Storms 4/27

The weather was dark, windy & wild about 8:30 this morning. I woke Aaron up to tell him we were under a tornado warning. I was supposed to go to Berry to teach my last day of spring semester classes when the power went out. Randy, Carrie & Kate were already at school, where CRCT testing was to take place!

While the power was out, Randy's mom called. She asked if we were alright, and I replied we were. When I asked her the same question, she said no. She had trees down, and a window was broken in her bedroom. She didn't want me to come get her or for Aaron to come over. An hour later a church member, and her neighbor called me. They were checking on her & sent me this picture. Her neighbor's house lost a roof, and part of it was in her yard. She was very fortunate. God spared her and her house, the trees were laying around the house, but not on it. Randy got a call at school and went to check on her. Aaron was already there at that point.

Berry was hit really hard. Here is a picture of the president's house, hidden behind the downed trees.

Berry cancelled classes today because there is no power. They say there are 100's of trees down. Most of the schools in the area let out early, and many were running on generator power. In fact, Redmond Hospital is running on generator power.

Click here for a video of Berry, it's titled Storm Damage at Berry College. Viking Fusion has a photo gallery too.

Dorothy Cottage and Julia Cottage were also heavily damaged on the Berry Campus.

It's storms that remind us that God is indeed in control.

Easter 2011

For the first time in my years we have no picture on Easter. The kids always hated having the picture taken. Aaron especially didn't like having to stay in his Sunday clothes for the picture, he usually changes as soon as he walks in the door. We typically take it in front of the azaleas. With Easter being so late, all the flowers are gone.

So no azaleas is reason #1. Reason #2, Aaron had to work. He left out of church early to be at Olive Garden for a double shift. So, the family wasn't complete, but I had planned a girls picture. Reason #3 nixed the latter.

We had thought we would have just the immediate family & Randy's mom for lunch. On Friday I told Alyssa to invite whoever she wanted for Easter lunch. Reason #3 - today, we had 5 students at the table for lunch. Five new students...never been to the Nobles & none that I knew. None of these students were Winshapers. Alyssa is actually friends with main campus people!

Randy's mom brought her famous deviled eggs (Randy hates them!), potato salad and coconut cake (my favorite!) to go with my ham, mac/cheese, green beans, broccoli, fruit salad, green salad, & rolls. We had quite a feast. The students enjoyed the meal & we got to meet new friends.

The students were from 5 different states: Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina & Ohio. Two were missionary kids. One ate everything & lots of it. One ate very little. One is the oldest of 6 kids. Two freshmen, two sophomore, one junior. One undecided, one animal science, 2 environmental science & one I didn't catch. Two go to Seven Hills Church, three attend Three Rivers Community Church. One will do beach project this summer. One is a SOAR leader. One will work at a boys camp.

No picture, but a great way to spend Easter...feeding & getting to know college students!

News from the Nobles

Spring is busy at the Nobles household. Here a capsule of our lives.

