Mac's Book Presentation

This morning Mac gave his book/author presentation, selecting his favorite series "Bionicle" as the books to present. He brought a couple of the action figures as well to add to the event.

All of the children were polite and took turns asking questions, then they each wrote a critique of each presentation.

I can't believe how big my son is getting! I am taking all three kids to St. Simons Island to a conference next week, and Mac is very excited to take three days off school and going to a place where he has many fond memories of our family going when he and Alina were very young.

I am in a constant state of prayer that I am doing everything right in my new role as single-half-time-custody-parent. I have been slipping up to Chattanooga on mornings that I do not have the children to attend the Chapel service at their school. Both Alina and Mac leave their classmates and sit with me! I know that I can't expect that to last long, but they are sweet and seem sincerely to want to spend just a few minutes together in silence before they are dismissed to their classes.

As for Cal, I try to talk to him on the phone each day. He sounds so much older everytime I speak to him. His speech patterns, pronunciation and everything is improving. I miss all of them so much when I do not have them.

McP

Out with the Old, In with the New...

Over the years I have never enjoyed a car more than the 2000 Volvo S-80 that I have driven for the last nine years. I remember the excitement of buying the car in anticipation of becoming a father, just weeks before traveling to Kazakhstan and doing so.

Over the years, I have always had permanent baby seats in the back seat, and only recently did Alina and Mac "graduate" from boosters with Cal's toddler seat in the middle.

After the divorce, I no longer had access to the big Chevy Tahoe that I would often use on weekend outings with the kids. I decided we needed to upgrade. The Volvo just turned over 160,000 miles and the kids were getting bigger and less tolerant of being crowded together in the back seat.

That in fact was the biggest sales point - I wanted something with a third-row so that I could REALLY separate the three! I finally found what I think we need in a 2008 Nissan Pathfinder.

It was funny to see the children's reaction. The Volvo was the ONLY car that any of them had ever known me to have. "Daddy's car" was the dark green, messy-on-the-inside and increasingly crowded Volvo. I wish I had recordings of all the conversations that took place in that car. Because we would never litter, the floorboards were usually literally filled with artwork, books, candy and gum wrappers. I often found Mac's homework there when the teacher said he had not turned it in!

Cal expressed the first tone of sadness that the familiar Volvo was leaving us. He literally cried! Alina and Mac both shared their favorite memories, but were much less sentimental. I was a bit sad to see the old friend go, but the need was so great it was too important to get a better car for all of us. I had originally hoped to drive the Volvo one million miles!

The kids really love the new car! Cal just kept saying how he loved the new car, and then, as if he realized he was betraying an old friend, pointed out that he still loved the old one too! Alina and Mac are eagerly anticipating the DVD player system I am getting for it. Our Summer vacation should be a lot more enjoyable now!

McP