For the Dad...and the Grandparents

Since Skip is in the Netherlands to day and couldn't make it for Maddie's student-led parent conference, I made this video, so he could see some of it too.





Maddie did a great job. After the conference, we went shopping for new clothes. Maddie is outgrowing hers and I have literally worn out some of mine. That travel line from Chicos can only take so many years of abuse before holes begin to appear. And when you only have one pair of jeans and don't have a job that requires you to wear something other than jeans, they don't last as long as you might think.

We also went bowling and had less-than-satisfactory lunch at McDonalds. Ugggg. And then we went grocery shopping at Aldi where I started assembling ingredients for Vern and Beth's visit next week. My freezer is larger than the one I had in Germany (although not "American" sized), so now I can do a little buying ahead.

The news of the school shooting in Germany came on the car radio while we were out and about. So Maddie and I talked about it and how sad and awful it was. I told Maddie that I didn't want her to be afraid that it would happen in her school. She said, "Mom, I'm almost in 3rd grade now. I know that that's not usual."

I learned today that Albert Aloise has had a stroke. Those of you who visited 4th Church with us when we lived in Boston will no doubt remember Albert as the silver-haired man in the coat and tie who played the tambourine with the praise choir. He also taught art to the neighborhood children. He is a real treasure. Since we left, he has married and he and his wife have two young children. Please keep Albert and his family in your prayers.