Mission Safari: The Next Chapter(s)

Baseball, Hot Dogs, and Crab Cakes

Tonight we resumed our plan on watching a ballgame in every Major League park before Ben graduates from college (initially we had planned to do it before he went to college but as we spent 3 years in Kenya we have had to put this plan back a few years).  Our destination tonight was Camden Yards in Baltimore, home of the Baltimore Orioles. 

We left Williamsburg at 12:30 and had a nice 4 hour drive into Baltimore, missing most of the Beltway Rush Hour traffic (mostly because we took the back routes).  After checking into our hotel we walked to the stadium 3 blocks away.  It was a crisp clear night...a perfect way to spend a spring evening. 

As we arrived about 90 minutes before gametime, we were able to take in some batting practice.  We stood in the outfield bleachers.  Before long a stray ball came our way but landed 20 feet short.  Sam shouted out to the player picking up the ball, "Hey can I have that ball...please!"  The player hesitated, turned, then tossed the ball to Sam!  Twenty minutes later, after leaving batting practice, we were walking around the stadium looking for the hot dog stand when we came across Boog Powell, a famous Baltimore Oriole who just happens to be in the Hall of Fame.  Naturally, being in the right place at the right time for the second time tonight, Sam asked for his autograph.  Sweet!

The first place Orioles were hosting the second place Rays.  Despite the Orioles being in first place, very few people attended the game.  It was probably only at 20% capacity.  It was weird.  Being a Cardinal fan, you just assume that every stadium is always sold out and full, even on a Tuesday night in late April.  I feel bad for the Orioles...they played well and won 7-4, they extended their lead in the A.L. East, and the fans just weren't there.  What really makes it lame is that the stadium is awesome, and the food is excellent - the hot dogs were very tasty (if you can describe hot dogs as being "tasty") and you could even get crab cakes at the park (which were the best crab cakes that I had ever tasted...and yes there was plenty of crab in the cake!).

Nonetheless, we had a great time.  It is such fun to visit new stadiums, take in the best sport in America, and make memories together.  I mean, how can we forget Sam getting a ball during batting practice, having it signed by a Hall of Famer, and eating hot dogs, crab cakes, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, nachos, and Cracker Jacks (whoa, I won't be forgetting all that food later tonight or tomorrow) on a gorgeous Spring night!?!  None of us will, that is for sure.

I hope I brought some Prilosec and Tums...I am going to need them!

The Boys and The Turtle

The other day I was on a run with Amy (she wasn't running, she was sitting in her baby jogger), when I almost ran over a silver dollar sized turtle.  I ran back, picked it up (he was in the road after all), and looked in the grass for his mama.  Finding none, I put him in the baby jogger (in the basket, not with Amy) and continued my run.  When I returned home, I went in the house and announced to the boys that I found them a pet.

Sam of course was exhilirated.  I told him he could keep the turtle if he and Ben could figure out what kind it was and how to take care of it.  Sam blurted out, "Come on Ben, let's get on the internet and see how to take care of the turtle."  And that is what they did.

Ben googled "turtles" and spent the next couple of hours trying to determine what kind of turtle it was, how to take care of it.  He and Sam learned so much.  They learned the difference between box turtles, water turtles, and snapper turtles.  They learned the difference between a turtle and tortoise (apparently turtles have finger like toes  and tortoises have stump like feet).  It was awesome to see them learn so much. 

And that is one of the things that make the internet and homeschooling such a wonderful combination.  In the middle of the day, a situation arises, and the kids can turn it into a learning opportunity.  They learned more that afternoon using the internet to learn about something they wanted to learn about than they might if they had been given an assignment to learn about turtles.  I am not advocating a helter skelter approach to learning because children benefit from a disciplined approach to learning, but homeschooling allows margin for spontaneous learning. 

Oh, and by the way, the boys determined that the turtle was a water turtle and they have made an appropriate water and dry land living space for the turtle.  We will eventually have to take the little amphibian back to the lake, but for now, the boys are enjoying one of God's creatures.

Amy and Ice Cream

After dinner last night, I decided to have a bowl of ice cream for dessert.  Sarah was doing the dishes and the boys were off playing.  Amy was getting fussy, and as it was her bedtime, Marti was starting to take her upstairs.  Since I had to go to bed soon after dessert (I had to get up at 5 am this morning), I asked Marti to sit with me while I had my dessert. 

