Sunday responsibilities and relaxation!

Every Sunday starts out the same, get out of bed, hurry and get ready, and get to church by 9 for the boys to go to Sunday School.  This Sunday was a bit different because my littlest man has gotten brave enough to sleep away from home and he stayed at grandma and grandpa's last night.  My oldest brother was in town for the weekend and the kids - all 6 of them - have always wanted every second of his attention when he's here.  He  is the definition of a perfect uncle.  He tries very hard to attend everything he can - even though he lives almost 4 hours away and has a job that takes him not only across the country but across the world, on a regular basis.  He came to town on Friday afternoon in time to watch my niece play tennis.  Then he went to the local high school football game to see our brother, who was working security for the PD there.  Saturday morning, he was up bright and early at at our house by 8 for breakfast with us and then went with us to my boys soccer game at 9.  We have another nephew that played at noon, so back we went for that game.  And in between and after, there were frisbees thrown, soccer balls kicked, footballs thrown, and Yahtzee and Kerplunk were both played.  Oh and I didn't even mention that the last time he was home and playing Jail Break with the kids, he broke his finger - so he's doing all of these things with a little cast on his throwing hand.  I honestly can't think of anything major that he has missed except my oldest son's high school graduation - his excuse??  He flipped over his handlebars on his bike in the woods (his shoes were attached to the pedals so the whole bike went with him) and he broke his collarbone.  So he made the graduation party the weekend before but couldn't come for the graduation because he wasn't able to drive and the pain was too much for him to ride that far.  So Uncle Tom brought him to church for us.  I am on the nominating committee for the new Deacon's and Elder's coming on board for next year.  We had a meeting after church to start "recruiting" names for these positions.  It was the first meeting so it was a bit longer than most of them will be so we ended up being at church until 1. 

We came home to have lunch and all the boys wanted to do was play football and basketball.  I wanted to go somewhere and enjoy the beautiful sunshine while we can - it's gong to be rare to have warn sunny days here, very soon.  I said, we should do something as a family and one of the boys said, "we do, we go to Disney every year together".  I admit that I was a bit upset at first but then I thought about it - they don't get to just play outside with their dad very often so I let it go.  I did indoor things like laundry, dishes, organized a closet that I haven't touched since we moved in (that felt great, btw!!).  I also watched the bottom of the screen to keep updated on my Beloved Cleveland Browns score.  I wanted to get excited when they were up 23 to 10 but I know how terrible they are when it comes to "protecting" a lead!!  They actually pulled it out and got their first win of the season.  My brother had left for home after he left the church so he was able to watch the game at a sports bar.  He and my dad "watch" the games together on the phone.  This year though, my dad didn't get the football package in protest of the ridiculous cost!!  So my brother gives him the play by play on his cell phone from in the bar - it's kind of cute actually.  They do the same thing on Saturdays for the Ohio State games.  Football is a huge part of my family and I miss it that my dad didn't get the football package because we would go over every single Sunday after church to watch the Browns with grandpa.  I don't blame him though - having the football package has gone from $99 to over $300 and when your team constantly loses, you decide it just isn't worth it lol!!  Still I wonder what he does between plays when there are only 2 games to watch - when he got all the games, I never really knew which game we were watching because like most men, the channel would flip constantly (only on commercials of the Browns game though!!) 

Sunday nights our small group meets.  There are 5 couples (and 10 kids!!) in our group.  We are doing a great study right now on Building up your Spouse.  We have a good marriage - we fight, of course, who doesn't??  But since we started this study in June, I truly feel we have become closer.  We are reading the Bible together.  We are seeing how little things that you may say or do, can really hurt someone else, and you never even knew it.  We are taking more time for each other.  The other great thing is the ties that have come from our group.  4 of us were close before and the 5th couple is a little older, they have grown children, and are newer to our church.  We have gotten to know them and they all of us in a way that we never would have without this group.  I know it has caused me to reexamine myself and I am working at what I have identified as my short comings.  One thing that I can say should be true for everyone, it's all in how you say something - ask, don't tell so to speak.  I am pretty sensitive and can take things the wrong way, working on that hasn't been so easy but with prayer, I will get through it :)