Washington - Day 4

After walking the entire city of DC yesterday, we took advantage of the fact that no one around here does anything before 9:30 and slept in. Today was Smithsonian Day.

We finally headed out of the apartment around 10:30 and took the metro to the Penn Quarter area for an early lunch on Constitution Avenue. We ate at a local deli which sold its food by the pound. It was perfect for our picky crew. Everyone got what they wanted and mom was happy because some of it even contained fruits and vegetables. While we ate we enjoyed watching kids play at a nearby daycare and we saw someone important drive by in a full-on police and secret service escorted van. Very exciting.

After lunch, we went to the National Archives by way of the navy memorial for our timed entry ticket. If you don't want to spend your vacation standing in line, go online and order tickets for the National Archives. It will cost you a nominal handling fee, but it is definately worth it. We went directly through the scheduled tour door and waited about 2 minutes for the guards to break the line so we could get in.

The folks at the Archives have really beefed up their exhibit since the last time Ross and I were there. The rotunda exhibit of the original constitution, declaration of independence and bill of rights is still a frustrating experience in human behavior. But, the other exhibits were cool -- if you can use that word to describe exhibits of letters, documents and ledgers.

The boys enjoyed the interactive, computer screens that showed tantalizing snippets of the records the government keeps from congressional inquiries into UFOs, the cold war, and watergate. There was also a fun exhibit on geneology which included a "Guess Who?" feature showing the baby pictures of some of the more recent President's and their wives. We enjoyed ourselves more than we thought we would.

After we were finished, we walked the short distance to the Smithsonian for the rest of the day. We hung out first at the Museum of Natural History. After a brief trip through the mammal exhibit -- Denver's is better -- we went upstairs to the insect zoo which was pretty cool. A docent was there surrounded by a bunch of field trippers. She was letting the kids hold things like Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches and big green fuzzy caterpillers. Awesome.

Another cool exhibit is called Written in Bone -- a visual walk through what a person's bones say about what people eat and how they died. Mom wanted to take a peak at the Hope Diamond's new setting by Harry Winston. And then, surprise of all surprises, son Sam wanted to take a close, personal look at the national gem collection -- a fact that delighted his mother but not his dad and little bro. Sam and I wandered slowly with the crowd examining all of the jewels on display. The kid has always been fascinated by rocks. We finished the rest of the geology exhibit and rubbed the Mars rock on the way out.

After a quick jaunt by the T-Rex, the whale and the elephant, we headed back out the door and went down the street to the Museum of American History. We were hungry so we ate an exhorbantly priced meal downstairs in the Stars & Stripes Cafe. The good news was that at 3:00 p.m., the place is nearly empty and very quiet. It was nice.

After that, we wandered upstairs through an exhibit about pop-up books and another exhibit called "Within These Walls." The curators had taken the bones of an actual house, stripped them bare and reconstructed the history of the three families who had occupied the home through time. They also showed how the house looked at each stage.

After that it was upstairs to "The American Presidency" exhibit where the boys tried their hand behind the Presidential podium. Isaac also finally got to see Abraham Lincoln's hat which was on display. We breezed through the Treasurers of Popular Culture where none other than Michael Jackson's glove and Dorothy's red slippers were prominently displayed. We breezed through "America on the Move" stopping for a brief time to see the maritime exhibit. And then we capped off the day at "The Price of Freedom" which is an excellent display on the effects of war.

We were right in the middle of a family contest on who was the best Rosy the Riviter when the guards came and kicked us out of the museum early. We're not sure why, all we are sure of was that we were kicked out just in time for a fun little rain shower. We ran to the center of the mall where a large white tent was set up and sheltering several fellow travelers who were in the same situation. When the rain lightened up, we headed for the metro and our apartment on Capital Hill.

We spent the night hanging out in the basement and kicking back after another long, interesting day.

Washington - Day 3

Today we walked a looooooooooooooooong time.

We started the day fairly early as we had 9:00 a.m. tour at the National Cathedral. It was a 45 minute "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" experience to get there...but...it was worth it. The huge, gothic structure on the top of the hill was massive, impressive and awe inspiring. Is is, for those of you who don't know, the 6th largest Cathedral in the World and the second in the United States. We were also extremely grateful to Jeanette for getting us a Congressional tour. Fewer people meant getting up closer to the guide and information, and seeing things that aren't included on the normal tour.