As I enjoyed my bowl of vanilla ice cream, Amy was starting to get a little fussy.  I dipped my spoon in my bowl, scooped a very tiny amount, and put it in Amy's mouth.  She thrust her tongue in and out (she is just learning to eat things off a spoon).  She paused, as if savoring a fine wine, and smiled. She stopped her fussing. 

Then her eyes grew large and she lunged for the bowl, grunting and begging for more.  I not sure, but I think she really liked her first taste of ice cream.  She and I are going to get along just swell! 

A Weekend With Sarah (and 200 other youths)

This past weekend, I went with Sarah and her Senior High youth group to Modgnik, a weekend retreat for most of the PCA churches in Virginia.  Modgnik (pronounced Modge-nick, why, I'm not sure), is a yearly retreat focused on God's kingdom and how it is (wonderfully) backwards compared to the way the world thinks (hence Modgnik, which is kingdom spelled backwards).  It is an awesome retreat.

The retreat was held at the Young Life Alum Springs Rockbridge Camp about three hours from here.  It is a wonderful facility with great cabins, meeting rooms, and dining area.  It even has a nicely outfitted Infirmary (more on that in a minute). Even more awesome is the location and the outdoor activities...climbing walls, ropes courses, zip lines, lake, swimming pools, and on and on.  It was an ideal place for a retreat (and summer camps). 

It was also a place with plenty of opportunity for injuries. That is why I was asked to come as the camp doctor.  At first I didn't think I would be very busy, but as the kids began enjoying their free time, I began to get to use one of my spiritual gifts!  By the end of the 48 hour retreat, I had reduced a shoulder dislocation (on the soccer field), splinted a broken ankle, and immobilized a knee that had a torn ACL.  I figured I would be tending to a few sprained ankles and coughs and colds.  I more than made my keep in saved ER visits for the kids.  That was a joy.

Sarah seemed to have a good weekend as well.  It was great to attend a retreat with her.  She is getting to be such a wonderful young lady.  It was weird seeing her with 200 other high school kids and realizing that she was growing up so fast.  It was also weird realizing that I wasn't the only male there thinking that she is a beautiful young lady.  Perish that thought!  But was I ever glad I was there.  I made sure that I hugged her and held her hand enough in public to send out the very clear signal to other males in attendance that she was spoken for.  Fortunately, she didn't seem to mind.  In fact, I rather like to think that she was glad for my presence there.

Besides just being there together it was great to hear the speakers together.  They were very on target with their Kingdom message and not only were they understandable at the high school level (whatever that is), they were also very challenging for all in attendance.  The sessions dealt with "what is the kingdom", "why it is valuable", "how to live in the kingdom", and "how to share the good news of the kingdom." 

Pray that it will be a weekend for us to remember for a long time...for our time together, for the closeness in our relationship, and for the challenges we heard.   

Sam and the Captain

Sam likes to collect autographs...from just about anyone.  His current collection includes not only Major League Baseball players, but policemen, military personnel, garbage collectors, furniture movers, and waitresses.  Yesterday, he collected another autograph...from Captain Don Little, US Army.

We were in Cheeburger-Cheeburger waiting for our meal.  Sam saw the Captain waiting for his food in the Take Out Line.  Sam went up to him and asked for his signature.  The Captain obliged and signed Sam's piece of paper with a crayon...all that Sam had with him.  Sam came back contented.  Shortly after that our food arrived and as we prayed, I thanked God for our military and asked Him to watch over the Captain in his service to our country.

A few minutes later the Captain approached our table.  He took a badge off his uniform and handed it to Sam.  The Captain was a bit choked up.  He told Sam it was a badge he received after completing his second tour in Iraq.  Sam was excited.  We were awed.  The Captain was humbled...and thanked Sam for his kind gesture of asking for his autograph.  We told the Captain we were appreciative for his service to our country...he replied that he was just doing his job. 

The whole scenario taught me a few things.  First, our soldiers are proud to serve their country.  Second, soldiers like to be recognized for their service even if they down play the notion of being a hero.  Third, soldiers are heroes who not only kids should look up to.  Last, that kids don't have the same impulse to catagorize people like grown ups do.  Thanks Captain Little for your service.  Thanks Sam for reminding me of these important lessons.

Check It Out

I have posted more pics of the kids.  Click on the link Kids and Early Spring to the right to enjoy!

Eating Dirt Part II

A picture is worth a thousand words...she found the planter again!

Booklists Updated

If you haven't noticed already, to the right of this page are my book lists for 2006, 2007, and now 2008.  I just updated and finalized my book list from 2007.  Six of the entries are for Graphic Novels (cartoon books with a deep plot and mostly without superheroes).  They were a new genre for me and I enjoyed them immensely.  Four of the books were either biographical or autobiographical and dealt with either the holocaust or Iran.  I highly commend them to you.

