Laura's Twentieth

We had a good night's sleep and Beth had found one of those sleep masks for you like they give in first class on the airlines. The sun comes up right outside our bedroom window. It's a beautiful sight if you've had enough sleep. I know I can put the second pillow over my head and continue sleeping if I'm still tired. I just keep hoping I won't want to. Our room is above the kitchen and two things happen: 1) the heat from the stove keeps us warm and 2) we can hear people when they're in there. The voices are happy sounds for me; I love being with these people, my sisters, my brother and their families. This house often reminds me of the beginning of the first two 'Home Alone' movies when the families are coming together, calling to one another over all kinds of racket, kids running all over the house, and things are happy and chaotic. It's a rare and joyous time for me.

On Sunday morning we went to church. Sue, Dan, Chris and the kids arrived shortly before we left. They had driven over twenty hours straight through from Rohnert Park. Chris and Dan were exhausted and went to bed almost immediately. You and they stayed home from church. Beth, Mark and I went the seven miles in his truck. The services are a little long but engaging, and the social hour is always full of homemade cookies and treats. It's a rare happening nowadays; my church fuels its coffee hour at Costco. People are friendly and speak their minds. Many of them watch Fox News and dislike California. I find it interesting to see how attitudes vary from place to place. I found myself gently telling the pastor that I love where I live, the weather is always perfect, and I think it's beautiful. He kept talking about blistering heat, Death Valley, and how he couldn't wait to get out of California when he had been there.These folks are very literal about the Bible, and I wonder what they'd think about people like Rob Bell and Donald Miller, two of my favorite Christian thinkers and questioners. Would they be open to the questioning? Would they be uncomfortable? Would they consider the questioning heretic?

After sleeping while we were at church, you were up for most of the afternoon and evening. We went for a walk right about sunset:4:15. The days are short here. The sun rises at 7:30 and sets at 4:00. If you stay in pajamas too long, you don't need to bother taking them off. Beth made spaghetti for dinner. It was much like Mom used to make. You never knew my mom, and until recently, that hasn't mattered too much. But your judgments of what happened in my parents' marriage can't exist in the vacuum you've created. There is a complex story there. All marriages are complex; ours should make that clear to you. Both my parents contributed to its demise. And her spaghetti was very good.

Laura turned twenty today. It felt empty not to be with her but this was the price we had to pay in order to come up here this year. Laura only had Friday, Sunday and Monday off from school. She's already missed too many days and will have to stay extra weeks at the end of her program in order to get in the requisite hours to graduate. Since your cell phone is the only one that works up here, you called her and asked her to call you at 6:30 p.m. When she called, we ALL sang 'Happy Birthday' to her. She and Kyle were on their way to drive the go-carts in Azusa again, and then they were going to spend the night at our house. She was thrilled with our singing; it really surprised her to hear our voices together, all thirteen of us.

Dad is supposed to come home tomorrow or the next day. Carmi had called as we were leaving for church to tell us the physical therapist had done the home visit and said everything was okay for Dad to return. Carmi now has a week to get Dad trained on keeping the door and his mouth closed.

Mike, Joy and Scott left Sonoma this morning and should be up here for Monday evening.