The guide, an older gentleman who walked with a cane, led us through some interesting stories about the architecture of the gothic style, its four basic elements and why things were built the way they are. His speech kept the attention of even our boys -- which is an amazing feat indeed.

The windows in this church are stunning -- Sam loved the airforce window with its depiction of flight and a replica of the Airforce Chapel in Colorado. Isaac liked the moon window - a modern looking depiction of the Neil Armstrong moon landing with an actual moon rock positioned in the center of the moon in the window. Mom enjoyed the creation rose above the Nave -- a chaotic mixture of red, blue, and orange stained glass framing a single piece of white glass in the center. Dad liked the slightly more traditional style of the windows in the Bethlehem Chapel in the basement which were made overseas in England and shipped here to install. He also really liked the pulpit which was engraved in England and given to the National Church by the mother church in England. I think my husband is turning into an Anglophile.

We paid our respects to several folks buried in the church. The first was Woodrow Wilson -- designated the father of peace and the only President to be buried in the Cathedral. Second was the first Bishop who is buried behind the alter of the Bethlehem Chapel -- apparently tradition dictates that the first bishop is to be buried behind the first alter in the church. To this man, I must give a respectful nod. It was his decision not to borrow money while building the church. So, they only built when they had money to build. Consequently, the church's construction took from 1907 to the time it was completed and consecrated in 1990 -- a total of 83 years. The $65 million dollar purchase price was accomplished completely through private donations and debt free. We can all learn from this example.

The cool thing about the church taking this long is that there is a lot of recent popular culture built into the structure. One of the best is that one of the grotesques on the outside of the chapel is the helmet of Darth Vader. (A grotesque is the larger, more inclusive class of items that count gargoyles amoung their membership. The only difference between a gargoyle and a grotesque is the presence of a downspout in a gargoyle. Both, however, serve the purpose of keeping rain water away from the building.) We, OF COURSE, asked about this particular feature and were promptly walked to the viewing point by one of the younger (man in his 50s) chapel guides. Proof that the church does have a sense of humor.

In one of the basement chapels, we learned that the cremated remains of both Helen Keller and her tutor Anne Sullivan were held. At this point in the tour, one of the teenagers in the crowd asked about what looked like trapped doors in the floor of the chapel and the floor of other chapels we had seen. The guide then explained that this is where people buried in caskets are laid to rest. Eyes wide, Isaac perked up at about this point, "You mean we've been walking on dead people down here?" At least I know he was listening.

The church is beautiful and definately worth the pain in getting there. We picked up our family Christmas ornament in the gift shop and wandered through the Bishop garden and Olmstead Woods hiking trail on the church property to get back. On the trail we encountered a large sprinkler blocking our way which took some problem solving and feats of bravery to pass. Our antics (which were thankfully covered by a thick stand of old growth trees) reminded me of the timing and finesse required by the reality show "Wipe Out." We had some fun in the forest -- hopefully there weren't cameras.

After the Cathedral, we went to the International Spy Museum. From the moment we arrived, we were enveloped into DC spy culture. The motto of this museum is "things are never as they seem." You begin your tour by riding an elevator to a room where you acquire a secret identity and "legend" (facts about your person) that you are given 5 minutes to commit to memory. Then, you are encouraged to "live your cover" throughout the museum where you are periodically questioned by electronic guards to see how well you can avoid detection and complete your mission.

I was Carol Liu, a 42 year old architect from Santa Monica, California. I was in Volgogard, Russia to visit a museum where my orders were to meet Oksana (something) who was working as a museum information desk. She would deliver to me a visitor's guide that contained a series of microdots (tiny pictures containing important information) that I was to bring back to the United States and deliver to my employers. Even though my mission was successful, I did forget one piece of information and aroused a bit of suspicion from the border guard. I was recommended for further training.

The exhibits in this museum were fun to look at. We squandered 3 hours away just looking at everything. Though they will never admit it publicly, this one thoroughly entertained the boys. So much so that Ross and I were able to slowly meander through the museum and actually read something about the history of spying, and about how spies and misinformation were used during both World Wars as well as the Cold War.

The gift store, as you can imagine, was full of interesting items and books. A full line of James Bond paraphernailia was located within and the best news was -- all of it is available for shipping directly to your home from online. Christmas gifts anyone?

