A Three Day Weekend

I have to beat the hamster... I'm really sorry for my absence. Since I last posted, I have edited two newsletters; cooked two pretty decent meals at the river; sang in the choir; taught a good Sunday school lesson on the minor prophet Haggai. I hope I pronounced it right.

Sometimes I'm torn between the part of me who says "just pronounce the names and places the best you can. If you say it with enough authority, people will assume that you must be right!". And then there is this other part of me that wants to show respect to the accuracy of the history. After all - if I were going to actually MEET and have a conversation with

Haggai - I would want to honor him by learning how to pronounce his name. Just would be rude otherwise, don't you think? Anyway - here's a link so you can hear it. I think that is what I said...

But some of the best moments of the weekend were in and on the river itself. I got to take most of my nephews and niece out in the canoe at some point in the weekend. Now - many of you are saying to yourself..."but Chris doesn't like children..." And you would be pretty correct. But there are a few exceptions to the rule. And once you can hold an intelligent conversations - you're not a children anymore. So there are a few more exceptions to my rule. You'll find that most of my rules have exceptions.

Each of the kids had a different approach to the canoe ride. Jacob - who is 6 - watches out for pirates and bad guys in the trees along the island. There are fascinating adventures going on in his head. If you let yourself sink back to the mind of a 6 year old...it is great fun. But I still don't get the same amusement out of calling people doody heads. Perhaps it is because I was never a 6 year old BOY. But I enjoyed the time we went out together - if he'd stop paddling AGAINST me, I would enjoy it even more!

The boy twin Braeden is just so completely EXCITED that he just vibrates. He wants to help paddle too - but at least he puts less effort into decreasing our forward motion. Eventually he pulls the paddle in and is just enjoying the trip. He likes to go under the branches that lean out over the river (I like to get to the shade!) and pulls a few leaves off to throw into the river. There are adventures with him too. One trip I was told that my name was Izzy. I kinda like it.

And then there is the princess Taylor. It was so nice when she walked up to me and quietly said - Aunt Chris I would like to go for a sail on the river. She just looks at me with those big eyes and say "well of course you would. we must get permission and life jacket and sunscreen and we shall GO for a sail upon the river." I mean, there just isn't any reason NOT to! She paddles very little. She loves to bounce over the wake from a motorboat. She pulls leaves off of trees and lays them gently upon the waters to sail back to their friends. She's going to tip us one day! She likes when I pretend that I'm going to run the canoe into a tree or bridge abutment (not a "pylon"). We pretend to scream and have a grand time.

There was one more ride with a person who not only didn't paddle against me, but probably did more of the work than me. And let me have the rest of his Mikes. And helped me regain my sanity when the kids get to be too much! That was a great part of the weekend.

High points.

Low points.

And got some work done too.

Imagine if I had a FOUR day weekend!

(to those who may wonder why I don't put pictures of the kids in - well, I hate to say it...but this is a public blog...and I don't want any creepy people looking at my princess and princes. Just ain't a good idea...so enjoy the pictures that I picked. K?)