Update

Well, I haven’t even looked in here for 6 weeks or more. Seems I’m not alone! I spent June in a whirlwind. Our MMI organization put on a 3-day Worship Conference in Nashville. Kind of last minute for a $100k budget…but, we pulled it off and didn’t lose our shirt financially. After that week, I had to go to Redding, CA for another week (for another Worship Conference – I should be an expert on the subject). It was quite HOT out there. Came back to Nashville and have had a few quick little trips but, nothing major.

We had a good 4th of July hanging out at a “block party” on our cul-de-sac. I was able to watch middle class rednecks drink beer and set off fireworks (no one was injured). There were so many fireworks going off around our house we didn’t feel the need to go see the big fancy ones in town. I more felt the need to stay home and protect the property from incoming mortar rounds. Boys had a great time…lying on their backs with about 10 other kids…with their heads on the curb…legs in the road…watching the fireworks fly. Hotdogs, potato salad, hamburgers, coleslaw, and every other bad-for-you American dish was present.

Adam wanted to turn 11 on July 12th but, we felt like holding him back a year. He insisted so, our 11 year old sixth Grader (who is 5’3″) is officially not 10 any more. Adam took a “summer camp” day class for a week. It was at the Viking Culinary Institute. He paid for half of it by mowing three lawns – which I have mentioned in previous posts. He had a great time! Theoretically, he will be cooking those 5 meals for us soon.

Following close behind him, Samuel turns 8 tomorrow…he’s 4’3″ (we measured last night). When I told him straight faced that we weren’t going to let him turn 8 until next year…he started to cry. So, much for dead-pan humor. (I have a way with children). He’ll probably need counseling for that one.

Our church continues to grow. After 16 months of Sunday morning meetings we have about 275 regular attendees and growing steadily. Yesterday I cut a check as a deposit on a potential land aquisition for the church -$535k for 10 acres which is a steal around these parts – but a darn lot of money nonetheless. We have 120 days of due diligence ahead of us to figure out if we really want that spot of land or not.

Marilyn is spending time gearing up for the upcoming Home School year. She’s reading all manner of curriculum, been to curriculum fairs, buying stuff off of Ebay, and in general cramming all manner of info together to make some purchasing decisions for school. We’ll be working on a “self-teaching” approach which focuses in on teaching the boys how to teach themselves…or at least to begin to foster and encourage that mindset. Of course, we will have all manner of Internet, CDROM, Book, Parental, and Fieldtrip teaching to do it….but, there will be an underlying push to get them to teach themselves. Should be interesting. Note: These are some really sharp boys! Marilyn has done a great job.

That’s all I have time for right now. We have NOT been able to get a vacation in and it’s too darn hot anyways…so, we’re hoping maybe this fall.

Larry