Well last Tuesday we started out with blue sky and by 11:00 it was snowing. DeeAnn was off to spend time with a friend in Williams which is about 30-40 minutes away. By the time DeeAnn stopped at the store and started on the freeway we were in a full fledge snow storm. Unfortunately she got caught in the traffic from an overturned truck and spent several hours in a car with a 2 years old. Meanwhile Gavin and I drove around town doing errands and visiting Great Grandpa and Grandma for our weekly Rummikub game. After it was all over we got about 3-4 inches of snow. Later that night on our way to bed we saw some kids outside playing in the snow. Specifically it was our neighbor kid and some friends building an igloo. They finished it several days later with great success. For pictures of the igloo and more go to www.flickr.com/photos/richanddeeann
The next day we drove out through the Applegate Valley to visit friends. What a great drive as the hills and pastures were covered in snow. It would have been perfect had not Gavin been moaning, “MMMMMMM my tummy!!” and Ethan yelling, “EAT EAT EAT” You see, Gavin gets car sick real quick and Ethan is a voracious eater and by lunch time you better feed him. We had a wonderful lunch and dinner with friends including an airsoft war (think low power BB guns) with an 11 and a 5 year old. Go ahead and call Child Protective Service out but you better warm them that they are great shots.
On the baby front the doctor estimates current weight at 5LB 13oz, and DeeAnn is dilated to 1. We are now simply waiting for the finishing touches to be added as we anticipate the birth
of a new Todd. I suppose we should begin work on names. We also met Nisha Jackson www.nishaonhealth.com who is an alum of Azusa Pacific and whom DeeAnn has talked with many times during her role as Alumni Coordinator at APU. It’s nice to have familiar connections. Gavin and I are talking irregular walks around town. The last two have been to the Jacksonville Cemetery. We met Ron and his wife Linda on Sunday and then again today. Ron told us about and showed us the gravestone of a man born in 1779 and served our country in the war of 1812. We also found a section that is dedicated to those men who were part of the Improved Order of Red Men, www.redmen.org What an interesting part of history I never knew about. Gavin was also wanted to confirm that when we die our graves would also be together like all the other families in this cemetery.We went to a new church this week called Applegate Christian Fellowship www.applegatefellowship.org They had an 11:15 service which suited us perfectly. We listened to a sermon delivered by a teenager who seems about 30 years wiser than his age. Thank goodness his mom was there to pick him up after the service. Seriously though he was rather amazing and looked about 17. About 20 minutes into the service Ethan decided that he was done with coloring and so I decided to take him to the children’s room.
The following is a true story. “Please sign here” the kind ACF worker said as I signed in under line 110. “Now sign this wrist band as well” which was affixed to Ethan’s little arm with my signature so as to confirm my ownership of him. And now Ethan and I were wearing matching bright orange wrist bands. I asked Ethan if he wanted to go in and he said, “Boy no”. So I decided to go in with him “No problem I just need to have you wear this visitor label so we know who you are” again the kind worker said. “Oh and one more thing, since you are a visitor please don’t touch the other children, as some parents get a bit too involved during play” What was that, I thought. Did she just tell me to keep my hands to myself? So Ethan and I sat at a table playing and trying not to make eye contact with the other kids for fear of being considered too friendly. Well of all the days this little three year old girl named Rose decides to pick on me and give me a big hug out of nowhere! I figure she is a mole and is just testing me. I pass as I only hug back with my wrists.
Besides the Fort Knox signing in process the church was good and had a great worship time. Next week we will try yet another until we get a regional flavor to settle into.
As I mentioned in the beginning I am learning that I too am part of something much larger than just myself and I pray and hope that I will be able to not only understand it all but also appreciate its impact daily. Rich, DeeAnn, Gavin, Ethan and baby (3 weeks left)
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