Ills, automotive and physical

It starts on Jan. 19, when my neighbor backed into my car and thrashed the hood. Before I could take the car to the repair shop, I came down with a really bad cold and took three days off from work.

Two Tuesdays ago, I get my car back from the auto shop and I'm like, Sweet! It looked great, new hood and all. Then on the one-week anniversary of that happy occasion, on the one-week birthday of my new hood, a young guy pulls out in front of me in Escondido and I've got this:

And this:

And this:

This is what the whole thing looks like from the front. For once in my life, it looks better than it is. The bumper is actually trying to fall off every time I turn around...

Add to all of that the fact that Dori is now sick with the flu, and you've got a glimpse into our last month or so.

However, I must say, I am thankful that I have a car. And when I was sick, I was thankful that most of the time I have good health. Perspective, I have learned, is a true blessing necessary to perseverance and faith alike.

Nothing like an ill spouse and a wrecked car to remind one...

...things could be worse, and they're not. Praise God.

Christmastime busy-ness

So much has been happening lately, between picking out a tree and hanging ornaments, that I haven't had time to write blog posts, let alone take pictures. My family had a Christmas photo session at Buddy Todd Park in Oceanside last weekend, though, so here is one shot of the wife and I...

Wouldn't that be today?

I recorded this gem in July, after a conversation with my then-6-year-old nephew:

I almost always love children. I especially love the things they say, because when they're young, their speech is an unfiltered glimpse into the way they think. Jonny, my oldest nephew at 6 years old, came into our yard just now sporting a fresh buzz-cut.

"When did you get your hair cut?" I asked.

"The day after yesterday," he replied.

Reflections

It's taken a couple of days to recover from the Fourth of July festivities. Fireworks in Fallbrook were pretty--not the most spectacular display ever, but just having our own fireworks here was sweet. We were home in a few minutes when they ended, instead of waiting in traffic for an hour, like we would have had we gone to the beach or any other display in one of North County's bigger cities. Working the cops shift for the Times yesterday, I also found out there were three stabbings at the July 4 celebration in Oceanside by the pier. I'm pretty sure there were no stabbings and no gang fights at the event in Fallbrook.

Before watching the sky pop red and yellow over the Grand Tradition, my family and Dori's dad and brother got together for lunch and swimming.

Note on the picture below: I love the "NO DIVING" sign. "CAUTION. WARNING! RULES." To a kid, it all means NO HAVING FUN! And then the one in the upper right explaining how to perform CPR. If I pulled a drowning person out of the pool, the first thing I would do is mosey on over to that sign and read up on artificial respiration.

Father's Day in photos

I spent most of the day at Felicita Park in Escondido with my new camera in hand. It's an interesting place--similar to Live Oak Park in Fallbrook, only with more grass and better playgrounds. There were some great moments. Here are a few.

Dad seemed to enjoy himself, opening gifts and playing with his grandsons.

"Baby" was a very skittish chihuahua who only let me take his picture because he was on a leash.

At one point, Jonny saw me resting, camera around my neck, and said, "Will you take a picture of me with sticks, Uncle Tom?" How could I resist?

Cows and dirty feet

This morning, my middle nephew stood at the threshold of our front door and peered in. Dori had come inside for something, but he stayed outside.

"Come here and give me a hug," I said.
"I can't," he replied. "My feet are duh-ty."

His feet, it seems, are always dirty. Those are his on the left:

Jason also has a great lisp. Last Sunday, he held up a shiny red model car and announced, "I have a Fewawi." Cars are "cows," and my wife's name is "Do-wee." He is even a little self-conscious about it, which makes it even cuter.

Some friends of ours have six kids, all full of personality and opinion. The parents made a book of all the outrageous things their kids said, and it was astounding. It gave me the idea of keeping a similar log of conversations I have with my nephews, since I see them every day. I'll post them here every so often.

Stepping

I have had baby nephews in a steady stream for almost seven years. There are three now, ages 6, 3 and 1. That little one, he's special.

Joel has a rare neurological disorder that caused seizures for the first year of his life, then he had brain surgery. In December, they cut out something like a third of his brain mass, because it was deformed anyway and was pushing against other parts of his brain and causing the seizures. He recovered quickly, was crawling within a few months, and this week took his first steps alone.

A few days ago, my wife called me and said to come over and see what Joel was doing, and when I stepped into their kitchen, he was waddling toward the dishwasher. He got there, banged on it a few times with his hand, then turned around and walked back into the living room. My sister said he'd been "doing laps" all morning. On Sunday, when our pastor called all the kids to come down to the first row for the children's story, mom got him walking down the aisle and he went almost the whole way himself. The church has been very supportive through this ordeal, and when they saw Joel walking, they applauded.

If you have met my littlest nephew, you know how special he is. To see him walking is so precious. Thank you for your prayers.