I Love The Feeling of Home

Wow, the time at home has been going fast....way too fast. But I think I have done nearly everything. I visited Central & ISU the first days I was home. I have seen Leah & Daniel play basketball. Enjoyed a real snow storm. Visited my grandparents in Spencer and celebrated Christmas. Ate at the bakery way too much. Cleaned Miller Apartments several times. Saw Tricia while she was home for Washington D.C. Visited 1st grade and grandpa in the hospital. Fallen up the stairs and slipped on ice. So yes I think I have done nearly all I wanted to, minus the falling and gramps' trip to the hospital.

I flew into Minneapolis on the 14th and was greeted by grandma, grandpa and mom. We then headed straight to a basketball game at Central Springs, which was nicely on the way home. The next morning I headed to Central to see a bunch of people there and then headed to ISU to meet with a couple people in the athletic department and visit Dena and Laurel. Then it was time to finally settle into Greene with a basketball doubleheader. Daniel played in New Hartford and Leah in Greene. Leah's team is still undefeated and her cheek has healed, she's just left with a small scar that flows into her smile....when she smiles.

The following week we got gobs of snow, pretty snow, real snow...as opposed to the 1/2 inch we got in Oregon. However, that left me and Daniel shoveling the sidewalk by the apartments. After Daniel did the whole driveway, by himself! The apartments have kept me pretty busy, I have have been helping grandma a lot because they were full during the holidays.

David made it home on Christmas Eve after the heavy snowfall, so we were able to celebrate at our normal times. Christmas Day we headed to Spencer and were able to stay for a couple nights before Leah had to return to practices.

Grandpa had a little scare and was taken to the hospital during the night and then had to stay another night while the monitored him. They never nailed down what the cause of his chest pains where, but when he left the doctors told him his heart was in better shape than last time he was there! So we are very grateful it wasn't worse and that he is home.

I have also found myself starting to study for GMATs. I got study guides while I was home and has slowly started working my way through them, knowing I need to get my test taken so I can start applying for schools as soon as possible. But hey I have a whole day of traveling back ahead of me, so why not wait?? (Oh great, the college procrastination is starting to kick in again!)

Hope you all had a splendid holiday season!

Merry Christmas From The Mouws

December 2010Happy Holidays,
I just came into the house from blowing snow off my driveway. There was some where between 6 and 200 inches of snow from yesterday’s blizzard. I decided that the creative juices were adequately flowing and I immediately sat down to type this greeting. At this moment I have enough snot and other types of moisture frozen in my mustache that it might not thaw for 24-48 hours, and my fingers are so numb that I can’t feel the keyboard of my computer. Yet, my wife just said that Sara called and said she was SO sick of the rain they were getting in Oregon. In fact it had filled some ditches and the water was actually “spilling onto the road”…………BOO HOO!

Speaking of Sara, after graduating from Central College last May she found a job as the Assistant Sports Information Director at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. We put a hitch on her 2000 Chevy Malibu and Sandy, Sara and myself headed off pulling a U-Haul on the Oregon Trail. Quite a trip, but we made it with no problems (thankfully) and Sara has enjoyed her time thus far in Oregon with her new job. Thank goodness my brother, Doug, is in Portland and Forest Grove is just outside of Portland. Sara has some family out there and a knowledgeable tour guide!

David is in his sophomore year at the University of Northern Iowa and seems to be enjoying his college experience. He added a part-time job this year to his schedule this year and that keeps him busy along with school. David’s job is at a KWIK STAR convenience store that coincidently is managed by a student of mine that I had in the late 80’s. Kim’s (the manager) father is the custodian at the elementary school here in town. One day he shared with Sandy and I that David was her favorite employee, as he is doing his job well. YES! Sandy and I may have done something right in raising that kid!

Leah is a junior in high school and doing well. Between her academics, athletics, a college course on Wednesday nights and more then adequate times with friends, she keeps herself very busy. Currently she is playing on the girl’s basketball team, which is rated in the top 10 in the state! Having graduated several talented seniors from last year’s team, few expected our team to be back in the top 10. Though they did not start even rated at the beginning of the season, they have managed to go undefeated to this point in the season. This past fall, Leah was voted by her teammates as the MVP of the volleyball team. That was quite an honor for her.

