Kris's Blog
New home, new adjustments
August 01 - 2008
We've had some difficulty entering "news" on our home page lately so this will have to do for now. We did want to update you all though, that Don and I took the big plunge and moved from our 4 bedroom home of 30 years in San Jose to a 2 bedroom apartment in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This was a decision that we've prayed and talked about ever since Don took his early retirement from HP almost 3 years ago. It was very difficult leaving our friends and family in CA but also at the same time, very enticing to relocate to our "roots" in Michigan, near family (especially our granddaughter, Lexi) and long time friends. We managed to cut our living expenses in the process and that is always a good thing and are slowly entering into a new community, church and culture here. Lots of emotion all along the way. The bottom line; after much prayer, this is what we both felt God was leading us to do. How can we argue with that?
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Remembering Hawaii
June 12 - 2007
I was remembering that it was a year ago today that we were flying to Hawaii (sigh). I'm wishing that we were going again this year, but at the same time, am so thankful that we had that oppertunity at all.. Now we need to begin to plan to do it again.
I think the best thing about the trip for me was being in paridise, with family and relaxing. How can you not relax there? I try to block out the boat ride, but other than that, have such good memories. What about everyone else?
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Jobs ???
June 06 - 2007
Okay Amy, I'll try:
Picking blueberries: I lasted one day. I might have been 13 years old
Life guard/kitchen help at CYTC (Christian Youth Training Camp): the best part of this job was that one weekend when I went home with a fellow worker, I met Don. It was love at first sight:) and the rest is history.
Shoe clerk: Nobel Shoes at Southland Mall: I lhated this job. I was a senior in high school.
Check out clerk at Topps: a K-Mart type department store. I kept this job while living at home and going to Western Michigan University. Also for a few months after we were married.
Teacher's aide/teacher at Zia School for Handicap children (really that is what it used to be called in our politically INcorrect time). I loved this job and working with these kids! Many good memories. I stayed there until just before John was born. We were living in Alamagordo, NM at the time and Don was in the Air Force.
Mom: best job of all
Teacher: I home schooled our kids for 8 years
Teacher's aide: Valley Christian School. A great job for a mom that wants to earn some money but still be available when ever her kids are out of school
Class manager for Jazzercise: I love it!!
I may have forgotten some jobs but this is what comes to mind quickly. I won't count babysitting as a teenager.
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55 beats 45
March 17 - 2007
I was pulling weeds out in the front of our house today: a spring ritual in California after the winter rains. For some reason I was thinking about how old I was. I suddenly realized that I was 55 years old. For some reason, I thought I was 54 years old. That may sound strange, but for me I think it is part denial of my real age and partly because my birthday is so close to the end of the year, I have to figure out my age using the year after I was born. One time, when I was 46, I thought I was 47 for a whole year. Was I ever surprised when a friend corrected me the following year and I realized that I had missed my whole 46th year! (I made it up when I turned 50. I decided I would live my 46th year that year).
All this to say, after I got over the shock today of realizing my age, I began to think about how much healthier I am now at 55 than I was at 45. I am 20 pound lighter (yea!), my blood pressure is under control, my cholesterol is down to normal, I am exercising 6-7 times a week now (Jazzercise, walking and now bike riding). Over all, I am feeling great and very positive about the future.
So, that is why 55 beats 45!
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God is Good...All the time
November 16 - 2006
This phrase is used in "Kid's Club" all the time here in San Jose. Kid's Club is an organization where churches go into the local public schools and hold a Bible club for interested students. This year, I was cajoled into helping out at the school where our church holds Kid's Club. They were overflowing with children (180) but not enough leaders. I VERY reluctantly went, intending to only help out part time. Little did I know that I would fall in love with those children and learn as many life lessons myself, as we try to teach to the children! This phrase (see above) is used as a crowd control measure, but packs such a wallop. When the club leader wants to get the attention of 150+ children, she will grab the mic and say, "God is Good..." and the children will all chorus, "All the time." Then she will say, "All the time.." and the children will respond, "God is good!"
At this Thanksgiving time, I am learning everyday the truth of this phrase. Life is not always easy or fun, even though we tend to write about the good things, but I am continuing to learn that not only that God is good all the time, but that all the time, God is good.
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Room for rent?
September 27 - 2006
We are once again landlords, or have we aquired more family? Some of you know that a few years ago, we invited a wonderful young college girl to live with us. Andrea quickly became more than a renter and worked her way into our whole family's hearts to become an unofficial "Pottenger." We all fell in love with her and still love her, her husband Neil, and now their litte munchkin, Jesse!
