in MY day......

......young girls would have swooned over this pair of handsome buddies. You all know cousin Jonny, now meet his friend from their high school days: Drew.

Drew (actually Bos'n Drew of the U.S. Coast Guard) was at Purdue in December, the day after Jon's graduation, for a very special reason. Jon was being commissioned into the U.S. Air Force as a Second Lieutenant and Drew wanted to be there to give him the first official salute of Jon's military career. Tradition demands that someone connected with the U.S. Military be the first to salute the newly commissioned person. There is another custom that follows the salute. To fulfill this second tradition, Jon shook the hand of Drew and, in so doing, placed a silver dollar in the palm of his friend's hand.
The photograph below catches Drew about to raise his hand in that first, awe inspiring salute. I was absolutely, positively a-tingle with feelings of patriotism and grandmotherly love. It's not every day Grandpa and I get inspired like we did that day.

Just as impressive was the actual commissioning ceremony. Our hearts again swelled with pride as we heard Jon repeat these words:

"I, Jonathan David Seagle, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, so help me God."

Yikes! It sounds like Jon could get himself into a very dangerous war defending and supporting our U.S. Constitution; it reminded us of the many men and women who have done just that, so we silently gave thanks for the people who have served America. What was that in the oath about "without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion?" The Air Force takes this oath very seriously!



After all this took place, we (Aunt Deb, Uncle Jeff, Grandpa and I) went on stage to pin Jon. In MY day, that would have meant Grandpa and I were pre-engaged. In this situation, it meant Jon's Mom and Dad had to pin the stripes on his shoulders and Grandpa and I pinned bars on his hat. I was too busy to see how Aunt Deb and Uncle Jeff were doing, because I got the two bars pinned and Grandpa said, "That's wrong. Turn them the other way." I did and we waited for Mom and Dad to finish the stripes (took only seconds) and we handed the hat to Jon, so he could attach it to his uniform properly. He took it from us and said, "The bars are turned wrong, but that's alright for now." Oh, well, we did the job and it turned out good. Look below.

Jon looks totally pinned, barred and striped and, like the rest of us in the photo, he looks very happy and relaxed - the way a person always feels after completing a job well done. This honor required about five years of schooling loaded with numerous extracurricular activities.

Jon is now back at Purdue looking for a job. His Pilot's School won't begin until June, so he'll have to support himself until then, when he will travel to Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas and start his activity in the U.S. Air force.

Sorry to be so late in getting this page of my blog posted. We've had a happy, but hectic holiday and I just couldn't move any faster.

Love you all, Grandma for Grandpa and me

It was a cold, windy day...

....in West Lafayette, Indiana. Aunt Debby Lea, Uncle Jeff, Grandpa and I blew across the parking lot, in a wind chill of -18, directly into the Purdue Music Hall where we watched your cousin Jon receive his Bachelors Degree in Aeronautical Engineering along with over 1,000 other students. The crowd was so large, we couldn't get a shot of him actually receiving his diploma. After all these many graduations we've attended, I no longer shoot a photo of someone who looks like my pick of the crop and I opt for a close-up of grad and parents - like the one shown here of Jon with his mom and dad, beaming with pride and happiness. (Go Boilers!)

Before graduation Jon gave us a tour of the new Neil Armstrong Building where he worked on a major project: this airplane he is holding. He, along with several other students designed and built this remote controlled model.

The weather in Lafayette was like a hurricane in sub-zero weather, but our hearts were warmed by the presence of Jon and his friends, and their happiness and anticipation of their future lives. Next posting, we'll get to the really good stuff of his graduation: His commissioning (by order of President Bush, no less) into the United States Air Force. See you next blogtime! Love you all, Grandma for Grandpa and me

What to do in case of fire

What would you do if you came upon this scene?


That's easy. Call up cousin Eric and get him on the job.











Here you see him with his fire-fighting team. Uh, hey guys, You wanna turn around and see the surprise behind you? (Eric is front row, third from left and, like all his buddies, with his back to the main point of business.)














Do something quick!!!











Phew! They did it!















These are the trucks his company uses. Now seriously, Eric takes his position with the fire department very earnestly. (What you've seen here is only a practice run. That's why the firemen can stop and pose for a picture.) Eric's known to disappear from his bed in the middle of the night and answer the call of duty. He not only puts out fires, he helps heart attack victims and people injured in auto accidents. It seems the medical field is the place for Eric to be - we're thrilled he is training to be a Registered Nurse and who knows where he will go from there.











