March 19 – “Vandals”

Counting down to the final days of Chris’ rehab.  After she finished yesterday … one day left.  They sent home all the concluding paperwork with her so she could get a head start on completing it.  Once that one is done … we’re off to parts of the West as yet unknown (well, unknown to us, at least).

 

While she was gone, I took the opportunity to do a little working out of my own.  It was a beautiful day, so I was able to forego my indoor workout plan and head for the wide-open spaces.  Well, wider and more open than my living room, anyway.  I was on a roll, for sure.  But then I decided to up it a notch.  Out of curiosity I decided to jog a little bit.  My neurosurgeon told me it was fine for me to do it, but that it would eventually hurt my back.  He didn’t say that “eventually” meant the same thing as “after about half a block.”  Yeah.  That won’t happen again.  I’ll stick with the walking from now on.  By the way, have you ever had one of those hip pointer injuries?  The one where there is nothing really wrong, but a highly specific spot on your hip gets inflamed and … just hurts?  Yep.  Got one of those, too.  It didn’t really bother me much until this morning about 5:50.  Woke me up.  I just shoved it back into the “my aching back” category with the rest of them, got up and started my day.

 

The big highlight of the day was our Friday phone call from Josh.  He was taking Zak to his first six-man football scrimmage.  He said Zak has been using a whole different lingo lately.  Football talk.  Yep, Josh.  You’ll have to learn yet another foreign language.  Caleb is hawking his March Madness brackets.  Luke just watches every game he can.  AnnaGrace?  Well, she has had a lot of practice rolling her eyes at the boys’ silly behavior. 

 

Josh told us he they had an interesting encounter about 2 a.m.  the other morning.  He answered a knock on the door and was confronted by a police officer.  Seems he had caught some teenagers vandalizing his front yard.  The kids had assured the officer that their friend lived in the house.  He had had an earlier call about just such activity, so he was just doing a little further follow-up.  Christi corralled MaddieBelle, who was certainly anxious to be involved in the proceedings in any way she could.  Josh went out to see what was happening. 

 

At this point in the story, I asked Josh if the vandalism involved toilet paper.  He hastened to inform me that toilet paper is so passe – so yesterday.  Seems they had been attempting to formulate the word “Hi” on their front lawn by sticking forks everywhere.  Josh did know the two boys.  They were indeed friends of a certain teenager living in his house, currently sleeping and totally oblivious to the action.  The young lady who was with them introduced herself to Josh as “Charis.”  He replied, “Well, Charis, it is nice to meet you.  Your name means ‘grace,’ so I guess I will grant you some of that.”  She thanked him profusely as the boys stood sheepishly in the background.  The officer offered to make them clean it up, but Josh assured him that his son would be happy to take care of it.  Gotta love the excitement that having teenagers brings into your life.

 

Psalms 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

 

Father, thank you that the officer was understanding enough of teen prankdom to follow a generous course of action.  Amen.