a small part in the big story...

Some pictures from the past few days... they're not in order (thanks, blogspot...).Joel playing this morning. Each morning we come downstairs and begin our day in the playroom. His toys, books, changing table, and pack&play are set up around the room. He picks something to play with, and when something else catches his eye, he goes and plays with that. Right here, I think he's in the middle of something new catching his eye.



This is yesterday when I was finishing emptying the dishwasher. Joel is quite a good helper. He decided that this was pretty interesting. (I don't think I've ever unloaded the bottom half of the dishwasher that quickly before... I looked behind me and Joel was on the prowl. Or, just wanting to do whatever Mom is doing.)





This is Joel on a bed at IKEA. He thought this netting was pretty hip.




And, more morning playing pictures. (When we come into the playroom in the morning, we rarely leave it for at least an hour.)




I guess these pretty much explain the past week of my life: we went to IKEA and Mars Hill in Grand Rapids last weekend. We stayed overnight at the Wengers' place in Lansing, which was marvelous. Mars Hill was great. We hit it on "funk Sunday", which meant that the prelude was the theme from Shaft, the opening responsive reading was: "We need the funk/Give us the funk", and the songs were all done in a funk style. The pastor who spoke, while not Rob Bell, was wonderful. (It's called "The First Game of Hide and Seek", when you click on the link.) IKEA was overwhelming. It was a fun place for the first hour or two, but if you don't like shopping like me, don't stay there any longer than that. Go back another time.

Joel and I went to MacQueen's Orchard today. I got some early apples and tasted some applesauce and blackberry cider. (Joel liked the cider, but was iffy on the sauce. I liked both.) We then took an apple over to Neil at his office and visited people there for a while.

Jennifer and I were talking yesterday about the arrival of the bug that makes us desperately pine for autumn. I have been itching for two or three weeks now for apple picking, leaves, cozy sweaters, and, dare I say it, a football game. Are we the only two who are actually happy that the corn is beginning to turn brown? Maybe I just want to make applesauce...

This coming week I am baking cookies with Bethany, making lunch for Jennifer & me, going to a book discussion, visiting a few of my former students at Wittenberg U (and taking the cookies to them), going to Joel's first swimming class, and getting ready for my parents & brother to visit next weekend. If you want to pine for autumn with me, stop by!

posted by Anne @ 6:49 PM