09.16.07
Posted in family, kids
at 2:37 pm
Being the incredible dads that we are, Jason and I decided to go see Shrek Terzo yesterday, since school is about the start. My kids had already seen it in English, but it was brand new for me, Jason, and his kids.
About 15 minutes into the movie, Fiona’s dad, who is a frog, dies. And there’s an (uncomfortably?) long sequence where the family is gathered around this frog, listening to his final words of wisdom, before he finally croaks (get it?). And I’m watching this scene and BOOM! I’m back in the hospital in Kansas City right after dad’s car accident. I actually thought at one point how lucky the characters were, because they got to talk to their dad one last time. And then I think, “Did I just say the cartoon characters are lucky? What’s wrong with me?!” That’s sort of where I am at right now. I don’t get as choked up talking about the accident anymore. The nightmares have thankfully stopped. But the strangest images will bring it all right back again.
Does anyone know which stage of grief causes a person to think of their father when watching an animated frog die?
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07.30.07
Posted in Team, kids, technology
at 3:50 pm
I got a kick out of watching Trey play with my teammate’s Nintendo Wii. Somehow, as the littlest, his turn to play seems to get skipped sometimes. So as we were leaving their house, he told me he hadn’t gotten to play yet. So we all sat down to watch him play a round of Wii golf and Wii boxing.
And he was really good. I was really impressed at how he was able to just pick up the remote control and play it. The games really are intuitive enough that a five year old has no trouble at all. We all laughed as he went nuts during boxing, but was able to hit the golf ball really gently to knock it into the cup.
I suppose I need to start a Wii jar to save up our extra €€€.
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07.27.07
Posted in kids, language
at 3:04 pm
Even before we left the US, I was a little concerned about whether or not the Italian was going to come back after six months of little use. Some friends of ours who moved from Italy invited us over for dinner just before we came back to Italy. They speak a crazy mix of Italian, Spanish, and English at home, so we settled on Italian as the common language. And it was tough. It sort of reminded me that I really did lose some of that ability.
But somehow a switch has been flipped. It started at customs at the airport, when I had to explain to the agent why I was bringing 12 pieces of luggage, plus carry-ons, into Ancona. But I pulled it off!
Then today I noticed that the kids started calling me papà instead of dad. Later, Trey told me a story, and after realizing there were Italians around, he switched to Italian. All of these are little things that make me think that we will be able to switch back into our second language.
But keep reading the blog to read about all of our language goofs!
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06.30.07
Posted in family, kids
at 8:43 pm
The difference between my dad on Tuesday and my dad on Wednesday was obvious in some ways and invisible in others. After the accident, he was quickly put on a ventilator to keep his lungs inflated (I never really heard the exact number of broken ribs he had). Despite the medication to keep him relaxed, he still wiggled his toes when we tickled his feet. His brain wave monitor would go up when he heard our voices. And it went way up when the nurses gave him a bath (gross, I know). He showed all the normal reflexes. So in some way we knew that despite the sedation and injuries, he was in there somewhere.
But in the early morning on Wednesday, a clot blocked all blood flow to his brain. And all of the feet wiggling and brain waves were gone. The machines may have been breathing for him just like before. His heart was beating (with blood pressure better than mine!). But everything that made him “Dad” was gone.
Isn’t that the definition of a soul?
The kids had lots of questions for us. There were very few visible differences for them to define as their living grandpa and their not-living grandpa. And I struggled to explain to them that even though his heart beat and his lungs moved in and out, Grandpa wasn’t there anymore.
It’s a strange thing how subtle a difference there is between those two phases. James knew what he was saying:
13Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” —James 4:13-15
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06.17.07
Posted in church, home service, kids
at 3:37 pm
We’ve been very privileged to be a part of the Central Christian Church Vacation Bible School. Several months ago they asked us if we would be their missionaries for this year’s VBS. I was a little nervous, not really knowing what to expect. Now that it’s over I realize that I had nothing to be nervous about. Teaching about 170 kids about what it’s like to be a missionary in Italy can be a little overwhelming, but we had a blast trying. We were also blessed by an offering from the kids each night. They had a goal to raise $1,000, which they tracked each night with a little car with all of our heads sticking out navigating an Italian road. On the next-to-last night the kids had raised about $950. They were very close to the goal. Everyone was amazed when, after counting the final night’s offering, the total was over $1,900! Amazing!
We are planning on using the offering to get some kind of vehicle in Ancona. We’re not in a huge rush to get something, but we’ll have our eye open to see what God puts in our lap.
Thanks, kids, at Central! And thanks to all the workers who helped pull of an awesome VBS!
