the last name may be cursed

I just talked to my brother on the phone for the first time since being in Korea! I've talked to him on Skype when he's at my Mom's house a number of times, but every time I call him I can't get him. When his ring back tone started playing it made me feel nice and close to home, I couldn't help but smile as I listened to "I'm a Country Boy." Any of you who know AC know he really is a country boy. The first time I called, I didn't get him, and then I tried my sister because I thought they would be together this weekend, but no answer from her either :( Finally, I sent a text to Alan via www.vtext.com/ (This is awesome, it's where you can go online and send a text through Verizon's website.). I just told him I missed him and loved him and he best answer my call next time. He replied "call back." When I called him back he informed me that he and Amanda where in fact together and had both just ignored my phone calls because the number was blocked. I'm the middle child; they've always picked on me :) It was so nice to get to talk to both my brother and sister, but it really made me miss them.


Now on to the what we will call "The Luck of the Schamps." During our conversation, Alan informed me that after the huge ice storm his electricity was out for over a week. When it was finally fixed, the electric company made a mistake and sent a lot higher voltage through his outlets than what it was suppose to be. AC heard what he referred to as a "cannon goin off behind the house." Unfortunately, all of his TV's and his washing machine wouldn't work after this incident. The electric company told him he was actually lucky that his entire house didn't burn down...scary! This is just one example of the luck that my family seems to have. Amanda, on the other hand went out of town about a month ago, and her car caught on fire, which left her stranded for a number of days before she could get it fixed. When she finally did return home, a pipe in her freezer had burst and her entire house was flooded because she had been gone and it continually ran out into her house until she returned home. She had just put new hardwood floors down throughout her entire condo, which were ruined. I felt soooo bad for her. She really had a rough couple of weeks. My Daddy had a much more serious scare recently. He was working on finishing a house that he's building back when the ice storm hit. The electricity was out at this house, and for some reason he needed it to stay warm. So, he was trying to hook a generator up. Evidently, generators are dangerous because they release carbon monoxide fumes into the air. Well, Dad passed out in the room with the generator, and had to be drug out of the house by a worker that he had with him. Thankfully, there was someone with him because if not, he would have never gotten out. See....I'm not lying!!! These are are common occurrences if you're a Schamp.

I have no clue when this started, but my earliest recollection of the curse being evident in my life took place when the three of us were small children. You see, Mom and Dad were still married at the time, and it was a Sunday morning. We were all ready for church, and Dad took us kids down to the car while Mom was still in the house. I think the phone may have rang, and Mom yelled out for Dad to come back into the house. Dad had turned the car on to warm it up because it was snowing outside. Alan was really young, so he was strapped into his car seat and Amanda and myself were probably bouncing around the car. Dad took off back into the house, and I guess Mom was on her way down to the car. Amanda and I, probably about 4 years old and 8 at the time, decided that we needed to see out the windows (they were covered in snow). I, with all my 4 years of knowledge began looking for the windshield wipers. Well, let's just say that my driving has not changed alot since then, and I knocked the car into reverse instead. The driveway sat on a hill, so the car immediately started to roll backwards, picking up speed as it rolled. Amanda bailed out. She swore for the longest time that she fell out, but I distinctly remember her saying ,"I'm gettin outta here, you can't drive AMBER." Mom and Dad were both chasing the car by this point. So, they probably saw their precious little 8 year old Amanda plunge from the car and fall to the ground, as the car wheel ran over her leg. I'm sure they thought the worst!!! The car finally hit a tree or maybe it was Dad's old race car (can't remember), but it stopped and AC and I were still in the car, me at the wheel and he in his car seat. But poor Amanda was laying in the snow. Miraculously, no one was hurt! Amanda's leg must have sunk down in the snow as the car rolled over it, and she was left with only bruises and tire tracks on her legs. I don't really remember the details after all the commotion, but for some reason I think we still made it to church! Not sure if I was punished. Maybe Mom and Dad were so glad everyone was ok that they let it slide??? They should've know right then that this was only the first of many collisions that their children would have over the years.


God is obviously watching over my family and myself. As I look back over many similar freak accidents that have happened to each of my siblings and myself over the years. It's kinda scary to think about how on so many occasions a slight change of events could have hurt or even taken one of our lives. The truth is... I don't really believe in luck or curses, but I do believe that there is a God who watches over us everyday. Thankfully, He has protected me and my family despite our own stupidity, recklessness and the last name :)
Sorry, I was so long winded, just needed to talk about my family today. I've been missing them a lot lately!!!