Well, they're here! The albums have finally made their way into our hands, in time for the big trip.

I have to take back what I said about creativity being squelched by school.

Creativity is squelched by busy-ness.

One thing about tonight, though. After work we're going to watch a whole lot of Lord of the Rings.

Yea for that.

Two Impressive Things

1. It was early in the reunion, and Uncle John was talking smack, saying
that the old guys could take the young in a game of basketball,
challenging us. So, as happens in pick-up basketball, there soon was a
group of milling, aspiring basketball players dribbling and shooting and
talking. Before too long, the beginnings of a three-on-three tussle
between generations began to form. Lines were being drawn, and the game
was about to get underway, when Laura--John's wife--came out and told him
that she was busy doing something, but that their daughter needed
attention. Immediately, with no second thought, John took himself out of
the game and took his little daughter in his arms. "You'll have to get
someone else to play for me, I've got to tend to my daughter." That man
is a good father.

2. It is amazing how much you can interact with people and not talk about
THE relationship. The Smucker cousins are sort of like that. We're all
from Christian families, and for whatever reason the cousins don't just
sit around and talk about what God means to us, at least not very often.

The six oldest male cousins were headquartered in one room, and I needed
to go in there to get some stuff. I opened the door and there he was,
one of my cousins, on his knees, head bowed. After he was finished, I
asked him how it was going, and he said "Good, at least I'm working at
making it better."

There's nothing like spending quality time alone with God, and I am so
encouraged that he actively realizes and pursues that.

A Key and a Reason

They say that a man should gain about a pound a year once he gets
married. The key to busting that little standard is not to be a beanpole
when you marry! My dad was 155 and my uncle John was a big
one-three-zero! My, my, my. Just make sure you're a bit solid before
you tie the knot. Then you have a better chance.

There's a reason that golf is such a difficult game. It has to do with
the high percentage of actions that have to be done at a high level. In
basketball for instance, you are successful if you succeed 50% of the
time. In baseball, 33% success will do. In soccer, you lose the ball
all the time. But in golf, you have to hit good shot after good shot to
even give yourself a chance to be successful.

What a beautiful thing family is. I've had so much fun, and this reunion
is a microcosm of what family should be in real life: blue skies, a haven
amidst the realities of life. Remember when you were young, and there
were times that everything was just perfect? That's sort of what this is
like, though with a little bit of adult complication. Every once in
awhile I think of being at OSU, working on my IAC reports, and it seems
so harsh.

Today, we played a game of softball, then went out for a beautiful day on
the beach. Now we're back for a grilled supper and relaxation.