Rain and Family Togetherness

It is raining again this morning. I woke up around 3:45 a.m. and realized I was hearing raindrops over the sound of the fan (Tara and I run a fan in our room because it blocks out the other noises that tend to wake someone up during the night). So I went to the open window because I enjoy rain and the experience of listening to rain is not one you can choose... you have to wait until it rains to enjoy it.

While I was listening, I heard the sound of the water sloshing over the gutter, so I went outside and cleaned the low gutter to prevent any sloppage onto the laundry room wall. This was easy and I soon returned to bed.

Avery got up early and ate three pancakes all by herself. She is a big eater for someone who doesn't even weigh twenty pounds. During breakfast, Tara and I noticed that Avery babbles conversationally at us, but doesn't really seem to mean anything by the syllables. I don't remember the boys doing that, or at least much of that. It always seemed, even if they were unintelligible, that the boys always meant something when they spoke. Evan, in particular, by the time he was Avery's age, was already fairly conversational.

I had some wonderful insights yesterday afternoon while mowing with Toby, but I cannot remember any of them now.

Speaking of yesterday, we decided to have a family day. We loaded up all the kids in the morning and headed for grandpa's house. Then we drove past a house near downtown that might be a possibility for our family. After that we arrived at one of the highlights of the day, a trip to HOM furniture, which is new in town as of this spring. Now most children I know do not relish a trip to the furniture store, but mine are different. I took Evan and Aidan to HOM furniture a few weeks ago, and they absolutely loved it. Partly, I think, it was the acres of gorgeous furniture, partly the see-through glass elevator, and partly the free chewy cookies and drinks from the soda dispenser.

So we took all four children to HOM yesterday. They had a great time again, and Tara and I got to dream about what it might be like to have new furniture. We did have new furniture once, right after we were married, but it was furniture that we bought off a truck. You know, one of those deals where the truck sets up on a vacant corner lot and you can buy a three piece set (couch, loveseat, chair) for $550.

We also went to two graduation open houses for lunch and after lunch, sandwiching in some time at Saver's and Aldi's as well. Then we came home (not HOM) and I mowed for a while in anticipation of the increasing precipitation.

Well, I've got to get ready for church. Have a good Lord's Day, y'all.