It was here, that Isaac made a decision which would prove to be fateful later in our journey. He found a cool comb dressed up to look just like a switchblade. He stared at it for all of 5 minutes before deciding he just had to have it. Ross' eyebrows immediately went to the ceiling. Catching the cue, I walked up to Isaac who was standing in the checkout line. "Before you lay down $10 on that comb," I whispered low into his ear, "you might want to think about whether or not you can get that through airport security."

It is a widely recognized fact that most boys do not listen to reason when it comes between them and something they would really like to have. It is also a family rule that the boys are allowed to purchase whatever they desire (within reason) using their designated souvenier cash. Isaac was not interested in listening to options for purchase that would involve lengthy timeframes between him and the use of that comb. So, despite the nonverbal and verbal warnings, he bought it. Stay tuned.

After this we breezed through the National Portrait Gallery exhibit of American Presidents across the street and headed for dinner at the food court of the Reagan Building. We hit this place right on time and were finishing up just as some junior high on a field trip entered the area. Disaster narrowly averted!

Following dinner we walked down to the Mall and meandered through the Jefferson and Franklin Delanor Roosevelt memorials. We also stopped to look at the nearly complete Martin Luther King memorial to be dedicated in August. After that, we headed home and fell -- literally -- into bed. A good, but full day.

Washington - Day 2

After a comfortable evening we woke the boys up to the smell of bacon, eggs and coffee. We fueled up and got ready to hit the streets on the first day out in the big city. Isaac and I wandered outside while we were waiting on Ross and Sam to finish getting ready and officially met the third member of Joe & Sandy's house - Hudson. Hudson is a male Husky with a mild, regal manner. Joe was sitting on the porch reading the paper when we emerged and Hudson was enjoying the view. Gotta love dogs.

When we were ready, we struck out for the capital. Joe and Sandy's home is about five blocks due east of the Supreme Court building. We snuck between the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress, skirted the capital (feeling very underdressed for a Tuesday morning), and fought the throngs of kids in matching shirts who were obviously on their final week of school field trip -- Joe informed us that school around here gets out on Friday.

About 30 minutes after we started, we arrived at the Smithsonian Castle wherein lies Mr. Smithson -- the man who founded the Smithsonian -- an orientation video, and an encased miniature of the entire downtown area. The castle is also the only building open earlier than 10:00 a.m.

After a brief break, we headed out the back door for a short walk to the Holocaust museum and our reserved tickets. Before I go any further, I should say a big thank you to Jeanette Featherall in Senator Jerry Moran's office for hooking us up with some truly wonderful experiences. The Holocaust museum was the first of those.

I will not add to what has already been said about this museum. It is well presented and powerful. An exhibit targeted at younger children called "Daniel's Story" is located across from the entrance to the permanent exhibit and is very well done. Tickets are not needed for this exhibit and it can be viewed at any time. We picked up our permanent exhibit tickets at the information booth and wandered our way through its three floors.

It is difficult to describe the impact of this museum. Suffice it to say that you will leave feeling frustrated, perhaps a little angry, and definately ready to discuss what you have seen. Currently there is a special exhibition called "State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda" encouraging you to weigh carefully what you read, hear and see in popular culture.

"'Everything is permissible' -- but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible' -- but not everything is constructive." I Corinthians 10:23 Wise words from Paul to the Corinthians -- and to us.

On the way back to lunch and the mall, we popped in to the United States Department of Agriculture's Department of Forestry building. Unwittingly, we stepped into a clever display and the "office" of none other than Smokey the Bear. A very fun little side discovery to our day. The exhibit is really geared for children much younger than our boys - but its worth 15-30 minutes if you have a little time.

We grabbed a very quick lunch in the Air and Space museum and then headed to the exhibits. I am now going to show a little stubborn Kansas pride -- you've been warned.

Granted, the museum is wonderful and has many cool things to see. This was the site of the boys' "favorite" of the day -- an interactive flight simulator. The Wright Brother exhibit is excellent (those boys got their mechanical skills from their mother). There was an exhibit on navy carrier planes that was really cool. A special exhibit of 4-5 different military unmanned aerial vehicles was another of Sam's favorite things to see. BUT.

If you have been to Exploration Place in Wichita for the explanation of flight exhibit, and particularly if you have been to the Hutchinson Cosmosphere -- the Smithsonian Air and Space museum feels lacking. We in Kansas need to be very proud of the work the Hutchison folks do to make their exhibits impressive and educational. Take a full or half day in Hutch, you'll fight fewer crowds, learn more and have a great time.

