Jim's Birthday

Jim's birthday was Sunday. We got up and went to SS and church as usual...and then planned on heading down to the lake house to see Jim's parents for dinner. Jim's youngest brother, Jeff, was there...along with his wife and two children. Their 16 year old daughter brought two of her friends with her, so we didn't see much of them. And their son does this thing where he hides from us...or whoever happens to be there at the time. He will not speak, and will slink around and crawl under tables and not say a word. He's 8. He is a really sweet and smart kid. I don't think he acts like that anywhere else but at the lake house. We didn't see much of him, either.

My father-in-law was frying fish and he always does a great job. Jim's mom does the inside part, like making the coleslaw, and he does the outside part. I noticed Jim's Dad...we call him "Oscar," after Oscar-the-grouch on Sesame Street. Anyway, I noticed Oscar was being unusually kind and helpful.

What is it "they" say? "There's your sign?" Yeah.

I've written about him before. I love him, but he is a MESS...with a capitol M. And the two of them together is almost more than you can take some days.

Think Frank and Marie Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)...only worse.

If you are a fan of the show, you'll remember that they argued about everything: the difference between a pot and a pan...a yard and a lawn...fork-split or knife-split...and whether animals go to "animal heaven" or "people heaven."

I loved that show.

But this is real life...and, last night, my in-laws got into an argument about wasting ice.

ICE, people.

And I realize this is a first world problem, but there are at least 3 refrigerators at the lake house, and numerous ice-chests. We have us some ice. Just sayin'.

And, just sayin' that I want more than one small ice-cube in my iced-tea. Unless I'm on a mission trip to the jungle, when I will drink my luke-warm tea and be thankful.

Oscar went ON AND ON telling Jack (my mother-in-law), "DON'T WASTE ICE, JACK" by filling up everyone's glasses too much "BECAUSE THE TEA IS ALREADY COLD."

Tonight, Clark was telling us that when Oscar took him and Faith out fishing in the boat, he snagged his line on something and started to say a not-so-nice word or three. Which, he probably would've let fly, if Faith hadn't been in the boat. And then he said, "whoops, whoops! I almost said my Sunday School lesson back'ards."

Do you see what I'm dealing with?

Also, they now have a "house-guest" for the summer who is living on the 3rd floor. And she's a real, live person that they've now met. It's a standing joke that there have been people living on the 3rd floor for years...and they don't know it because they never go up there. Anyway, this house-guest is a distant cousin of my sister-in-law, and needed a place to stay for a couple of months.

SO THAT WASN'T WEIRD AT ALL to have this random girl we've never seen or met...going in and out...along with her sister...and her MOTHER...

Not awkward at ALLLL.

I didn't bring a cake for Jim, because my mother-in-law always likes to have one at her house. She usually goes and gets one from the grocery store. This year, she didn't get one and I didn't bring one, either. Poor Jim!

He didn't mind at ALL.

We are thankful for our family...the good, bad and the nutty. On the way home, Clark said that he is very thankful that we live close enough to run down for the day and see his grandparents.

Me, too.

"I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as my ancestors did..." 2 Timothy 1:3