Wow... Time Really Does Fly

Didn't know if I should call this post time flies or life changes......... anyway... it's been way over a year since my last post and I have been truly lagging on updates..

This first post will be the bare minimum on the Self Family.

Shane now for the first time in eleven years has his drivers license. I can't tell you how great that is. Still working sporadically, but who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Debbie is now taking classes at a local tech college. She is studying to be a medical assistant. She seems to enjoy it, I believe she is doing pretty good, and it's fun to see Shane in charge of all five kids while Debbie is gone.

Cameron in now in 4th grade. He pretty much hates school and seems to have quite the authority problem.

Andrew in going into 3rd grade. Seems to love school. However, the bus ride to and from is often proves to be too much for him to be able to sit and be quiet.. So he and Cameron both are frequently in need of rides to and from school as they are "pink slipped" from time to time.

Abby attended a preschool and just absolutely loved it. I hope her enjoyment carries on into Kindergarten.

Jacob is probably one of the smartest little kids I have ever known. I don't think there has ever been a baby gate build that could contain the little guy. Way before he should have known how too, he started building "steps" to get over and "road block". He also has a temper that could make a war general cringe. He will be a force to recon' with if his parents don't find a way to put the brakes on his rage.

That newborn baby Neena is now walking, and smiling and just a happy little thing with a smile that can light up the gloomiest room.

Ben, has moved out. Went in search of a room with a bed. He headed back to Minnesota where there is a lot of family to help. I hear he is doing good these days.

Dave Hallas

Guess this is just the time of life. Dave Hallas died. Caught us sorta by surprise. He had been doing better. Got to meet his family. They were as interesting as him. Jan had me write the obit. Had trouble with it. Here's the one I that used.

David A. Hallas, 60 of Kansas City passed away May 13, 2009 in North Kansas City hospital from complications of surgery.

The second child of Vernon and Louise (White) Hallas, Dave was born April 17, 1949 in Chicago, IL. He married Janet E. Williams in Kansas City, Missouri March 8, 1980 being her companion for the next 29 years. He was a long time employee of St. Luke’s Hospital before starting his own business.

Besides his widow, Dave leaves behind his Mother-in-Law, Helen P. Williams, Kansas City, brothers Andrew (April) Hallas of Cleveland, OH; Richard (Kathy) Hallas , Vernon (Kim) Hallas; sisters Jeanette (Art) Hirschberg, Gale (Neal) Suwe and Kathy (Juan) Muro all of Chicago, IL; John (Lynn) Williams of Houston, TX and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his parents and his Father-in-Law Herbert Williams.

A memorial service for friends and family to celebrate his life will be held at the Ruskin Heights Lutheran Church 10801 Ruskin Way, Kansas City, MO‎ at 3:00 pm on Sunday May 17, 2009. A private interment will be held at later date.

This is the one that I would have LOVED to have seen used.

Sunday, May 17, 2009 friends and family of David Hallas will gather together to celebrate one of the oddest men few people ever really got to know.

Seldom giving his real name or birthday to anyone, including employers, he left some of us watching “America’s Most Wanted” just to be sure he didn’t appear on that series. We believe he was born in Chicago, IL the son of Vernon and Louise (White) Hallas on April 17, 1949. He married Jan Williams Mar 13, 1980 in Kansas City, at which time she learned his real middle name. For the last 29 years, his biting wit, humor and beliefs challenge all that knew him. One could call themselves his friend usually after he had informed just what kind of an idiot they were. Regardless of whatever his most recent name for you was, you could always count on him to help when needed.

In his youth under the name of Jon Hall he played backup guitar to several different bands. Leaving a possible account of residual checks somewhere listed under a second Social Security Number. He was also a co-owner of a guitar shop in Hawaii, but most recently, before he became self employed he was a long time employee of St. Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City.

Besides his widow, Dave leaves behind his Mother-in-Law, Helen P. Williams, Kansas City, brothers, Vernon, Richard (Kathy) and Andrew (April) and sisters Jeanette (Art) Hirschberg, Gale (Neal) Suwe and Kathy (Juan) Muro: and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his parents and his Father-in-Law Herbert Williams.

A Memorial Service to celebrate his life will be held at the Ruskin Heights Lutheran Church 10801 Ruskin Way, Kansas City, MO‎ at 3:00 pm. A private interment will be held at later date.

The latter is not completely accurate. I wasn't quite right on some facts. But it was actually much more Dave.

Going to Church

Once when I was much younger and a Lutheran, I was in confirmation class. Those are classes where the early teens are taught the doctrines of the church. We studied church history, how the Lutherans began with a priest nailing a list of 97 practices of the Catholic church he found in to be un-Christ like on a church door in protest of such practices. His protest started the Protestant religions that followed. We also we taught why we did communion, why we used candles, what the Lutheran churches positions were on other churches (besides Catholics) and reasons why we should come to church.

There was cute little signs posted giving us pause to think deep thoughts.. One that made an impression on me was:

If you were on trial for being a Christian,

Would there be enough evidence to convict you?

I found that one bothersom... because when one is "on trial" one ALWAYS wishes to be found "not guilty" right? Yet this is one of those akward situations. If found guilty... what would be the punishment? I couldn't join an exclusive club?? Big deal! I would be fed to the lions.. much more problematic. If they couldn't convict me, couldn't I repent later at a safer time and live a more Christ like life? I degress.

I am no longer Lutheran. I now am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.

I am still a follower of Jesus Christ (no matter what other churches say) and find the that the same things Rev. Hanselman taught about church goers applies to just about all church goers.

One thing he pointed out is there are those that honor the comitment to attend no matter what, there are the others that any little thing will mean "they won't be able to make it this week".

