Hard to believe she is 7. I remember when she came home and the realization hit me that we now had three little ones under the age of 5. Can we do this? What drugs were we taking to think that this was a good idea?

It’s been awesome. Cayden entertains us all the time now with singing, playing, drama, and her high heeled shoes that bang around our wood floors. She is all girl and I can see God working in her as well as on her.

Today we’ll dine at the T-Rex cafe, cupcakes have already been made and later we will watch Alabama beat VT.

“I have HOMEWORK!!” one kid cried through her tears.

“Our bus driver wouldn’t listen to what we were telling her what to do!”

And the third just kept talking so fast, I couldn’t really make anything distinct out. Amy and I looked at each other. Summer officially ended at 4.07 pm, Monday, August 17th.

The kids started in a brand new school today – brand new to them, brand new to the city, brand new staff. I walked up there today. It’s pretty awesome. High ceilings, bright colors, lots of windows, very modern feel, big hallways. It will be a great place for the kids to go to school but at the moment, we had 3 very tired kids, 2 of which were having a hard time with reality. The third one was just creating her own to anyone who would listen to her.

“Welcome to school, honey. That’s what they do to help you get smart – give homework.”

“So explain to me why a grown woman should listen to a busload of kids under the age of 11 on the first day of school?”

“And you — I want you to breath. Stop talking for 30 seconds, and breath.”

Logic was not going to fix this. Qdoba might. So off we ran to Qdoba where one of the most hilarious exchanges in Camber history happened. To really get the feel of this, you need to imagine her talking as fast as she can with the most extreme level of confidence.

Cam: “My favorite football player of all time is Michael Jordan.”

Amy: “Wait…what sport does Michael Jordan play?”

Cam, without hesitating: “Hockey.”

Cooper about spits his coke, chicken burrito and lunch out at the window he is laughing so hard. Camber looks at us like – “What? Didn’t you know that?” And continues talking about butterflies or her new teacher or the smell of the color purple.

I had a long day as well. 7 am meeting, had a list of things to get done that didn’t but what I did get done was good. It was my good friend Stephen’s birthday. I was going to take him to lunch, I asked him what he wanted.

“A burger….or Indian food.”

Wow…that’s quite a pair. It was his birthday so there was no way I was going to make the decision. Besides that – choosing where to eat with the friends is more difficult than choosing a college.

Stephen picked the Indian place.

“I guess we’re not eating cow today.” He laughed hard.

We showed up and guess what was on the buffet? Beef. Obviously they weren’t orthodox Indians.

All of that to say that today was good in spite of what I didn’t get done.

God reminded me of this as we sat upstairs playing Skip-bo with the fam. I was tired, about fell asleep when Cayden came out with lime green wristbands on, her gold high heel shoes, one white baseball glove one, ear muffs, and sunglasses and started singing the “I’m going to Barf” song.

The hip action and jazz hands and facial expressions were too much. I wish we’d filmed it. One night, we’ll have to ambush video her as she gives us one of her concerts.

So the day of reality is over. Kids are in bed. I know this scene was played out all over our city, this country this week. Families getting into the groove again, early bedtimes, and afternoons filled with tears, homework, and laughter. And you know what? I wouldn’t trade it. I wouldn’t trade a thing of it.

Then again at dinner.

But let me back up and tell you why first. I get a phone call today, 3pm.

“This is Grant.”

“Hi. My name is Sue (not real name), I’m with 501 USD (school district that kids are in) and are the father of a 5th grade boy at McCarter?”

“Yes.”
My heart gets very heavy, very quick.

“And you’re the new preacher in town, right?”

“Yes.”

I can’t count the number of parents I’ve talked to, listened to, cried with, sat with when they get news that their kid has done something utterly, profanely stupid. I’ve seen the hurt, frustration, anger, confusion. I’ve comforted as best as I can but right now in this instant all I can think of is — I’m about to be one of those parents.

“Well, Mr. English….I don’t know how to say this. I really don’t. I’ve seen a lot of Christian families, dealt with a lot of Christian parents. Almost all of them have been very combative, very judgmental and their kids hellions.”

“But I’ve never seen anything like your son. He’s respectable, honorable, likeable, and honest. He’s smart as a whip and he’s not one of them sissy boys either. Do you know that I overheard some boys talking with him and they asked him about why he didn’t do something and he told them – “Because I love Jesus.” And since he’s a good athlete, they left him alone and respected him.”

“So…Cooper isn’t in trouble?”

“In trouble? No! Well he did get in a little trouble for playing in the water fountain after gym. But when we confronted those boys about it – he was the only one that said he’d been throwing water and he’d clean it up. He was just being a boy, no big deal…but I also heard about what you and your church did for McCarter at the school fair.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Now, I’m a pagan. Never saw much use for God but after seeing your son and actually your girls as well plus what you guys are doing at McCarter…I may have to rethink this Jesus guy. You wouldn’t mind if I showed up at your church one Sunday, would you?”

I can’t really answer her because I’m crying. I’m humbled beyond measure. I stumble out yes, love to talk with you, answer any questions. We just wanted to help McCarter out. That’s it. No big deal.

We talk for a few minutes more, hang up.

At dinner tonight, I replay the whole conversation for the family. Amy tears up. I tear up. The whole family tears up. So I’m becoming a cry baby as I get older but I’m also astonished at how God moves. I shouldn’t be…but I am.

We’re not great parents. We’re parents who love Jesus and love our kids and are trying to figure out how not to ruin the gifts God gave us. I take shortcuts at times…get lazy…get frustrated. I’ve spanked the wrong kid, yelled when I’ve should have listened, and pushed when I should have hugged.

But tonight…I’ve never been prouder of my kids.

Shine…Let them wonder what you’ve got.

Both have been an antibiotics. Camber got it again and is now on different antibiotics that the Dr. said he should have used last time.

So the visit and the new medicine are free?

Gymnastics
Camber loves this and Nana got to go with her and see her strut her stuff.

Opening Up The New Climbing Wall
We have a climbing wall in your student room. Cool, huh? It’s not so cool if you never use it. So we got that running this week. That’s Cooper being my lab rat. The man got to the top.

Flying W Ranch
If you’ve never been to the Flying W Ranch, you ought to go at least once. It’s not cheap but the food is great, it’s all you can eat and the entertainment is incredible. It’s a place you can take all the kids and they’ll have a blast running around the Cowboy town they’ve got set up there.

Plus, the sell $1 ice cream cones. Can’t beat that.