Sherlock Holmes has birthed a meticulous sleuth in my Ethan.

It's not angels that God puts in charge of creation, my boy rebuffs me. It is God who does the water cycle and the rock cycle, etc., etc. Oh dear boy, I am so grateful for your verbal reproofs, it gives me fuel for prayer for you. Reality as it is seen is very clear to young men. The songs and promises of God that mother sang to you in youth seem to fade into the "mythology"{your word} of the reality that we live in. As the ideology of youth fades into the excitement of manhood, don't put that file of mother's stories too far into your cabinet mind. What is real? What is mother teaching you in her mystical way? That you will dicifer for yourself, over time. I love the man that you are becoming. Wedded to truth, so young. Rebuffing fallacies as they come from your mother's mouth. Don't miss the mystery that you can't understand, while studying the truths revealed.

The next exciting adventure of Sherlock Holmes as read by my dear and rambunxious reader, Ethan.

I do look forward to the sweet sound of your constantly changing voice, left delicately on my MP3 player. The story is engaging. The thoughtfulness that this is something that your mother would delight in is appreciated by me. I do listen, or I have listened to the first of your podcasts for me. I was surprised that amid the tumult of last evening's family dispute, for lack of a better word, perhaps feud, more aptly describes it, that you could concentrate to leave me a podcast is intriguing. We big family people have an uncanny ability to catapult ourselves outside of some of the most tumultuous circumstances, when necessary. I don't know if you did it on purpose, or just weren't aware of the tumult, or uninterested. In any case, your present is well received today and I will listen with engagement. I love you dear boy.

The Grand Prix!

What an adventure was this year's Grand Prix. Ethan spent the entire first day of the prep time, designing the vehicle that he wanted to carve out of the block of wood. The joys of being thirteen is knowing that this design that you will create could win or lose the AWANA Grnad Prix. I love the enthusiasm. I love the determination of the dear boys, that God has given me. Ethan could hardly wait for this occasion. Precious little, really excites the thirteen year old mind. He is not like earlier days, when an hour laughing at a good book was enough to delight him. The videogames and the pressures of adolescence dull the emotions and it is fogged up, but every once in a while the glee of boyhood sparkle in his eyes and he is his old self again. Grand Prix was that for my Ethan. The guarded excitement was upon us and we had to go to the provided sessions for building the vehicles. Ethan forgot his design at home. Sadly, we sent Dad, to get it, but he was unable to find it. {later, we found that the design had bunched itself between the drawer where it had been placed.} Now, what to do? Now, back to the drawing board for the frustrated designer. He diligently set to try to recall the original design. Of course, there was the frustration and tears of a son of mine who is emotional about such things. I am sorry that I gave them my delicate emotional state, but it is providence and through the tears he designed again. Thank God, an encouraging Pastor came alongside and gave just the right encouragement that got my boy over his hill of frustration. It got done. This was the design he was aiming at. Now, to the jigsaw... Encouraging gentlemen showed my fine fellow the steady hand that would carve out of wood the thoughts of his mind. What a lesson in delivery he learned. What a blessing, to have people aiding the molding of my boy's character, in this session. He didn't win, but the lessons learned will carry him through the years of his life, with strength and persistence and the asking of others for help, you can enter and complete the race, as well. Few people know how much the attention of others is cherished in a big family. The glances of reality, not just part of a group, but an individual with real and individual aspirations. Sometimes, it is one person's glance that ignites the spark that carries the car across the finish line. Thank you AWANA.

Love in Any Language

Love in Any Language, God help us to complete the meals for your project.

Band concert 2012

We dressed, as though we were going on a date. It was a date. A date with my favorite boughs. I can't remember a more exciting concert that I went to. Every child of mine whose concert I am able to attend, gives me chills and thrills. I remember the squeels and chills that rang down our necks in the beginning of this clarinet journey. Will he ever get past this squeekie season? Days ag

o, Emma {our dog} and I looked at eachother in front of the practicing protege and winked that we are glad to be able to sit in the same room now. It was real musical sounds coming from his clarinet. Delightful. Well, the concert was last night and I always imagine my Grandma Monica and adorned myself in makeup and some acrylic nails to remind myself of the significance of the day for me. Very little else is a documented ambition of mine for my children other than to enjoy the sense of concert with a group of others. A very similar feeling to the family life that we enjoy, but to a more tangible and appetizing end. Appetizing to me, who am satiated at the musical endeavors. He did his part. He is not a glutton for music, as his mother, but he appreciates it and that is all that I can ask from my artistically bent brood. I was delighted, Ben was impressed at the effort and Ezra soaks the enjoyments of these last little bears being reared in our den, with all of the sweetness of the youngest brother in the family. I think that youth is not wasted on the young;)

Frustration, Do I need tutoring.

Long talk with dad about the algebra grades.  I love my dad.  Mom.

25 Or 6-2-4

NOT IN THE MORNING--- We discussed this. I cannot deal with that music in the morning. What a nice funny time we had talking about the distractions of life and music. I was being funny and really didn't mean that you are not a preacher. You know that. You fellows make me laugh so hard sometimes with your thoroughly Biblical world view. I just have to inject some levity for you to see the balance. Reminders to keep our mind on the task is so much more important in Church than anywhere else. I keep telling you the story of my father who had no father to guide his conscience and his attentions. So many little boys grow up like that and you cannot imagine it. So I tell you of my dad to emphasize it. God loves their souls just as much and wants you to use some of your attention from father and grandfathers to share with those who have none of that. I hope that everytime you hear 25 or 6-2-4 you remember that.