Saturday

Last night was the last of the children's vacation Bible school. They had a marvelous time, but being out every night from 6:30 to after 9:00 isn't something I'd want to continue for more than a week. Friday was the performance for parents, and both Travis and Katie demonstrated once again that they inherited Ed's love of being onstage rather than my horrible shyness -- thank goodness! One funny little boy had a meltdown on stage because he wanted his own microphone (none of the other kids had microphones, but he had obviously seen performers with them and knew that he needed one). Katie said to me afterwards, "His mother must have been so embarrassed!" Probably, but I hope not -- it was awfully funny.

There was a church picnic today, at the home of a family who have a little river running by their property. It was a lovely place for a picnic, with a long lawn sloping down to the river, lots of trees, and plenty of tables set up. The children played in the river for hours.They caught crayfish and minnows.I spent a while watching these little twins, who are two. They wanted to go in the water but were not supposed to, so we found pretty stones and threw them in instead. (Ed is always complaining that I don't let him take my picture. Here you see why!)Aren't they cute?And here is a recent piece of Katie's art. In the larger house, you see Katie with her husband (she has him picked out already) and two of their children. Ed and I are sleeping in beds upstairs (poor old, feeble things that we are). And next door, in the house with rocket flames shooting out the bottom (so the house can fly, obviously), is Travis and his wife (who he also has chosen already). And flying overhead, among the stars? Pikachu. (Don't all family portraits feature Pokemon characters?) At least we all look happy!