Conservative Papa

Moon over Home Depot, originally uploaded by Michael Sallmen.

Last Friday, Carolyn and I had a night out. Here is one of the places we visited — with a romantic moon overhead!

Family Walk, originally uploaded by Michael Sallmen.

Here are Andrew and Esther Joy walking with Mama. We took a family walk yesterday evening. Today I finally got the photo upload from my phone to this blog via Flickr to work properly. It helps to get the special Flickr email address typed in properly!

A year ago today, we brought home the second member of our automotive family: a 2006 Toyota Sienna. Carolyn chose this one because it has eight seats for future family expansion and few gadgets (no power doors, navigation, DVD, etc.) From the moment we saw it on the dealer’s lot, I dubed the color “pea soup.” Somehow, Carolyn liked it anyway — in spite of me, I think. (Toyota calls the color “silver pine mica.”)

We all love our mini-van, even though we put less than 8,000 miles on it this year. My, how much Andrew and Esther have changed since these pictures were taken last January!

Five years, three children, and more fun than a human being should be allowed to have!

The bug man had mentioned “hybrid black widow” spiders to Carolyn, so she wasn’t taking any chances with this specimin — except that she allowed me to risk life and limb catching it in a jar.

Here is our friend in the jar. You can see the metallic silver stripes on its back.

Here is the underside and the “hourglass” shape that worried Carolyn.

I have personally killed two real black widow spiders since we’ve moved to our current house, so they are definitely around. After a little research on the Internet, I determined that this arachnid is probably an Orchard spider. Unfortunately for this individual, it has a couple orange spots that resemble an hourglass.

Sorry about the fuzzy pictures. Getting my camera to focus on the spider was tricky.

Here is Isaac with his Aunt Marianne. She and Carolyn found this sunglasses key chain in a box of junk and decided to put it on the poor boy. Good thing he is manly enough to wear pink!

Carolyn usually says goodbye when I leave for work with the words, “drive safely.” Andrew has picked up the phrase and uses it as a mantra to the extent that I wonder whether I might be going to work as a crash dummy!

Today, after a “drive safely” admonition, Andrew reminded me that I should ask a policeman if I have any questions. Also, he assured me, a tow truck would tow my car away should I happen to get into an accident.

Last week, I was trying to watch the children while their mother grabbed a few much-deserved Z’s. Isaac became fussy, probably wanting to eat, I reasoned. Trying to delay the inevitable waking of Mama, the Maker of Food, I set him up in the baby swing. No dice. Isaac kept fussing.

Andrew and Esther knew what to do. They covered him with their ample supply of McDonald’s Beanie Baby bears. Before I knew it, Isaac was asleep!

Andrew went outside at dusk this evening and saw the Moon and Venus. He told Carolyn to look at the star. Then he said he could hear it singing and wasn’t it beautiful? This is what he heard.

Here we are in the operating room. A nurse offered to take our picture. For those who just have to know, Carolyn is still being put back together behind the drape!

The name Isaac means “laughter,” and Isaac is well on his way to living up to his name. Nathanael means “gift of God” or “God has given.” The modern spelling is Nathaniel, but we chose the New Testament spelling. Nathanael is the name of one of the Twelve Apostles. Jesus said of Nathanael, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” We hope that Isaac Nathanael will have a similar reputation. (more…)