September 25 – “TeeHeeHee”

I went back to school today.  I did feel a lot better.  But the reason I went was to talk to the girl who left campus on Thursday.  She was there at 7:30, but only to tell me she had to go to court to plead a ticket she got.  Then I noticed that four others were out as well.  It was going to be a quiet day, if nothing else.  Two were the ones who have been sick.  One was at a doctor's appointment and would be back later.  One other was also sick, but with a stomach bug.   The day was indeed quiet.  I did get to talk to the girl when she returned, and I told her she could not leave campus without permission from school authorities as well as her parents.  The students jumped in to help with cleanup.  They knew that we were supposed to leave right away to go to a friend's house in Kingwood, so it was "We have to help Pastor Kelley" day.  Chris got there around 2:30, and they had already swept and mopped the main room, and emptied most of the trash cans.  They had also unstacked all the pews and placed them for Sunday.  I knew they would get moved, though, because they didn't match the drawing we had.  Chris has this setup thing down to a science, taking into consideration the placement of the Praise Team, walkways around and through aisles, and leg room between pews.  She is amazing.  Anyway, the kids' help really did cut a huge amount of time from our usual setup.  We left by 3:45 and rushed home to shower and change and take off for Kingwood.   I called Kel when we got home to see if he had our tickets to the marriage conference on Saturday.  He said he would bring them right over.  Sure enough, when we got out of the shower, Kel and Christina and Jachin and Micah were all over here.  Jachin was hiding behind the fireplace, so he jumped out and scared me when I walked in.  Then he walked over to me and said, "DadDad, I have a secret."  I asked what it was.  He got right next to my ear to whisper it to me.  I was worried, because I have a hard time hearing when I can't see lips moving at the same time, and whispering is tough in the best of circumstances.  But I heard him loud and clear, "Mommy has a baby in her tummy."  I glanced at Christina, and she was grinning.  So I asked Jachin, "Is it a boy or a girl?"  Of course that answer was a resounding "Boy!  And it's coming out in May."  Kel showed us the ultrasound.  I told Jachin it looked like three of them in there.  I said, "I think their names are Tee, Hee, and Hee."  He really liked that one.  Then the implications of "three of them" hit him. He squealed, "Three more means there will be five of us and we will be in charge."  Christina told him if there were three, some of them would have to live somewhere else.  He assured her that was not the case, and began planning for bunkbeds and cribs.   We were late for our supper in Kingwood, but had a great time with some good friends.  Great excuse, though, grandkid number six.  Bring him … her (?) on.   John 16:21-24 says, "A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."   Father, there is nothing quite this grandchildren thing.  Thanks.  Six times over.  Amen.