SUMMER

Hello all...

Summer is here in full humid swing! I have had to add coolant to the car twice, my neck got so hot I cut my hair 3" shorter, and the A/C is running pretty much 24/7! I am however, learning to barbecue. Jeff has been gone quite a bit this past month or two, and I decided that it was time I was able to grill meat myself. I started small with some sausages (precooked meat that only gets better as it burns!) and I must say, they turned out quite well. My first attempt at chicken was a bit less successful and I have realized that I am not especially fond of sticking my hand into burning flames. Nevertheless, I persist in my quest to provide delicious charbroiled meals for my loved ones!

Summer has been a bit quiet so far. Brittany and David are both working so much and Christian spends much of his day off on adventures with neighborhood friends, so I am finding myself alone quite a bit. I'm not enjoying it like I thought I might! I find the house too quiet and rather lonely. Perhaps I am fonder of the chaos than I realized. We did have a nice visit from Grandma, and are preparing for a whole slew of relatives this next week. We have all sorts of fun things planned and eagerly anticipate their arrival!

Brittany turned 17 yesterday. I can't believe she is growing up so quickly. About this time next year we will probably be busy getting her all prepared to leave for college. She has had a difficult week. She and her boyfriend of 1-1/2 years broke up and she is feeling pretty brokenhearted. I, in turn, have found it hard to watch her hurting, but have been so thankful to see her turn to the Lord with her sadness. She is growing up to be a godly young lady and although I find myself just wanting time to slow down a bit, I know the Lord is going to do great things with her life.

Not quite my usual lighthearted fare, but sometimes life doesn't always feel so lighthearted. It's been a difficult week, but also a reminder that God is so good, so faithful and his love is unfailing!

Call Me June... (this is for you Sarah!)

Well, I've changed my blog user name... After switching computers and losing her bookmarks, my sister was searching for the Indiana Update and attempted to find it by browsing "Amazon Temptress" only to be given several unsavory options. We certainly cannot have that! Therefore I have attempted to choose a more wholesome name, and since I am often compared to June Cleaver, I thought this appropriate. We are thinking of changing Christian's name to Beaver as well.

"The Amazon Temptress" hails back to a birthday greeting that Jeff and I gave my sister years ago with a funny cartoon which said "Happy Birthday from the Jungle Stud and his Amazon Temptress." It garnered many laughs and we have referred to it often in the ensuing years. However, I am now officially retiring it in the name of good taste and from this moment forward, just call me June...

Well, I'm feeling rather ashamed of myself and my blatant comment seeking. Thank you to those of you who took mercy on me in my mire of insecurity! (A special thanks to my new best friend Peter, who started the comment ball rolling!) I had to deliver a lecture to one of my offspring this morning on the danger of indulging ourselves in self-pity, and I think some of it sunk in, for me at least! I shall endeavor to continue my blogging simply for the sheer joy it brings me, and the opportunity it provides to keep my typing skills finely honed!

Brittany is in a bit of a spat with her boyfriend this evening. This is not a completely uncommon occurrence. 17-year-old boys (I had originally inserted a reference to his home school years, but Jeff told me I should delete it!) are not the most sensitive souls, not especially gifted at reading the varying emotions of 16-year-old girls. I love Christian romance novels, and will gladly stay up until 3:00am reading a good one, but let me just say, not too many men-folk of my acquaintance can interpret a woman's thoughts simply by the observing a slight downward turn of her chin. I've sent David in to do the periodic eavesdropping, and I drop in with the occasional reminder to behave in a way that would be pleasing to the Lord. Jeff and I are not real believers in the "children need their privacy" theory (although I'd like to add a disclaimer that I do not publish anything about my family on this blog without asking their permission!) We subscribe more to the "your business is our business" school of thought!

Jeff and I are contemplating the purchase of a power washer. I have decided this is a household chore that I enjoy a great deal. There is something so satisfying about blasting cobwebs, bird droppings and bugs off the side of the house with an incredibly powerful water wand. It is much more satisfying than oh say, spending hours lovingly washing, folding and putting away a child's laundry only to find it in the hamper hours later, sometimes still folded, occasionally even still on a hangar!

Well, we're almost through with our first week of summer vacation... Brittany has spent one night at home, we've had three baseball games and a golf match postponed due to rain, our car battery died in the parking lot of holiday world while picking David up from work, Brittany hates her job because someone left dirty boxers and fake poo in one of the campers she cleans, Christian is banned from TV, computer games, PS2 and just about everything good in his life for the next 2 weeks, Jeff's "Honey-do" list is not getting much smaller due to the insane amount of rain we've had, and I tripped and fell on the stairs at church and have a bruised-up leg, although the only thing really hurt was my pride! We have however, rather loosely kept to "the schedule" so all in all, I'm pretty happy with the week.

I have been discouraged with this blogging thing lately. I did not have a single comment on my last blog, however my husband received 7 or 8 comments for NOT blogging! This doesn't seem quite fair in my book. I was actually rather pleased with my previous blog, thinking it was rather entertaining, although my husband said it was a smidge self-deprecating, but nary a comment did I receive. I suppose this shouldn't be that important to me, I should write solely for the love of it, for the sheer joy I receive in capturing the trivia of my life on paper. But alas, I am a hopeless praise-monger, and I like to feel like you are all on the edge of your seat, chomping at the bit to keep up on the goings on of the Indiana Graves! Surely life just isn't complete without it!

On a good note, Christian and I are done with our Father's Day shopping. 2-1/2 weeks early to boot! I can't tell you what we bought, since my husband occasionally reads my blog, because of course, I ask him to! Suffice it to say, I think we've been rather creative this year and found some goodies he will not be expecting but will enjoy! Jeff is so clever at figuring out his gifts and it frustrates me to no end. For Christmas I knew he would be expecting some of the items, as they were right off his list (figuratively, he doesn't actually make a list!) but I thought I had come up with two pretty good ones, a subscription to Netflix and "A Mighty Wind" DVD. He hadn't mentioned them, we hadn't discussed them, there was no possible reason why he should have been even thinking about them, but lo and behold about a week before Christmas he just guessed them right out of the blue. I think I picked up one of the boxes and smacked him over the head with it. Anyways, I think I have a chance at suprising him this time. I will say no more, lest I give him a hint!

The laundry is calling my name, must go!