We zipped through Air & Space in about 1.5 hours and then headed to the Hishhorn Museum of modern and contemporary art. This was mom's favorite stop of the day and the boys found the entire bottom floor exhibit ColorForms visually exciting and fun. The guides hanging around in the rooms are fantastic and available to explain how to interact properly with some of the exhibits.

A favorite of the boys was called Milkman's Run which was essentially a completely black room with special lighting that became more apparent and visible as your eyes adjusted to the dark. Round Rainbows was a mesmerizing, suspended, spinning prism that continually changed shape and design on the walls around it. In yet another room was a series of strings that, when you were positioned in the exhibit properly, gave the illusion of a glass hallway.

Cool museum, worth the short time we spent there, and provided quite a bit of dinner table conversation later that evening. The museum store was full of excellent "stuff" and gave the boys their first souvenier of the trip.

After this, we were all very tired. So, it was back to the apartment for a nap before dinner. We spent a little more time on the stoop chatting with Joe, Sandy and Hudson about our day and then headed to Barricks Row to eat excellently prepared pork, chicken and lamb at The Chesapeake Room.

Then, it was back to the apartment again with two boys, full of food, and singing camp renditions of "Bringing Home My Baby Bumblebee" and "Gray Squirrel" all the way home.

The first day was a nice warm up for the rest of the week. Our legs are tired and we retired early for the night. Tomorrow will be an early day.

The Kansas Hicks Go to Washington

The Kansas Hicks Go To Washington. Sounds like a great title to a movie, doesn't it?

Washington DC. is one of my favorite places in the United States. I love that the city planners don't allow buildings higher than the capital. It means that the city doesn't feel like a city at all. I've heard it described as "one big park." And, I agree. All the convenience of a city -- and you can still see the sun when you are downtown. Everytime I go, I wish my family was with me. This year, they will be.

And, for the first time in 20+ years of traveling, my airplane reservation made on Travelocity failed me. Apparently the payment, which I confirmed and paid for long ago, was never forwarded to the airline we were flying (AirTran). Consequently, having not received payment for their services, AirTran cancelled our reservation. According to the gals at the ticket counter, "this happens a lot."

So, we spent an extra 35 minutes standing at the ticket counter conversing with the folks behind the desk while John at Travelocity "worked on it." Victoria and Christine at AirTran Wichita were very professional through it all. John kept checking back with me on the phone to let me know he was still around and hadn't left me hanging. All in all, it was a nerve wracking, but pleasant 35 minutes. We laughed. We chatted about the Southwest buyout and what that meant for the AirTran employees in Wichita. We met some new friends and we finally were checked in on the 12:00 p.m. plane. We breezed through security where the boys were teased by an officer with an awesome sense of humor. And, due to fantastic weather, we arrived in Washington DC ahead of schedule.

When I processed the events of the day later that evening, I think that our little hiccup was another way that God was reminding me that I was on vacation. I should slow down. I should enjoy the people around me. I should focus on having a good time. Great advice, really. Great advice for always.

We landed at Reagan National from the south. Looking out the window, Isaac (my travel buddy) was convinced we were going to land in the Potomic. But, we didn't. Instead we got some great views of sailboats docked at a marina nearby and we experienced a tiny thrill as we taxied across an active landing strip at a very busy airport. I would never want to be an air traffic controller. Those people must go through bottles and bottles of Tums.

DC is by far the largest city the boys have experienced. We hopped on the Metro together and headed to what was to be our home for the next few days. We reserved an apartment on Capital Hill through vrbo.com. We could not be more pleased with the location and Joe and Sandy (our apartment owners and upstairs neighbors) were super through the reservation and pre-game process. We had excellent walking directions from the Eastern Market stop on the Metro and enjoyed a tree-lined walk through Capital Hill row houses, evening dog walkers, diners and gardeners on a beautiful June evening.

Joe and Sandy met us by name as we arrived and showed us around the apartment. After a little moving in and unpacking, the boys and I trekked a short 3 block walk to a corner market for breakfast and snack supplies. The boys helped me carry the groceries back - Sam carried the gallon of milk as this was a good substitute for the weight training that he would be missing while we were gone. And we hunkered down for the night in front of the TV.

We're here, Washington. And, we're ready to have a good time.

Mardell

I read the following at the memorial service for Mardell Hicks, my mother-in-law on June 2, 2011. In the words of Pastor Davis, "Altzheimer's sucks." May these words serve to remind all of us of our Mardell - pre-disease.