Daniel is an 8th grader and finishing his last year in middle school. A year ago I believe I mentioned that Daniel enjoys being in the middle school musical productions over the years, but has also managed to get a non-singing part. Well, it happened this year, as not only did he have to sing a bit, he actually had a short solo. The talent agents were swarming the stage afterwards to sign him as a recording artist. Funny thing though, he declined all offers and said he would rather play video games right now at this stage of his life. Sigh. Daniel moved to David’s bedroom in the basement, and now refers to it as his “man cave”. It is not uncommon for him to excuse himself to the basement with a friend and not see them for I think sometimes weeks. Video games?!?……maybe Sandy and I messed up there.

Sandy is still teaching first grade and I am still plugging away teaching high school math. For Christmas Sandy and I decided to get a new mattress as our gift to each other and call it good. Now that I think about it, how unromantic is that? I think I’ll surprise her with a pack of gum as well! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

© Jeff Mouw 2010

Book Review: Her Fearful Symmetry

Another book down by a new author, Audrey Niffenegger. The fiction book, Her Fearful Symmetry, is written in British-English, so it took a bit to get adjusted to it. Niffenegger is also the author of The Time Traveler's Wife.

The story starts with twin sisters inheriting their aunt's, their mother's twin, flat in London. They could only inherit the flat and money after they turned 21, lived there for a full year and never let their parents into the flat. After turning 21, the twins move to London and learn the area and meet the people in the building. The twins are connected in all they do and constantly dress the same. Valentina the weaker of the twins is sick of being controlled by Julia and constructs a way to get away from her sister. The idea seems impossible and all that is discovered in the process explains the struggles that separated their mom and aunt.

ACL Story--5 Years Later

5-years ago today, I was a senior playing high school basketball for one of the best teams in the state of Iowa. However, in one step that can all change and it did. Tearing my ACL was not how I planned on ending my high school playing time, but sometimes things happen for a reason. And that reason isn't obvious until years later.

As time goes by I realize there was a reason it happened and I realize there is more to life than sports. Sports will come to an end, but it's what you take away from it that shapes you in the future. I became stronger as a person and mentally prepared to take on new challenges. Going through rehab you literally learn to walk again. It was definitely discouraging at times and I wondered why I continued to push through it, but I honestly can say I am a better person because of it and am very grateful for my orthopedic surgeon, those close to me and the physical therapists I worked with continued to push me. My knee is stronger than it was and I am still able to play the sports I enjoy.

Below is a story I had to write in my Lit class freshman year at Central. It is called a Mystory and it is written in fragment style. A mystory is a combination of an old story tied in with a personal story and the fragment style is written in more of a random thoughts format (much more my style!). I chose to tie together The Little Engine That Could and my ACL story, it was still something that weighed a lot on my mind because it had only been about 10 months since I had had surgery but I was playing college volleyball! How blessed I was!


I Think I Can I Think I Can
On the FloorBroken Down
Everything is going good one moment, the next one wonders what else could happen. Leaving them to wonder what comes next. Everything in their world has halted, while the rest of the world continues.


1. “She puffed along merrily. Then all of a sudden she stopped with a jerk. She simply could not go another inch. She tried and she tried, but her wheels would not turn.”
-- The Little Engine That Could Watty Piper
I am driving down the floor, I see the open girl, I am stopping…”POP!” I hear as a fall to the floor, a massive amount of thoughts are going through my head. “I am done, I did what Indy did.” I tore my anterior cruciate ligament, tears are flooding into my eyes, I heard the crowd gasp together. Everyone is looking at me laying on the floor, they do not know what I did, but I do. Everything was going so good, I was playing for the number one team in the state and now in this split second my world is stopped.

2. “It is now one-hundred years since the earliest known publication, by an unknown author, or the story of the determined little engine.”
-- Roy E. Plotnick
I was the second one on my team to tear my anterior cruciate ligament; everyone knew the story, they did not need an author. The author of The Little Engine That Could is unknown, but everyone knows the story. Between Indy and I people have learned the story behind tearing your anterior cruciate ligament, they get it, but do not care who is telling it. I want to get my story out, but it is the same; a new edition of the same story. The Little Engine That Could was revised and retold, but the story is same.

Finding HelpI think I can I think I can
After falling one has to get up again, but finding the courage to do it is hard. Having outside support and becoming mentally strong are big factors. It is all about convincing one’s self that you can do it.

1. “And she thought of the good little boys and girls on the other side of the mountain who would not have any toys or good food unless she help.”
-- The Little Engine That Could Watty Piper
I knew I could not do this on my own, I needed help. After surgery I did not know how I would ever be able to play again. My parents found me the best physical therapist in the area. I just wanted it to be over with I did not want to go through all the pain to getting better. Kurt and the therapy crew told me I could not get down I had to be set on getting back. I knew they were right I had to convince myself to work as hard as possible. They were the help I needed and I all I had to do was listen and follow their instructions and they would have me back in playing conditions.