The early service is too early... Can't get all the kids ready. The late service is too late.. cuts too deep into the day. The weather is too bad... geeeze it's such a good day to do (whatever) and this is the ONLY day I can get it done...

I would like to say I am above that sort of rationing, but I am not. It is so much easier to go to church WITH someone than alone.

Uncle Gene

We got word on Sunday evening that Hal's uncle had passed away that morning. It was no surprise, and somewhat of a relief to those near him that had watched his slow deterioration. Uncle Gene was the one extended family member of Hal's that I had gotten to know. I considered him a friend.

We "met" when Gene bought a computer and became a rover of the Internet. He also became an AOL member giving him Instant Message. That is where we would spend our time together. He, like myself, would just be on all day long, and our IM box would be open. We talked about genealogy, and he shared stories, and we talked politics. We'd swap jokes, and political cartoons. And spend hours "together".

Then he had some small strokes and he could no longer manage the keyboard. I lost my buddy.

The one thing he wanted to make very clear to me as I did the family tree, was that his name was GENE... not Eugene.

Funny thing was, he'd grown up believing his name was Eugene. In his youth at Parochial schools, a formal or proper name was required. He had always been listed as Eugene. He grew up believing his name was Eugene and he HATED the name!! His high school diploma had Eugene Fields printed on it. But when WWII caused him to enlist, he found himself for the first time in his life needing a copy of his birth certificate. When he picked it up, lo & behold he found out his name was GENE FIELDS. (*If the man ever had a middle name, he sure didn't tell anyone*)

The folks down at city hall let him know that he could correct it to read Eugene, but instead, he went back to his high school and had them amend their records. Never again would he be called Eugene. EVER!!

Hal, his sisters Marian, MaryJane and I rented a Malibu on Wednesday night and drove until 2AM to Dallas. We had a wonderful 5 hours worth of sleep and then off to the funeral mass. The viewing had been Wednesday evening and we were in Arkansas taking the "scenic tour" to Dallas at that time. (I still had toll road avoidance's programed on Garmin). The mass was actually very nice. Along with what the priest said Gene's son's spoke and shared personal stories. I now know Gene's nickname at GM where he work for over 30 years was Foots. My favorite uncle wore a size 15 shoe. He smoked Chesterfields cigarettes, was a stern disciplinarian and was always there to bail an in trouble kid out.. (but boy.... wait until you get home).

Hal and his sister got to visit cousins and had a great time at the brunch served between the Mass and the Internment, to which we did not attend. Then we changed clothes at the church, and headed for home, with Garmin taking us this time straight north to Wichita then on to KC. That path was not the one the sisters wanted but Garmin swears it was the fastest route. I have since found that about 50% of the people believe that true, the others agree with the twins that the road through Tulsa is faster. Oh well, ya can't please everybody.

Baby Home Comming

Introducing Neena Marie Self....

New Baby Girl

It's happened!!

Baby Five (for lack of another name) arrived yesterday evening around 6pm. Mom looked tired. Dad was complaining about being tired. At least he admitted it was because of not sleeping well the night before, not anything he did that day... Such as DELIVER a baby.

Five was about 18 inches (I only had 3 kids, maybe by 5 those details would not have been so interesting either) and 7 pounds 10 ounzes. Parents seem to feel the babes diminuitive size was due to being 3 weeks early.

There was nothing premature looking about her. Futhermore she was at least 6 ounces heavier than any of my full term babies.

Getting to know the Players

Living in the house today....

Hal, my husband of 34 years. He works nights at GM which has been a constant irritation to me for years. I always wanted to have a "normal" family. I will acknowledge that would probably never would be the way we would be described, even if he had an 8 to 5 job. But there could have always be a chance of the illusion of it. Maybe.

Myself, Iris. I am a permanent part time employee of FEMA. Yes, the ones that go out on disasters. The butt of all Jay Leno's jokes.. My official title is D.A.E. which stands for Disaster Assistance Employee. I worked in New Orleans after Katrina. Greensburg, Kansas after it was flattened. And several other tornadoes and floods and one other hurricane. Gone for weeks at a time and I guess then it doesn't matter if Hal works nights.

Greg. Hal's big brother. Greg has been with us a bit over 3 years. He works as a security man. Also nights. Sleeps days and is planning on moving out on his own sometime this year.

Shane. He is an interesting sort of guy. 17 years ago, in my old neighborhood, I spend my days and nights trying to catch sight of him, just to call the police on him. These days he, his wife Debbie, and 4 (soon to be 5) kids call my basement home. He has plans to start his own business. Jobs seem to be rather hard to come by. Especially those that would allow a man to support a family of six. Most likely soon to be seven; I suspect Deb is prenant, but they are keeping very quiet about that.

Debbie. She is Shane's wife and a full blooded Chippewa. I only mention this as she is my very first Indian *Native American* and I got to work on her genealogy. Was most exciting to me. With her family names of Curry, Anderson, Samm and so on, I really didn't believe she was "full blooded". I was expecting names such as Morning Star, Rushing Wind, Iron Feather... Talk about not knowing much... I have Census work on her ancestors back to the early 1800s and every one of them are marked Full Blood. Just too cool.

Cameron. He's 8 years old. Attends 2 grade. Thinks school is just "so-so" but likes math class.

Andrew. Five and in Kindergarten. He loves school and feels gypped that he gets on a half day.

Abbie. Three years old and taller than most kindergarteners. Her other name is "the Princess" and has her Daddy just wrapped around her pinky finger.

Jacob. Eighteen months. He's crawling, and just attempting to stand. He will be walking soon.

Ben. Debbie's brother calls home my sofa his special place. I ran out of private areas for him. I did get him a sleep mask to try and cut out the front room light. But Ben has a good sense of humor and maybe all will work out for him soon. He's waiting for some grant money coming via the U.S. government for schooling and then he will be getting a place of his own.