If you were helping to raise money for a charity and someone agreed to make a large contribution if you would perform at the upcoming fundraising show, what would you perform?

These were the kinds of questions awaiting you when you sat down on the couch beside Mardell Hicks. Some people might call this being nosy. But anyone in Mardell's presence knew they were the questions of a master -- a master of the art of conversation.

No one I knew could ask more interesting questions. And, yes, her questions were nosy. They were designed to get to know you; to explore the depths of your personality. The reason no one had any difficulty sharing was because inherent in Mardell's style was a sincere enjoyment of people. She would listen. She would listen without judgment. And she would enjoy you for exactly who you were.

This skill apparently started early. Gene reports that while Mardell was a Home Economics teacher at Centre High School, students would take their troubles to her and receive a friendly ear and an interested and engaged mind. It extended even to her enemies -- to a man who beat her and who held her captive for over four hours. When most of us would have hated, Mardell chose to love. She spoke frankly with him about his drug addiction as only she could, and she opened up an opportunity to pray with him.

"Shower the People You Love With Love," sings James Taylor. No one did that like Mardell. And, like being in a shower, when you left Mardell's side, you felt refreshed, better, happier. When you were blessed to know Mardell and fortunate to be in her presence, you could relax and be yourself -- completely at ease. This is the essence of the grace of God, is it not? In Mardell's presence, you could, for a tiny moment, experience that grace first hand.

Mardell's love for you wrapped you like a warm blanket. A mother of four, Laura said that her mother had a way of making each child feel special. She said that this talent was the source of a running joke in their family where Laura, Mary, Ross and Matt would each swear on a stack of Bibles that they were their mother's favorite. Well, I've got news for you, Laura. I happen to believe that I was your mother's favorite.

Mardell loved her family, sisters, husband, children and grandchildren fiercely, deeply. For them, she was available -- to talk, to cry, to watch movies, to sing, to dance, to play Play-Doh, to play cars, to play games. Mardell was "about" the people around her. The people around her felt the depth of that love.

And then, of course, there was the food. From almost the very first time that I met my husband, I heard about Mardell's food. He and his sisters tell stories about smelling cookies baking in the oven from the school playground. (When the family lived in Winfield, their house was right across the street from Whittier Elementary.) A Home Economics teacher to the core, Mardell would cook up a "light lunch" of Sloppy Joe's, a quick roast beef dinner, or have a special loaf of your favorite banana bread waiting for you when you arrived off the road.

Mardell's food made her irresistible. Gene tells that he would literally follow his nose to the Home Economics room where his music files, fresh baked cookies, coffee and Mardell were waiting. The 1958-59 yearbook picture of the engaged couple had the caption "Probably the most lasting Centre relationship to hold." They were right. Mardell and Gene would have been married 52 years this May 31. Gene remembers fondly Mardell's last words to him after he told her goodnight before he left the hospital -- "Good night, dear." It was a relationship born of cookies and built to last.

Mardell enjoyed magical feasts of all kinds. One of her favorite tasks was preparing the elements for communion on Sunday with her grandsons Luke and Ben. Gene recalled that she would carefully pour the wine into the individual communion glasses. As she did, she and the boys would name each person in the congregation and fill one cup especially with that person in mind. Mardell joyfully accepted the privilege of being God's hands and added to even mundane tasks her extra special serving of love.

Preparing and serving food was Mardell's way to communicate how much she loved you. From making her children's very favorite foods on request, regularly stocking the infamous DD drawer, sending food care packages to her kids in college, feeding neighborhood children and college friends, to feeding church members -- food was a way to get people to sit around a table, spend a few moments, laugh and enjoy being together.

One of Laura's friends, Steve Brazil, summed things up best when he wrote on Facebook: "Sloppy Joe and Frito stand moved. Better location. Primo lease."

As for me, what I loved most about Mardell was her playful spirit. I fell in love with it when I met and married her son, Ross. I discovered it's roots when I met Mardell.

We would be on the floor at her house, playing with the kids and cars. Mardell would be watching with that smile and twinkle -- the one that meant something was afoot. Suddenly you would notice something different about the little bus that had been in the car stash for months. There was something new, something you couldn't quite place. You picked it up to examine it more closely and then you would laugh...the good, healthy, belly laugh that came from a pleasant surprise. For there, cut and taped on the bus window was a tiny picture of Mardell's face!

