Wonderful Week

It was a wonderful week in North Carolina. Got in just ahead of the hurricane and enjoyed a couple days of pouring rain. The parsonage there has a lovely and wide front porch. I sat out and listened to the rain kiss the earth more than once. Saturday in the midst of the storm, we celebrated an early birthday party for Annabelle. Sunday the wind picked up and the Church lost a tree (fell parallel to the Church, thanks be to God!). Dean delivered a fine homily, but it was a tad difficult to concentrate with little wiggle worm in my arms (that would be Flynn the Fantastic Perpetual Motion Machine!). Sawyer and I killed a few dragons together. We gave the tennis courts a workout Monday morning as I chased Annabelle's "snake" and we played ball. Cin and I got in a walk down the road under a clear blue October sky on Monday afternoon. We also squeezed in a game of Liverpool one day. Stupid game, absolutely stupid. It is always so hard to leave them, but the ride home was a treat. We came the southern route straight through Asheville and then over to Nashville and north from there. The colors in the mountains were beginning to pop, though I was surprised to see even more color further into Tennessee once we left the mountains behind. My lesson learned during the return trip was that it's better to start off in the dark and not have several hours of dark to drive through at the end. Anywho, the NC folk all are doing wonderfully. Lauren just glows when she's with child; Dean continues his faithful service; and the children show by every action that they are loved and treasured. For all of which, thanks be to God!