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05.25.07
Posted in home service, kids
at 6:32 pm
I was just checking my email when Trey came up to me and asked…
“Dad, do people have to cut the skin off of penguins before they eat them?”
Uhhh… I don’t think people eat penguins. But I suppose you would have to. Wouldn’t you? Or is it like chicken?
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05.18.07
Posted in family, home service, kids
at 1:59 pm
We were very happy to have beautiful weather nearly the entire time we spent in Iowa visiting my dad. The kids were able to play outside all the time, and it was good for them to just run around and be kids.
One evening, my dad surprised Lance with a little present. He had noticed Lance taking an interest in baseball. My sister had just joined a softball team, and spent some time in the backyard practicing. Lance was somehow hooked. The kids haven’t been exposed to baseball very much - it just isn’t popular in Italy.
My dad called Lance over and placed his very old, very worn baseball glove in his hands. Lance’s eyes were huge, and the only thing he could say was a sheepish, “Thanks” and a big hug. He ran outside to go try it out.
Throughout the next few days, my dad found an old baseball bat and baseball for them to play with. He learned to toss the ball up in the air and practice hitting. And he got really good! Since we’ve been back in Rockford there hasn’t been a day where he hasn’t gone outside to practice - and so far no broken windows!
I guess it’s time to find a baseball team in Ancona.
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05.17.07
Posted in home service, kids
at 6:46 pm
Trey is currently sitting on the exam table after his checkup. The doctor is filling out paperwork. I and the other kids are sitting in the room, waiting for the doctor to finish.
Trey: Doctor…?
The doctor continues his paperwork…
Trey: Doctor…?
No response
Trey: Doctor!
Doctor: Yes?
Trey: Am I crazy?
The room chuckles
Doctor: Well that’s up to your dad!
A few moments pass…
Trey: Doctor…?
The doctor continues his paperwork…
Trey: Doctor…?
No response
Trey: Doctor!
Doctor: Yes?
Trey: I have a lot of gas.
The room erupts into uncontrollable laughter, and the kids notice that dad’s face is bright red.
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04.13.07
Posted in family, home service, kids, travel
at 8:59 pm
So we’re in America on “furlough.” Furlough is kind of a strange word that doesn’t mean much to people I think. No one is really sure what exactly it is, probably because we’ve only heard of missionaries taking one. Many missionaries use other names for it like “home service.”
Furlough sounds like a big vacation, which I am learning it is not. While it has been wonderful visiting with so many people who have lots of encouraging things to say about the work in Ancona, at the same time it has been very difficult to be away from our home in Italy and the work there. We sort of feel like we have a foot in each culture, not exactly comfortable in either one. It’s hard to live out of suitcases. Traveling takes its toll on a family with small children. Just the number of people and churches that we want to see is enough to make our heads spin!
I feel ungrateful as I go back and reread what I have written. So many people have sacrificed to give us a great home in Rockford while we are here. People have thrown open their arms to welcome us wherever we have gone. It’s been a huge blessing to see the kids reconnect with Grandmas and Grandpas, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Furlough is an interesting beast. It certainly isn’t a vacation. But it’s not the day-to-day life of ministry in Italy. One of these days I’m going to come up with a really good name for it.
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Posted in home service, kids
at 8:15 pm
Heidi’s dad surprised us one day by telling us that he wanted to get the kids four-wheelers. He has quite a few acres of land, complete with trails that go through the woods, which are perfect for four-wheeling. So when the vehicles (and helmets) arrived, we drove the kids out to the farm to try them out.
The four wheelers have a speed control on them, so we decide how fast they get to go. Trey’s hardly can make it up a hill, and we are just fine with that!
Lance, however, is a little more confident in his off-roading abilities. So we have been gradually increasing the speed of his four-wheeler. He’s mostly careful, but you can see in the smile on his face as he makes a tight corner that the testosterone in him is fighting for control of his normally reserved personality. One day, he sharply turned as he was about to go down a hill. His four wheeler flipped, and Lance went flying.
Those of you who know us know that I am much more calm and collected in emergencies. Heidi flails about and panics. But for some reason our roles switched and I went running out there and Heidi stayed put. Lance got right back up, shook his head, and said “Woah.” For the first time I think he realized that there is a little bit of danger involved here. In those few seconds while I brushed him off and made sure he was OK, I could see in his face a maturity that I haven’t seen in him before. He looked me in the eyes and said, “I’ll be more careful next time.” And I was proud of him when he hopped back on and tried again.
Heidi and I are learning not to worry too much. They’re having such a good time being with Grandpa as they explore the trails in the woods. And maybe Lance is learning lessons that he’ll remember when I hand him the keys to the car for the first time.
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