He is a typical boy in so many ways, but I can say his spiritual growth is amazing, especially in the last year. I wish I had such maturity when I was fifteen years old, I may have been spared the mistakes born of ignorance and lack of moral guidance. I don’t want to live in the past though, we just want to do the best we can to give him direction and then God will do the rest.

I really believe that.

We’re not naive enough to think he won’t make any mistakes of his own – he will. After all, there’s that free will that we are all born with. Unlike myself though, we hope he will make more measured decisions … it is our hope and wish.

Of course, every fifteen year old thinks they know it all, I tend to think it’s a necessary part of growing up. If not, young ‘uns really wouldn’t have the confidence or the courage to try many of life’s experiences for the first time.

I think there will probably be a time when he’ll fall away from us and from God – flex his legs and run away to find his independence. I expect it. And I have the perfect illustration of it that I will tell you about this week.

But I also know that God is working in him, he’s already showed it in so many ways. And it makes me so happy.

The husband and I went on an early morning boat ride one day while on vacation. When we came back to the house, we were greeted by this sight…

The boy and one of his friends doing their “devos.”

These are daily Bible devotionals that were given to them by their small group leader. I couldn’t believe it…it was a wonderful, albeit surprising sight. I had to squint and rub my eyes before I could really comprehend what I was looking at.

We got out of the boat and walked by and gave them a short and non-chalant greeting in order to not make them feel uncomfortable.

They went back to bed…but it fills my heart so…

Can’t wait until he gets home…

While the boy has been occupied all summer with his schedule, the girl has been busy as well.

She declined to go to camp with the boy again this summer. Instead, she is spending her days at the farm, attending and working at horse camps.

She and her horsey friends attended this jumping camp last week. The next Sunday, they all had a major horse show.

Beth-girl looks more like me than the girl does I think. She reallly could be my daughter, skin color and all…

As a result of all this activity, the horses were all pooped out. They had to really be encouraged to work during the show. It was hot, they were tired from all that jumping the week before and they just didn’t wanna.

I know how they feel, minus the jumping part.

I had the girl walk Ella up to the food stand so she could eat.

Look Ella, grass…

Ella was walking really really slowly. She’s a very laid-back horse, and coupled with a very laid-back girl, the combination is like watching ice melt, or molasses in January. Whatever. All I know is that I was walking faster than Ella and I only have two legs.

It was hot, I know.

So the girl dismounts and leaves Ella in very capable hands. I can make her do anything I want her to.

She respects me.

It got to the point that the girl decided to take a drastic step – spurs. Along with the crop, she and Ella were Reserve Champions in the next event, after having came in dead last in the first one.

I would have used sugar myself.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

AND…I’m play over at ishouldbefoldinglaundry today at Beth’s.

These are my three favorite places to play!

There was something really odd about this week. I had a lovely time last Tuesday night with my company. I put flowers on every table.

But then the most horrific lightning storm hit as they were leaving. Everyone got home okay but scarred for life I think.

Then there was this in my yard the next day. Can anyone say, insurance adjuster?

Then the next night, I drove two hours through traffic to see this. Any week with Chucky in it is a weird week.

But the oddest thing is this. More on this later but I think seeing the cat’s head this huge is like watching a bad sci-fi movie.

But the boy is home….yeah!

The boy is coming home tomorrow after being away for almost two weeks.

I haven’t written anything in almost three days.  Three days may not seem like a long time, but I believe it’s the first time it’s happened in almost two years. In August, I will have reached a major milestone, LifeSignatures will be two years old.

Over those same two years, I’ve written almost every day, painstakingly chronicalling everything in my life from major life lessons for my kids to my broken air conditioner. It was a big deal at the time.

The thoughts and words flowed effortlessly like a river over rocks. This week however, there was nothing. No words, no photos, the well seemed dry. I couldn’t put two words together and rather than try, I just let it go.

I continued to just live my life, do my work, cook my food. All the time wondering when my mojo will come back. I think I’m still waiting.

I look forward to seeing the boy tomorrow. I missed him so. I haven’t received a single letter from him. I don’t know if that contributed to my mood this week or not, but I would hypothesize that it probably is so.

I can’t wait until my family is back together again.

How dare they? How elitist!