Love you all, Grandma for Grandpa and me

Guess who

Which of the people in this family photo is a renowned author (well, at least, in the Seagle household he/she is renowned.)? He/She wrote the book entitled: A Dress for Anna: the Story of the Redemption of the Life of a Ukrainian Orphan. It is being published by FaithWalk Books. Grandpa and I don't know when, but we hope within the next year. However, if not in the next 3 years the publisher will relinquish rights to it.

The book is the story of how God spoke to a couple and led their family to adopt a little girl from Ukraine, provided for them and guided them to people to help them adopt her, as well as how they found her among the 20,000+ orphans in Ukraine. It also tells the story of her orphanage, the other children there and the adoption process in Ukraine. The final portion of the book tells the story of her adjustment to her new family and their understanding and dealing with the ramifications of her disabilities.

Scroll down for answer:




















Answer: It's Aunt Debbie and we'll let you know the day it is published. Deb, we're proud of you just like we are proud of all our off-spring, their spouses and kids.

Love you all, Grandma for Grandpa and me

Read more >> Options >>

How to work a puzzle in 3 easy pictures.

Uncle Dave wrote in an email:"Mom, I thought Heather and I knew how to work a puzzle correctly. However, her new boyfriend set me straight. While we have started a 12,000 piece puzzle, Heather bought a 1,000 piece puzzle hoping that Cole would get the knack. It turns out Cole was much more professional about it. Attitude is everything when working a puzzle. Can you look at the JPG and tell what Heather is doing wrong and Cole is doing right.

That's right. Cole is dressed properly! Heather has jeans on with a dirty top. But Cole - he knows what he is doing - put on a nice shirt and a tie just for the occasion. I am sure that puzzle will be done in no time. Dave."

Enter Dave. He's going to give it a try. He's properly dressed.
















He's not only well-dressed, but he is also working by the light of an opulent chandelier, but still something is lacking. Oh, I get it now!







He needed an attitude adjustment. Now he's starting to smile. He'll do that 12,000 piecer before Cole can lift 1/1000th of his puzzle.

Hey, Fellas, let us know who wins.

Love you all, Grandma for both of us.

Why all the ballons?

Somebody's birthday? Fourth of July? Nope!











IT'S GOD SQUAD! at Lakeside on Lake Erie in Ohio!






The Amends and we (and we wish you, too) went there for one week in August. As always, one of the highlights of our stay was Chip Richter and a Vacation Bible School that goes by the name of God Squad.
The three girls, Anna, Saya and Aly attended each morning and participated in the songs, games, art work and story telling. Afterwards everyone, even adults, joined in the fun outside the church.


















We had other things to do that were fun - like a family picnic by the Lake that included a very chilly wind we didn't expect.















Aunt Deb and Uncle Rob won a CD of Chip Richter and his most famous songs - Deb said it's the first time she was awarded a prize for having the most kids!
There were other things to do, like every time I saw Ben and Justy they were eating!












Either it was ice cream or a full meal at the hotel.


Everyone was allowed to play shuffleboard.





















Or play on the beach.

Sometimes we attended the many programs provided by Lakeside such as this one that featured a Civil War Band.

But a good deal of the time we spent just lounging around the house.
Whatever we did, it was relaxing and fun and we hope to do it again some day, but hope you will join us. Remember: We love you all! Grandma for Grandpa and me

A call for Volunteers!

Check out the slide show on the left and see what Joe Seagle's new house looks like. Then close your eyes and visualize what it will be when he finishes re-furbishing it.
He got it at a "steal" (to use a term his Dad used as a teenager when he saw the price of any motorcycle.) A bank was about to foreclose on the house and Joe made the right bid at the right time.
Someday it will look like an abode in Heaven, after Joe puts in the work it needs.
Grandpa and I offered to come see him, and he was quick to say we could come help him. (Only joking, we presume.)
Joe's roommate is still his roommate - having opted to move in with Joe and his cat "Harley"

Congratulations, Joe, on becoming a first-time homeowner. We hope you enjoy living in it.

Love you all, Grandma for Grandpa and me