“Why, Soitenly!”

It’s been a while since I’ve written … but that doesn’t mean I’ve not thought about you during the lapse. There have been many times I would love to have called and run some things by you … get your perspective … just hear you tell me things are going to work out. You always believed that with all your heart. I tend to doubt with all my heart!

But we’ve had different life experiences and maybe therein lies the difference in and depth of faith. It was only after your death when we started sharing stories among ourselves did I realize just how much you endured over the years. No wonder your faith was so strong and your eyes so fixed on Jesus.

Your daughter is becoming an artist (to add to her many talents). She recently sent me a picture of “The Bear” that she did freehand. I might have done as well had it been paint-by-numbers, but then I don’t remember any of those things that I did very well. You would be very proud of her ever-developing walk of faith. She sounds more like you these days, which is good. For the most part!

The children continue to entertain us. Lilly is the one to watch as she has this determination to live life on her terms. She crawled over to the oven last week where Heather had some cookies baking in the oven and stuck her tongue between the oven door and the oven!

You remember the kind of “fits” Tara could throw, right? So much that we now refer to “Tara fits” in our family. The other day Janice called me into the family room at Josh and Heather’s to witness Lilly having a “Tara fit” on the floor. Quite impressive, to say the least, for a 14-month-old. She did another one last night, but to her credit, she was tired and sleepy. We have a vibrator thingamajiggy that you sit on and it massages your back. Lilly wanted the control to it and pitched a fit when the control would not come loose from the unit.

Logan is becoming a “Grindaddy’s boy.” If I’m around and he’s not pre-occupied with eating, he wants to be in my arms and will grunt his way into my arms. No complaint from my end, though it does make it somewhat difficult to help Josh do things around the house with Logan in my arms. He always knows when we leave with Jackson that something’s not right. So we finally took him out by himself the other day and I honestly think he knew what was going on and how he’d just pulled one over on his siblings.

Jackson was with Josh the other day at Lowe’s when the cashier asked Josh, “Is that your son?” Josh replied, “One of them.” Before she could say anything else, Jackson volunteered, “Hi, I’m Jackson.” On the other hand, he can put Josh to shame with how shy he can be. Just never know.

He has figured out not only how to send text “messages” on iPhones, but he recognizes his favorite people’s text settings. He knows how to send them to Jan, Heather, Brittany (Heather’s sister), Jessica, myself, and others. Pam (Jan’s sister) got a series of text “messages” consisting of random letters that had her so concerned, she called Janice to see if everything were okay. Sometimes I get texts from Jackson as fast as every 10 seconds or so.

His latest thing was to use a black magic marker to paint his fingernails. I guess it could have been worse … such as walls and furniture, or Logan or Lilly. Never a dull moment around those children.

Dave (our preacher) asked if I would be a part of a monthly series in July where one of four men from the church preach on each Sunday of that month. My Sunday is the third one, and I’m not only honored to be asked, but quite excited about actually speaking at Chorus Church. My topic is on “Fellowship.” Still debating just how much to share about the concept of “fellowship” in which we grew up. But I have a while to work out the sermon.

Had a nice visit from Don and Leota last week … don’t remember when we last saw them, but we thoroughly enjoyed a couple of hours together as they are both quite fun to be around (in their individually unique ways).

Otherwise, things are about the same. We have busy times and we have incredibly slow times. Just hope the busy times will be enough to pull us through the slow times, economically. You lived through worse times than what we’re enduring, but with this present administration in D.C., who’s to say we’re not heading into another depression in this country.

I think a lot about what it would be like to be homeless. But that’s about all the hope my level of faith can produce at times! And that’s why I’d love to talk with you. Sometimes you just want to talk with someone who has been down your path.

Much love . . .