We decided to have our bi/not so bi annual food competition as well. I declined to participate because we were just getting back from vacation and the boy was leaving for camp and I was sad about both. I didn’t want to cook.

To which Neighbor Leigh called me lame. I can feel the love.

It’s Saturday…And on Saturday, I clean my house and I goof off – simultaneously.

I wanted to show you this treasure (I think this may be the goofing off part of my Saturday.) It’s the coveted Horse’s Butt Trophy. Everyone wants it. They’re willing to insult, berate, and belittle their neighbors and loved ones for it. They absolutely lose their minds over it. They salivate over it. They want it badly.

Lets introduce the election board. After about five contest, I think they have it down. They really know how to spot corruption and stuffed ballots.

I’m not naming any names but…

Here is exhibit number 1. Neighbor Ted finished his trash talking and was so confident he was going to get it that he started practicing his “I’m so surprised” expression for when his name was called.

He practiced his speech – it’s hubris I tell you.

And when the votes were tabulated, the results were annouced, and Neighbor Ted was in third place – with zero votes. At least he placed.

He didn’t even vote for himself!

His pulled pork wasn’t that bad. I don’t want to say anything about it because he really spent a lot of time making it. Lets just say that the husband said it wasn’t pulled pork, it was chopped pork. Which was a real insult to Neighbor Ted who then said that aliens were going to zap the husband’s (butt) out of the cockpit one day. 

Enough about the man insults.

So – moving on. The second place winner was Neighbor Ken with a North Carolina version of pulled pork. It was deliciously vinegery.

And the winner was Neighbor Yvonne! Congratulations on your second win! Never mind Neighbor Ted’s boos. He not only chops his pork, he’s a bad loser too.

Neighbor Yvonne pulled pork was barbeque-y and the texture was great because there were some parts that were crusty. I think she grilled her pork before pulling it. I’ll have to get you the recipe. Yum!

And all rejoiced for another wonderful cooking competition. I just realized that I didn’t take a photo of the pulled pork. In any event, pulled pork is easier to eat than to look at, let us put it that way.

Maybe next time Neighbor Ted.

We were trying to decide what the next competition will be. Someone suggested martinis and the more we discussed it, the more we decided it was irresponsible. And the board of elections would be too young to participate, which would just kill them. Then someone suggested soup, which sounds like a great idea for a fall competition. But when someone said soup and martinis – lets just say I wanted to throw up right there.

Then we celebrated by doing something very responsible and very legal – I think.

All photos are SOOC (I’m goofing off today remember?) and posted on Melody’s SOOC Saturday. You should visit. She touches me so.

And oh – visit me on Vision and Verb today, please. The ladies over ther are not lame.

The boy left Sunday for summer camp. It’s his fourth year and he is always excited to go. His mother however, never really gets used to him being gone. I’m going to be a mess when he leaves for college.

I didn’t drive him this year. The above photo was from last year. He forgot that fact when I was packing his bed linens.

He said, “Are you going to make my bed when we get there?”

I said, “No buddy, I’m not driving you remember?”

“Oh,” he answered, “I forgot.”

He forgot….maybe he thinks I’ll always be there to make his bed. I hope he misses me a little bit.

Yeah, that’s me and the girl. My friend Miss Shannon took the photo and I have to say, it means more to me than gold, frankincense and myrrh. I means that I may be old, but not that old.

I may mean that I’m a little bit braggadocious. But I don’t care.

I can knee board! And I can knee board and high five the girl without knocking her over and killing both of us!

Take that Father Time!

Okay, the real story is this…

I bought this knee board because both kids know how to do it. And their friends know how. And I think, well, it will get good use. On the first day at the lake I asked if they wanted to take the knee board out. They said no.

Then on the second day I asked if they wanted to take the knee board out. The boy said no, LCAT Ryan said “I guess.” Teens!

LCAT Daniel who has never done it before said he needed someone to show him. And that he just wanted to get up. That’s all.

So we went out and LCAT Ryan showed us all how to do it once.

Then LCAT Daniel tried…

And he got up on his second try! Yeah Daniel! I don’t know what’s up with the facial hair. I really want to say something about it. Wait…I just did.

