CATCHIN' UP...

Well, I have not been faithful to my word in getting this blog written everyday, or may be life is not so bad any more that I have to rant and rave on my blog... hehehe... There is a lot of events that took place since I written on this medium. Hummm... let see.... my last blog was October 2009, and now is April 2010.. that's mean I have like six months to catch up... so, here we goes..

End of October or early November, I took my two weeks leave to visit the "old home country" stick aaround Jakata... the city doesn't look the same at all... and Yogyakarta to visit my parent graves site. The old city looks the same.. more vehicles on the road than I like it to be... but nonetheless it hasn't change much. All in all it was very short trip... but as always I have a blast and have really good time with my brothers and sisters. I long to stay for more then just ten days where I can really enjoy my visit.

Picture of me and my nephews and nieces after an evening of Bowling (left). I tried to start the tradition, where I tried to encourage all my nephews and nieces to play a game or two of bowling with me. I am hoping one of these days they all can come and play...

Here some of my brothers, and sister shows up to join us. Why not? the more the merrier.....

We celebrated my older brother "BOONE" birthday.. I think that what it was.. we gather and enjoy his hospitality and definitely the foods... man what a feast....he sure knows how to put on a party. For your information, the three of us carry the name "AJI." It was told to me that our Dad were given a position in the hierarchy of the Sultan, and "AJI" is a title of his position...

Sedyo-Aji; Firman Buntolo-Aji; and Susilo Heryanto-Aji. In front is our dear sisters Sri Purwanesti Nurprabaningsih "June" and Sarojini Wuryan Rahayu "Jeanie." (Right photo).

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Picture below was taken in front of our parents grave site. We gather here to talk about our parent and share some stories about them. We pray the prayer of thanksgiving for our parents and gave suplication to God for them. Although we knows that God is the outhor of life and that our existance are due to God's will, and our parents are mere instruments to bring about our existence.... nonetheless without them, we wont be who we are today.

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November 2009.. "Thanks Giving" is my most favorite day of the year... that is the only holiday that I enjoy to celebrates. It is the most unique remembrance our people has to offer. During this "thanks-giving" day, I attended the United Service Organization (USO) ARM FORCES S SERVICES day. It was really great how the people of this country supported the troops. I am glad it is so..

USO has been around a long time. They support the troops abroad as well as here at home. If I am not mistaken BOB HOPE (God bless his soul) traveled all over Europe and the Pacific to ensure that American men- (back in WWII only men) in combat got a break from their daily jobs and be entertain and refresh as they laugh and forget about their helllish experiences.... at least for a day. May all the combatants who died, in the past, present and in the future, Rest In Peace as they fight for their country and gave the final sacrifice.

I also had the opportunity to clebrate with Jay Leno- the late night talk host show of NBC, with the rest of my "brothers and sister at
arms." No, I was not the main person he interviewed.

He interviewed MEGAN FOX.... and
I was thiiiis close to the "foxy lady."


I was upset to find out that my camera battery was dead. What a bummer, believe me it will not happened again :( ... After the show, we were treated with the most extravaganza feast I ever seen served. They decked up the place and feed us like we were the lords adn the ladies. I mean you could not believe how much foods they have for us.

The culmination of my November got to be the visit from Andrew, my third son. He visited me for a week end and I was so thrilled. I had a visit from Josh the first year I moved to LA. Now, if I can get my oldest son to come, then it will be complete, perhaps this year. Andrew and I went on a little trip to SUNSET and HOLLYWOOD Boulavard... you know the usual.. got to take him to the infamous sign... and was told to get off the hill, because he climbed up all the the way and was wanting to touch the sign.

LIFE as I see IT

Life is not precious as people says they are... it is expendable. Relationship come and goes, so sudden without warning. Life can change in a heart beat, and will throw you off balance. Your friends can be your enemy.. people smile at you and yet deep in their bowel, they want you dead... when opportunity present itself they will blow you up to pieces... this is the reality of life. Some people are saved from this experience and if you asked me, they are better off. Heaven and Hell are right under your nose.. differentiate by a single hair. How you have been brought up in life and how you live your life, will determined how you see life and experience life.

OKLAHOMA

Took the trip to see my youngest son graduated from basic training last week. It was a moment of joy for me, because I also got to see my two other sons, Andrew and Josh. I have not seen Andrew in over a year (has it been that long?) It was a quick trip for me, but I am glad I went.

This graduation was somewhat different, then my two previous BCT graduation of my two other sons. Matt did not get to walk on the stage, some one forgot to pick him up from his company area. He was told to report to TMC it is short for Troop Medical Clinic the morning of his graduation day, to get clear from his 'profile'. He injured himself while he was doing the road march. We went to his graduation, without seeing him there. It was a disappointment for us, and I am sure Matt was more disappointed as well. We did not wait for the ceremony to be over. We went to see him in the company area. Later on the Company Executive apologized to us for allowing it to happened. I am sorry that you did not get to wlaked on the stage son. I am sure there will be many more opportunity for you to walk on the stage.

Taken by Surprise

Hello All, After reading the below article by Rubel Shelly, I thought I would post this and hopefully will help you as it does help me finding life's deeper meaning, because you are the one the writer talked about. And as for me, I am looking at the the quiver lip and waiting for the VICTORY!

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Life has a habit of taking us by surprise. Events catch us off guard and send us reeling. Accident, injury, family stress, divorce, job transfer, layoff - these are some of the high-stress events that can shake our poise. The danger is that these things can send people into panic mode. She makes some totally irresponsible statement. He acts without thinking. Harm is done to relationships that can never be undone. The same events can shake our theological footing. Long-resolved doubts resurface. She withdraws from Christian friends and stops attending church. He begins to blame God for what is happening in his life.

