Day 106.  It's hard to see how this year is affecting me if I don't have any pictures of me.  So, here I am again.  It is Saturday and man what a day it has been.  But it is almost over now and has turned out to be a pretty good day.  We started with tennis and Stacy and the kids went to a Junior Bible Quiz meet and I had a funeral, and then prayer at the church tonight.  In between all of this we even managed to watch a little college football.  You see, daylight savings time ends tonight.  Every year I think I will get an extra hour of sleep but what usually happens is, there is so much to do that I get to bed an hour later.  Not fair.  Maybe I'll make it this year.  There is usually some one that forgets to change their clock and shows up an hour early for church.  Which means they are on time.  I wonder who it will be this year.  I better go check mine.

Day 105.  Tonight was the last home game for the high school football team, this year.  So the Jr. high band got to march at halftime with the high school band.  They did a great job.  You would think that with two kids out there I would be able to get a better picture,but there was always so much activity going on that I didn't.  Dugan has had a busy week.  Thursday he tried out for the all region band.  He has been very nervous about this all week.  He did very good, he made 1st chair in the concert band for French Horns.  I am very proud of him.  Tomorrow we have tennis and then next week is the all region concert, so he has a lot of work ahead of him.  Meanwhile, Maggie got to play the snare tonight standing between two high school guys.  She had such a big grin on her face.  I was watching though.  Life seemed tough but was so much easier when they were babies.  Some days I really miss that time.  I got to control everything about them and now I have to let them start spreading their wings.  They are growing into wonderful young adults.   

Day 104.  Well all the other trees around have already changed and these little oaks across the street are just now starting.  Pretty soon they will be brilliantly red.  Maybe it is the unseasonably warm weather we have been having that has made them hold on to their green.  I know that winter is on it's way, but I will enjoy the warm while I can.  I have been dreading the cold this year.  I really have never liked to be cold, but could tolerate it ok.  I would much rather be hot.  It just seems worse this year to me.  The cold will come soon enough so I guess I might as well get ready for it.

Day 103.  I know that I shouldn't post a picture of some one else's child, but I think it is ok because his identity is hidden.  We had our annual Fall Carnival tonight.  There was a great turn out and every one had a fun time and went home with a  lot of candy.  I think that it is a wonderful way to have fun on Halloween without being out on the streets.  As a child I had so much fun going around the neighborhood and getting candy in my bucket.  I didn't always have the best costume, but we managed to come up with something.  Adults stayed home to pass out candy and the streets were full of kids.  Few cars were on the streets, and mischief was limited to a couple of high school kids and everyone knew who they were.  What a different world we live in today.  I don't think I would be comfortable with my kids out roaming the streets with their friends at night.  Even the ones that are out tonight have a parent close by, watching.  So, we will stick to the safety of having a great time at the church with lots of friends and fun.   

Day 102.  You know that the sun rises and sun sets in the Texas Panhandle are spectacular, but, did you know about the moon rises.  Yes, that's right, the moon rises.  I've been watching the moon for a week now and haven't had the chance to be at the right place at the right time to get a good shot.  And then tonight, there it was.  It was so cool watching it come up over the horizon and catching it in pictures.  I believe that one day I will look up at a scene much like this but instead of the moon or the sun it will be the son of God coming through the clouds.  And every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

Day 101.  Super storm Sandy is hitting the upper east coast tonight.  A cold front colliding with a tropical storm on the night of a full moon.  It is "Frankenstorm".  I'm glad I'm not there.  Isn't it just like nature to wait until people get things built and settled, and then come along and show us what real power is.  I pray that the people there will be safe.  But, like the spider's web, it will be rebuilt.  God created us with a tenacious personality that leads us to carry on and rebuild even when circumstances are against us.  We don't give up and thanks be to God, we don't have to.  

Day 100.  This is a picture of the picnic and swimming area at a local lake.  I went there this morning just to walk around and take pictures.  The weather was perfect and I was the only one there.  I know the water is to cold to swim, but it is still a great place to go.  On one side there is a small dock going out on the water and it gives a great perspective of this little valley.  So, I went out on this dock and snapped a few quick shots.  I had my glasses up on my head out of the way of the viewfinder.  Everything was going great until I reached up to get my glasses and knocked them off of my head.  It all happened in slow motion.  It was like a slinky on the stairs. I caught them, and caught them, and then caught them again, and still they rolled right out of my hands.  They hit the water out of my reach, and sat there just long enough for me to say goodbye.  And these weren't my sunglasses.  Luckily I still have my old glasses.  A little  scratched and blurry but they will work for now.  Ironically, as I was walking around I found a pair of glasses that looked like they fell in the lake about ten years ago and now they are just part of the landscape.  Still, it was a pretty good morning.