This spring I learned that the boyfriend of the daugter of good friends here in San Jose, was looking for a place to stay after he graduated from college and began his working life. I thought that I was very happy just having Don and I alone in the house and besides that, we just were not sure how long we would continue to live in San Jose. But a small voice kept tugging at my heart until finally I wrote to Cole (aka: Fritz Gaumnitz) and invited him to live with us (really the rent does help). After some consideration, he took us up on our offer and moved in toward the end of June.
We now have another new family member. Cole (and his fiance Corrie) are also now new Pottenger family members. He has become like a son to us and loves to call us Mom and Dad. We really enjoy having him here! Once again, a renter has worked their way into our hearts.
The moral of the story? Don't be afraid to open up your home and heart to 'strangers." God will bless you more than you can ever imagine through them. Just ask Cole and Andrea.
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My Hawaii Reflections
July 02 - 2006
How do you describe a near perfect vacation/wedding? That's how ours was. I liked the way John summed his up but have to admit that some of the down sides of the trip make the best stories. Here are what stand out to me:
1. The wedding: To watch your daughter marry the man she loves and to see and hear him proclaim his love for her; and at the same time having your son preform the ceremony while the 2 best daughter in laws in the world stand by as brides maids: and to have the other son capture it all on film (both still and movie) and to be holding the hand of the man I still love even after 34 years, and to have close family and friends with us, And all of it happening on the most beautiful location on earth: all the while listening to the gentle ocean waves in the background so that you are reminded that God is there too... How can you top perfection?
2. Reuniting with my mom's twin sister who lives on Kauai and her daughter (my cousin) after not seeing them for years. Aunt Donna's hug was like getting a hug from my mom. How special is that? God blessed me so much that special afternoon.
3. The Lost keys: We think they are down at the bottom of the ocean, but we sure do have great pictures and stories for the creative memory album now! And what great employees work at the Princeville Hotel that they would help sandy, sunburnt tourists and make us some great drinks when it was all done. This is a story worth telling.
4. Okay: The Boatride from H...? It was beautiful, the crew was great but don't let anyone tell you that if you take draminine both night and morning, you won't get sea sick. I'm here to tell you that is not true. On the positive side, I did experience my first hallucinations and that was pretty cool.
5. I have the best family in the world! What family can spend a week and a half together and still be happy to be together. This is truely one of God's miracles. We are even talking about when we can do it again.
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Why I am looking forward to Hawaii
March 03 - 2006
1.Kyle will officially become my "favorite son in law" and of course I will be his "favorite Mother in law."
2. Sun, sand, warm ocean water, pools, paridise: need I say more?
3. No more shoulder pain (my physical therapist promised this to me)
4. Family time: we do love to have fun together
5. Great times with friends and extended family (including now the Wiens family)
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"Remembering my childhood"
January 24 - 2006
Amy has asked us each to blog about what we wanted to be when we were children. I have found that in doing this, not only do I have to think a "long" way back, but when I do this, I realize how good God is and how he has fulfilled my childhood desires in ways I never would have imagined.
I can never remember a time growing up when I did not want to be a teacher. That has always been my desire and was the course I was pursuing in college. Since Don and I married mid-college for me (he had just graduated from college) and God took us far away from any home, it became impossible for me to finish my degree. Shortly after we were married, Don was going to be drafted in the army and decided to join the Air Force and serve as his Dad did. In doing so, we moved to Alamagordo, New Mexico, where the nearest college was about 75 miles away. We were also very poor and I needed to get a job. What job do you think God provided for me? Because of a connection with our pastor's wife, I was able to get a job as a teacher's aide in a small private school that worked with physically and mentally handicap children. I worked there several years (and loved it!) and even was trained to be a teacher (under the supervision of a master teacher) so that eventually I had my own small class of 5 students! I stopped working there when I became pregnant with John.
God then moved us to San Jose, California where I was busy taking care of first one child, then two and finally three. Shortly after Jennie was born, God began to move in Don's heart about home schooling. At first I was not in favor of this new idea; after all, it would impact me the most. After much prayer though, I knew that if I wanted to be obedient to God, I would need to do this. At the time I did not see it as God's provision to fulfill my dream of teaching. I committed to one year of home schooling and recommitted to that each year for seven more years.
