Don't Read This if you Tivoed ER

I repeat, DON'T READ THIS IF YOU TIVOED ER!
They brought back Mark Green. And Carrie (What was her last name?). And Bulldog Romano. And Jerry.
I got a little teary when Dr. Green first came on. (What ER fan didn't sob when he died?) And Carter is supposedly coming back this season. I feel like these are long-time friends and tonight's reunion was a wonderful breath of fresh air!
And are Abbie and Luca living near Doug and Carol Ross in Seattle? Are they now friends and do they all work at the same hospital?

Is there any other show in history that has completely recycled its entire cast (save for one lone, long-standing nurse)?
If you have never seen ER, I cannot say you really should rent the DVDs and watch all of the seasons (fifteen seasons would be quite a lot of TV time) like I would tell you with The Office or LOST, but I will say that you have missed out on a truly good show.
What will I do with my 10:00 hour on Thursday nights when ER is over? It has been a fifteen year (maybe fourteen year--I think I was too young for the first season) standing date that I will miss. I hope it ends well.

Thoughts on Cauliflower

The other day, I gave Jack some cauliflower. It wasn't the first time he'd eaten cauliflower, but maybe the second or third. He was sitting in his high chair in the kitchen, and I sprinkled a few florets on his tray. I turned for a minute or two to rinse some dishes in the sink, and when I turned back around to see how the Little Buddy was doing with his vegetables, his tray was clear! I was so proud! However, as my gaze widened, I found that Lulu the cat was enjoying a cauliflower on the floor nearby. (Note to self: Cats enjoy cauliflower.) I looked more carefully and found that, to my dismay, camoflaged on the white linoleum, was all of the cauliflower I had given to Jack. He had decided that he knew better what to do with his lunch than I. Throwing it on the ground proved much more fun than popping it in his mouth!
I began ruminating on this one as I heated some more cauliflower (to be dipped in spaghetti sauce this time--the all-powerful sauce of disguise). I wonder if this is how the Lord feels about me sometimes. I thought of the parable of the talents. The master gave three servants money to take care of in his absence. Two of the servants doubled the money by investment--wise use--and were able to give much back to the master. The third servant buried the money, afraid of losing it, and was only able to return to the master the same amount entrusted to him. The master told the first two servants, "Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master." However, the master was quite angry with the third servant, who had to reap the consequence of his laziness. (This is all in Matthew 18 if you care to look it up.)
I am often like the third servant--like Jack. Mommy knew that Jack needed vegetables for lunch, but Jack did not use the vegetables Mommy gave him as she intended. He wasted them by deciding that he knew better how to use them. Instead of nourishment, they provided temporary entertainment. The third servant did not make the best use that he could with the resources that the master entrusted him with, so he could not give back to the master as he might have. I, too, do not make the best use of the resources God has entrusted with me. I am selfish with my time. I do not minister to others enough, I do not pray enough, and I do not study the Word as much as I should in my free time. I am selfish with my money. I find myself not wanting to give at church, wishing that money could stay in my checking account to be used as I wish. I am like the third servant; I am like Jack.
The cauliflower was a good reminder to me to be seeking the Lord's will in the use of my resources so that I can invest them in His kingdom and offer them back to Him... not because He needs anything from me, but so that I can glorify Him more and more, thereby entering more fully into the joy of my Master!

A Lizard and a Pumpkin Patch

On Tuesday we went to the pumpkin patch with my MOPS group. Here are a few pictures...




Jack was more excited about dirt clods than pumpkins, and he even decided to taste one (a clod, not a pumpkin).

Earlier in the month, while Joah was doing some yardwork, Jack and I found and caught a lizard (later to be safely released on the woodpile).
Jack wasn't too sure about that lizard... See how he looks at it...

Good Times!

Whew! We've had a busy few weeks!

It started with an unexpected Steven Curtis Chapman concert (Thanks, Mom and Dad!) That concert (and his recent loss) was a wonderful reminder that everything we have was given to us by the Lord, and we must not take for granted any blessing that He has given us!

And then a bachelorette party for Jodie...
Here are Jodie and Jamie--my cousins--at Va de Vi in Walnut Creek where the bachelorette party was held... They're so cute!

Here are Jamie and me with another cousin, Holly... With so much family stuff going on lately, it's been good to reconnect with Holly! She's a fun girl! I hope we can hang out more!
Then, as usual, a few days after the bachelorette party, the wedding! Here is the beautiful bride, wearing my veil (something borrowed!) and Uncle Pete, who looked very dashing and distinguished in his tux...
And eight friends at the reception. (Sorry--it's a little blurry if you double click.)
The girls at the reception: Kristin, Jamie, Celesta, Lindsay, Hollie, and me! (Jamie is wearing the bridesmaid dress--isn't it cute?!)
The cousins at the reception: Matthew, Jamie, Holly, Heather, Jodie, Ashley, and me! (Only missing David, the other boy, who was there earlier, but we missed him for the picture!) And no, I'm not pregnant, even though I look it in this picture-- just full of good food from Ralph's catering! If you ever take a picture with me, remind me not to stand sideways!

