Jason's Injury

Jason got hurt today. A long and complicated to tell story made short and simple is that a broom handle flipped up and hit his nose and upper lip. A sizable piece of skin was removed just under his nose. It bled and bled and bled for about 40 minutes, even with ice and pressure. At the end of the day he was poking at it, alarming his mommy. I am concerned about him having a big scar there in addition to the one already present. I am so glad, though, that none of his teeth were involved.

Oh, and he got two new teeth while in Indiana, lateral incisors, top and bottom. It appears that he is working on a one year molar on the top as well. It seemed like we waited and waited for teeth to erupt and now here they are in a bunch.

James and the Trip

John, James and Joshua drove from Phoenix to Indiana for our recent vacation. James also rode back with John. (Joshua went to a young men's leadership camp in Alabama.) They drove a total of 57 hours! In Arizona, a permitted driver has to have 25 hours of driving experience before getting their license; five of those hours have to be at night. The trip allowed him to amass more than enough hours. It shouldn't be much longer before he has his license.

The Jump Rope

I bought a "real" jump rope today. (I bought a child's one recently, but it was too short for John to demonstrate his ability to the kids.) Jason wanted a turn too. If you watch (and know that you're supposed to be discerning an attempt at jumping) you can see him "jump rope." It was pretty cute.

We"re Back

We are home safely. The trip today was great. The kids were wonderful even after 3 hours in the car and 3 1/2 hours on the plane.

We had a great time in Indiana. It is like going home. That makes coming home a bit sad, but it will be good to be in the routine again.

Will blog more another time.

What a Day!

I had a hugely busy day preparing for "Indiana or Bust." I was feeling that kind of good exhausted feeling that you get when you were truly productive. Then I made a blunder tonight that snowballed. It's a real melancholy thing to start a ball of unpleasantness rolling. I'm tired, so I am not telling the whole story, but suffice it to say that I should never have cut our neighbor's hair.

Hopefully I will blog about the "stuff" I've been thinking about when Arizona comes back into view. Just can't squeeze it in now.

Josiah

Josiah is a bit over six. I have tried several times since he was 4 1/2 or so to teach him to tie his shoes. He had come close more than once but never had the patience to sit long enough and try hard enough to "get it." I decided yesterday was going to be the day of victory! I told him that he couldn't go outside or have supper until he tied his shoes by himself. He did it!! Today he did it again! I am still giddy over this. I thought he might be 30 and have to have help from his wife=)

Mr. Kolterman

During the first semester of my junior year I took an Honors English class - English Literature. The teacher was clearly and well known for several things, including being tough. An "A" was rare. Very rare. I did poorly in Mr Kolterman's class. I never did well with literature classes because I didn't like to read for an assignment. I loved to read but wanted to make my own selections. One might thus think that Mr. Kolterman disliked me, but he didn't. He said something to me once that was meant as a squarely landed compliment. Those were almost as rare as "A's". He smiled and looked me in the eye and said, "You're a thinker." That was it. No comment, just that. I've always remembered that because he was right, but I had never thought it about myself before then.

Now, I sometimes wish I could stop thinking. There is always something going 'round and 'round my head. Usually with all the going 'round is a bit of passion. I don't always like that part either. Sometimes I wish I could just look the other way when evil and foolishness abound, take it in stride. Other times, when I see injustices and the pain of the world and am troubled, I am glad that passion fills my heart and soul - and that thoughts come in wave after giant wave.

When I give it some thought (oh, here we go) my dislike for all this thinking comes because of the result. I believe that thinkers are problem solvers, inventors, revolutionists, abolitionists, etc. Among those are some great people, both real and hypothetical. However, it leads to the search for a platform - a means to express ones thoughts. Not expressed the mind becomes bogged down and the person frustrated. However, for me and many others, I'm sure, is the added dimension that I'm committed to serving God. Choices about expression need to be brought into His will, sifted if you will. The Christian thinker needs to train his mind to think rightly and to express with wisdom and restraint where required. And all that requires more thinking. Deliberating over this decision is hard, the part I don't like.

I started blogging last year. There was so much going on in our lives, especially with little Jason, and we had moved far, far away from loved ones, both family and friends. I wanted an easy way to disseminate information. It quickly evolved, though. During those grueling days, blogging became a sort of therapy to cope with the times. Then, like so many others, I had discovered a potential means to express my thoughts, my passions, my victories and my frustrations. It was like a breath of fresh, spring air. A figurative spring storm of clashing beliefs blew through too. It discouraged me. My mom told me not to stop blogging. I didn't. But, I was so afraid to blog about anything but the daily grind. Blogging about the other stuff that makes up my life became taboo.

I am going to blog in the (near?) future about something that has made the rounds in my mind many times over the last several years, seventeen actually. I have come to some conclusions. I want to share. I don't want to smash anyone. That will not be my intention now as it wasn't before. I just want to tell what my observations of the Bible have caused me to think, to believe. If you don't agree, well, you don't. I am not singling anyone out in my thoughts to debate and wrangle with. I don't mind comments. I have, on purpose, left my blog open to comments. Please, however, if you feel personally attacked, you are not interpreting my intentions correctly. I will just be expressing my thoughts on this convenient platform.

Mr. Kolterman was an amazing vocalist. He was brilliantly intelligent. He was a good teacher, even if feared (and despised). He also practiced homosexuality and lost his life doing so. I appreciated his compliment so much that I still remember it vividly, but he was just a man.

I hope that God smiles and looks me in the eye and says, "You're a thinker. And you have thought rightly. You have well discerned my will. You are my faithful child." It is my life's goal to make that true.

Fitting In

We've all heard (and likely used) the square peg in a round hole illustration. Well, we had a different twist occur. Stacey went to the eye doctor today, expecting most of her visit/supplies to be covered by our vision insurance. The insurance company had no record that she was covered on our plan. After some investigation, the problem was discovered! John has more dependents than will fit in their computer system's list. So, is that like trying to fit a really big round peg into a really small round hole?

A Solution

Taken from Peter Marshall's website:

"A general dissolution of principles and manners will most surely overthrow the liberties of America than the entire force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they will never be subdued; but when they lose their virtue, they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader... If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great security." ~Samuel Adams (also known as the Father of the American Revolution)