I was also fascinated by the fact that here was a woman, older than my parents, who freely admitted to loving rock and roll. I asked each family member what was Mardell's favorite song. Laura and Mary came up with songs by the Carpenters, Burt Bacharach, and Paul Williams. Gene mentioned popular musicals and standards from the 40s. Ross and Matt - without hesitation - both said, "Bat Out of Hell." THAT was my Mardell.

Mardell loved to laugh. She laughed out loud. She laughed so hard she would cry. She loved laughing with her sisters, Jeanne and Deaun. She loved recounting stories of childhoods and family times spent at Lake Kahola because the memories made her laugh. She especially loved laughing with Luke, Ben, Sam, Isaac and Sophia. And, when others were laughing around her, she loved to watch -- basking in the energy, the joy, and the love that laughter creates. I loved laughing with Mardell. It is something I will always remember and something that I will always cherish.

Through conversation, through food, and through laughter, Mardell spent her life sharing her abundant store of love with others. Laura shared that when she was a child, Mardell would often squeeze her hand three times....I...Love...You. When they would go for a walk, she would give Laura that special squeeze, with that special twinkle in her eyes and Laura knew she was loved. It's a trick she did with all of her children, another one of those numerous little ways she communicated her love.

Toward the end of Mardell's life, words would elude her, cooking was difficult, and laughter didn't come easy. The last time Laura was with Mardell, she tucked her into bed, said good night and gave her mom the hand squeeze that had meant so much...I....Love....You. And Mardell squeezed back....I....Love....You. She was a giver of love to the very end.

Financial Literacy

For those of you who don't know, I am studying to become an Accredited Financial Counselor. What does this have to do with anything important you say?

Well, I must confess that I have been slightly embarrassed by our lack of ability in interesting the boys in any kind of money management activities. Any card carrying, AFCPE certified, Accredited Financial Counselor should have kids who KNOW THEIR FINANCIAL STUFF. True? I think so and I still have a few months left before I have no more excuses.

Add to this the fact that, every day of my work existence, I talk to 18-22 year old college students whose eyes glaze over at the mere mention of capitalized interest on a loan. I have seen the future, and it isn't pretty.

So. As of this week. And, after many, many, many, many failed allowance schemes.....(and here I must give credence to Karen Podschun who warned me that the failures would happen)....I think we have finally stumbled across something that just might work.

I'm not saying that I'm ready to write a book or anything. I'm just saying that this particular system appears to be achieving the ultimate goals -- a) to get the boys to manage their own financial decisions and to b) have them connect to the concept of "earning" money.

To get to this point in our lives, Ross and I had to get over the feeling that we were giving the boys something for nothing. We aren't. The boys have household expectations. They are and will remain active, full participants in the maintenance and upkeep of the home and yard. As such, (and this is the paradigm shift) they also get to share an appropriate for their age amount of the benefits of living in the household -- a.k.a. regular cash on a monthly basis auto-deposited into their checking account.

The amount that is deposited might make some uncomfortable, and that is where the fine print comes in.

First, to receive this amount, they both had to agree that they would give a portion of it to God -- which prompted an interesting conversation when the youngest asked, "Mom, exactly how do you write a check to God?"

Second, they had to agree that some of the amount had to be saved each month via auto debit into their savings account. This amount could not be touched for one entire year.

Third, they had to agree to always keep a minimum balance in their checking account as a safety. The youngest was particularly impressed with the fee charged by the bank for overdrafts and immediately saw the prudence of this particular rule.

Fourth, they are now in charge of any and all entertainment/electronic/game/i-tune expenses with three exceptions: 1) Mom and Dad will still give them presents for birthdays and Christmas. 2) They will still get a souvenier allowance on vacation. 3) There could be bonuses for things like good grades and quarterback sacks.

Last, but not least, if Mom and Dad have to do any chores that do not normally belong to us, we charge $10/hour for the service. That includes picking up dirty socks that are stuffed under the couch or behind the couch pillows as well as the ones that are hidden on the fireplace mantle tucked up under the greenery.

Since the implementation of this system, I have born witness to the following events:

Sam is having a friend over this weekend. "We want to go to a movie," he said. "That's a great idea," I said. "Do you have money to go to a movie?" He was silent for a while. (Context: Sam is saving up for an I-Pod Touch.)

