IT WOULD APPEAR THAT I HAVE DEVELOPED AN ALLERGY TO PINE POLLEN, WHICH THIS TIME OF THE YEAR MEANS I MIGHT AS WELL BE ALLERGIC TO OXYGEN...MISERABLE!!

JOURNAL 5/4/2007

Took the day off. Sarah has been feverishly cleaning recently in anticipation of the baby's birth and Bowden't birthday on Sunday, which has left her very tired and wary of any activity that might result in a mess. She is three days past her due date and feeling it I think, although she doesn't complain much so it is hard to tell. So we went out for lunch...no dishes...no effort required. After eating lunch at La Casita we went down to Strawberry Creek and played in the water for awhile. Bowden and Lucy loved it, and miracle of miracles, they didn't fall in the water. The currant bushes were looking really robust down there with big heavy clusters of berries. After playing in the stream for a while we went for a drive down a dirt road I know of. It was nice to be away from the house and none of us particularly wanted to go back. In the evening I read the U.S. News and World report as well as the National Review and fell asleep on the couch. Still no baby...I was hoping the mexican food and bumpy dirt road would jog it loose. Ah well!

BRAKES AND GAS

JOURNAL 6/3/2007

Sunday- went to church. Nanny was up for the day and she took us out to lunch after church. Worked some more on the deer in the afternoon. Bowden and Lucy were grumpy, cranky, disobedient, and fit-prone in the evening. Sarah having strong contractions, but nothing regular. Lucy hit Bowden in the nose with her "Dora The Explorer" book, and gave him a bloody nose after I had already told her a few times to stay in her bed. I managed to restore order after some stern words.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

This question was posed by Jason Labombard of Arizona in response to my post "HOW TO SPOT A LIE- VOLUME #2" wherein I said that exageration is a form of lying.

Can you think of any scripture that would back up this claim?

Is there any time in scripture where exageration is represented as a lie?

MY BOOTS ARE ALWAYS TALKING... I HEAR THEM WHEN I'M WALKING

In the spring when all is mud and muck
They miserably say "Squish" and "Suck"

But they are good and don't complain
When I wash them clean again

In summer when I go out to romp
My boots excitedly "stomp" and "clomp"

And afterwards I think they sleep-
By the door all piled in a heap.

In the fall my boots say "woosh" and "wush"
Even though I always tell them "hush"

Those naughty boots! They don't obey!
They don't listen to a word I say!

In winter, when I go home for lunch,
It sounds like they say "munch" and "crunch."

and I swear I hear a happy sigh
When I place them by the stove to dry.

JOURNAL 6/2/2007

Today was the camp's work day. We got a lot accomplished around the camp with the hard volunteers who came up for the weekend. I spent the better part of the day with the Barr family repainting all of the lines on the volleyball/basketball court as well as the backboards and poles. It was a good day with a lot of people working cheerfully, and the consensus was that we got a lot accomplished. In the afternoon I was lifeguard at the pool and a few brave souls went in for a dip although the majority thought the water was too cold. In the evening sarah and I hosted a marshmallow roast and campfire in the bowl. Also worked more on the paper mache (I'm never sure how to spell that) deer. It is painted now and looking like some sort of deer-like creature. Good enough for four-year-olds.

Psalm 103:8-14

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger, Abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
Nor will He harbor His anger forever;
He does not treat us as our sins deserve
Or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth
So great is His love for those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a Father has compassion on His children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;
For He knows how we are formed,
He remembers that we are made of dust.

JOURNAL 6/1/2007

Worked from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm (made two dump runs). I took a longer lunch break than normal so Sarah could take a nap. She has been almost constantly tired toward the end of this pregnancy. I feel bad for her because she is so tired. Got a phone call from Tim Williams after lunch, and had a good talk with him. They just recently had their second baby- a boy to complete the collection. I forgot to ask him for his address. Tim graciously offered to be a consultant for Bowden's "Indian Party." Worked off and on in the afternoon as guests arrived for the work-weekend. After putting the kids to bed, Sarah and I paper-mached Bowden's deer until almost midnight. I am pretty pleased with how it is turning out. We will finish paper-macheing tomorrow afternoon and then paint it the next day (unless Jack decides to be born...or Christ returns...both of which would be very welcome).

THERE IS ONLY ONE CAMP MARANATHA- ALL OTHERS ARE IMPOSTORS

I CAN'T DECIDE WHICH I LIKE MORE- WHEAT THINS OR TRISCUITS

JOURNAL 5/31/2007

Lisa's birthday. Worked for the better part of the day (8-4:30) cleaning out the Tabernacle in preparation for summer. Called Lisa to wish her a happy birthday. Started working on the chicken-wire frame for Bowden's deer. Chicken-wire is not the easiest medium I found. I hope to have it done in time for the deer hunt on Bowden's birthday.

QUESTION OF THE DAY...RAT BOUNTY

In the coming days I intend to post a letter I am writing to my representatives in the House and Senate advocating some sort of Rat Bounty. I don't like rats, and I feel that if people made some cold hard cash every time they killed one there would be a lot less of them around. I think if president Bush made this one of his priorities the public would admire him for it. I certainly would.

Would you support a rat bounty?

Happy Birthday to LISA RICHARDO!!!

JOURNAL 5/30/2007

Went to Palm Springs for our weekly doctor appointment. All was well. Spent some time recreating in the desert, and then returned to Idyllwild via Garner Valley in the early afternoon. Larissa Shirley baby sat while Sarah and I went into town to take care of some banking. Had our last junior high small group of the year in the evening. I read the "U.S. News and World Report" before falling asleep on the couch.

JOURNAL 5/29/2007

Worked from 8:00 until 4:30. Paid bills in the afternoon. Spoke with Elisabeth and Christine. Also called and left farewell messages for Job. Sad I couldn't get a hold of him before heading off to boot camp. Went to bed around 10 pm.

THE WEEKLY TRIP TO PALM SPRINGS

Today we drove to Palm Springs for our weekly doctor's appointment for Baby Jack.



...but on the way down the twisty turny mountain road this one got car sick and threw up all over the place.



I whipped the car over onto the shoulder and cleaned out the car seat while Sarah cleaned and changed Lucy. Bowden peed on the side of the road, and Lucy laughed.





While sarah was finishing the cleaning job, I crossed the road and picked Lucy some pretty yellow flowers.



I gave them to her with a "hope you feel better," and a kiss on the forehead.



Sarah said that the reason Lucy threw up was because I was "driving too rough," and she declared that she was going to drive the rest of the way down the mountain.



That pissed me off a little.



I took the kids while Sarah went in to see the doctor. We just kind of drove all over Palm Springs looking for somewhere to buy some lysol, febreeze and stuff for Lucy's pukey car seat. We stumbled upon the "Hole in the Wall Welding Company," whose yard was peppered with an interesting assortment of sculptures. I instantly surmized that in order to do the place justice I would have to take way more pictures than my patience would allow me to download onto blogger. So I just took the following two of a huge spider. Notice how Lucy is wearing a winter hat in the hot glaring desert sun. I told her, "Lucy, it's hot out there. I don't think you want that hat on." She wouldn't leave the van without it though.





We also got out and ran around in the desert in front of this huge windmill field. It felt surreal like a scene out of a science fiction book or something. Especially with Bowden laughing and yelling "I'm a jack rabbit!" as he kipped through the sand and Lucy wearing her diaper, pink sweatshirt and winter hat smelling the crispiest, brownest desert shrub you ever saw and declaring that it was a flower.

"Does the flower smell good, Lucy?"

(nodding her head) "uh-huh"

(There was no flower.)



Then we found this park where we spent the rest of our time before Mommy called and said she was all done with the doctor. I was ready to leave the park because it was hot!!!!! Under the trees it was nice and shady, but I don't think bacteria could grow on that play equipment. It was hot enough to be sterile. The sun in the desert is a violent thing. Not a slow creeping thing. There is nothing subtle about it. It's a dropping hammer, a crushing weight, a fire eye.




We ate lunch at a very fancy Cheesecake factory before driving back up the mountain and through Garner Valley to home.



The kids fell asleep on the way home.

Sarah drove...just in case.

Grrrrrrrr!

JOURNAL 5/28/2007

Worked for the better part of the day. Built a compost enclosure in the afternoon. After work Sarah and I joined Lisa over at the elementary school to play soccer with some high schoolers from church. I wore my old high school varisty soccer shirt and socks, but found that my body was different than in High School days. They ran all over me. Yet another reminder that I need to make getting back in shape a priority. After soccer, Sarah and I took the kids down to Hemet for dinner and we stopped by Target for a few necessaries. Talked with John on the way home. He was driving through Virginia on his way back to Georgia. Caught myself falling asleep in the recliner and forced myself up the stairs to my bed.

"NOBODY EVER ATE FIFTY EGGS!"

I feel bad for this guy, and for whoever let this happen.

He must have lost some sleep over this. Oh! The shame!!!