This years list mostly contains books by Bill Bryson, my new favorite author.  Marti purchased them all for me for Christmas.  I have enjoyed many a night reading them.  If you pay particular attention, you will also notice that they all are either about traveling abroad or the setting of the novel is somewhere abroad.  That is my goal for this year in reading...travel abroad through reading and thinking. 

He Would Have Liked That

Last Thursday I flew back to the St. Louis area for Granddad's funeral.  I was of course dreading the funeral and the sadness, but was certainly glad to be able to go.  It is one of those life events you can't miss. 

Friday was his funeral.  To start the day, I went for a run to wake up and shake out the cobwebs from a lack of sleep.  During the run I thought about what I would say at the funeral.  After a quick shower we headed over to the church.  The whole morning was bittersweet.  It was good to see the extended family and old friends I hadn't seen in years.  It was sad to see them under the circumstances.  It was sad to see Granddad laying in the coffin, but good to see him looking peaceful.  Even the service was bittersweet...there were lots of tears, but just as many smiles and laughs as we celebrated Granddad's life.  He really was a good man...humble, hard-working, frugal, kind, and most importantly a believer in Christ.

After the service and lunch, my brother Todd and I headed over to see our other grandparents.  We enjoyed our two hour visit...my Granddaddy is 92 and getting frail physically, but his mind is strong and he shared some funny stories.  He of course cried when we had to leave...he said he didn't know if he would still be around when we came back next (he has been saying that for 4 years now!).

On the way back to my parent's house, I looked at Todd and asked him if he wanted to see if there were still some tickets to the Cardinal's game that night.  It was a bit weird to think about going to a ballgame the night of my Granddad's funeral so we ran it by my folks.  They were totally in support of the idea and to my surprise, my dad pulled out his credit card and bought the tickets on line for me and Todd..."you guys need to spend some time together."  We didn't argue...especially when he gave us a $20 for food at the stadium! 

The game was of course awesome.  The Cardinals played well and won 5-4.  Todd and I had a great time.  It of course lessened the pain of the week.  Granddad was a huge Cardinal's fan...he followed them closely and watched most of their televised games.  So of course, we couldn't help but think that Granddad would have liked it that we went to a ballgame after his funeral.  Especially since the Cards won.  He really would have liked that!

Eating Dirt

Amy is not even 7 months old, but she has been crawling with ease for the past 3 weeks.  She loves her new found mobility.  And of course, she is quite excited to explore all the wonders of the house.  She moves from object to object, picking them up, evaluating them for texture and taste.  Why babies have to put everything in there mouth to investigate them I will never know.  (Imagine a world of adults who see new items or objects and to "check them out" promptly open their mouths and and taste and gnaw on them for a while to try to figure it out...wow, look at that new cell phone...I wonder what it feels like in my mouth!)

Anyway, yesterday, she found one of the potted plants in the living room.  She pulled herself up to the foot high container, jabbed her little hand into the dirt, dumped her handful on the carpet, and repeated the process.  After 3 or 4 handfuls, she decided that it looked yummy.  She shoved her little dirty paw into her drooling mouth at the exact time that Sarah spotted her in her adventure.  Not knowing that this is generally unacceptable human behavior (eating dirt), Amy looked up and smiled as if to say, "Hey Sarah, this dirt is really cool...it has an earthy flavor and has a rich texture.  Do you want some?" 

I guess I better move the steak knives from the bottom shelf in the kitchen a bit higher.

Sad Week

This past Saturday my Granddad turned 87.  Unfortunately, when the family showed up for his party he was a bit agitated.  When my aunt who is a nurse decided to check his blood pressure, it was a bit low.  She listened to his lungs and they were quite junky.  The birthday party would have to be moved to the Emergency Department.

Sadly, Granddad was very sick and was in septic shock.  He was admitted and despite his condition was awake and relatively alert.  When my mom let me know what was going on, I was very concerned. He made it through the night without much discomfort but took a turn for the worse.  By mid-morning, he had died.  It is still quite a shock.  Despite his years, he had enjoyed pretty good health.

I was obviously upset when I heard the news.  Ben, my 12 year old, always wanting to comfort and care for people hurting, encouraged me by sending a text message: "Don't think of Granddad as dead; think of him as visiting Jesus."  Ben was right of course.  And I was comforted.

And so, maybe I and the my other family members will be sad this week, but Granddad is not.  He is visiting Jesus.