• It's soccer season - Carrie is manager for the Rome High boy's team. This means several games a week, which makes our home life crazy! Randy is assistant coach for the j.v. team. Yes, he was the head varsity coach for 25 years, took a break & is back helping out.
• Randy drives buses for athletic teams and school functions. Today he drove a group of 8th graders to Six Flags. Better him than me!
• Aaron is working at Olive Garden as a host. He really likes it and according to folks who eat there & know him, he is doing a great job. He works about 30 hours a week. He also takes two classes at the community college. I hope he passes the Spanish class!
• Aaron also referees high school soccer, but he can't ref Rome High games due to conflict of interest!
• Aaron has been accepted to Kennesaw State University for the fall. He is still trying to finish his undergraduate degree in geography. I could write a book on my first born!
• Carrie is playing in the pit orchestra for the high school musical next week.
• Carrie is currently at the prom...I'll post pictures another day. I didn't take any of her...yes, I'm a bad mom! She didn't have a date, just going with some friends. She wore a mermaid style red dress and was planning to wear black converse tennis shoes, to which Alyssa & I both said NO!
• Carrie has one college choice - Berry!
• Alyssa is SO busy. She is finishing her junior year at Berry as an ECE major, and will student teach next fall. Last night she did Relay for Life at Berry, she was team captain. They had a bake sale to raise money. She made Oreo balls, I made cupcakes.
• Alyssa is the VBS director at Calvary this year. She will go to Mexico for a month after VBS is over, but our interim pastor would like her stay on & help out with children's ministry through the summer.
• Randy hates 8th graders on many days! He could retire today, but is going to continue to teach until Kate finishes middle school. There are 25 days left in this school year!
• Kate is finishing 6th grade. My last child to complete West End Elementary. Think I'll do a whole post on that! I've been a West End parent since 1993!!!
• Kate is training for her 2nd triathalon. She'll swim 100 yards (no biggie for her, she usually swims 4000+ yards in a practice), bike 4.8 miles and run a mile. It's the latter that is a killer for her...but she's working on it.
• Kate is reading the Twilight series. She is on the 4th book. She doesn't like to read, but this series has her hooked!
• I have 2 more weeks of classes at Berry, then exams. I've played numerous recitals, master classes and few to go before it's over. Lots of practicing for me.
• I have the same number of weeks of Kindermusik, then we start up again in May with a new session. I love working with the families and being a part of their week.
• The last book I read was called Little Princes. It was about a American man who went to Nepal to help at an orphanage. I highly recommend this book!
• Tomorrow is Sunday & that means we'll have students over for lunch. Some things never change.

Going Home

I left home in 1978. It's been a long time since I went home by myself, but that was my trek last weekend. My folks (in their late 80's) are not getting around as well as they once did, so went to Florida to visit and do some cooking.

Here are some things that I enjoy about going home:

the dirt road

trains

hearing my folks shuffle around

stories from the past

catching up with old friends

cows in the field

sand hill cranes

roosters crowing

fresh fruit

fresh vegetables

the Gainesville Sun (newspaper)

pecans

moss on the trees

seeing my brother & his family

warm weather

My Mom & Dad with the girls a few years back. Dad is probably pinching Alyssa...he loves to make a girl squeal!

What don't I like about going home?

Seeing the difficulty that my folks have getting around & their forgetfulness

time warp - 3 channels & no internet

the long drive to get there

the decline in my home church - everyone is OLD

ants

sandspurs

wondering what the next trip home will bring in terms of my parents health

Kate loves to ride the tractor with Papa. He's not planting anything this year...or not much.

My brother, Leo, is a gem. He lives about 20 minutes from Mom & Dad. He & his wife, Dee, take them to the doctor, the grocery store and check on them. This picture includes cousin Leslie.

A highlight of our December trips is squeezing orange juice. There is nothing like fresh juice!

What do you like about going home?

A Middle Schooler's View of Mr. Nobles

Each week the Rome News Tribune publishes a section called Young Romans. This features art work, activities and writings from various schools from the area. Rome Middle School was the insert this week, so I was reading it closely since that is where Randy teaches.

This is his 31st year of teaching middle schoolers. He is ready for retirement, but still enjoys the interaction with students...it's the administration and all the hoops that are TIRING! I have always been proud of what he does as a teacher & coach, but this little narrative by one of his students solidifies what I know.

A Noteworthy Role Model (written by an 8th grader names Michelle)

One word describes the one and only Mr. Nobles: character. he is THE best teacher I have had in a very long time. The captain of Stardust! (that is his team) That old man over there! The one who can talk forever and ever --- non-stop! But most importantly, Mr. Nobles is dedicated to his profession. His thirty-one years of teaching experience helps students to understand our state, Georgia.

After being in his class for a few weeks, everyone starts to notice how much he cares about his students. I have never seen a teacher more supportive of the goals in his student's lives than Mr. Nobles. He teaches more than Georgia Studies; he teaches life itself. I don't know of any student who doesn't appreciate him! He treats his students fairly and equally in all situations. Not only is he a teacher, but he's also a caring role model. One of the best teachers ever, Mr. Nobles.

Thanks Michelle for the nice article about a fabulous teacher, coach, husband & dad.

Miss Them Already

It happens every year, college students that we love & care about graduate, and move away. Every now and then we get to keep some longer because they take a job in Rome. Tommy Murphy, Jonathan Shaw, Tracy Morgan Batchelor, and Hailey Stovall Burns all stayed longer than their college years. Tracy lives in my neighborhood, Hailey is not far...but Tommy & Shaw live far, far away.

Michael & Dana Van Sant also stayed in Rome after graduating from Berry. Michael taught at Rome High for a year, then worked at Winshape Retreat before becoming the student minister at Calvary. Michael's journey at Calvary began his freshman year. His journey in the ministry is now taking him & his precious family to Florida.

Our church will miss him, but the Nobles will miss him terribly. He & Dana were regulars at the Nobles home. We even borrowed a high chair to use for Sadie! My kids have been blessed beyond measure to have this sweet Godly couple as an integral part of their lives.

Kate was honored to be the flower girl at their wedding in March 2005.

Michael was already ready for games at the Nobles house. We love to hear him laugh!

Michale & some college students that he influenced. He actually performed his first wedding for Emily Kettering..now Liles. The guy with Michael & Emily is Chad Rowell (not Emily's husband Chris). Chad is also far away, in Texas at Southwest Seminary. Chad, Chris & Michael were ALL Winshapers.

Dana getting in on the Catch Phrase. I love Dana's approach to life...it's a common sense approach, no frills. She is the perfect minister's wife, always joyful & positive.


Dana with Emily & Rachel before the annual Christmas caroling. I think Dana is popping one of her favorite sweets, Chocolate Oat Bars, in the picture.


The Van Sants were at our house so often they made the family Christmas picture!


We LOVE Sadie! We will miss watching her grow up. She has amazing parents!


We plan to visit Michael, Dana & Sadie at the beach once they get settled...but we'll look forward to seeing them at Mountain Day!! When you live in Rome, Mountain Day is easy. Those that travel - have to plan for it. Please plan to come to Mountain Day!


This picture now adorns our refrigerator. We wish they were really in the kitchen with us, as they were so many days...but I guess the picture will have to suffice.


Thanks for sharing in our lives, you taught us a lot. We love you!

Cookin' up life

It's been awhile since I posted...in fact, not since the big snow in January. Well, life is happening all around me and no time to blog. I'm either teaching, preparing to teach, practicing, or cooking. Well, there are other things like laundry & vacuuming, but cooking is my favorite. I really am happy when I'm in the kitchen.

If you have eaten at the Nobles home, then you know I'm not a gourmet chef. I like home-cooking that is easy to prepare, and tasty for my family. Over the years my repertoire has increased, and I thought I would share some of my menus here. I recall when the rotation included: Manwich, spaghetti, tacos, hotdogs, and a roast on the weekend. I also remember when most everything I cooked came from a box!

Cooking is like everything else in life...the more you do it, the easier it gets! It also helps to have some girls that can help prepare it. I do the prep, they finish cooking it and get it to the table. Today I had Aaron put the chili on! I had made it the night before in the crock pot...mixed it together. He just had to take it out of the frig and turn it to low before he left for class. (On a side note, Aaron is no longer working at Chick-fil-A, but is a host at Olive Garden...hoping to get some of those recipes soon!)

Here are some things we have had over the past 3 weeks. Note that nothing has been repeated! With the mouths I feed, there are not typically enough leftovers for an entire 2nd meal, but they make for great lunches for one or two people.

Potato Soup

Chicken Marengo

Lasagna

Hamburgers/hotdogs on the grill

Pork Chops, sides include potato & broccoli

Chicken Pot Pie

BBQ (quick meal...buy from Sam's!)

Southwest Soup (also known as taco soup)

Chicken Tetrazinni

Pizza & salad (I make my own dough)

Stir Fry

Chicken & Rice

Tortellini Soup

Jambalaya (in the crock pot - Carrie's speciality)

Tilapia & potatoes

Chili

Chicken Parmigiana

Chicken Wings (buy from Sam's, serve with vegetables)

Whenever we have soup, we have grilled cheese!

Do any of these look good to you? Want the recipe? Email me or leave a comment. Some of our favorites (like the photo at the top of the post) aren't even on this list! I can't tell you that these are economical, because I'm cooking for 5 - 8 people on a regular basis. But, it's certainly more cost efficient than eating out, and tastes better than Sloppy Joes.

Yes, I even cook when we are on vacation!!