Then came the years our children were in Christian school and I found that I spent a lot of time volunteering in their classrooms. We also found that paying tuition for 3 children was really impacting our budget. God had another plan for me and provided me with a job at their school as a teacher's aide. I even did quite a bit of substitute teaching while I was there and was able to do a lot of teaching in my job as an aide.
So now how does God continue to fulfill my dream of teaching? Not with going back to school to finish my degree, but through a church run homework center in a low income housing neighborhood. What began as a way to help Jennie get her required "volunteer" hours for school has turned into a ministry for me to work with many children again. I love not only "teaching" these children when I help them with their homework, but find that by being interested in them and taking time for them, I am showing God's love to them which is far more important than a finished homework assignment. God works in wonderous ways.
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Recent Activities
December 17 - 2005
Okay. Just so you know that we have been busy, I'll let you know some of the things that have been going on incase you don't have Pottenger girls and moms privilages. Parties and gatherings: one here last week on Sunday after the church Christmas concert. Last night at the Cheney's celebrating Steven Cheney's graduation from the sheriff acadamy. One more this week; a progressive dinner with the salad course here. Lots of sewing, shopping, wrapping, baking, and cleaning up. But to make all this more difficult, I spent some time at Kaiser this week being diagnoised with bursitis in my right shoulder and some damage to my rotator cuff (?). All this to say that everything I do with my right arm, including getting showered and dressed, is very painful. I'm on double strength anti-inflamitory medicine and the physical therapist gave a longer list of things not to do rather than exercises to do. So, the up side is, it has forced me to take some time to rest with the heating pad, reading and watching Tv. Not too bad, but it is hard for me when there is so much to do. It seems to be improving a bit, as long as I don't reach for anything:)
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Feeding the Hungry
November 14 - 2005
No, this isn't about what you think. It is just to say that I really enjoy cooking for those who really appreciate eating good food. This past weekend we had some friends over for Sunday night supper. I made a pot of Chicken Tortilla Soup. I even made my own corn chips out of corn tortillas. I had planned on eating the soup most of the week as a left over. Then Jennie called. She was in San Francisco with Kyle and 2 of his friends at a Robot War Game show (??). They were going to stop by later in the evening to see us and by the way, they might be "hungry." I quickly adjusted my soup recipe to make a double batch and got out my largest pot. I even thinned it down with extra chicken broth and canned tomatoes. Our dinner guests had to leave before Jen, Kyle and friends arrived. When they did, it was like vulchures decending on the fresh kill. Not a trace of soup, rolls, cheese, chips, cake nor ice cream was left. As I washed out the now empty large pot, I realized how much I enjoyed feeding these hungry college boys (and Jen) who most of the time do not get home cooked meals. They are welcome at my table anytime.
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Never Give Up
November 14 - 2005
So many swimming memories since swimming was one of my favorite past times (since I spent most summers on LIttle Paw Paw Lake where my parents had a cottage). But my favorite was when I was a sophomore in high school. I was taking a Senior Lifesaving class at the YMCA so that I could get a summer job as a life guard at a Christian Camp. The first thing we had to do was jump in the pool and swim 25 laps (5 laps of 5 different strokes which would equal roughly a mile of swimming). I was a very strong swimmer but had never had any formal swim lessons. I had no clue what those stokes were. I also was trying to swim with a new Swim Cap that didn't fit me and kept coming off. I managed to get 25 laps in but stuggling all the time with my cap and making up my own strokes. After that, we proceeded to the classroom part of our class that night. The teacher asked me to stay after class where she told me that I might want to drop the class since she did not think I could pass it. I knew different; I knew I could do it. So I stayed in the class and finished top in the class. I proved her wrong and went on to get the life guard job I wanted. Also because of that job, I met Don and the rest is history...
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Mother's and Daughters
September 25 - 2005
Amy and I just returned from a wonderful weekend at a beautiful beach house in Santa Cruz, California. My friend, Sandy Cheney, came up with the idea that we, who have been friends since our kids were babies, needed to have a special time to connect with our grown up daughters and the new daughter-in-laws that we each are welcoming into our famlies. Amy flew out from Michigan and Jennie and Peggy drove up from San Luis Obispo for this fun time. My other friends each brought their own daughters and daughter-in-laws too. The weather was beautiful, the food great, the house and view spectacular but the fellowship was the the main event! What a joy it was for me to not only spend a great time with my three daughters and my best friends, but to have my friends come to know and love my "daughters" like I do. It was also a joy for me to have a chance to come to know and love thier "daughters" likewise. We've decided that this weekend needs to be an annual event. I also want to say a special thank you to our husbands for allowing us this special weekend together. Having just lost my own wonderful mother, I'm even more aware how important and special it is to grow these types of relationships. What a priceless weekend we all had!
