Focus on the Family

We were toying around with my son Jonathan’s very fancy digital camera today (with his permission!) and took these two pictures. Jonathan will be 21 in August and just moved back in with our family while he goes back to school. But that’s not Jonathan in the pictures. He was at work. That’s Sam with me in the top photo and Will (aka “Bug”) on the bottom. Will is 11, and Sam is 19. Sam will be a sophomore this year, Lord willing, at Maranatha Baptist Bible College, about 30 minutes from our home. He transfered to Maranatha from an out-of-state school, and I am pleased as punch that he will be home this year. All of my children are unique people (as every human being is!) and each one brings something to Tom and me and our home. Jonathan is the “manager” guy. He keeps everybody in line, and if you want to know anything, he’s the go-to man. Charles is our official techie, although Jonathan and Sam are also really good at computer related things. Charlie is also the official owner of the most quirky sense of humor around. Sam is the writer, poet and philosopher of the family. He is extremely fun to talk with because he’s a good listener and a serious thinker. William is the official football stats expert in the family and also the musician. He has been playing piano for five years and has a very fine pianist for a teacher. He specializes in playing his most complicated and loud pieces when I’m on the telephone on a business call.

William just got two little blue parakeets named Sky and Buddy. He’s a little discouraged because they are so afraid of his hand every time he tries to get them used to him. His older brother Charles’ parakeet has become a family icon. At 12 years of age, Perky is nearing the fullness of his years but still has incredible spunk. Will was dreaming of having a similar relationship with his new bird friends. I told him these things take time. I also think having two birds together makes it a little harder to tame them.

Today I took Sam and William out to El Rey for a Mexican lunch. El Rey is a somewhat grimy grocery store on the city’s south side, but they have the best (authentic) tacos in town in their little cafe. I try to treasure these fun, peaceful times with my boys because they’re all growing up so fast. Those are the best days ever, those mundane things we do with our children, just enjoying their presence. I never want to take those times for granted. I thank the Lord for those sunny days he allows us to have, where the biggest thing on the agenda is getting supper into the Crock Pot. Each day is a gift from the Lord.