2021/12 Ship's Log

Alex wearing a shirt that reads, 'I don't negotiate with terrorists or toddlers.'
Amie found it! I've been saying that I needed a shirt exactly like this since Graham hit 18 months old. Best Christmas ever!

Despite our boy’s horrific sickness and a sleepless night, Christmas day was marvelously executed.

On Christmas Eve, Amie and I decorated the ceiling with stars, the table with cloth and candles, the bookshelf with stockings, and the tree with presents; one for each person. I attempted to install a swing clasp to the ceiling but, after three holes drilled without hitting wood, we chose another Christmas gift until we could request help.

Graham exclaimed, “This is so exciting!” when he noticed the transformation. Royal sleepily ignored the festivities, but he warmed once we began to unpack the stockings.

Stockings are the centerpiece of Christmas gift-giving, now that we open but one package apiece. Most items are individually wrapped for greater paper-tearing fun.

Graham playing in the living room with Christmas decorations and spent wrapping paper all around.
Post-gift aftermath. Poor Royal is asleep on Amie's chest while Graham quitely plays.

Interspersed throughout the morning were calls with family, then the longed-for lunchtime nap.

Kati Ray was over for Christmas dinner; a lavish affair of turkey breast, mashed potatoes, carrot soufflé, potato-bread loaves, fruit salad and Le Sueur peas. We merrily enjoyed the feast, put the boys to bed, and consumed two-thirds of Kati’s chocolate pear pie while watching the first episode of The Chosen.

Kati, Amie, Graham and Royal at the table to celebrate Christmas.
We're so thankful Kati Ray joined us. Christmas is meant to be shared.

Royal woke last night at 11:00 pm with croup. The stridor was so bad he vomited all over Amie. He slept in our room and woke us every hour with a coughing fit.

Graham woke at 4:00 am with hand-foot-and-mouth.

So yeah, that’s an awesome way to start Christmas Eve…

It’s been over a year since the spark of desire to introduce the nations to Jesus was rekindled in our hearts. We’d thought an open door was before us to share our gifts alongside like-minded believers for the sake of the many nations in Chicago, but it’s not as we’d hoped.

Ted Kim shares with Jared Boyd a beautiful vision of spiritual formation through communal spiritual practices, but the missional emphasis is left to the individual’s growth with Jesus. I’ve started thinking about what’s missing in my note we give more than we have.

We couldn’t secure babysitting for Royal, so yesterday Amie and I split up and took the boys in a special trip separately.

Graham and Amie rode the Metra train downtown. He was so excited! They walked over to see the Macy’s Christmas windows, then back to the station. They had planned to visit Kriskindlemarket, but the line wrapped the block.

Royal and I drove to the Lincoln Park Zoo. We saw all sorts of animals: giraffe, zebra and meercat in the Africa exhibit; snake, lizard, bat, and armadillo in the mammal/reptile exhibit, many birds in the bird exhibit, and monkey, seal, camel and squirrel outside.

When we couldn’t find a babysitter, Amie and I improvised and split up. Graham went with Amie to downtown while Royal went with me to the Lincoln Park Zoo. Amie’d hoped to take Graham to the Chriskindlemarket, but the lines were around the block!

Amie and Graham

Graham looking out of the Metra train window at downtown Chicago while wearing a COVID mask.
Graham loves riding the train. This was his favorite part of the whole trip.
Graham and Amie under Macy trumpets in downtown Chicago.
The Macy building had trumpets around the entire circumference. Look at that face!
Graham looks into a Macy's Christmas window. The scene is a polar bear with other woodland creatures in a forest surrounded by snowflakes.
One of the Macy windows.
Graham holding up two thumbs up, reflected from a large gold ornament.
Who has two thumbs and is having a great time? This guy!

Alex and Royal

Alex and Royal at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Royal rode around most of the zoo, but the best parts were inside. Good thing too; he prefers to be warm.
Royal holding a sign of a Nicobar pigeon, with the pigeon in the backgroun.
Royal didn't get animated for the animals, but he did for the signs.

Gorgeous three-minute meditation on Genesis 1 and God’s relationship with humanity. Thanks Matthew!

What God Thinks Of You

Royal’s toddering hard these days. Resistant to changing clothes, walking to the car and sitting in his car seat; the mornings are a wrestling match to move him out the door. He doesn’t give me the same resistance that he gives Amie, probably because I’ll just man-handle him, so it’s even more frustrating when she’s trying to contain his flailing body.

Reminds me that I still need to get that custom shirt made, the one with crossed AK-47s that reads, “I don’t negotiate with toddlers.”

My first opportunity to meet my Performance Trust colleagues occurred over a year after I started at the company! The IT department hosted a party at Topgolf. It was a delightful three hours spent with great colleagues, delicious food and swinging entertainment.

Alex swinging a golf wood from the hitter's box at Top Golf.
Since people had only seen me on Zoom, no one knew my height. Multiple people said they expected someone shorter!

Inspired by the pleasure of sharing stories with Graham as we put Christmas ornaments on our pine tree, I’ve crafted an ornament memorial from a selection of our ornaments. Enjoy!

We had a lovely double-date with David and Sharon Ello at Lady Gregory’s last Friday. Not only was it a miracle that we both found babysitters on short notice (thank you Kati Ray!), but we were able to get a seat in less than five minutes when we were told it’d take a half-hour.

We’ve spent the last few months praying with them and listening for God’s direction for our households. The Spirit has led them to move-a bittersweet answer; my plan was to get them to move into our building-and given us encouragement that’s led to pressing further into our apostolic gifting.

Be blessed my friends; may the LORD bless you and your household with joy and peace that overflows the streets of your neighborhood.

Alex, Amie, Sharon and David outside Lady Gregory's after our dinner date.

Amie, Graham, Royal and I spent a lovely visit with my Uncle Mark, Aunt Steph and Viktoria in Grand Rapids; our Thanksgiving tradition for the past seven years!

This year was more restful than we’ve experienced since Graham was born. In part because none of us was under a year old, and also sleeping in the same room seemed to help. We also made record time on the drive over, arriving almost an hour earlier than we expected. That worked out great since we were able to contribute a little to the dinner prep this time around. And as we have most years, we brought board games to play.

Amie sitting on a quilt, reading a book with Graham and Royal
Watching Amie read to Graham and Royal is one of my favorite sights.
Royal standing on a snowy deck at my Uncle's, grimacing from the cold.
Nothing could dissuade Royal to go outside without shoes or coat. So we threw up our hands and let him go...
Graham staring at the camera from outside a garage with snow on his coat and hat.
Graham was having such fun pushing the snow shovel that he cleared the entire driveway. It was snowing the whole time so that, by the time he'd cleared it there was another layer. Endless fun!
Royal on the deck while it's snowing, wearing an elf hat.

My December website update is complete! I figured it’d take half the month, but there were fewer mobile bugs to fix than I expected. If you run into any glaring problems, feel free to shoot me an email. Done is better than perfect, and I wanted to get this out before my November newsletter since all the links would have broken.