Passages

Introducing... Dr. John Bragg!

This is the season for graduations, and one (grateful? relieved?) grad is my "little brother" John, who recently earned his PhD in history from UW Madison.

John's focus was on the 19th century Ottoman Empire. He wrote his dissertation on Tokap, a small town in eastern Turkey. He did much of the research while actually living in Turkey, where he poured through court records dating from 1858-1876 (sometimes wading through bureaucratic red-tape to access to those records!).

The documents were written in Ottoman Turkish-- an ancient, now defunct form of the language written in Arabic script. John had to painstakingly translate the material first, in order to do the research. He wanted to know how local government in Tokap was reformed during this time period (Turkey was only then starting to become a centralized country).

If you want to know more... you'll have to read the book! John's dissertation will eventually be published. Meanwhile, John is job-hunting and planning a celebration with family and friends on June 19th. We'll be there!

Another recent graduate is my niece Beth, who just completed her preschool program in Monticello, Arkansas. Emma had a similar ceremony a few years ago, though I don't recall actual caps and gowns being used. That's pretty fancy.

Meanwhile, "back at the ranch"...


This weekend was all about YARDWORK. Following a week of sunshine, warm temps, and the occasional rain shower, everything here in Colfax is lush, green and growing-- including the weeds.

At right: John scattering grass seed over a patch of black dirt in our front yard. He used his Bobcat to pull out a sickly maple. You can see its replacement (a sapling cherry tree) in the foreground.

It was MUGGY this weekend, but we still managed to get quite a bit done. We weeded, mowed, and cleaned out the chicken coop. Through it all, Emma was a big help. She's an "outside girl", just like Dad.

You can see her at left enjoying the cool spray of a garden hose.

Leila got sprayed by the hose too... and as a matter of fact, so did I. Luckily I don't have pictures of that shenanigans.

I do have a picture of Leila and Emma sitting in Jon's Bobcat.

One important accomplishment was rototilling our garden (or, to be more specific, getting Jon to rototill our garden). We'll start planting next week, after our big trip to West Virginia.

We're all excited for that trip. The kids will miss a few days of school for travel, but everything's okay'd with their teachers.

Our wonderful neighbor has agreed to come over daily while we're gone, to check in on our pets and make sure they have a little food, water and attention. The chickens will be free to roam our yard and peck up that grass seed Jon just laid down.

Lots of good stuff going on. But not everything that's happened this past week has been happy.

I always struggle with this aspect of my blog. On the one hand, I want my blog to be an upbeat, informative newsletter for family and friends. On the other hand, I don't want to completely ignore the harder side of life... the ups and downs that naturally come to people living ordinary lives.

Also. I hope no one's offended by my having happy and sad things together in the same blog. Life's kind of like that, isn't it? There's the good stuff-- accomplishments, inspiration, fun, love, and laughter-- right alongside the bad.

It's up to each individual person to make sense of it in their own way.

One of the worst things is living through the loss of a loved one... especially someone young.

There's a corner of our yard where a rustic birdhouse, made of barn wood and found items, sits.

This birdhouse was one of many donated items raffled off during a fundraiser for my nephew Nick Meyer's fiance, Angie. 22 year-old Angie had struggled with cancer and almost daily pain since October of last year.

A couple of weeks after we took home the birdhouse, Angie passed away in hospice at her parents' home. She had endured every possible medical intervention, including chemotherapy and radiation. She was sick and miserable through most of it.

She's no longer suffering. But this is an incredibly sad time for her two families-- the one she was born with, and her fiance Nick's family. She will be very dearly missed.

Susan's Graduation

Sorry for the delay in posting these pictures. I know many of you have been waiting for news of Jon's trip to West Virginia (and Susan's college graduation).

So let's get to it!

Jon left early Thursday morning and arrived in Beckley, West Virginia after about 15 hours of driving. He went alone this time because our kids are still in school and we will all be making a second trip to Beckley next week... for David's highschool graduation.

Susan's graduation was in two parts. Friday night was a "Master's Hooding", and Saturday was the actual graduation ceremony.


Susan's future in-laws, the Johnstons, attended both events. This was Jon's first time meeting Jay's parents, and he was impressed with how warm and friendly they seemed.

Pictured above right: Susan's fiance Jay Johnston, Jay's mother Sharon, Susan with her arm around Jay's grandmother Pauline, and Jay's father David.

Susan has worked very hard to complete her Physician's Assistant program-- and at age 22 is the youngest of her class of 400. She now officially has a master's degree from Mountain State University, though she is still finishing up the last couple weeks of testing.

David finding a seat in the auditorium...

Apparently a bag piper was part of the ceremony.

(Can you spot Susan in the crowd at left?)

This shot's a little blurry, but that's Susan accepting her honors.

Hard to believe that she is now an official medical professional! We are so proud of her accomplishment, and of the kind but determined young woman Susan has become.

Here she is with some of her good friends from school: Michelle, Ashley, and Ashlee.










Michelle and Susan (if I'm remembering the story right, Susan met Jay through her friendship with Michelle).






Jon must be telling a good story here...



Susan with Jay and her brothers David and Logan.

.

After the graduation, Jon joined Susan, Jay, Cyndi and Vincent, and Jay's parents for a meal at Smokey on the Gorge.

This photo gives you an idea of the restaurant's spectacular setting. It overlooks the New River Gorge Bridge and miles of wooded hills and valleys.

The restaurant had a spacious lodge feel...

Susan cozying up to Jay at the bar.

A few of the views from the restaurant grounds...

Yes, Susan, you deserve that drink! Congratulations on a job well done. We can't wait to see you next week!!!

Mother-Daughter Banquet

Thought I'd post a few cute pics from last weekend's Mother-Daughter Banquet. The banquet had a circus theme, so children were given clown noses to try on.

Of course Emma had fun with that.


The banquet was held at Jon's family church in Cornell. The lady's auxillary group used to hold these banquets frequently, but had gotten away from it in recent years. This was the first Mother-Daughter Banquet they'd held in at least fifteen years.

Jon's mother invited the women and girls of the family to come... and quite a few of us made it. We were able to sit together at a long table. You can see a few of the attendees in the photo at right.


All together there were about 100 of us (that's total attendees-- not just Hurlburt women!).

Can you tell I'm proud of my beautiful daughters?

Not pictured: my beautiful stepdaughter, who I am also very proud of.

The meal was potluck and there was a wonderful variety of salads, hotdishes, and sweets.

Afterwards there were games for the children. Here's a serious-looking Brook getting a "tattoo" on her hand from one of the evening's costumed hostesses.

Leila, in particular, had a great time at the banquet. Here she is with Addy DeJongh, who's just about the same age as her-- I think they were born about a week apart. Addy is the daughter of Jon's long-time friend Dave and wife Shelley.

It was fun getting the girls dressed up for the banquet. Leila wore one of her new dresses from Mom, and Emma wore a dress that Grandma Jane had given her for this event.

We clipped blue hair pieces into Emma's hair, so of course had to take a few glamor shots.

Here's a few miscellaneous pictures you might enjoy. Have a great week!