Knoxville

In Knoxville and it's Saturday morning. The whole crew is here! Yesterday some of us got here about 4:00 p.m. and went over to my son and daughter-in-law's new house (still under construction) and spent a couple of hours putting in insulation. It was hot, dusty and full of those wonderful fiberglass fibers - but fun. This a.m., we were supposed to be up at 6:00 but that didn't work - I woke up at 7:00 and the "first crew" was leaving and left me in charge of getting round #2 up and out. A challenge to say the least, since my #2 son and daughter-in-law didn't make it in till 3 this a.m. I think I'll let them sleep and rouse the rest who are left (actually that's what I'm in the process of now) and get going.

Later on today we're celebrating Christopher's #28 and Ethan's #11 (this past Wed., July 30) by visiting a local swimming hole and finding someplace nice to eat. There's a restaurant right across from Christopher and Alice's current apartment, Senor Taco, where we ate last year on July 30. They have a tradition - which we didn't know - of stuffing a paper plate full of whipped cream right in the kisser of anyone who's celebrating a birthday. So that was fun! When we were here at Easter time, which coincided with #3 son Duncan's 25th birthday, we also happened to go there - he hadn't been with us for the boys' birthday in July 2007 so he didn't know but the rest of us did. Pretty hilarious - but I understand we're not going to Senor Taco tonight. Hmmm...wonder what fun birthday tradition there might be at the restaurant we do pick? : }

We're leaving tomorrow for home and all next week I'll be in a seminar to get on the list of Family Court mediators. There's actually been lots of action on the job front - I have about 10 applications out, some of them far and wide - and it's encouraging that several things have opened up. Still focusing on opening my own office because to date it's the only guarantee I have - but we will see. As someone said to me - it's a bit frustrating to know that God already knows, but He hasn't told me yet. True - but not only do I trust Him with the details of the future, I trust Him with the timing of its being revealed to me.

Things are better and I'm grateful.