Michael’s Valley Southwoods freshman football team won the conference title last night! Great team, with great players, like Michael, who gets to play ALOT. Coaches from the sophmore team, and also the junior-senior team were there last night WATCHING. If Mike keeps this up, he will be playing all the way through Valley High School and maybe even after that. Today was first day OFF season, and as Mike said tonight, it’s nice to take a break. Starting next week though, he has plans to work out daily at the Walnut Creek YMCA, cuz he wants to get in even better shape for baseball and track, two other sports he is interested in. He can run a 7:30 mile now. Maybe we can rope him into Living History Farms Race (6-7 miles) with us again this year.

So tonight we took Michael and his brothers out to Ryan’s to celebrate. Ryan’s is Mike’s favorite restaurant, and the all-you-can-eat buffet fits him well. Ju ate alot too, but Myles only had a small pile of cottage cheese, a cookie, and 1/2 piece pizza. The fun of it all is picking out anything ya want to eat. Boston had to wait in the car while the rest of us went in to eat. After eating, we dropped the younger boys back home and gave Michael a one-way ride to Jordan Creek Mall, where he is hooking up with the rest of his friends to see “Saw”, a horror movie.It seems like yesterday that we were carting teenagers around most evenings. It was a real treat to do so tonight again. Dunno about the horror movie though.

An unexpected two-hour break from work. Home, at least for now. Rainy day. Sleepy puppy at my feet. Time for a post:)

For the past month or so, I’ve been wading through Dostoyevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov”, a dramatic story of four brothers. It’s a book I’ve always wanted to read. Now, in my 50’s, am finally getting to it. Very enjoyable. Lots of rich detail and insight into the human psyche. I’m about half-way through, and after a weekend “detour” (on the way to MI) to the tip of Cape Cod, am ready to finish this Russian novel.

The detour was delightful. It was sparked by an LA aiport glimpse (a month ago enroute to Beka and Craig’s wedding) of Annie Dillard’s latest novel, “The Maytrees”. Just HAD to buy it. I love her writing, especially her intimate depictions of nature. Lots of good stuff about love, loyalty, friendship, life and death. I could smell and hear the Atlantic many times, while sitting in our Nissan Mirano enroute to MI this past weekend! It’s great to go places when in reality you’re actually someplace else. If anyone wants to borrow this book, let me know. Unlike “Brothers”, it’s a quick read.

Back to “Brothers” now. Well…..back to work first, I guess. Maybe later tonight I”ll get a chance to read again.

Congratulations to Kim and Paul, on their October 13th wedding! What a wonderful weekend of celebration. We are still trying to absorb the fact that Kim is now a married woman, and that we have a new son, Paul! Here are a few pics to share:

A special moment with Kim and Emma

Welcome, Paul!

Kim with Grandpa and Grandma Veenstra

Kim and Paul with Opa and Oma

Aunt Yvonne came all the way from Alaska:)

Kim with Emma, Claire and Eden

The Originals

Just like the old days. DeJong and Vanderkwaak kids on the porch steps

Salome and Isaiah meeting Opa

Opa dancing with the little ones

Covenant reunion: Kim and Paul with Fred&Sharon DeJong, Lloyd&Vicki Vanderkwaak, Gil&Jan Kamps

Lloyd (Papa) with all three grand-daughters