On Tuesday we took a day trip to Seattle. Here are some of the snapshots I got:

On the way there:

In Seattle:

The Seattle Aquarium:

Kyrie saw these fish and said, “I’ve seen that movie!”

Pike’s Place:

On Friday, we went to Moscow to spend some time with Isaiah. We enjoyed a terrific Italian dinner at the home of Lisa Jackson, and we met some new friends, as well as some old friends. Throughout the course of the night, our old friend Davey Henreckson mentioned that he has been interested in political theology, and he asked me about my recent reading of Caputo’s What Would Jesus Deconstruct? As we discussed the book a bit, I mentioned that I had been shifting toward a biblical theology of nonviolence over the past several years. I was shocked to find out that Douglas Jones has been doing work in this area. If you haven’t checked out the Biblical Theses on Violence, I highly recommend it.

I also found out something interesting at church today. After the service, I started talking politics with Bishop Cavalcanti. It turns out that he was a political science professor before becoming a bishop. After this discussion Fr. Jerry mentioned that Bishop Cavalcanti was a major player in South American politics, but we know little of him since he doesn’t write in English. A search on Amazon confirmed this as his name pops up in many books on evangelicals in politics in Latin America. One of them calls him a “leader of the evangelical left,” which I find a funny term since those are almost exclusive adjectives in America (though I would probably throw myself under a title like that).

An interesting weekend to say the least.

Forrest and I had the opportunity to go to an Anglican Men’s Weekend outside of Los Angeles in the San Bernardino National Forest this weekend. The Most Rev’d Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop of Uganda, was the keynote speaker, but several major bishops in the global south movement were in attendance, including the Rt. Rev. John A. M. Guernsey (Bishop of Uganda over American congregations), the Rt. Rev. Dom Robinson Cavalcanti (Bishop of Recife, Brazil), The Rt Revd Daniel Gimadu (Bishop of North Mbale, Uganda), and a few other bishops whose names I did not catch.

These bishops and ministers were humble men of God, which sadly, I didn’t expect. I guess I’m just not used to seeing humility on that level. It was a refreshing weekend of reconciliation and prayer, and I hope to get to go again in the future. But for now I’ll just get to look forward to Bishop Cavalcanti being at Christ the King this weekend.

These aren’t even close to all of the photos I’ve taken on our trek up to Spokane, but I thought I would share some while I had a little time.

This is the last picture I took in Louisiana, of Kyrie sitting on our front steps of the house we won’t be going back to.

We all took turns driving (just kidding)

At a friend’s house in Oklahoma, playing in the backyard:

We’re back! We had a great time. I can’t wait to go back.

Here’s a picture at the Las Vegas airport from the plane:

Papa and Antonio in the plane

Noelle

Timothy

Noelle again

Kyrie playing with Esther

Making a snowman

In the swing (can you tell it was really snowy there??)

Antonio in Papa’s arms

Aunt Esther holding Antonio

Uncle Matthew holding Antonio

Grandma Lisa holds Antonio while Kyrie and Esther run off to play

Grandparents admiring the newest grandson

Fresh snow

Easter Sunday

Timothy

Esther

Timothy again

David

Kyrie

Pictures from around the house (where I grew up)

Trip to an indoor waterpark

The night before we left

We just returned home from Natchez, MS, where we witnessed the wedding of my dear friend Nathan Blevins to his new bride, Courtney. I have joy in my heart from this great occasion. The wedding was at a plantation home, Stanton Hall, and went off without a hitch. Well, there was one hitch. Nathan had just been released from the hospital after an emergency appendectomy. Something so bad couldn’t happen to a better person the day before his wedding. In spite of his pain, he had a big smile on his face.

Kyrie playing at the playground near Rebekah & Forrest’s house:

Manito Park in Spokane:

Grandma Lisa, Esther, & David:

Duncan Gardens (still at Manito):

Rose Gardens (Manito again):

Kyrie wearing Mr. Potato Head’s glasses and either Timothy or David’s shoes:

On the way back home, in Butte, Montana (we didn’t make it any further on the first day due to a flat tire):

Back home, Kyrie playing dress-up:

Our camping trip:

Sponsor a Child…

At a rest stop in Kansas:

Playing in the garden (in Spokane!):

Swinging:

Having fun in the sprinkler:

Going strawberry picking:

(Can you tell she got really dirty?)

So I was taking a nice warm jacuzzi bath at our hotel when the sheriff called and the hotel attendants came running to our room. Apparently Kyrie had pushed the emergency button on the phone, and no one believed there really wasn’t an emergency. I had to get out of the bath to talk to the sheriff, getting water all over the floor, and straining my neck somehow. So much for a nice, relaxing evening.