March 11 - “Wish we had a camera running”

Yesterday was cousins fishing day.  Well, almost. All of them except Cailyn made it. She was at the stock show with her mom and dad. Old McDonald Farm fun for them. And Nathan ended up getting sick. I imagine it was swine flu or avian flu or one of those other vicious animal diseases. 

 

The fishermen had a good time, even though the fish for the most part stayed in the water. AnnaGrace reeled in a croaker and was quite giddy about that. Zak landed a small red, and two little specks made their way briefly ashore as well.  But the excitement of the day came when Noa hooked a monster on her little Princess, three-foot-long rod. She battled it for a while, and even got it within viewing distance - it was a big red. But before Christi could get it in the net, it gave one last tug, and that did it. Broke the line.

 

I guess I should add the “wish we had a camera running” moment as well. I made a cast and set my pole down around one of the pilings on shore so I could work on getting another pole in the water. But just as I lifted the second pole out of the truck, I glanced down to see my pole racing by itself around that piling, headed straight for the water. Without thinking, I dove toward the runaway … to no avail. Rod and reel leapt into the water. From my newfound position on my belly (I figured I would feel that more later … I was right), I could see the rod sinking. Using the other rod I had just grabbed, I did my best to hook the runaway. Nope. Sadly, I began to roll on my side to wave goodbye. When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a massive form leaping over my head, so near.  Ok. It wasn’t THAT massive. But from my vantage point, it sure seemed so. It was none other than Josh, the Wonder Boy, leaping into the water, fully clothed. And yep … he rescued the rod and reel. Unfortunately, we lost the fish that had started the whole episode, but hey, what can I say?  I have a real, bona fide superhero for a son.

 

We topped off the day with a real Nani surprise treat. Since we are going to be in Hawaii during Easter, and since we never get to be around the Waco bunch around Easter, we got the kids all together and dyed Easter eggs. And while they were doing that, Josh and I snuck out into the front yard and hid about 100 plastic eggs filled with candy and coins. The kids decorated white paper bags for baskets, and we turned them loose to fill ‘em up. As we heard from some neighbors who passed by, “God won’t care.”  Besides, every Sunday is Easter, anyway, right?

 

Romans 12:12 says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

 

Father, thank you for our family time at the canal and dyeing and hunting eggs. We sure missed Cailyn, though. Help Nathan get well real soon.  Amen.