Child-like faith

During Steve's second ER visit last week, our minister, Don, stopped by to check on us. He had been writing his sermon for the week when he learned that Steve was at the hospital. So he left Starbucks (one of his favorite creative spots) and drove over.

He shared a funny story with us that was the lead of his sermon:

Every year our preschool holds two President Day parades and many of your children were part of this year’s flag waving throng! After all was said and done, an annoyed Pre-Ker named Jack announced, "We had two HUGE parades for the President …and he didn't even come!

The rest of the sermon is here.

Recent photos

Cooper won the award for the Cubbiest Car at the Pinewood Derby.

Katie and her new rainboots

Katie, her friends and Tyra at the preschool Valentine's Day party

Cooper and some of his first-grade buddies at his Valentine's Day party

Steve and Ami

Ami and Tyra before she leaves last week

Morning before President's Day parade at preschool

Bunco friends

A couple of years ago Jackie and Byron moved to the neighborhood. Jackie wasted no time in pulling together a fun group of women who meet once a month to eat dinner, drink a little, visit and play bunco.

Bunco is a game that requires little skill -- just the ability to roll dice, grab dice and count. That's perfect for us on a Friday night. We're usually tired from commuting, working, volunteering and/or chasing children around all week. The game is not really the point (though some are much more competitive than others -- prizes are at stake!). The best part is catching up on everyone's lives.

Last week we met at Amy's house. She started a great new tradition for the group this year. She e-mails everyone in advance to ask for pantry or household goods to donate to a local charity. Last week we also gathered for a group photo. (We're missing a couple of regulars but were happy to have some subs.)


These friends are an important part of the network that is helping our family through Steve's illness. We are lucky to have such caring neighbors.

New hair

Steve, Cooper & Katie this Sunday before church

Until this week, Cooper has had the same hairstyle pretty much since he had enough hair to shape and style. Sometimes it looked like a bowl cut, others like a mushroom. I loved it -- one length, thick, smooth, shiny. He definitely didn't look like most other little boys. (And it was very similar to my hair from when I was 5, which I realize may seem strange and is not what all boys aspire to. But he loved it, too.)

For about three years, we had the best hairdresser -- Sylvia, at a local kids-only shop. She knew how to work around his occasional curls and always finished with a straight, even cut. But she left the state a few months ago, and we've been roaming from one place to the next, in search of a Sylvia substitute.

I took him to a nearby guys kind of place this week, and the woman helping us insisted that he needed something more masculine, something to get rid of the flippiness on the ends.

Me: Well, I don't know. What would you do exactly?
Pushy lady: Oh, just layer it in the back.
Me: Would it look the same in the front?
Pushy lady: Yes, oh yes. I like the length in front. He just needs to look more like a boy.
Me: Oh, I'm not sure about this.
Pushy lady: Really, it will be fine.

The whole time I was thinking in my head, "I'm not ready for any additional drastic changes! It's just hair, and I know it will grow, but can't we just keep this the same?!" But I didn't want to spill out all that turmoil on the lady with the scissors in her hand. And Cooper said he was willing to try something different.

Well, he looks like a completely different person. Handsome and beautiful, of course, but different. Julie noted that you notice his eyes even more. I think it makes him look older, too.

And he loves it, which I know is most important.

Cooper the day after his haircut (dressed as a meteorologist for career day)