Am I just imagining that people react to life's sneak attacks in these ways? Haven't you seen it too? Is some form of it going on with you? Imagine that your scared-for-his-life husband offered you as a sexual playmate to the man he feared, that your were a teenager forced to spend years in jail because of someone's lie about you, that all your children have been killed in the same horrible storm, or that your racial identity caused some people to deny you your civil rights.

These "hypothetical" episodes are the biblical stories of Sarah, Joseph, Job, and Paul. The people whose stories we know from the Bible are not figures in stained-glass windows. They were real flesh-and-blood people like you and me. They emerged from their crisis situations in victory mode. Yet they lost precious things and certainly bore scars from what had happened to them.

If we could look into heaven at those bitter junctures of life, though, our hearts would be reassured. Looking into God's face, we would discover there is no sweat on his upper lip. Even if we are shocked and disoriented, he is not. Oh, his lip would be quivering with compassion for our pain, but he is sovereign over his universe. Nothing catches him by surprise, and he knows precisely how to get his wounded children through their most harrowing life crises.

The sounds of a howling mob, a whip ripping into bare flesh, and a hammer driving nails into hands and feet were overwhelming sounds - until the tomb was found empty. The same power that raised him then sustains us now.

So, when you feel you are about to lose it, visualize God's upper lip. Trust his promises. Know you are not alone. Wait for victory.
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For back issues and other resources please visit www.RubelShelly.com ----

Michigan, USA

Opportunity came for me this past week to take my sister to Michigan to return a visit my mom made seven years ago. My sister also met Dr. Larry Copeland, who was responsible for my brother Aji to study at Michigan State University, where Larry is one of the professor in the Agriculture Department. In turn Aji was able to secured a student visa and a sponsor for me to come to America.


My American Mom Frances Hebden, a friend of hers Sue Parson, and Elizabeth Boznango visited Indonesia in 2002. I felt really privileged to take them to visit my birth country and introduced her to the rest of my family. We visited Marcia grave site to pay respect. It is Javanese tradition to pay a visit to our loves one grave site to remember those who has passed away and to offer prayers. Elizabeth came to where we stayed on the last day, but as I expected her bubbly personality has added our visit, more enjoyable and fun. Thank you Elizabeth for your video you let us watched of your visit to Indonesia seven years ago.

A couple of our nephews who lives in Canada, Ben and Jon also were able to joined us with their famillies. It was a great to see them. I was incredibly amazed at how they have grown in maturity and wisdom. May God bless them as they continue to seek His ways.
And of course I have to pay a visit to my old almamater.. my old high school, MASON HIGH.. How can I forgot? There are a lot of small changes around the school, for a brief moment I walked the "Memory Lane" once again. GO BULLDOG!









Greg and Dottie Hebden has graciously provided us rooms during our visit. Your hospitality are reflections of your kind hearts. Thank you brother, and God bless both of you always.

"TIME" Where Art Thou?

Pheeweeees.. where does the "time" goes? I blink and a month passed by, I slept and few years gone, time really have a way of creeping up on you. I feel the need to post a couple of things on this blog...


My oldest sister Yu-Ning, who lives in Indonesia is here with me on a visit. She looks really well for 74 years old, I am proud of her. Her son Reza, who lives in Holland with his wife Janette, and their adorable four years old daughter Marisha came with her. After spending two-and-a-half months in Holland Yuning came to America to visit me. I have the opportunity to go with them to Las Vegas, and tag a long when they went to Disneyland. Reza and Jeanette has to return to work and they left after fifteen days stay. It was really good to have them here. I hope they enjoyed their visit.

Reza wanted to go to Red-Lobster so bad to eat. They have none of those in Holland. After a couple of tried, couldn't find the restaurant, so I took them to restaurant a colleague at work recommended. It must have been their good fortune, because we ran into celebrity there. He happened to be Jannette favorite celebs.

I can feel a lump in my throat as I hug and said good bye to youngest son Matthew. Dropping him off at the LAX airport at Four A.M. , I just couldn't believe that almost thirty years ago as a naive young man, I came to this same airport feeling lost and alone; and thirty years and four sons later, that once naive-young-man youngest son left to join the best institution in the world, the US Army. Following his father and two older brothers foot steps, Matthew shipped to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for Basic Combat Training, with further assignment to 1-79 FA Battalion. Check out this link to read all about it http://sill-www.army.mil/434/consoldier.html

1st Bi-Annual Suprobo Family Reunion

Our FIRST SUPROBO FAMILY REUNION was a success! I am so glad! I can not wait until the next time around. We are going on a CRUISE! I spent four days with my flesh and blood, doing things with them, talking to them and specially playing with my grand children. They are the most beautiful creatures on earth [NO BIAS :-)].

Highlights of this reunion are, CAPITOL TOUR guided by with an intern US REP Randy Neugebaur. Thank you sir for the privilege of meeting with you and your awesome staff! BUSCH GARDEN trip was extraordinaire. The perk of being a member of the military, the admission for me and up to five of my dependents is free, courtesy of Cindy McCain. Thank you Cindy for giving me the chance of watching my grand children play.
THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER in Arlington, VA was on my last stop before leaving the area. It is a sobering thought of how many dies unknown. I really appreciate knowing that this country remember those who died for her cause, even when no one else would.


The whole family have fun. Due to military commitment Andrew can not come, which I understand completely. Uncle Sam sent him on a mission among the Native American Tribe in Montana. That must have been really interesting. I want to find out his story on that. we miss you Andrew.