A Gallon of Water and Church Camp, Amen

I don't remember his name but I remember where I knew him from - Bethany Hills. This church camp in Tennessee I attended as a teenager was the setting for my first lesson in fighting a cold.

He-whose-name-I cannot-remember got sick while at the weekend camp, and instead of going to get medical help or drugs, he instead lugged around a gallon jug of water. My having been used to the idea that once you're sick you pop a pill, I was fascinated by what I considered his naive approach to illness.

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Katie Jo Sees A Face In The Tornado Cloud...

If you live here in Atlanta you know, but if you don't you might have heard, that several tornadoes hit the area last weekend. One actually hit downtown Atlanta and was captured on camera by local photographer Shane Durrance.

So last night my girlfriend came home CONVINCED she saw a face in the cloud, after she and a friend analyzed Shane's picture (over a bottle of wine, let me add.) I thought it was a stretch, but what do you think?

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Bert Wants More Couple Time

Wow. It's been way too long since I've written here. Way too long. But life gets busy, ya know?

Speaking of busy, did you see this: "Mom's and dads get to be alone as a couple for an average of just FIFTEEN MINUTES a day before going to sleep, a survey revealed yesterday. The precious moments when they can relax, chat or have sex add up to less than ten days a YEAR. Typically they get five minutes together in the morning and ten minutes at night as they go to bed. On average they will get in a babysitter once a month for a night out. Once a year they manage to spend a single night away from home without the kids.

Can this be true? Stacey and I are really, really lucky. Her mother moved down from Maryland five years ago when Hayden was born. Plus, our babysitting depth chart goes about three deep. So we're really lucky to be able to do our date night every Wednesday night. Then we usually get a night out on the weekend if we want, too. I know some couples that will go months without hanging out alone together. Maybe they can't get somebody to watch the kids? With some, even if they have help they just don't feel right leaving the house without the kids. The wife of a former co-worker of mine went their baby's first three years without ever leaving the house without the baby. Is this the rule or the exception?

But still, it's no wonder couples have such a tough time staying connected. Even after we put the kids to bed and we finally do get some time to hang out it's the the last crumbs of the day and we're both exhausted. Too many times we'll sit on the couch mindlessly watching television and not talking.

I'm sure there's a future blog entry about managing time. It feels like no matter how I change my schedule I never have enough time to do the things well. Like I feel so average at every aspect of my life 'cause I feel like I'm just rushing through things to get to the next thing. Most times there's not a lot of enjoyment. It's just a bubbling anxiety that I won't get to everything I have to get to. If any of you have figured out this balance I so want to know how you do it!

Melissa Gets A Hybrid

That's right. I am part of the Hybrid Movement officially, after getting a Saturn Vue Hybrid. No endorsement, my own personal car.

Why the Saturn, you ask? Honestly, because I was able to get a great deal from a private owner.

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