We're still around!

Sorry--it has been a busy month!

The elegant writer of this blog is on retreat, so I am doing a quick update for folks. He may fill it in more later (in fact, I'm sure he will, eventually, with pictures and everything).

• We went to Alabama to visit the "W" side family for nearly two weeks--and the kids had a blast, as usual. It's a big highlight of their summer, since that is the only time we can see these members of the family. It was a nice visit.
• The parable of the sower doesn't deal with the seed that grows and gets eaten by bionic bunnies. We (well, the older J) is more than a bit bummed about this. It's also been cool even by MN standards--pleasant but not good for gardens. The tomatoes are just ripening this week.
• S (me) is having a hard time with the physical aspects of the pregnancy. It isn't worse, it simply has never been good. Baby seems just fine, kicking hard. I'm just hyper-tired and have headaches that won't go away and won't respond to Tylenol. Sigh.
• The kids did our city-wide Catholic VBS last week and learned a lot, had a great time--I tell you, they don't pay those volunteers enough. ;)
• Now B and M are at a Park/Rec day camp for the morning this week, which seems to have been OK but not their favorite activity this summer. It's at the local lake, so swimming, fishing, hiking are the name of the game. It's good exercise anyway.
• S just finished directing a retreatant for the first time in the first half of the week, and the elder J is taking her place for the second half of the week. In the spiritual direction program, we direct each other through a three day retreat experience under a supervisor's watch. It sounds a little fake but it gets "real" fast, and its good to have a supervisor there to spot check people (and as a resource, of course). I'm not retreating because I didn't think I could handle it physically (really, I have to suddenly take naps at the drop of a hat, felled by headaches, etc....even directing for three days was a risk, but it worked out, thank God).

So, that's the highlights. As they say on the local news, More at Ten!