2. “I think I can—I think I can—I think I can—I think I can….”
-- The Little Engine That Could Watty Piper
I continued through therapy three times a week, knowing I needed to keep working hard. It was tiring, at times I did get down. I wanted to be playing with my team, who continued to win without me. I was feeling left out, but knew the only way I could get stronger was by going to therapy. Lifting, balancing, walking, jumping and running were all really hard to me I had to preserve through the pain to get where I wanted to go. Whenever anyone asked me how I was, I replied “Great” or “Super”. It was my way of convincing myself that everything was going well, I just needed to keep working.

Coming BackI thought I could
After falling, it is hard to get back on your horse. It is for the personal satisfaction of succeeding. Overcoming the fear is the biggest step in coming back, but it can be done. Just have confidence and the rest falls into place.

1. “Children and adults continue to be reminded that good behavior brings rewards; and that with perseverance, hard work, and self-confidence even the smallest and least likely candidate can achieve great things.”
-- Charles A. Smith
As I continued through therapy I became more confident that I could come back and play. I wanted to come back and show everyone that I was fine and nothing had changed. I may not have been the star on my team, but I knew how to work hard. I had been working hard everyday I stepped into therapy I was there to get better and stronger. I was the sweatiest person there, it was an ongoing joke, but I got a towel out of it. After coming for 4 months they could tell I was serious about getting back in time for softball. I had watched my team win a state championship in basketball and set records at track meets, I was not going to sit out anymore; I was coming back.

2. “And the Little Blue Engine smiled and seemed to say as she puffed steadily down the mountain. I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could.”
-- The Little Engine That Could Watty Piper
I did it; after four months and two weeks of struggling physically and emotionally I was cleared to participate again. The first day of softball practice I was there with my team. Carry an extra load, a knee brace, but my spirit was high. I had the people who doubted my ability to comeback, but I knew I could the whole time. For this I smiled, I did not need to rub it in their faces; I just needed to play for my own enjoyment. I had succeed at what I wanted to do for myself.

Life Keeps Moving

Flying home from Oakland, I was miserable because my ears were popping horribly. I was starting to get congested on Sunday morning but that ramped up once the flight took off. After landing I could hear virtually nothing and it hurt, but after doing every ear popping idea in the book I could hear mildly again.

Monday came too quickly and I definitely had a cold and was starting to lose my voice. Tuesday my commitments as an Athena Volleyball Academy coach started. So I worked all day and then coached from 6-10 in Beaverton making it home around 11. My voice was not good and the cold was still there. Wednesday was another practice day but luckily I got a short nap in before practice because it was only from 8-10, but this time I did lose my voice by the end of practice. Thursday was another long day with work and practice from 6-10 and my head coach was gone at 18s practice so I had to run it by myself. I don't think my scratchy-hardly-there voice was taken seriously, but I sure tried! Friday things were starting to improve and Saturday I could talk again!

What I find funny about all of this is: normally I would get more sleep and rest when I am sick, but this week I got less. So I would highly recommend water, orange juice, Airborne
(which I used early in the week) and the Target brand zinc drops (I got in place of Airborne later in the week). They must have been awesome because I made it through a winter cold with lack of sleep!

In other news:
My parents sent me a package this week had ornaments in it, that at the time I thought I was going to have to pin to the wall because we had decided not to get a tree. But little did I know that the a day later a tree was delivered from my mom. So now we have a 3 foot tree complete with Iowa State and snowflake ornaments and a star!

Also as I was listening to my sister's game on the radio on Saturday she got hurt. The radio announcer says: 'Mouw's down on the floor, I think she may have chipped her tooth. The trainers are coming out to take care of her. We are going to take a radio break." At this point, I freak. Why are there trainers out there, cause if it was her tooth she could walk off on her own account and she would! So I call my mom immediately, she answers and tells me she can't talk she's got to go help Leah. WHAT? I am now pacing in my office at work where I was listening to it. So I call my grandma, dad and Daniel to get an update. Daniel so rudely hangs up on me because he isn't at the game and no else answers. The radio announcer finally comes on again and says "Mouw has left the gym, I don't think we will see her the rest of the night. There was a large amount of blood on the floor where she fell." WHAT? My mom finally calls me, she is on the way to the hospital with Leah. She had bitten through her cheek and had to get stitches. Can't wait to see them in a week!

