May 14 – “Uh Oh”

Uh Oh.  Chris realized something yesterday that placed a bit of a black cloud over Sneakaway 2017.  She has been having a lower backache over the last few days.  At first she thought it was just the way she slept or an errant twist during one of our walks.  But then … uh oh.  A tiny bit of a rash began to appear.  And the symptoms surrounding the rash led her to the inescapable conclusion.  She has shingles.  On our vacation.  I told her that I really appreciated her being close to my Mom and all, but she simply did not have to emulate her by getting shingles on vacation (Same thing happened to Mom went with us on a north and west jaunt way back in the day.  We ended up leaving Yellowstone Park and heading for the nearest doctor that she would trust, one who was treating a high school friend of mine in Washington State).  Now, here’s the thing.  Josh has a friend and church member here who he trusts.  Chris allowed him to make a phone call, and based on the symptoms he called in some of that shingles anti-viral medication so she could get started on it.  He said he could take a quick look at it at church today to make sure.  In the meantime, Chris is doing her best to keep the rash covered and to stay away from AnnaGrace.  How’s that for Grandparent Horror? 

On the positive front, Luke started our day again with a new chant: “AnnaGrace, Cutie Face.”  I kinda like it.  Has a nice ring to it.

Caleb’s baseball game was set for eleven o’clock.  When we arrived at the field and started unloading the car, Zakary noticed that Caleb’s baseball cap was turned backwards, like a catcher or maybe a rapper would wear.  His comment?  “Caleb’s a hippie.”  Not exactly the criteria I remember for being called a hippie, but perhaps the history books have been re-written since I lived through it.  The game itself turned into a blowout early, in favor of Caleb’s team.  They hit at least four home runs.  Three came in the first inning … from the first four batters of the game.  Everybody on the team got a hit of some kind or another.  They even made several great plays in the field.  Their coach had a right to be proud of that one.  Caleb mystified me with his batting stance.  It seems to be a mixture of Ty Cobb and the new guy on the Astros, Aoki.  He managed a hit, though.  Way to go there, Caleb.  I’m proud of you. 

After a lunch at a local pizza house we had yet another surprise excursion … a boat ride on Lake Waco.  Plus a swim in the lake for the boys.  Josh did a great job operating the vessel (belongs to a church friend).  The hard part was getting it all stowed away at the marina.  As we finally got back to the cars with some tired kiddos, I realized that I had left our car keys in the stow box on the boat.  Josh and I headed back, and he managed to dig his way in with little difficulty.  Finally we were off.  Well … not so finally.  Josh realized he had forgotten his sunglasses back by the boat when he went back for the keys.  We finally got everything we needed and headed home to get those youngsters in bed.  Chris and I made a quick run to Rudy’s Barbeque and brought some back for supper.  Good stuff.

Oh, and there was one other uh oh.  Nay, make that two.  Or three.  Christi’s parents called to let them know they couldn’t make it.  Uh, oh.  Seems they had been hit by another car and theirs was totaled.  Everybody is OK, though.  We discovered a water leak in the newly installed sprinkler system at the house.  Uh oh.  And then the AC unit froze up, resulting in a not-so cooled off house.  Uh oh.  I’m pretty sure everything will eventually be fine, though.  Good enough for us to head to church for a certain gorgeous little girl’s dedication ceremony. 

Hebrews 9:11-12 says, “When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation.  He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Father, thank you for understanding doctors and for car wreck protection and for weekend plumbers and for AC repair guys.  Thanks for being the Ultimate Uh Oh Remover.  Amen.