While Angel was away at her incredibly deserved annual women’s retreat, I (Carl) watched 11 kids for the weekend. The 4 additional boys were the children of another mother attending the retreat. 

It was awesome. The kids did great, and we made a big sleepover out of it with all the boys. Enormous donuts and pizza always help with obedience too.  

We’re all glad to have Momma back – and are grateful for all she does to make the Larsen clan run so smoothly. 

Sabbath today was about naps and wrestling, fires and hot dogs, applesauce and apple crisp. 

It was a good rest – a day to take a deep breath and just be. 

Great Grandpa Lieser taught kids how to drive the lawn mower and gave us some giant carrots. 

Grace made four different kinds of scones for Crowded House. It was a great evening creating community.  

My kids love to be a part of this event!

20 minutes later

I had a doctor’s appointment for my Lyme’s disease today in San Francisco. I have lots of labs to wait on and we will need to go back in two months. 

We enjoyed the sights yesterday afternoon by walking over 9 miles. I knew the hills were steep, but holy moly I was huffing and puffing. 

Our kids are being well taken care of by our amazing friends. 

I was sitting at the salon today waiting to get my hair cut when a police officer walked in and spoke to another hair stylist.  They were going back and forth on whether he needed a haircut or not.  I kept staring because right in front of me was the grown version of Silas.  His hair was the same texture, he carried himself like Silas, and was a playful sassy to the hair stylist.  I kept thinking, “Wow, this is so strange.”

It was my turn for a hair cut and I was telling my stylist how the officer looked like my son, when Carl texted me the school pictures from today.  I showed her the picture and she just HAD to show the other stylist.  We all had a good laugh and I casually mentioned that Silas wanted to be a police officer.  I left my information with her so she could give it to him because I thought maybe we could connect sometime.

She calls me later to say that, yes, he would meet with us and that I could have his contact information.  He doesn’t do much of this anymore because his other officers take care of working the youth.  She asks, “Do you know who he is?”

“No, I’m sorry I don’t know.”

“He’s the St. Cloud Chief of Police. He said, you would figure that out sometime.”

“Oh my word.”  I wanted to put my head down and bang it a few times. I have lived here 8 years and would say I am an aware resident of St. Cloud, but now I question that.

Even though I am embarrassed, I am super excited for Silas to be able to hang out with the Chief of Police.  I feel as if this was a God ordained meeting because I was praying about how I could add more positive role models for Silas.  And then Boom!

It’s grace.

All grace.