Lexington Fun

We had some great fun every day of our trip to Lexington, especially our Harry Potter skit. Cast: 

• Ron: ME!
• Dumbledore: Jill
• Snape: Maggie T.
• Harry: Lexa
• Hermione: Emma D
• Voldemort: Louise McKee

During all of this the 3 boys were all upstairs ASLEEP!! and we were very loud...

Single Father, Day 2

Maggie and I are a mix. A mix of 

Woodis and Godfrey, 

on time and just in time, 

ready to go early and never ready to go.

Well... Maggie is gone, and Godfrey is burgeoning. 

• Wake up at 9am. Three of the kids are already awake, the Godfrey-one is not, of course.
• Dad-time (reading and balancing the budget) until 10am, when the kids inadvertently came upstairs to check on me.
• 10am - 1pm: Daddy Clean Elizabeth and Garrett's room, which involves taking everything that isn't nailed down, piling it in the middle of the floor and putting about half of it back. The other half takes a quick ride to the can. 
• Upon finishing, when all the children asked with longing eyes if we could postpone cleaning Emily and Louise's room. Realizing I hadn't eaten anything yet, and the kids hadn't had lunch yet (I assume they ate breakfast), I gave in.
• Except... there isn't anything to eat here (remember who's in charge here). So the oldest child takes the two youngest to Kroger, where a kid can be a kid.The kids' influence:



• Mac-n-cheese (the really crappy, cheap, eat in college kind)
• Gum (3 packs to share amongst the 4 kids, including 20 minutes discussing implementation strategy)
• Kroger-brand Doritos (they don't know any better)
• NOT-natural peanut butter (don't tell)
• Frozen Pizza Rolls (for lunch)
• Chef-Boy-R-Dee Italian meatball ravioli 
• Hot dogs
• String cheese
• Sunny D
• Bologna
• Fish Sticks (again, for lunch)  

• Return home at 2:30, where we 'cook' lunch of fish sticks, pizza rolls and chicken shaped into donuts (don't know where they came from, but they were in the freezer), and eat in front of the TV while watching. I threw in some fresh Broccoli. 
• Finish lunch around 4:30.
• Pack Emily and Louise for camp, where they get dropped off tomorrow.
• Come downstairs at 6:50. Oh, time to start dinner. Hmmm, what do we eat?

• leftover rice, and fried rainbow trout, caught by Garrett.
• Finish dinner at 7:50, play a few rounds of Blokus, until I realize that it's bedtime (for them, not me).

A day well planned is a day wasted;)

Time to stay up late and sleep in...

Politicize the Truth

I will do my best not to judge here; it is not my intent.

Had I been able to extend this chart from the beginning of Bush's presidency, we would see that US average prices when he began in office was ~$1.65/gallon. Across his 8 years in office it consistently rose until its peak just before the 2008 election to ~$4.10/gallon, when crude oil fell precipitously from $147 to $37/barrel. One might remember this time as the world brinking economic collapse, Detroit at the door of the Fed seeking bailouts, and the oil industry, traded in a speculative market, reacting with a short-term collapse of crude prices.

The world didn't collapse, the 1 billion + cars continue to drive their streets, and prices rebounded. In this election year, this truth and history do not serve the Republican voter (of which I will be one). Rather, we blame the President for the world crude oil market, of which the U.S. accounts for ~22%.

It is rather cute.

President Obama can be blamed for many things (including a now-tested lack of leadership capacity), and he has failed to develop a national energy policy just as his many predecessors did. Each of these justifies his removal from office in a short while. 

However, we would do well to be honest with ourselves and hopeful constituents and acknowledge that crude oil is a profitable industry in locations throughout the world with less regard for environmental conditions than the US Federal government (which is not the same voice as the citizens of said government). Prices have steadily risen across TIME, which happens to include the presidential terms of both Bush and Obama. They will continue to rise (relative to inflation) through our next presidential term, be that Obama or Romney, as the industrial growth rate and increases in worldwide standard of living exceeds the US inflation rate. 

There are national choices that effect this situation (that can be adjudged elsewhere), and it would be a pleasure if some form of leadership took root in Washington. But the days of $1.78/gallon are history, and would only return under dire economic circumstances that would cause more heartache than said gasoline savings would justify. 

Our First Time

Emily returned home this evening from her first adventure sans parents. In another manner, she returned home from the first adventure of any of our children sans us. Five days away, and we were delighted to see her home.
She experienced life and served her neighbors in Lexington KY with a few friends and adults I trust (well, mostly trust). Said adventures chronicled here. http://kidsonmission.blogspot.com/
Having a grand adventure ourselves without parental influence (I do not count once Maggie vacates her office), we were all exhausted, five of us in our jammies laying cross-ways on my bed reading at 7:30pm, and dropping off to bed shortly thereafter.