The family with Pamela, our new edition!, at Matthew and Pam's small reception, the day after Jodie and Drew's wedding...
Jack was (really Joah and I were) dedicated at church this morning. That afternoon, my parents invited friends and family over to their house for lunch. We were able to get a picture of Jack with his parents, his grandparents, and all of his great-grandparents! As Oksana Newhouse reminded me at church this morning, we are very blessed to have so many family members to support us, and all are believers. What a wonderful legacy for Jack!
Of course, while Jamie was in town, we had to get a "buddies" picture, as tradition demands!
I'm ready for things to slow down a bit now. We don't have much big on the calendar for a while, until Joah's 30th birthday or Thanksgiving, whichever comes first!

Birthday

My baby Jack is one year old (and has been for a week!)
We spent the evening of his actual birthday in the clinic at Kaiser for his 104 degree temperature (poor little guy!) but he enjoyed a party on Sunday evening. Here are a few pictures from his party:

The cake

The presents

He had fun with one of his balloons!

And more fun (with food in the mouth!)

After Jack started sleeping through the night, the year flew by, and now here we are at toddlerhood! Can you believe it?

Goose Eggs and Crackly Paper

The Widmans put an offer on a house here in Brentwood. Pray for us!
And in other family news, we had our first trip to the ER today.
Jack was playing on the loveseat this morning--one of his favorite indoor activities--and he was loving it as usual. He's a little daredevil. We put one seat cushion and all the back/side cushions on the floor around the front of the loveseat, and he steps or crawls from the floor to the seat cushion, from the seat cushion to the cushionless seat, from the cushionless seat to the cushioned seat, and then back down again. Sometimes he falls into the cushions and he laughs and laughs. Adrenaline junkie in the making. Well, this morning, as Jack was at the highest point of his climb, Lulu the cat entered the picture, and Jack dove after her. Off the couch. Missed or bounced off the cushions on the floor. Landed on his head on his plastic toy wagon. I was on my way to catch him, having seen this coming, but I was too slow.
He immediately started screaming and immediately, plus two seconds, grew a huge goose egg on his forehead. After he calmed down, we tried frozen peas on the bump, but he wanted none of it. Just wanted down. He seemed normal, but I called the Kaiser advice nurse, just in case. She asked about all the concussion signs, but all were negative. Yet she wanted to check with the ER doctor, just in case. On hold... ... ... ... The doctor wants to you to come to the ER, just in case. *Sigh* I knew he was fine, but what if there's bleeding in the brain or something else extreme, and what if I were the worst mother in the world who did not take my child to the ER before his brain exploded? So we went. Two seconds in the empty ER--listen to his heart, weigh him, take his temperature--then an hour at the minor injury clinic, chasing Jack around the hall, and then sitting in the room, blowing up a blue glove, playing with a wooden gagging stick, turning on and off and on and off and on and off the flashlight on the flexible stand.
Then the daredevil--the fearless, couch diving Jack--got afraid. Got very afraid. The doctor entered the room. Why Jack Jack was afraid of this nice man even as the man walked through the door I don't know. Does he remember the crackly paper on the seat, and know that the people of the crackly paper give shots? I have no idea, but Jack was afraid of the doctor. Poor child!
Of course, the doctor found that nothing was wrong. So we went home and went on with our day, minus time in the gym, minus one morning nap, minus a $75 co-payment, plus one bill in the mail, plus one goose egg, plus one giant headache for mom.
I should have taken a picture of his head this morning when it looked really bad. The goose egg shrunk throughout the day. If it's black and blue tomorrow, as the doctor said it might be, I will take a picture and post it for all to see.

Last Saturday, I helped my mom throw a bridal shower for Jodie.

Hollie, Lindsay, me

Karla, Shelley, Mom, Auntie Terri

That evening, at a barbecue at my parents' house in honor of my brother Matthew's friends Sam and his wife, Matthew and Pam surprised us with some news: they are married! They were married on August 21 in Martinez at the courthouse. Below is a picture of them feeding each other cake at Matthew's birthday party to make up for the lost wedding moment...


After such excitement, a short trip to Capitola was a welcome Labor Day weekend retreat!


All of this causes much need of a shower with Dad! Here is a post-shower pic of Jack: