Snowing in Iowa

Eric's on a snowy road today. He left yesterday afternoon with Braden, heading for Des Moines.
Tonight Braden & Eric's parents will drive to Omaha & fly to Phoenix to hang with Grandpa & Grandma Boehlje till Tuesday. We're really excited about this opportunity for Braden to see Arizona & get some quality 4 on 1 time with the grandparents & great grandparents. I see a bit of spoiling in his future...but that's ok, I suppose. He will enjoy roller blading & swimming with Grandpa Dykstra...and probably eating "out"a lot. Braden actually took his first steps in the Boehjle's house in Mesa when he was 9 months old!

I'm praying for Eric's safety. He called me from Clear Lake, IA, about 2 hours ago, where he was stopping for coffee. Off the interstate, the roads weren't plowed. But he HAD to go to the coffee shop in old-town Clear Lake, as McDonald's or Casey's coffee would be totally unacceptable. The funny part: He got out of the van to run across the street & go into the coffee shop-- and got yelled at by an "old lady" ... "Young man, where's your coat? You should be wearing a coat in this weather!" Then, inside the coffee shop, "You're traveling? Where you from? You shouldn't be traveling today! You should stop and wait this storm out." Apparently everyone in small town Iowa has a grandparent complex. Made him feel like a farm boy again. :-)

Holland and Aidan are experiencing life for the first time without Braden. I think they like it just a bit, but I have a funny feeling that they will be very happy when he gets back home. Holland & Aidan are such good buddies, I wonder how Aidan will handle being home "alone" next year when Holland goest to school full-time.

I was able to lead small group last night, as "substitue teacher" since Eric was gone. Jumping off the Olympics theme, we talked about the passages in scripture where Paul refers to the Christian life as a race--and we are told to throw off sin that weighs us down & train ourselves to run "so as to win the prize". I'm no Eric--but the group went OK. I think. Of course, who would say, "Kelly, it stunk" ?? At least the food was great. Nikki & Derrick brought spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, AND cake. YUM.

I had two little people sleeping in my room last night. If you don't count Aidan's horizontal sleeping position, feet right in my stomach, and Holland's teeth grinding and snoring (yes, she does both)...it was a great night.