the location? Size? Number of bedrooms? A dog? A family? I am not sure there really is a correct answer. Many have their theories and I have a few of my own. I've lived in a number of homes throughout my 24 years and all of them hold a special place in my heart. However, our current dwelling is making a strong effort to pull into first place next to my childhood home, and this is what is making life so difficult.

Jordan and I moved to Ankeny, Iowa on February 21, 2011. It was cold, it was damp and the house was empty. I spent the first night in our new home on a blow-up mattress alone. No television. No internet. No Jordan. The next morning the movers came and unloaded what was left of our college furniture into the house. My possessions totaled 3 items. A bed, acoustic guitar and a severely outdated television. I didn't exactly know how to feel about our new accommodations. We had only been engaged for a week when we moved here and it was so COLD outside. We were now a 16 hour drive away from family. We knew not a soul in this entire State. I was anxious to begin a new life and a bit excited about the possibilities, but I won't lie and admit that a part of me was worried.

I had seen the movie "Field of Dreams" and heard the rumors about this place. Three things were commonly said about the State of Iowa: it was FLAT, COLD, and had nothing but CORN. Civilization? In Iowa? Forget about it. There was agriculture, a college somewhere in the middle, and ghosts who played baseball in a cornfield turned baseball diamond. You can judge me for not immediately being excited about the idea of moving, I won't deny it. Nonetheless, Jordan was offered his dream job and I knew happiness awaited him here. How could I ever keep him from that? Besides, I had always known that no matter where we ended up, as long as we were together, I would be happy.

So we moved. We settled in. We thawed out. I fell in love.


I can't really explain what happened. I just plain fell in love with this place. People are always so surprised to hear me say this, but it's true. I love it here. We recently had the choice to leave Iowa and spend an extra two weeks in Texas for the holidays, but I turned it down. I told Jordan I didn't want to leave and it was true. I'd rather be here. My neighbor mentioned the other day that "Iowa grows on you." And she is right. It definitely grew on me. I love this town, the peacefulness that encompasses the neighborhood, the simplicity of life, and the four full seasons of weather we get to experience. This is happiness. This is our life. This is home.

I don't want to leave.

The world works in mysterious ways, and so does the Lord, but sometimes I wish those mysteries would never surface. That the road would always be straight and clearly marked. That happiness wasn't always a tentative state and in constant jeopardy of being uprooted, because that is what we are currently facing right now. A possibility that we may be uprooted.

Our lovely home in the neighborhood I fell in love with is a rental and privately owned. The owner has defaulted on his mortgage and the house is entering foreclosure. I spent hours on the computer last night researching the laws that protect tenants in this situation. They are great laws, but nothing that will truly help us in this situation. Each law states that we can not be forcibly removed from the property until our lease ends. GREAT!

But our lease ends in February.

And we can't renew.

So, unless the successor of the household will allow us to continue to rent out this property in the future, Jordan and I are facing the strong possibility that we will have to move.

This makes me want to cry. I don't want to leave here. I like it here. This is our home. My heart aches at the thought of this. Moving away from my childhood house was hard, but in the end I wanted to leave. Moving away from College Station was difficult for the fact that we were going to an area of unknowns, but it turned out to be a dream. I am not ready to leave this place, this neighborhood. I want to stay damnit.

So I don't know what makes a house a home. I am positive it has a lot to do with the people inside it and around it. If that's true then we have hit the motherlode. I am sure any building can become a home to us at anytime because I still hold onto the truth that no matter where we are, as long as Jordan and me are together, I'm happy.

I just hope our happiness can remain here at 1111 for a while longer.

Sports'Aholic

Hello. My name is Shirley Anne Stevenson (or Dees, whatever) and I have a problem.

I love sports.

Many may find this a bit odd, seeing as I am of the xx chromosome type. What kind of girl loves sports that much? This one does. And no, I am not one of those females that watch baseball games because of the tight pants (although that is an additional benefit) and don't really have a general understanding of the game. Quite the opposite. In most sports, I know the rules and how the game is played.

And I love every single bit of it.

Every down, every pitch, every second. Love. I am a fan of Texas teams and during the Olympics I root for the Red, White and Blue. Although you may not have heard me preach much about the state of the Houston diAstros Astros or the Dallas Cowboys, you can bet I tune in and cheer for the good guys. Most notably though, I love to watch college sports, and no other NCAA team gets as much attention and adoration from me than my lovely Fightin' Texas Aggies.

What can I say? I bleed maroon and white. I hold such a passion for my Alma Mater, nothing compares. When it comes to A&M sports, I can get a little crazy and emotional. REAL emotional. I yell, scream, jump up and down, and have even shed tears of joy in Kyle Stadium. Laugh all you want, I don't care. I love my Texas Aggies and always will. There is no atmosphere quite like Aggieland.

 I fell in love with this school when I was eight years old and my eldest brother chose to attend Texas A&M. I remember walking around the campus, learning about the traditions, and dreamed of attending there myself one day. I learned what it meant to be an Aggie at a young age and the core values the University instills in it's students. Leadership, Respect, Integrity, Honor, and more. I fell in love and adopted myself as part of the Aggie family before I even reached double figures in age.

I learned the War Hymn, attended baseball games and immersed myself in the game time traditions, taught myself to "pass it back" and hump it" and yell as loud as I could on every down the Aggie football defense played. I remember attending and witnessing my first (and last) on campus bonfire.

And I remember when it fell.

And the Aggie family grew ever closer in such a dark time.

I remember the day I learned I was accepted (Thanksgiving Day 2007!), the day I earned my Aggie Ring.

And the day I graduated.

I am and will always be an Aggie.

So, mixing my love for Texas A&M and all things sports, when I watch my teams compete I get a little passionate. I throw my arms up in victory and down in anger and defeat. I curse, I laugh, I cheer. Sometimes, I may even throw things (only on rare occassions, I swear.) All for the love of the game.

Most do not understand this about me. Even my own  husband. He still has no idea how I became so engrossed in sports. The answer is so plainly obvious. 

I got it from my mother.

Yes, this is all Joyce's fault. How many Saturday's were we taken to Robertson Stadium to tailgate before college football games, to root on the Cougars? Countless number of times I sat next to her in the stands at many sporting events, listening to her yell and scream in support of her team, asking her questions and learning about the game. On one occasion, I have the distinct memory of her grabbing me up in her arms and throwing me around in excitement, because her beloved Cougars had just won a conference championship.

I am totally blaming this on my mother. And I have no problem with that.

So sure, my frustrations with the current state of the Aggie football team are most likely temporary. I'll always love my team and hope for better outcomes and days in the future, along with the Astros and dear I say it, The Dallas Cowboys. Why do I carry such a passion for something that can let you down so easily and so often?

Because of moments like these:



Gig'em.

- Shirley