June 11 – “Team Crocs Wins!”

It was a quick and somewhat frantic morning.  We had to get all packed up – including Freddy – for our next little jaunt into the wilds.  Why Freddy?  Because our first stop was the house of the LaMarque Vaughan’s.  They had consented to have her over for an extended pay date with Leia and the kids. 

 

Freddy is funny in the car.  She seems overly excited when we are loading up.  I opened the car door, and she jumped right in.  And back out.  And back in.  once we started out, she started on the console of the front seat in between us.  And she shivered like she was trapped in a meat locker on butcher day or anticipates seeing a Doberman-ghost or something.  She finally crawled into my lap for the duration of the trip.  But when the pressure of the drive got too much for her, she buried her head into the crook of my arm like some little five-pound ostrich sticking her head in the sand.

 

We managed to arrive before she had a nervous breakdown or anything.  She hopped right out and strutted up to the front door.  Crazy dog.  We unloaded her kennel and said hello to the family … and to bearded dragon.  I touched it ever so briefly, so I was instructed that I had to wash my hands with sanitizer because it carries salmonella on its back.  Well, OK. 

 

Next stop was Buc-ees, of course.  We needed some gas (It was under $5 a gallon, so we did good), and it was lunch time as well.  Texas BLT for me and a chicken taco for Chris.  And back on the road. 

 

We arrived around 2:30 and got to spend some time with the Waco Vaughan’s before the evening’s festivities began.  For that event we headed over to their church recreation center.  It was Zakary’s 16^th birthday party.  Caleb and Luke rode with us and their other grandparents jumped into their spot in their car.  The surrogate-grandparents, the Winkles, came as well, but they met us there.

 

The party was, as expected, all about basketball.  We ran a three-on-three basketball tournament.  Well, sort of a modified one.  I was the referee, and I told each team that I didn’t intend to call many, if any, fouls.  In other words, we were in NBA mode.   I was just there to keep the games moving.  Josh was the commissioner/replay official “back in New York.”  Josh kept score and eventually time.  He also called in play stoppages.  There was only one call that really caused some pause among the players.  One guy who was playing in crocs  (In fact, that was their team name – the Crocs) and was a really good three-point shooter was dribbling out the clock.  Josh called me over and instructed me that I needed to invoke the five-second-rule to keep the game moving.  Almost had some complaining there.  I was all set to tech him up, but instead, he stepped back and drained a three-pointer.  Nice choice, young man.  The team Zak was on did pretty well, considering it consisted of Zak and the only girls at the party.  I’m pretty sure he is more than a little sweet on one of the young ladies.  She is a cute one, too. 

 

The tournament ended pretty much when the pizza arrived.  I told you it was modified.  The winning team was presented with championship ring-pops (The crocs-guy’s team won).  Christi and her crew passed out cake and ice cream, and all was well with the world.  The kids ate and continued play in the gym until all the parents returned. 

 

Back at the house, Zak opened his gifts.  Several Academy gift cards, a Sonic card from that cute girl (I assured him that meant she wanted to go to Sonic with his sometime), and lots of cash.  The human calculator Luke added up the amount as each card was opened.  The absolute best gift, though, was the toad.  Yep.  An actual toad.  Big ol’ ugly thing.  Zak tried to get his other grandmother to take a really close look, but she declined.  Vehemently declined.  AnnaGrace, on the other hand, was more than willing to enter into beautiful princess mode, just in case this was actually a prince under a curse.  She gave it a kiss (through the wall of the plastic tub).  Sadly, though, no transformation took place.  Still an ugly ol’ toad.

 

Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

 

Father, thank you for the friends Zak has and the families that raised them.  Bless them.  Amen.