And don’t worry, ol’ JJ wouldn’t miss Christmas Eve for the world! I’ll see you there!

P.S., and this year, you’ll learn a new Christmas song there, too!

Halloween? Well, if you heard the kid’s sermon today, you know I’d much rather trick than treat, but, since I do have to get into the spirit of things, I decided to limit my costume this year to the theme of “movie stars that look like me”!

Needless to say, I’m going as Captain Jack Sparrow–good ole Johnny Depp!

As for that big white dog that lives at my house, he usually goes as a cloud.(He’s not that original, or intelligent.)

Now Beasely, no more talk about rabbit’s feet. Rabbits are our friends. They are cuddly and warm and deserve our love–not a nice marinade and cream sauce!

Silly puppy!

Yes sir, he could sniff out anything, or anybody for miles and miles around!

(Which explains my uncanny ability to find Easter candy, chocolate cake, and dirty socks…)

But in the end Olivia, it doesn’t really matter who you are, what you are, or where you come from–we’re all God’s children, and that makes us special!

My fondest memory of camp is from a day Pastor Mike, Freda, Kayla and I had at our old camp in New Jersey…we were in the dining hall, singing and stomping our feet, and all of a sudden someone yelled out–”I LOVE CAMP!”

Ya see, camp is a place to explore, to celebrate, and to be yourself! And there isn’t much in life that’s better than that!

I wanna go back this year–still trying to decide if I want to canoe or rock climb–some of it will depend on what kind of harnesses they have at Kirchenwald!

…of course, I could always bring my own…

I do like the rain, but that’s my breeding. I’m a retriever. You’re a Jack Russel, and I’ve never met a dog with two first names that liked the rain.

But getting to the paws thing, ya know, they don’t HAVE to clean our paws…they just SAY they do.

“Ooh, don’t want to get the carpet dirty…Oooh, don’t want to track mud in the house.”

“Oooh, don’t get wet, now…you’ll be stinky.”

Oooh-schmoo! The hardest part about these humans is that they don’t realize the best things in life ARE stinky!

Oh…they might know that when they’re little babies, when mud puddles are still fun and it’s a blast to empty the garbage can all over the kitchen floor…but in the end they all get “civilized.”

Try to endure, Lily, try to endure. Let ‘em wipe your feet. At least it’s something of a foot massage.

And after all, in the end, they are paying for the “kibble.”

Lovely CHEEEEEEEESE!

Beautiful CHEEEEEEEEESE!

Chewy, delicious, yummy, stinky CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE!

Oh…& pizza’s not bad either.

Especially with LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF….

…well, you know. jj

Of course, I didn’t know it at first. (Those guys are kinda small, ya know?) But once I sat down, had my milk and cookies, did my homework, practiced my yodeling, and sat down to play a video game, WHAM! the little guy takes a big bite of my….well, where I sit!

So there I am, chewin’, and chewin’, trying to get this pesky flea off of me, and I couldn’t find him! So I started running all over the house, sliding around on my…well, where I sit, to try and get this little critter and keep him from biting me!

Finally, I was so desperate, I ran upstairs and jumped in the shower! (It’s gotta be bad to get me in there.)

I got all warm and sudsy, and then I jumpped on Pastor Mike’s bed and rolled around and around and…sure enough! No more flea.

Of course, what’s funny (don’t tell!) is that Pastor Mike came home from work then and went to bed to take a little nap…

…next thing you know, I hear him yelling, “Hey! Something bit me!”

Ah, family…We love to share! jj

And I’m glad you liked my glasses, but I’m just gonna wear them outside from now on–

Actually, I was kinda surprised when I found out “J” is for “Jesus”! I was so excited about the website, and about seeing my picture on it, that I kinda forgot what church, and the website, and every thing we do should really be about…

That’s the “big ‘J’” himself, Jesus!

So I won’t make that mistake again!

(At least not until next week…)