The Karstadts

Hi Erin,

This is a really cool way to visit with you. So, some memories and updates for you, memories first. The first thing I think of when I think of Erin Buenger is Splashtown and that you taught me the Jacob’s ladder string trick. It’s pretty much wedged in my brain now. I still teach it to other people and they teach it to other people too and so on. A pretty simple thing but I thought it was cool that you got it out of a book, right? I could hardly learn it watching you do it, let alone you doing it from a book. Another memory is when I went to your house the last time I was there we made, or tried anyway, to make a small boat out of leaves, popsicle sticks, tape and string. It didn’t really work out. We set sail but oops-the string got twisted, the tape came loose, and there went our little vessel! Another thing we tried to build- a slide about 2 or 3 feet high made out of your piano chair. I remember laughing a lot and falling off it.

You have always been strong so stay strong and laugh as much as you can

Kelly

Hey Erin, mom’s turn.

I have hunted through the entire house for a picture of you that I know I have but I cannot find it. When I do I will email it to you, so if you get a random picture from me it will be “the one”. It is a picture I was taking in Davis and Hannah’s classroom while they were having a class party or something like that. But, in the background, there are two little critters running around, one is Kelly and the other, with a shocking crop of bright red hair is you. Both probably still in diapers?

You gave Kelly a board game one time, Labyrinth, we still play it a lot. In fact I have looked up the maker of the game online to find more interesting games that they may make. Anywho…we like to play it but avoid inviting Kelly’s dad, he is soooooooo competitive and does not want to lose so he takes hours to make a move. Kinda like a chess game you leave going for days! I like the game because it requires you to think a certain way, brain exercise.

I have attached some pictures of you and Kelly at the rodeo, do you remember the calf scramble? I’ll do the updates since Kelly missed that part. Most interesting is that she broke both of her arms. She bounced off of one of those big, huge, blow up slides at a church picnic, scrapped up her face and broke both arms. The looks she got when wearing two casts were fun and interesting! Strangers were always quizzing her so she got used to talking to strangers and she doesn’t seem as quiet or shy now. Not that we encourage her to talk to strangers!! We went to the River Walk in San Antonio and Larry and I walked a little way behind her and watched the reaction of people who noticed her arms as she walked by, that was fun. One comment we heard after she walked by was young man that said “Boy, I bet she could kick someone’s @?$#% wearing those things! The biggest downfall was bathing, she didn’t like that and neither did I, a huge production.

She recently tested for her second degree black belt, I like to watch her spar with boys and win! I agree with Kelly, be strong and laugh as much as you can. A quote that I took from a family who also wrote to you on Erin’s project, seems to say what I think (thanks Wunneburgers!).

"A keen sense of humor helps us to overlook the unbecoming, understand the unconventional, tolerate the unpleasant, overcome the unexpected, and outlast the unbearable."

A big ol’ hug to you, Kate