"Maybe we could just watch TV," he said. We then had a brilliant conversation about where in town you can get a movie for FREE -- like the library. Neither boy had ANY idea this was possible. Which, quite frankly, is shocking because we have borrowed them from the library before. Obviously their minds were otherwise occupied at the time.

Isaac received his first actual piece of "official bank mail" this week. He was thrilled. This is heady stuff for a 9 year old. The mail contained his monthly statement, a flyer about what the bank does with personal information, an advertisement for e-banking and an updated fee schedule. I told him to look through the mail and tell me if he had any questions about what was in there. He silently and diligently began examining the paperwork at the dining room table.

"WHAT!" I heard him exclaim. "The ATM card fee went up to $7!" He was outraged. I nearly cried. I'm also happy to report that I am fairly certain that people visiting our home will have a smaller probability of discovering random, unauthorized dirty socks.

The day will come when we will have to levy the per hour charge. But for now, I am sitting here watching the boys rifling through the cleaning closet -- unbidden -- looking for supplies to clean the toilets in the bathroom. Life is very, very good.

Thoughts on Eat, Pray, Love

For those of you who follow my FaceBook page, I have an app called "I'm Reading" where I track the books that I am reading at any given time and give a short review of each after I'm finished. However, I am limited on this app to 1000 characters per book. For this book review, I must expand my characther length options.

Despite the views of critics, I watched Eat, Pray, Love at the movie theater because I have a soft spot for romantic stories and lush scenery. Not to mention my movie buddy and I needed something to watch for our quarterly trip to the movies together. This was the most promising flick at the time. We both agreed after watching the movie that it was o.k. Not great, but o.k. And, maybe a little bit too much sweetness and light.

The movie, and ensuing critical reaction intrigued me enough to read the book. It was a head trip. My husband is REALLY glad that it is over. And I gave myself The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins as a reward (which is a really, really good book).

Interestingly enough, I wrote this blog on the middle section of a church bulletin. Yes, I wrote it during church. I wrote it there because what was going on in my mind as I read this book was far more fascinating to me than what was going on in the book. Frankly, I am disturbed by this book. I went to church and sat for an hour with God trying to figure out why.

At the time, I was only part-way through Italy. I've talked to friends who stopped after reading Italy, unable to proceed. I eventually finished Italy, drug my eyeballs through the unyielding, suffocating sand of India (only out of respect for Richard from Texas) and swam through Bali like a boat wreck victim desperately trying to reach the shore. I read my words after I finished the book and they still apply. Here they are (with a few edits):

First of all, I have to give creedence and kudos to a woman who lays her heart out there for people. One of the biggest fears in life is to be exposed, naked showing all your warts, scars and imperfections. Because people look at them, comment on them, judge them. Marian Write Edelman once said, "If you're afraid of criticism, don't say anything, don't do anything, and don't be anything." God bless this woman for not being afraid.

And God, as the author has learned, isn't human. He is, as the author states, magnificent. "Oh Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" writes the psalmist. (Psalm 8:1) And I can only say, "Amen" to that.

This book is about a journey, the author's journey. Some journeys are harder than others. None of them are insignificant. Books like this remind me of the journey we are on, the road we are all walking. Pastor Hathoway, in today's sermon, calls it the Repentence Road; a great name. The "turning from sin" road. Such a long, dusty road it is, too.

I think about this book. I think about what the words say. I think carefully about what the words mean to me. I look at the reactions they illicit from inside of me. I examine myself as I read it, like a person studying herself through a two-way mirror.

I realize this heart that has been laid bare is on the journey with me in this life. And it is not my job to compare where we are on that road. It is not my job to chastise another for their experience on the journey. She doesn't need that. She needs me to love her. She needs me to pray that God continues to work in her life to keep her moving forward on the road. I ask you God what words, if any, I can say to help.

What I realize, again, while thinking about this book is that this author and I are still on the journey. Neither of us have arrived, even when we think we might have. And perhaps that is the point.

I ponder again a phrase that has been with me since the trip to the Grand Canyon. I don't know who said it originally. Google research has been unsuccessful. But someone earlier than me has stated that "....the journey is the destination."

The Redemption Road, slow and painful though it may be, brings us in touch with one another, with our humanness, with our ugly places. If we can lift our head up from focusing on ourselves and look around, out the window are some really lovely things to see.

Lord, Jesus Christ, give me the courage to bare my heart and to share the Road with my fellow man.