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God is faithful!
August 30 - 2005
Many of you know that the past few weeks have been difficult for us with Don's job decision and my mom's failing health among other life stesses. Through it all though, I have felt God's strength through the prayers of many family members and good friends. Thank you to all. You realize at times like this how wonderful it is to be part of God's family and even when our way gets rough, God and the built in support group he provides, are there to hold up our arms as Moses' arms were held up so long ago. Thank you to all!
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Quilting
July 04 - 2005
With summer here, I am once again meeting with my quilt group made up mostly of teachers that I used to work with at Valley. These are the women who inspire me and teach me. Each summer they choose a project that we all can work on together. This summer it is a quilt that tells the story of the Underground Railroad. I was excited to see that the quilt book had directions for 6 inch blocks as an alternative to the traditional 12 inch blocks. Since I prefer smaller projects, I chose this one to work on. The last few days I have been sewing up a storm (much to the detriment of my back) and have now completed 11 of the 15 blocks in the quilt. I tell myself it is because I need to finish soon so I can return the direction book to its owner, but really it is an adiction for me that is hard to control. Hopefully I'll have pictures soon to post.
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Venting
June 21 - 2005
I'm so thankful that God gives us spouses and special friends that we can go to when we need to "vent." We can say to them (in a very emotional tone of voice) what we are really thinking and feeling and they are so patient to listen and even better, they understand what we are going through. Sometimes they offer a small word of advice, but most of the time they just listen patiently and occasionally nod their head when as we go off on our tirade. Through it all they still love us because they know we are not mad at them, but just need to get some emotional steam off our mind. Once we are done, we feel better (maybe not all the way better, but some better). Thank you to Don and Debbie for letting me vent tonight.
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Paint the Hall, Fa-la-la-la-la!
April 12 - 2005
I'm proud to announce that we have a beautiful new (color) hallway and I did most of it all by myself! When Don finally told me that funds were just not going to be there this year to get our ceilings scraped and painted, I realized that now there was nothing stopping me from getting busy on painting the hallway myself. Since I was going to experiment with mixing old paints to come up with a new color, it was going to cost next to nothing. So, last Thursday I bought a big bucket and began to mix paint. I intended to just paint one section and if I was tired, stop there. But, the first section was finished very quickly, so I moved on to the next section. Once section followed another and before I knew it, Don was home from work and I was working on the last sections down by his office. He helped me finish up which was very nice because by then I was very much running out of energy, but wanted to get it finished. The new color looks kind of how I like my coffee or if Milo were to sit in front of it, he may disappear. I really am pleased with how it turned out and didn't make too much of a mess in the process. Now, I have an idea of how I can mix some other paints to repaint my sewing room!
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Scrapbook Fever
March 23 - 2005
I am just now recovering from a new disease for me. Scrapbook Fever. It began a few weeks ago when I was invited by some friends at church to go away to the mountains to a beautiful home there and scrapbook for 3 days. I was told that if I prepared, I could expect to get 40-50 pages done. So I prepared. I prepared so much that our kitchen counter was now scrapbook central. Who had time to cook anyway? I even would wake up at 5 am thinking about scrapbook layouts and get up early and work. Finally the day came and we were off on our adventure. The minute we arrived, my throat began to hurt. By that evening, I had lost my voice. But did I let that stop me? No way! Armed with Advil and warm salt water, I forged on and scrapbooked morning, noon and night. Sure, I couldn't talk to anyone, but that gave me the advantage of getting even more pages done. By the end, I had completed 62 pages!! On Monday, at my doctor's office, I was told that I had a bad case of scrapbook fever and needed to rest and take penicillian. At least I "think" that is what she said.
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Being a "Mom"
March 05 - 2005
This past week Jennie was sick with a sore back and a bad cold/virus. What she needed was her Mom's TLC and I was very happy to oblige. It is not very often anymore that I can wait on her (or any of the other kids) and make her favorite food (chicken and dumplings). So, I have had a good time doing that the past few days and I'm happy to report she is feeling MUCH better! We also enjoyed one of our favorite activites together: watching girl movies and eating popcorn. Sigh. Kids grow up way too fast, so I will say thank you to Jennie for getting sick and needing some "Mom Time' this week. It was fun!
