7 Quick Takes (Volume 210)

1) My heart is heavy today for friends who lost their home in a fire early Thursday morning. They got out with only what they wore to bed. They lost two of their cars as well. I keep thinking they will now define their lives as before the fire and after the fire. It's so, so sad. Tragic. Yet I know, and they do too, that God will bring them through this. It's just the in between time that will be tough.

I was impressed with their daughter, one of Miss Innocent One's dearest friends, who posted on Facebook the very same day a picture with Hebrews 13:8 on it, "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever." She also thanked God, along with everyone who knows her family that they all got out safely. Thank You, Jesus.

Please pray for the Cowell family. Those of you who live in my neck of the woods may donate money or gift cards on their behalf to Christ Community Church, 2727 Lincoln Blvd, Beatrice, NE 68310.

2) We celebrated Ladies Man's 17th birthday on Monday with a family dinner. Something strange happens when all my kids congregate in the same place. Weird things occur. I have no idea what Ladies Man and Drama Queen were trying to do when they asked me to snap pictures.


They vetoed that picture and tried again, but kept cracking up.


Finally, they got the desired result with this. I don't get it. They just look constipated.


Now compare these pictures with the one I got of Miss Innocent One and Drummer Boy.


Which pair do you think required more attention as children? Mmm hmmm.

3) Ladies Man's birthday is a bittersweet day for our family. My dad died on this day seven years ago. Try telling a 10-year-old his grandpa died on his birthday. Thankfully, a wise friend game me an answer. "It's kind of neat that your birthday on earth is Grandpa's birthday in heaven." He loved it and shared it with all his friends at school.

We nearly experienced take two of that emotional day when Kevin's dad had a terrible fall on Miss Innocent One's 10th birthday, landing him in ICU for several days and our family praying he'd make it. He was released seven weeks later and has lasting effects, but we're so thankful to have him.

I'm glad we don't have to live through any more 10th birthdays.

4) Miss Innocent One is going to her first Husker game this weekend with her dad and is pretty stoked about it. In Husker nation, a football game is not just a game. It's an event. You can't say you've lived until you've been to one. We're very happy the weather is supposed to be decent.

5) I watched a friend's kids this week and the 3-year-old nearly gave me a heart attack the first night they stayed. When I went to check on he and his brother early the next morning, he was not in bed. I looked on the floor and saw nothing. I started checking other beds to see if he just got sick of his brother and found him no where. I went downstairs and searched every piece of furniture in the living room, under the dining room table, all over the kitchen and no kid. I started to panic and decided to check bathrooms and tubs to no avail. I checked the locks on the doors praying they were still locked and I hadn't lost him outside! Good grief, I'd had the kid less than 12 hours and I'd already lost him?! Not knowing where else to look I went back to the bedroom where I left him sleeping soundly the night before, hoping to find him in a lump of covers. But he was not there! Finally I noticed his pillow on the floor, stooped to pick it up and found him UNDER the bed, face down, flat on his stomach, sound asleep with no blanket, no pillow, nothing. Though I worried about the little guy sleeping on the floor, I was so relieved I just left him there, figuring if he fell asleep that way he must have been comfy enough.

Wait a minute. If I declare this publicly, does that mean no one will want me to watch their kids? I hope not. I promise I'm trustworthy. I don't lose them. I only let them sleep on the floor under furniture!

6) Wednesday was the Turkey Olympics at youth group. You will recall last year's catastrophe when Ladies Man took a frozen turkey to the head causing a concussion and requiring stitches. The memory must not have been too traumatic for him as he got all decked out for this year's festivities.


The only reason he wore a tutu was because it was red and he was on the red team, a fact he found convenient in case he took another turkey to the head--blood means even more red. Thankfully the night concluded without incident and tutu boy along with his sister came home unscathed.

7) Look what my wonderful friend surprised me with at Bible study!


It's a waterproof pad and pencil for my shower! I haven't tried it yet, but it's in place just waiting for inspiration. Thank you Mary!

That's all I got this Friday, friends. Have a refreshing weekend and check out Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes.