More Conversations with Jacob

Jacob spent some quality time with me on Wednesday. He decided to watch a little Nick Jr. and eat a cookie. I was busy in the kitchen and he came to me asking for a bowl for his cookies. I gave him a plastic bowl and said, "Will this work?" He reluctantly took it and fiddled with it for a few minutes then said again, "I need a bowl for my cookies." I said, "Do you want another cookie?" "Yes." So I took the lid off of my huge ceramic cookie jar and held it low for him to reach in. Instead, he wrapped his arms around the jar and said, "That'll work!" and proceeded to the living room for more TV and cookies.

Later that day....I said, "I'm going to go pee-pee." Jacob: "You want me to come wif you?" Sure, why not? While taking care of business, Jacob explores the bathroom drawers and finds a razor handle with no blade. "Oh no, Nana, it's broken!" Nana: "Yeah, I guess somebody broke it." Jacob: "Probly Jeff."

Yesterday, I picked both kids up from school and daycare. We went to my in-laws to pick up a package I had sent there. (I take no chances with the dogs ;~) ) When we pulled up to their house Jacob said, "What place is this?" I guess he's mostly been there after dark. "It's Grandma and Grandpa's house." "OOOOHHHH, are the kids here?" (Memories of Thanksgiving.) "No, but the toys are still here." Later on...Grandpa walks in with an armload, including some deer antlers. "Gwampa, you shoot a big buck?" Which reminds me that Jeremy came in from hunting the other day emptyhanded and Jacob consoled him by saying, "That's okay, Dad, you'll get 'im next time." As we were preparing to leave Gwama and Gwampa's, Jacob begins stuffing his pocket with matchbox cars and tiny dinosaurs. He quietly walks over to me and softly says, "I take these home in my pocket, you can't see 'em."

The Year the Dogs Ate the GPS

THE YEAR THE DOGS ATE THE GPS

Twas three weeks before Christmas

And all is going well

We've done some Christmas shopping

And we're trying not to tell.

A notice of delivery

Has made its way to us

We're right on time with our gifts

So we're trying not to fuss.

When, out on the lawn

There arose such a clatter

Lita sprang to her feet

To see what was the matter.

When what to her wondering eyes do appear

All sorts of paper, what have we here?

A book? A paper? Oh, what a mess!

Or could it be? My parents' GPS?

Oh, Gracie! Oh, George!

We know what you ate.

We'll know where you are

Whenever you're late.

No matter where you go now

You'll never fool us,

Because you've eaten

Mom and Dad's compass.

This morning's discovery made my heart drop into my stomach. The DHL delivery man had left the package where it was accessible to the dogs. This was my parents' gift to each other for Christmas, and since they will be here for the holidays, they had it sent to me. Maybe not such a good idea. After giving George and Gracie a good scolding (which I'm sure had a tremendous impact) I gathered up all the trash and the GPS with broken display and multiple teeth marks and began the phone calls. First to DHL who in turn referred me to Amazon.com's claims department. Surprisingly, Amazon had never encountered such a dilemma. Hmmm. Go figure. Three cheers for Amazon who graciously offered to replace the GPS at no cost! So here's my free advertisment for the Customer Service at Amazon.com. Get online now and start ordering your holiday gifts!

By the way, my Mom gets credit for the clever poem.

Harvest

Believe it or not, I actually got excited about deer season this year. I know...pretty scary. Saturday, Jeff harvested the first deer on our land. Something about your son being able to hunt on land that belongs to you, land that produces game worth the hunt. It's just exciting. And although I talk about the solitude of the country, I had to hear it from a neighbor. Shortly after dark, the phone rang and the neighbor asked if Neal had gotten a deer. I said I didn't know, he wasn't back yet. He informed me that the truck was backed up to the barn and the barn lights were on. A quick look out the window and sure 'nuff, the barn lights were on. I grabbed the camera and trekked over to see. Should've waited a little longer--Jeff was wrist deep in the deer's belly and I saw more than I needed to see. Anyway...if you're the least bit squeamish, you may not want to see this picture...but I'm pretty proud.

Say Cheese!

This doe was hamming it up as she stood directly in front of our game cam and gave us a big smile. No kidding...it's an untouched photo! We've captured several forms of wildlife (on camera) including coyotes, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, an owl carrying it's prey, and a stray dog. This next picture reminded me of a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock movie. So that's where all the apple-flavored corn is going!

New Life

There are wonderful things happening in our church. Neal has always had faith that it would happen. I have always been skeptical. There have been many times that I've begged to "transfer membership" but Neal has held firm. He was right. What blows me away is HOW things have changed. The radical change has been in ME.

The past few years I have tried to cram ideas into the heads of stubborn brothers and sisters. I've read books and listened to talk radio on the subject of LOVE being the "crux of the matter," all the while not realizing that MY love for them did not come from the heart. I wanted to challenge their views. I wanted them to have the same desire for our church. I wanted them to change. Why didn't I just listen to myself, and take my own advice?

Recently, probably for about a month, I've been praying for God to increase my love for Him and for my church family. Wow! He showed up big-time in answer to those prayers. I know that it's Him, because it's a completely different kind of love than I've ever known. I couldn't conjure up this kind of love by myself.

I have literally spent years trying to convince others of the insignificance of some of the minutia that was causing some of our battles. Yet there were some things that I felt strongly about that were anything but trivial....to me. What I've found is this. When you really love your brother, you can disagree an a myriad of ideas, and it's okay! We all have one thing in common, the most important thing....faith in a God that sent His only Son to die for our sins. When I started looking at my brothers and sisters as children of the King...individuals that Christ died for!.....it changed my whole outlook. Many of you who read this will be relieved that I finally got it. There is much wisdom in the phrase, "it all starts with me."

Last Friday night we had a Ladies' Retreat. First one in a verrrry long time. Forty-four women were there! Unbelievable. I think others are "getting it" too! Praise God!

Busy Week

Nothing of significance to post, but I'm sure you're tired of visiting the site only to see that the jailbirds are still the latest news. By the way, just when we thought we had their escape route blocked, they managed to make a new one. The saga continues....This time they were gone all night. Of course, it was the night of our first frost, so none of us got a good night's sleep. More good-hearted neighbors were able to capture them and track Jeff down through the Vet in Kansas City. They had gone to Deer Run--the obscure neighborhood with all the mean mixed-breeds. Apparently nobody has told George and Gracie that they are full-bloods with papers and shouldn't be mingling with the lower crust. Sort of a Lady and the Tramp scenario.



Neal's trip home has been extended. Just as we were getting ready to leave for the airport on Tuesday, the call came. Something about the "cat feed"....shop talk....I have no idea. Anyway, he's home til at least Sunday. Needless to say the items on his honey-do list are slowly but surely being checked off. Yippee!



The bad thing is that our Ladies' Retreat is tomorrow night, of which I am one of the three planners--and speaker for the devotional. So it's been a really hectic week and I feel I haven't devoted much time to Neal. But he's been staying busy and has been very considerate of my running like a crazy woman.



Last Friday was our annual Wiener Roast and Hayride at the Ringle Ranch. We had about 90 people there. There are 40 women signed up for our Ladies' Retreat which is amazing. Seems like there's new excitement and life in our church. Very encouraging.



Enough of my rambling.