It’s been a busy few weeks. In one weekend alone I drove to West Lafayette, saw a Purdue football game, got to hang out with my old roommates, went to Rochester and saw Grandma T, and stopped in Chicago for an all-day Dream Manager conference before heading home. While I was gone that weekend somebody lost her first tooth. This tooth took a long time to come out from when she first excitedly told us she had a loose tooth. Christopher on the hand has literally punched out his own tooth with his own fist on the same day he discovered that it was loose (that kid will do just about anything for money!).
I also missed choir while I was out of town…Beth got to get the kids ready and sit through singing in two services without me – lucky Beth 🙂
This is what fall is all about (well…this and apple pies and roasted pumpkin seeds)…lovin’ the GUBMFP…
It was really cool hanging out with a few of the old roomies before going to the dream manager conference. I had a list of about 100 dreams with me and they wanted to see…but I wouldn’t share until they started creating their own lists. We had some really good conversations that just started with us talking about our dreams and where we are at in life. If anyone else wants to see my list I suggest you pick up a copy of the Dream Manager book (by Matthew Kelly) and create your list of 100 dreams and then get back to me! Mom and Dad – what are your dreams? What are the biggest ones that you’ve achieved and what are the biggest ones you’re still aiming for? I’ve been thinking about dreams all week – and how they relate to all aspects of my life. It was fitting that at church this week the sermon was “Enough: When Dreams Become Nightmares” and that this was the centering prayer:
“O God, our world really belongs to you. Help us live with a sense of trust that you continue to care for all that you have created. When our dreams of the good life become nightmares of misplaced priorities, re-center our values. Remind us that in the process you do not forsake us. Calm our anxious hearts and assure us that we find enough in you.”
I had a great 45 minutes with Grandma T. She was doing very well (especially for 98). We looked at pictures and talked about all sorts of things…and then just to prove that she’s still with it, as I said goodbye and headed for the door she said something like “When you came in, didn’t you have a pair of glasses?” Sure enough, I brought sunglasses with me and left them on her table…her memory at 98 is still better than mine!!!
This past weekend we went to Sever’s Corn Maze (America’s Largest Corn Maze). His son lives on our street so we have an in for getting a few free tickets 🙂 That place is great – it has everything for a fun day…huge corn maze, huge pit of corn kernels to bury yourself in, smaller maze of bales of hay, pig races, magic show, juggling show, all sorts of animals and animal rides, pumpkin catapult and corn shooter, giant slides, cheese curds, band. You name it, it’s there. We met some friends there and had a grand time (right up until it was time to go and we realized that someone with smaller feet than Christopher must have accidentally taken Christopher’s bigger shoes…luckily we weren’t going anywhere afterwards so Christopher just walked around in his socks until we drove home).
And, here’s a preview of our Christmas card this year…what do you think?
Really enjoying the updates and photos. Looked at them on the laptop downstairs, but didn’t get around to getting back.
In your previous update -how come we can’t burn leaves anymore, but you can burn cars in the parking lot?? I’m surprised you can do that. It does sound like fun though. I bet it’s a big hit with the kids. Nice picture of the kids with their favorite firefighter.
Are the kids wearing those costumes for trick-or-treating tomorrow night? We will not get to see all the neighborhood goblins. I will be at work and mom will be here with the lights out. We’ve never done that, but mom doesn’t feel she can safely get to the door and open it with the walker. I’m sure they will get enough sugar from the rest of the neighbors and won’t miss ours much.
Glad the soccer season was fun and successful for all, including the goal and lessons learned.
I looked at some of the Dream Manager link, but need to go back to it. Haven’t started my list of dreams yet. Is the dream list the same as a list of goals? Goals make it sound more like work and dreams sound more like something you want to do. At my age “bucket list” is probably just as appropriate.
Glad you were able to connect with your college friends and enjoy the game together and really good that you could stop and see Grandma T. I know she appreciates such visits and you will never regret it.
Anymore visits by the tooth fairy? Megan has such a pretty smile (even with a space on the lower level). Gold coins? – wow that might make it worth helping the teeth loosen up.
The corn maze looks like a lot of fun. That’s a neat picture of Colleen buried in the corn. Did Christopher have his shirt filled with corn like his friend? Not sure how that would feel, but it makes me itch to think about it. The camel ride looks like fun, but looking at Megan’s expression maybe not. Did you buy the viking helmets? We’ll look for you at the next Vikings game with your faces painted.
Better get downstairs and check up on mom. She is doing great. We saw the surgeon Tues. and he was pleased. She starts the outpatient therapy Mon. That’s not much fun, but she is already getting good movenment, so hopefully it will not be too bad.
Sounds like you might have had a little hint of winter weather last week. Couldn’t tell from the map if you got the winds and snow that some areas received.
Thanks again for the updates and pics. We always enjoy them and nice to see and hear about the good times your family is having together.
I’m just curious… were you drinking in the pit of corn kernels?? You look a little too happy behind the kid having his shirt filled.
Yes, of course I was. Actually, I was snorting corn!!! Christopher has the same look on his face – why aren’t you picking on him too, huh, huh, huh??? No lie – we are STILL finding corn kernels in our house – in the dryer, in the kids rooms, in the family room…I think I’ve even still got a few wedged you-know-where 🙂 Did you get the princess box that we sent you? Tell Erik that’s not for him to wear 🙂 Hope all is well.
😉 🙁
(Testing with Colleen)