Perhaps a Laundry List Isn't So Bad...

It seems that we're in the midst of the summer climax. For a time, I rotated visiting teenage nieces. Then I had them both here simultaneously, after which my brother and his family came for a visit. My brother and his family and one of the teenage nieces left this morning, homeward bound. Now that they've gone, some friends are here to stay. With all the houseguests and activity, I'm pert-near worn out, and that is why I'm totally void of creativity, leaving you with a "laundry list" of goings-on.

We spent Independence Day holed up inside, avoiding the Texas heat by playing board games and eating large quantities of hummus and candy. In the evening, we took a picnic supper to a nearby lake where we watched fireworks, shouted at latecomers, and spent a good bit of time stuck in traffic.

Saturday morning, James and I went to the hospital to see our friend Rick and to visit with his wife, Kendra. When we came home, we left the teenagers with the little kids while we took Dustin and Amanda to shop at Central Market and to do a little geocaching. Upon our return, we nearly caught the yard on fire when the grill flared up in response to too many burgers. After choking down what ended up being charcoal on a bun, we played board games until we could hardly hold our eyes open, then the six adult-sized individuals piled on or around the upstairs sectional to watch a documentary about the West Memphis Three. We shared our theories about the case over tortilla chips and Texas Pâté (i.e., bean dip).

Dustin and Amanda got up early this morning to begin home again, taking their daughter and Katie, one of the teenagers, with them. After saying our goodbyes, our family (+ Chelsea) rushed out the door to the early service at church. When the service was over, I headed straight to the hospital to love on my friends and their family while they waited during Rick's first surgery*. I stayed with them for several hours, then rushed back home to meet Marcie, one of my oldest and dearest friends, and my houseguest for this week. She and her family arrived less than 20 minutes after me. We had dinner together and spent the evening talking and laughing as if we saw each other last week instead of last spring.




* If you'd like to check in on Rick, or hear about his progress, check out his Caring Bridge site. Don't forget to sign the guestbook! www.caringbridge.org/visit/rickcox