It's Happening...

Summer is over and Fall is beginning. At least in the world of academic semesters. Campus definately had a big buzz about it today...new faces are everywhere...filled with excitement, anticipation, questions, and even fear. Many have left thier comfortable lives and some even their home countries to follow God's call to our little town.

Tonight the whole Agerton crew went to the International Potluck Dinner on campus where our community welcomed the new international students. We have so much to learn from these courageous brothers and sisters. Had a real good time. Food was good. Luckily someone brought some chips, one of Benjamin's main food groups. Some of my African buddies Stanley and William (both Nigerians) get a kick out of our growing family. I come around thinking that I have a big family, but don't have anything on them. William has 4 girls and a 1 boy (names are: Grace, Goodness, Blessing, Ester, and Jeremiah...jokingly called Jerry because he was born in the US). Stanley has had up to 35 children in his home back in Nigeria. So these guys can tell some stories that put my previous post (about getting puked on) under the table.

It was a Kingdom evening. We have so much to learn from our international brothers and sisters. Father, bless these dear ones as they transition to this strange place.

The Stop of 2006...The Untold Story

I had a flashback tonight of something that happened to me a few weeks ago...I've had enough time to heal emotionally from the event, so now I can share it with some humor.

It all started on our way home from Auburn, AL a few weeks ago. Of course we were traveling with our 3 month old twins, Liza and Grace, and Benjamin (2.5 years). This crew can easily turn a 9 hour trip into an 11-12 hour trip. It was tough. I stopped counting at 7 stops on the way home. But the the stop that went down in infamy was in Brentwood, TN, just south of Nashville.

We pulled off at one of our usual exits and decided to eat at Quizno's (they usually have pretty good toys for Benjamin). It was located in one of these fancy new strip malls in one of the more affluent parts of town. So we carted the whole family in for lunch...and got the usual stares and comments. The girls were super fussy. I had already scarfed down my sandwich so I offered to take them on back to the van and start feeding one of them. I carried them out, changed their diapers and began to feed Liza in the front seat (car in park with AC on). Leslie and Benjamin came out and loaded up. It was blazing hot (over 100) so we decided to pull the van over to a shaded part of the parking lot...just happened to be in front of the "Posh Puppy", a little botique for people with little dogs and lots of money. Finished the bottle with Liza and had her burbing....when it ALL came up...all over me, all over her, running down my shorts, onto the seat, and onto the floorboard. She simultaneously had a major blowout of the diaper. So right in front of the Posh Puppy, I got out of the van, get Liza situated on the back floor of the van and yes, had to strip off my shirt. I then had to take a stack of baby wipes and wipe down my chest and left armpit. I could feel a crowd of posh dog owners congregating just through the window. (And yes, Leslie is about to throw up herself from laughing so hard at me!) Within minutes, the parking space next to me looked like a hazardous waste zone...littered with puky t-shirt and infant dress, stained diaper, and a mound of yellowish brown baby wipes. Just Breathe Josh...OK, so I get Liza all cleaned up, changed and settled, all while people are driving by with these crazy stares trying to figure out if they need to call 911 or something. Then I clean up the parking lot and carry all of debris to a trash can...which of course is right next to the front door of the Posh Puppy (still bare chested). By this time there is no shame. Then I start working on getting a clean t-shirt...which of course is in my bag at the bottom of the trunk. Open the back gate of the van...bouncy seats, toys, ect. all spill out. I wrestled out my bag and a clean t-shirt, stuff everything back in, and went back to my post in the drivers seat. I admit I was not in the best of moods...for the next few hours. Leslie thought it was all quite comical.

Initiation into the real Dad club??? Anbody have something that can top this???

Praise the Lord...THEY MADE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT!

That's right...Liza and Grace slept until 6 AM this morning! Leslie and I didn't sleep much though...we kept waking up wondering what was going on and listening out for them!

So we will never have to get up in the middle of the night again...ya right...I don't think so. But we are hopeful that this is the beginning of a new trend.

Picture is from 7-30...3 1/2 months. Liza on left, Grace on the right.

Slumbering Disciples and the Snake!

Here's another story from my trip to Gethsemani a few weeks back. But my friend Brandon tells it best...he's the one that almost was bitten by this snake. You can read more about this on Brandon's Blog by clicking here.