Highlights: Swimming, Mom's Night Out, Concert on the Square

This morning we went for our weekly groceries. In the store, we were playing a game when I couldn't find boxed scalloped potatoes. J would say, "Are they over there?" and point to something and then say "No!" I'd say, "Are they over THERE?" and point to something else. He got a kick out of it.

Today in my devotional time I finished Luke 23 and started Luke 24. It starts off with Joseph, a good and upright man it says, who took Jesus' body down, wrapped it in linen and placed it in a tomb. The women who had been following him came the next morning with spices and perfume. Beth says they had probably been weeping in painful solitude remembering their encounters with him the night before they came to the tomb. While they wondered where his body went, two angels came. The women fell on their faces, they were filled with awe. Here they learn he has risen. They immediately went and told the apostles who did not believe them. Peter himself ran to the tomb and seeing it empty first hand was left wondering what had happened. Beth reminds us of our calling to also be credible witnesses of Jesus Christ.

After a late lunch, J kept asking to go swimming at the Y so I got our swim things together. Before we left, he was "reading" my parents magazine and comes running over. He says "my car, mommy! J's car!" I follow him over and he points to the page and sure enough there was a little picture of the car we use instead of a stroller. On the way as I played the radio, he was asking for Elvis so I found the 50's CD and played some for him. It's so funny how he loves Elvis. At the Y, you have to take a shower before you swim. J was reminding me saying, "take a shower mommy". He was having so much fun in the shower, I thought he forgot about swimming. He would run into the water, scream this little high pitched scream and run out. Finally, we went swimming. It was a good time, with lots of kicking and splashing. The main thing he wanted to do though was climb up the stairs and then walk a bit on the side of the pool and then go down the stairs. He was just really fixated on the stairs. I told J he had a good idea though, to go swimming at the Y. When we were changing after, he got upset and started to cry and says "J's crying".

I gave J a "Kids Cuisine" for dinner. They have a meat, veggie and dessert. This ended up being so messy. He focused on the pudding and got it all over (bib, floor, mouth, cheek, etc.) I don't think these will work. Karen our babysitter came over and right away J says to me "bye". I wasn't planning on leaving for another 10 minutes or so but he kept saying "bye"! I could tell he was going to do well while I was gone. I had Mom's Night Out at The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant. At first, I was a bit nervous because I didn't know if I'd know anyone there. It felt weird leaving the house without my diaper bag, let alone without J! Our Titus group has over a hundred moms and I know a tiny fraction. It turns out I did know some who came, and we had a great time. I'm glad I ate slow so I didn't get that "I can't breathe" feeling after. I ended up getting into an intense conversation with one of the ladies I've been getting to know and before I knew it, it was 11:30. When I got home L said he thought I was lost or something. I haven't stayed out that late on my own in ages! It was good.

I was surprised I wasn't more tired in the morning, but it was okay. We got ready and went to Pal Zone. It was 9:30 and it was already really hot and humid. The forecast was heat index of 100! This continues to be a good place for J to play with other kids, listen to stories, sing and do crafts. He liked the "slippery fish" song so much that he started singing it later and another mom and I sang with him.


At home, we found a toad in the yard of the condo and I wanted to show it to J. I got a plastic tub and put grass in the bottom and he had a toad pet for about 1/2 hour. He jumped and squealed every time the toad would jump. We took pictures and then we let him go by the bird bath.

Today, I continued in Luke 24. Cleopas and another follower of Jesus were on the road to Emmaus having a discussion about everything that had happened. Jesus came up beside them and they were kept from recognizing him. He asked what they were discussing, and with downcast faces they shared. One key thing they said was that the one who was crucified was the one they had hoped would redeem Israel. How ironic that at this moment they are talking to the redeemer and have no clue. Jesus wasn't pleased with their unbelief and says "how foolish and slow of heart" they are to not believe the prophets. Jesus then gives them a complete teaching on all the scriptures that point to himself. Beth took something away from this that as they are talking with Jesus on the road, this can be likened to prayer (how we speak to the Lord) and as Jesus "opened the scriptures to them", this can be likened to Bible Study. Two key things for creating an intimate relationship with the Lord.


Tonight we went to Concerts on the Square in downtown Madison. We brought dinner and met up with two couples from our church life group. About 10 minutes after we picked our spot, my friend Joan and her family were coincidentally settling down right next to us! She spotted us and we just laughed. J had some fun dancing with Olivia and then dancing with daddy. We got some bad news from our life group leaders, that they are not continuing on as leaders and in fact will no longer be part of our group. I was not prepared for this and could tell my emotions were running high. Some of the reasons given were not very clear and I found it really hard to not make it personal. Instead of saying something I'd regret, I took J and went for a 20 minute walk around the capital. We didn't stay long after that as J was running around and wouldn't stay put and all I was doing was chasing after him. Plus it was just so hot and humid. L later told me they still want to get together as friends outside the group so that helped alleviate some of my concern. It was off to bed for J once we got home. One neat thing about today is how J really likes to dance. He was dancing at Pal Zone with some musical toys, dancing at home and then dancing at the concert. It is so adorable to watch, especially because he'll often say "I'm dancing, I'm dancing".