Jacob and Ethan came home for a visit.  They arrived Friday night and left Sunday morning.  Ethan was busy with his girlfriend, but we were able to have a nice long visit with Jacob.  Here he is with his girlfriend, Brittany.

Jacob has been away from home for several months now, and this is his first time living away from the family.  He is almost 21 and is attending the same college as Ethan after living at home, working, and doing community college.  He loves the campus, he and Ethan share a dorm room, Jacob is finishing up a football season and will be joining Ethan in wrestling soon.

We knew as soon as we saw him that he had gotten bigger.  He wondered if he was taller than his dad, so I got something to stand on and measured them both against the wall.

And a milestone was reached.

Naturally, I had to measure David, Ethan, and Caleb, too.  And then I thought I may as well also get added to the wall.  As you can see, Ethan and David are the same height.  Next one down is me (Jacob measure me and wrote Momma) and then, Caleb.    (Seth and Sarah’s marks are down further and Grace wasn’t home to be measured so I’ll get her next time.)  We also measured the dog.

When Jacob and Ethan went back to college, we followed behind.  It was a nice drive to Vermont, and we watched Ethan’s wrestling team scrimmage.  We arrived back home Sunday night and went to bed.  During the night there was enough of a heavy wind and rain that trees and branches fell all over the town and surrounding towns, causing the children to miss two days of school and have a two hour delay on Wednesday.

This is the first quiet morning I have had at home since last week.  It’s been chaotic, but God’s grace has been sufficient as it always is.

We were thankful not to lose our electricity for very long.  It went off for about 5 minutes at a time.  Other homes in our area have been out of power for days.

We had time for a nice pancake breakfast.

And some nice family dinners with sports practices cancelled.

**warm blankets and companionable cats**

**reading and turkey sandwiches**

I had to take a photo because the kids and I found it amusing that Samantha-Cat was growling at the boy-cats to keep them away from her canned cat food.  They kept their distance and respected her.

I had to take Caleb to the doctors Tuesday because he has been limping. . .turns out the pain in his heels were only growing pains, so we were thankful that he hadn’t suffered injuries during football. We went to the Goodwill store where Sarah Joy found these two mermaid toys.  She got them both for a dollar…..the reason this is worth recording is because when she got home, she took 2 hour long bath with them.  She won the family record for bathing the longest.  I kept knocking on the door to see if she was okay.

Then, I had to take Seth to the ER on Tuesday.  He and Caleb were playing football on the neighbor’s yard and Seth ran out for a pass and ran into a big wagon wheel that they have propped against a white birch tree as a decoration.  He cut his head above his ear –but back a few inches in his hair.  Caleb walked him back home and I rushed for paper towels.  “Here hold this on your head,” I said.  “Ouch, I can’t move my arm!” he replied.   Upon inspection I saw that his collarbone had a bump on it and I knew with the cut and the strange bump we would be going to the hospital for an X-ray.  Sure enough, he had a fractured collarbone and now has to have his arm in a sling for four to six weeks.  His head wound required 3 staples to close.  He has been a much quieter boy since it happened almost 2 days ago.  He’s had the wind knocked out of his sails, so to speak.  When the Motrin wears off he is still in pain because of his collarbone, but his head hasn’t bothered him at all.  I think it helps that he can’t see the cut or the staples.  Today was his first day back to school.  I wonder how it’s going. . . . . . .

That night, Rich took only Sarah out trick or treating.  Seth and Caleb had already had “tricks” and weren’t going to get any “treats”.  (Sarah did give them some candy when she got back).

Baseball cards are a nice activity for a one handed boy.  Seth is right handed, which is the arm in the sling, so the next few weeks will be a little bit of a challenge for him.  I’ve already seen him adapt with his left hand quite well.  He even ate 4 tacos without making a mess.

Sarah is being WAY too thoughtful and helpful to Seth, offering to put his seatbelt on him in the car, telling him to be careful, encouraging him that he CAN go to school with a broken collarbone (she asked her teacher), getting things for him (“don’t move” she cautions), and so on. . . .it makes me laugh and irritates Seth.

In the meantime, I came across these two butter knives on the mantle as I was cleaning.  David did it.  He took them out of the drawer, sharpened them and put points on them like steak knives.  I was not happy about my knives and told him not to take things out of my kitchen anymore.  “The thrift store has lots of metal objects you can get for almost nothing.  You can get some there and sharpen them.”

He also shaved the side off a penny.  I’m not sure HOW he’s doing these things. . . . but David is that sort of person who is endlessly learning and getting interested in things.  For now, it’s knives (making, sharpening, etc), soccer, music, and sometimes mouse traps.

I’m currently reading this. . . .

….and drinking tea.

And I’m trying to fight a cold.  Sarah and I are leaving tomorrow afternoon to go visit Grace for the weekend.  I cannot wait.  I think I need a weekend off.

*****

Corrie Ten Boom Quote:

Someone said to me:  “When I worry I go to the mirror and say to myself:  This tremendous thing which worries me is beyond solution; especially it is too hard for Jesus Christ to handle.  After I have said so, I smile and am ashamed.”

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