Then they were done. They wanted to go watch a movie. WHAT? We didn’t come all the way to this lake to watch a movie!

They next day I asked our little group if anyone wanted to go. Negative all around.

I was so mad that I got in the water and knee boarded for almost 15 minutes while the husband pulled me around and around and around. I figured if no one else wanted to do it then I would get my money’s worth out of the knee board.

Then I came back to the house and took a Motrin and passed out. I’m pretty sure I showed them!

The End.

A couple of years ago, the husband gave the boy whiplash when he was pulling him out in the river. He felt so awful about that I wasn’t sure if we would ever tube again.

That all being said, I am going to show you wipeout photos from last week – just because. It’s not that we’re exibitionists or stunt people at heart. It just that no matter how cautious we start out, circumstances start having a life of their own.

It’s always fun until someone loses an eye or get whiplash.

Fortunately neither happened.

Things start out innocently enough.

Then they get a little air.

Then they catch an edge. I love this picture by the way.

And in they go!

Awesome! Cool! Do it again! And this time go faster won’t you? I want some good pictures!

I’m telling ya, circumstances take over and all of a sudden I’m a blood-thirsty photographer who will compromise her kids’ safety for a good shot.

This time put the girl in.

Look at that hair! I’m not sure if she’s going to like this photo.

And she’s in!

Alright!!! I’m still on!!! Yeah!!!

Wait a minute, she fell off! Better go back and get her.

Now here’s a sweet moment. He helps her back on.

Isn’t that sweet? Chivalry isn’t dead even amongst 16 year old boys.

She went again by the way. We never had this much fun when I was a kid.

Just sayin’.

Posted on Best Shot Monday at Tracey Clark’s place.

Hosted by Cecily and Serious Krystyn

Ahhh…LCAT Casey.

He kept coming to the command post to hang out with us all week. He was supposed to be emptying the garbage cans but somehow he would end up talking to the girl.

The girl is very shy. Extremely shy. LCAT Casey tried and tried and couldn’t get her to talk to him. He told the boy, “Your sister hates me.”

The boy assured him that she didn’t. That she was just shy.

LCAT Casey said to me, “Ms. Miller, you daughter doesn’t like me.”

I said, “Of course she does Casey.

I was only half listening because I was doing a task, and he knew it.

So he said, “Ms. Miller, you think I’m weird don’t you?”

I said, “Of course you are Casey.”

I only realized that what he said when everyone started laughing. What a jokester he is.

I wanted to tell him that, this really isn’t the way to get girls.

But even though the girl is shy…

There are other girls who aren’t.

Neighbor Amy was happy to flirt right back.

I am having fun with the kids at this age…please remind me the next time I write about messy rooms.

The boy hurt his hand on the last day of school. I thought it was broken so I took him to the hospital where he was x-rayed. It was determined that there was no fracture, just sprained. We were all relieved, he is really busy this summer. I think he’s doing some kind of yoga thing here.

I always thought I was a fan of girls, I can relate to their daintiness and their grooming habits. Boys and their smelliness with their in-the-moment-only focus would cause me to shake my head.

So I came up with this Lost And Confused Adolescent Teen (LCAT) title for the boy’s friends because it was a way of dealing with boys without killing them. It’s has become a noun in our house.

We are going on vacation next week, the husband asked, “Are we taking any LCATs with us?”

Why yes we are.

This week I was observing the boy’s closest friends while they served during vacation Bible school.

And each boy demonstrated a great work ethic…

Okay, most of the time.

They were charming and playful. And they wormed their way into my heart even more.

So now dang, I’ve developed a fondness for them that is permanent which just means when they become men, they’ll still have to put up with me asking about their lives and ruffling their hair.

It’s the price they pay for being the boy’s friend.

See this boy? This is LCAT Casey. I dropped him off at his house a couple of weeks ago. Then I saw him at the grocery store a day later and he had a mohawk. Teens have a very misguided perception of what is attractive and what isn’t.

And this isn’t. However, after spending the week with LCAT Casey, I’ve fallen in love with him, mohawk and all. I have another post which will demonstrate my point and I think you’ll fall head over heels too…maybe.

Posted on SOOC Saturday and Photo Story Friday.

Admended to say…please visit me at Vision and Verb today…