Jonathan Calls Them The Eye Statues

Right. Eyes or otherwise, I'm going to go with Jonathan's title.

(Oh, it's good to be home...)

A Whole Lot More of Nothin'

Sunrise, Monday, 6:30 a.m.

















We watch the storms roll in almost every afternoon (I've come to appreciate the storms; I'm usually a crispy freckly mess by that time, anyway). The storm Monday brought a water spout with it.

A Brief Vacation Observation

"Nothing" on the agenda is so, so much better when it doesn't rain.
And with margaritas.

With rain, "nothing" becomes watching Caddyshack and Ghostbusters on VH1... which is still a break from the norm at home, where we would be watching LazyTown or Backyardigans. Without margaritas.

Nothing's Not So Bad

Today, 3:30. View from the patio.

Agenda

We leave for Florida tomorrow morning.
Here's what's on the agenda:
1.




I'm curious how long I'll be able to hold together such a strenuous and tightly-packed calendar.

Honestly, I imagine that it really will be difficult for this Type A personality.

A Necessary Deceit

I had made one of those off-hand promises. You know the ones? Where you're completely focused on a task, and your child approaches and asks something, and you nod or say, "uh-huh," which really means "hold on a sec, I'll be right with you but I've got to finish this one thing," but which your child takes as an affirmative answer and goes away happy, and you return to your task and forget the whole conversation ever happened? One of those.

(Or am I the only one who does that? Wait. Don't answer. I don't have time for parental insecurities this morning. I've got to tell you this, and then I've got to prepare brunch for 15 wonderful CFC folks.)

So allegedly, I had told Chloe that she could stay up 'til midnight on Friday. She reminded me on Friday morning just as I was leaving for work, and after a small conversation in which the words, "I said that? When?" and "Are you sure?" and "Mom, you said I could!" may have been used, I did, indeed, recall some vague whispers of the topic.

But seriously, midnight? I understand the mysterious romance and intrigue Chloe felt about that magical hour, but we all know the ramifications of a 7 and a 4 year old staying awake until midnight on a Friday -- a Saturday with extraordinarily increased levels of tears and whining and general misery. Plus I wasn't even sure I could stay up until midnight myself, which would present chaperoning issues.

At work, I relayed the situation to my friend, Rick (who I must say is not necessarily as devious as much as he is an experienced father of two).

"Easy," said Rick. "After it gets dark, distract the kiddos with a movie or something. Then move the clocks ahead two hours."

Brilliant.
Midnight came at 10:00, and we were all safely tucked into bed.

On a Good Day, the walk from our apartment to the playground is a series of "long-cuts." Today it took 45 minutes to walk about an eighth of a mile.

(respectfully) skipping pennies on the police officer memorial pool

the maze through the hedges

Spidey scales the wall

running hands through the water is a necessity


wishing the folks on the party boat a fair journey

Checking out Pioneer's sound display dome

"take my picture up here, Mom"

New canine friends

walking the plank

Making sure the ducks haven't had babies yet

And...the destination.

Life Lessons

Chloe called to me from the bathtub tonight:

Mom, I lost the last three games of Life that I played. You know why? Cosmetic Surgery. And it's like you don't even need it!

Yep.

Summer Church

It was exotic. It was exciting. It was the old wool blanket from the trunk on dry, prickly grass with the occasional lazy, buzzing bee checking out the clover. It was the smell of hot car engines and the sound of insufficient sound systems and gospel organ.

It was summer evening outdoor church at the drive in.

My siblings and I preferred it above "regular evening church," by far. And while I now could muse for quite some time about how a drive in church is missing the point in many ways, I'll spare you that and simply say that changing church things up for the summer does have some merit.

Recognizing that Hamptons and the Jersey shore have siren calls, and you've got to get to the Stone Street Oyster Festival early or you'll miss the best of it, and the pace of the city slows just a bit, City Fellowship Church is doing something a little different for the next few months. We've moved operations back to the our apartment, and instead of a "regular" worship gathering, we're sharing brunch, we're singing together a bit, we're talking together about Galatians, we're journaling, and we're praying. It's been a real blessing to me--an uncomplicated, low-key time of renewal. And thanks to the Galatians study, we're re-considering how the gospel is enough. For everything.

The gospel is the way that anything is renewed and transformed by Christ -- whether a heart, a relationship, a church, or a community. All our problems come from a lack of orientation to the gospel. Put positively, the gospel transforms our hearts, or thinking, and our approach to absolutely everything.

You're welcome to join us, you know.

Instead of Sudoku, Try Solving This

Jonathan wrote a story this afternoon.
Can you solve the little problem he presented to me?
Read aloud and be impressed was the implied directive .

"thestoREubawtthedragianandthePRisis"

Need a hint? A picture of a castle was underneath the title.

Need the answer? I'll put it in the comments.

Sweet, with a Hint of Scary

See where Spidey's top lip is a tad faded? Jonathan fell asleep on the subway on the way home from a rockin' birthday party in Central Park. He sucks his thumb in his sleep, which wore off the little 'stache area. Steve had to hold his hand on the top of Jonathan's head to keep him upright and prevent any red paint transfer onto Steve's clothing. Sleepy, upright Spiderman, sucking his thumb. I wish the camera could have been there.