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Marie (Juror #12)
February 04 - 2005
Since I was recently selected to serve on a jury for a civil trial and have now finished, my friends are convinced I need to go into the witness protection program. Thus, I will now also be called "Marie" (my middle name). This supposedly will help to keep me safe. I have to say though that this jury experience has been a very enjoyable and positive time. I found it fascinating all the way from jury selection to the deliberations and delivering the verdict. I won't say much about the nature of the trial except to say that all of you out there who use your cell phones while you are driving, shame on you! I would have had to convict you of negligence today! If you can't remember my new name, you can always refer to me as I'm sure the lawyers did as "that cute blond in the front row." Don't be afraid to do your civic duty. It's a good thing.
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Long time friends
January 29 - 2005
What a great time we had in the Sacramento area visiting friends that we have known and loved for so many years (well, Don had to work but I had a great time visiting). I don't want to call them "old" friends, because we're not old! Or at least I'm not and so I will call them "long time" friends. Getting together with them has made me think about what a blessing it is to have friends that you share common history with. These friends were here most of the time while our kids were growing up. They are like family. Even though we don't see them often, it is amazing how you feel like you were together just the week before. A word of encouragement to you younger generation, cultivate good friends these next several years. They will stay with you the rest of your life!
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Family
January 08 - 2005
I"ve been told that what we have is an unusual situation, but I wonder if there are more families like ours out there? As our family has expanded with "daughter-in-laws", so has our family expanded with our daughter-in-law's families! We have come to love our daughter-in-laws' families like our own and enjoy being with them just as much (more?) than our own. Is this unusual? It seems to me that when your children marry, you do not lose your own children to a new family, but your circle of close relationships expands to include whole new groups of family members. It is such a rich gift to be included and accepted by a whole new family. We may be very lucky in our new "in-law" relatives (both the Anderson's and Bott's) but I see it more as a blessing rather than luck.
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Football
November 25 - 2004
In the past few years, I have increasing become a fan of college football. Much of this is due to my friend and jazzercise instructor who is a big Ohio State fan. She would always assume that since I was from Michigan that of course I would be a big Wolverine fan. I didn't want to disappoint her,so I began to educate myself in UofM football stats. The funny thing is though, I have grown to really enjoy it now and even keep track on many of the teams in the Big 10 as well as tune into the games every Saturday. Now, I still don't know the names of coaches and players, but I can talk pretty intelligently with other football fanatics and come off reasonably knowledgeable, that is for a female. But I actually enjoy it too. Who would have thought that would ever happen?
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Backs
November 10 - 2004
I've come to have a better understanding of the importance of strong healthy backs. My back has been giving me problems off and on (more on than off) since late August. At first I treated it just a bit more carefully than I normally do thinking that it would clear up as it has all the other times it has hurt. It got better in a few days and I was on to my many activities again. But after a few more days it was sore again. This pattern has repeated over and over until I finally realized that possibly I should seek some outside help. I have consulted several types of non-medical specialists and am currently under the care of a very good chiropractor. But, it has led me to realize how much we take our bodies and health for granted. If your back is not hurting today, you should be thankful! Also, I'm guessing you have no idea of how many times you bend over in a day. I've become much more aware of that and it is a lot, believe me. Especially if you have a cat like Milo who likes to be fed several times a day. Sigh. I guess I'll go sit on my heating pad again. (smile)
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Jazzercise
October 11 - 2004
Exercise Program or Cult? Could it be both? After spending this past weekend at beautiful Lake Tahoe at a Jazzercise convention I am leaning toward the cult statis in my personal Jazzercise involvement. It does meet the requirements of exercise and is certainly a lot of fun, but the thought of not belonging to it sends me into shakes. We speak our own language, dress the same and revere the founder and her henchmen (women). But the weekend was fun and well worth any cost. I belong to an exclusive sect of the Jazzercise cult lead by Sheri Farley. As a leader, she demands full commitment, but rewards us for our devotion. I'm definitly leaning toward "cult."
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Weight loss journey
October 05 - 2004
I joined Weight Watchers July 6 this year. I'm very pleased with their points plan and the weight has been coming off slow but steadily. The past couple of weeks I have finally changed size in my clothes! That has been very exciting for me! As my leader says, it is fun to shop in your closet. I would like to lose 20 more pounds so I'll continue to work on it. Don is super supportive as is the rest of my family. Onward and "downward!"
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