Unless someone drops off another piece of furniture here, I am happy to report that ALL our furniture is in place. It took a lot of doing, particularly with everyone gone today, but between meetings I managed to horse all the remaining pieces up the stairs and into place. Thank God!

People have different ways of handling their depression. Some cry, some sleep, others throw themselves into the world of comfort food. But what does one do when their Cowboy Grandpa leaves to return to Kansas? He gets a blanket, his Polar Express movie, and then shares his issues with his dog on the couch in their “office.” And fortunately the dog is a good listener, if you can get by the fact that he always falls asleep when you are talking, because Ben seemed fine by the end of the day. It appears it was all acute. But with toddlers just about everything is. And with Ben, cute is a part of just about every word we use to describe him.

Amanda’s dad is here from Kansas, a victim of my wife buying a couple of pieces of furniture and then sweet talking him into bringing them out to her. He and his friend Gary drove the unbelievably long journey yesterday, because she is persuasive and persistent when she wants something. It reminded me of how she begged for months before getting me to propose, but I suppose when something is that worth it, she has to do what she has to do…but I digress.

I normally am on top of things, but tonight I feel a bit frustrated. I was supposed to be hosting a conference call this evening with my clergy, and not only did I forget, but only one of them remembered and called me about it. I was not goofing off when I got his call, but painting. It was embarrassing. I really should have remembered.

Yes, my daughter turned 19 today, and although I know she is away at college, I do feel this incredible sense of guilt in that it is the first birthday of hers that I have not been with her to celebrate. We did send her a gift, and Amanda did arrange a sneaky surprise dinner for her and her friends, which I originally spelled “fiends,” (too funny huh?) thanks to her friend Lindsey (THANKS LINDSEY!). But of course I would have rather been there myself.

This morning Ben had a total meltdown. Of course his world has been turned upside down, and his schedule has been majorly disrupted, but it certainly didn’t make things any easier……on any of us.