The Truth Is Out!

I've been keeping a secret from my daughters for about three weeks now. But when I called Bethany from my car just before pulling into her driveway, the truth came out!

When I say that I was calling Bethany from my car, I mean exactly that . . . I was calling her from the phone number assigned to my 2009 Pontiac Vibe by OnStar. As fun as it was to make a call, that's not my favorite feature of the Vibe. No, it has something even better than its own phone number. It has . . .

A SUNROOF!

Unraveling Threads

The tag clerk asked for a phone number and Nate gave his cell phone number instead of our home number

The title is in his name . . . and only his name.

The insurance clerk "moved" him from my car to his own vehicle.

He'll be getting his own E-pass account for the toll roads.


The threads that bind a child to his parents continue to unravel and today it unraveled into a long loose string of a new kind of freedom and responsibility.

Joys of Being a Field Mom

Yep! That's me -- a field mom. As in "track and field." Nate doesn't participate in track. He participates in field. This means that, for more years than I can tell you, we have collected dicuses (or would that be disci?). Let's just call them discs. Who knew there could be so many differences between one discus and another? Things like balance and rim thicknesses.

A couple of discs have taken up residence in the back seat of my car and a few more are in the trunk of Jeff's car. Others are in the garage.

Last week, we got a new field implement -- a very long, colorful, pointed javelin. Nate and I went out in the back yard today and he showed me how to throw it. Not how to run and throw it, just how to stand still and throw it.

Sorry, there was no photographer to record the momentous event. But isn't that a cute photo of my flying high son?

At least, the javelin doesn't get left in the car. No, when it's not being used, it's in a long cylindrical tube leaning in the corner between the doors to the utility room and the garage.

I love being a field mom, I really do*

Free Book

My writers' group, the illustrious Kindred Heart Writers, are giving away a copy of Mark Batterson's new book, Wild Goose Chase: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God. To be eligible for the drawing, all you need to do is go to http://www.kindredheartwriters.com/ and leave a comment on the post that reviews the book.

That post will be on the site beginning Monday, August 25. The winner will be announced on Monday, September 1st.

Birth Day and Birthdays

Jedidiah William Jett entered the world on July 15th at 10:32 a.m. Here he is with his beaming parents, Justin and Bethany, and his big brother, Jeremy. But our celebrating had just begun.

• July 17: our new son-in-law Jacob celebrated his birthday
• July 18: my dad's birthday

And yesterday, July 21st, we celebrated Nate's 18th birthday with a cookout. The celebrating isn't over yet, though.

• July 26: Jeff's birthday
• August 1: Bethany's birthday
• August 11: my brother Adam and his wife celebrate their anniversary
• August 15: my parents' anniversary
• August 21 or 22 (?): my mom's birthday

What A Difference A Year Makes!

"Do you remember what we were doing last year at this time?" I asked my daughter and son-in-law as we ate grilled hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, and all the other traditional 4th of July cookout cuisine. It took a moment . . . but then the reminiscing began.

On July 4, 2007, we were at the Watermelon 5K Run at Winter Park. It was my first 5K and I'm proud to say I ran the first two miles before slowing down to walk just a short time, then running again and crossing the finish line. Jill stayed right beside me the whole time and Justin, his brother Jon, and Jacob ran far ahead of us. Water and watermelon and t-shirts waited for us after the race.

So what happened to my running agenda? Well, I ran another 5K about three weeks later, this time in our own little hometown of St. Cloud. Jill sat this one out, but Nate joined Justin and Jacob. I kept the same routine -- ran two miles, walked a little, bit and then ran again, encouraged by the guys who came back to run with me until I neared the last stretch. Then it was just me, smiling for the photographer as I crossed that finish line. (Jacob placed third for his age group which was really cool! Justin would have placed, too, but he kinda took a break partway through the race.)

A few days later, I got sick. Nothing to do with the race -- just a very bad cold that stuck around for three weeks. Running has been hit-and-miss ever since. But I'm resolved to run again. Perhaps next month . . .

So this 4th of July, we ate, sat around, people came and people went, and at the end, Jeff, Carol Anne, and I watched Rear Window. A fun day even without watermelon and t-shirts.

Conversations with a Two-Year-Old

You are so cute.
I sexy.
You're sexy?
Natalie says me that. I got in her truck with my suit.

*****

Why are you so adorable?
Because I'm picking my nose.