Single Father, Day 1

It is good to start out optimistic; helps to gain some momentum when heading into a challenging situation. The four remaining Bowlings (with Emily in Kentucky and mom in London enjoying coffee and mimosas at Gatwick International) took the hour drive up to Lake Arrowhead, where I spent many years working. 

After 20 minutes of being sandwiched between her younger siblings in my car, Louise broke down, acted irrationally, and disobeyed her father, a very rare event. 

We swam in a pool shaped like an arrowhead, with dad winning the belly flop contest (I have my pride). 

We at lunch at the clubhouse, overlooking the 18th fairway. That's my lot, right there, through those trees; the one that I thought would have a great view of the golf course when I bought it, but was mistaken. I'll sell it to you for whatever you've got in your pocket. 

Eliza ordered chips and queso. Garrett ordered homemade potato chips with blue cheese dip. Louise ordered cheeseburger with sweet potato fries. I ordered a spinach salad.

We desired to go swim in the lake, but it started thundering. So we spent an hour on a fabulous playground until the sprinkle turned to pour and then returned home. Louise rode up front, which I'm not sure is legal; but I could not in good conscience put her between the tweedles. 

Garrett was in rare form. I have been convinced by my wife and a large gathering of other parents-of-young-boys that his combination of obtuse statements/questions and general cluelessness of his surroundings is 'perfectly normal'. At one point (and let me make clear, this is just one of many potential items to share), as we were getting out of the car to eat lunch, with 3 doors open and 3 people getting out of the car, Garrett asked "can I get out of the car?". To counter my internal sarcastic responses (they stayed internal for the most part), I reviewed 1 Corinthians 13, Love is patient, love is kind... it always perseveres.

Ready for Emily to return home, with her mom closely following.

Single Father, Day 0

Thursday, July 12, 6:30pm: finish our 3rd and final group hug and let Mommy check in at Maynard H. Jackson, Jr. International Terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (said name deserves its own blog entry), with the intent of heading to the Varsity with the kids.

Think to put a call into uncle JP to see if he wants to join us, as JP is more popular with my kids than I am. A quick conversation redirects us southwards towards Cracker Barrel in Union City. A bit out of the way, but worth seeing the Halls (adding Pollyanna and Maddie). 

Been to this particular CB many times meeting other southside college friends for a bite after work. Except... it isn't there. I turn around; not there... Turn around again, and confirm that what was a CB is now a cellular-phone store (where have our priorities drifted?). The exit is strewn with every form of fast food, but not a single proper restaurant. After another 10 minutes of indecision takes us another exit southward and 4 miles off the exit to the local Hibachi joint in Tyrone. It is 7:40, and time to eat.

For Louise, Garrett and Eliza, this is their first time. And while Garrett literally jumped out of his chair towards the back wall when the first flames leaped (even given notice), things settled into a great meal. 

Had to borrow $4 from Eliza (who brings her purse everywhere, thank goodness) to leave a decent tip (she negotiated $5 repayment, a 25% usury), and got home at 9:40pm. 

Welcome to life without mom.

Do you believe in Miracles

Well, I sort of do. I generally believe, and am happy to believe. But I'm not one to bother God with my own needs, and wouldn't think to ask for supernatural relief.

10 weeks ago (read here}, my jaw was moved east-west in what would seem some sort of hyper-extension (I don't know the medical definition of this term, but it seems to fit all the same). I spent a week drinking my meals, and have been dropping Advil in ever orifice I can find since then. 

Tonight I watched the independent documentary film Finger of God on Netflix. Not even sure where I heard of this film, but I put it on our queue sometime back and watched it tonight. The film centers on the healing work of the Holy Spirit. It was reasonable, not garish, and didn't ask for money; as someone who is happy to believe in God's miracles for others, I enjoyed the film, and allowed that its presence stretched me. Good job, God. Well done on that miracle; the recipient seems very happy. 

As the film finishes, a 'typical' flashy Reverend Mr. Pastor Jimmy Joe Johnson (not his real name, but you can get a flavor of my hesitancy) stares into the camera, and prays for the viewer, prays for their healing. And I sit there, quiet as a ghost, sweating and clammy, while my inner ear started cracking, a distinct cold feeling developed in my ear canal and traveled down my right neckline, and the chronic pain of the past 10 weeks subsided.

Holy moly. 

I haven't shared this injury with anyone save my wife, and need some time to process this before sharing this with others... (excepting you, my beloved readership). I am talking with God on this and hoping for the best. 

First trip from home

Emily left this morning for the first trip from home without parents or grandparents of any of our children. She's heading to Lexington, KY with a group of great kids and a few decent adults to help run a Vacation Bible School for a group of refugee kids there.
I pray she is safe, of course. But mostly I pray she is changed, in ways that cannot occur in our home. She's a terribly sweet kid, and generally willing to love others with open arms. This environment should be a good stretch for her, and an important step in maturing into a servant-child of God.

I love you, my dear little lady.
Her Updates can be found here.