Time in DE

I write this from the home of John, Sydney, Jacob, Evan, Hadley, Bailey, Simeon, Solomon, Noah, Micah, Isaiah, Anna, Malena, Casey, Quinn, Cecilia, and Seth (still in China). Yep, I'm with Aaron, Seth, and my new buddy from the Republic of Georgia--Andrew. We're in Delaware for a few days with these guys... We've been here more than two days and it's been great...

It's incredible to be able to see... people who are doing it--living the life described in the Beattitudes. They're doing it every day. the meekness and the patience and the persistence of the gospel, lived out in daily life...

They all do their chores each morning after breakfast. Beds get made, floors get sweeped, dishes cleaned, everything--all in a beautiful, authentic, chaos... like a salt and pepper tornado of round heads, beautiful braids, and blondie locks, swimming about... Singing, laughing, yelling, crying, screaming... playing outdoors, building forts, skateboarding, bike riding...

It's great to see a huge, american-typical, house--you know, in a neighborhood full of large houses... and this house is full of life. The kids are playing, and the cars in the driveway are all "not new", not status symbols, and there are guests parking next to the driveway... and it's living large...

Some neighbors are lobbying to have them sanctioned by the neigh.assoc. for having too many children. there have been complaints about the children playing outside.

When they went to church one time, one of their kids noted that the other kids don't have bumps and bruises on their legs. It's because most kids don't build forts outside, or dig, or jump, or bump around like them... no kidding. suburban, affluent america is more sedentary and sated with entertainment than ever... no kidding... it's real...

there's no danger from that kind of difference, though. the assoc will never touch them because there are lots of folks here who don't care about that kind of small stuff... they are a great family for this ney-hd.

We visited NY for about three days, and here for about three days... good trip...