Adventure: Bay Area, California

For Thanksgiving this year I headed to San Fransico, California with my uncle Doug to visit my uncle Donn and aunt Debbie. Now let me tell you this before you get too involved reading this post (because it will be long), if it is in San Fransico I probably saw it or visited! My uncles and aunt were excited to show a San Fransico 'newbie' around and let me tell you we did it in style, meaning we had a bear from a classroom in Iowa and a flat cow from a classroom in Wisconsin that traveled with us and saw the sights and had pictures as well. We hope the 2 classrooms that are getting the pictures and postcards from us enjoy the fun we had with them both!

Thanksgiving Dinner
Doug and I flew out of Portland at noon on Thanksgiving Day and arrived in Oakland just before 2:00. Donn picked us up and we had a relaxing afternoon while he smoked a turkey in his 'Egg' grill. We had our Thanksgiving meal at dinner time complete with gobs of side dishes. It was excellent.

Day 1: Driving TourThe first day we drove around the Bay area and saw much of the area including Golden Gate Park, the Bay Bridge and the Oakland Raiders headquarters and stadium.

Full House Park a.k.a. Alamo Park
I was asked when I got there what I wanted to see, I had know idea what to say because I didn't know what San Fransico held besides the Golden Gate Bridge. But as we watched the news I saw what I call the Full House Park, because it is shown in the opening credits of Full House and I loved that show. Luckily Doug knew the correct name of the park, Alamo Park, and we went to see it and the 'Painted Ladies' which are the line of Victorian Houses in the background.

Lombard Street
The streets in San Fransico are not flat, but that is common knowledge. However, seeing them in real life they are crazy! Lombard Street is very steep, but its the way down that makes it so popular. It is a brick road that zig-zags all the way down. People line-up for blocks and probably destroy their brakes because they are on the steep side of the hill! But we waited for a while then snuck out and cut back in a few blocks later. Donn opened the sun/moon/whatever roof so I could stick my head out for pictures. Unfortunately, we were on the darker side of the hill, but it was still cool!

Golden Gate Bridge
To end our long day of driving we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Fransico must do! The bridge was solid traffic as was Vista Point, luckily we stopped on the south side of the bridge and took pictures too. After crossing the bridge we crawled through the exit to get to Vista Point. Doug and I jumped out while we were sitting in the exit and walked up to the overlook while Donn and Debbie drove through and picked us up. It was a tad crazy, but the traffic was not fun for anyone!

Day 2: Public Transportation/Walking Tour For day 2, we planned to do our walking tour of downtown San Fransico. When we woke up it was raining a bit but we decided to brave it out and luckily never got rained on! We visited and saw many different tourist attractions of the city.

BART
We started the day by taking the Bay Area Public transportation system, BART. The style there was more like Chicago than Portland is. I love watching the city go by on public transportation systems, so it was enjoyable to see a new city and the back side of the Oakland Raiders/Athletics stadium too.

Cable Cars
Well you can't go to downtown San Fransico without riding a cable car, so of course we did. We waited in line for a while, which showed the impatient side of all of us. But once on the the trolley we all rode holding on to the outside and snapping pictures. At the end of the ride we stopped at the famous Buena Vista Cafe for an Irish coffee before walking on. We then visited the Ghirardelli factory area for our free sample and headed to the Maritime pier, a national park with ships and maritime history.

Pier 39 & Ferry
After ducking into a restaurant to miss the rain. We watched an acrobatic street show and headed to Pier 39. We walked around the huge tourist area for a while before heading to the ferry dock. We then rode the ferry back across the bay to the Alameda side as the sun was setting and the city lights were coming on.

Day 3: Roadtrip TourFor the final day we decided to head to Santa Cruz. It was the warmest day and very sunny, an excellent day to be on the pier and near the beach.

Santa Cruz Boardwalk
The pier had an amusement park with a bunch of rides. We of course rode the Giant Dipper rollercoaster, which has been shown in several movies, the carousel and bumper cars. We also walked around the pier and saw an amazing amount of sea lions and watched sand volleyball on the beach. At the end of our adventure we took the coastal highway home and I got to see the Pacific Ocean at many different points and see the sun set.

At the end of day three we had our final meal together in Alemada before Doug and I were dropped off at the airport to head back to Portland. We made it back at about 10:45 and I was back home by midnight. It was a great trip, I fully enjoyed spending time with my uncles and aunt and getting a tour of the Bay are in their style and not in the 'I'm a super tourist' complete with bus tour.