Monday. I went to The Anchor for coffee and scripture and spent the afternoon hanging out with Ashley at her place. Zoey climbed into the hammock out back and I joined her, and gripping her against my chest, I used my feet to swing us super high in the hammock to where we were vertical. She screamed in delight. I met Chloe off the bus, and then Ashley took the girls to get their haircuts, and I passed the time doing some writing at the Starbucks in Beckett Ridge. One of the elders from Mayhill called and gave me gloomy news: I didn't get the votes I needed. Basically there's a sort of "coup" going on with several members of the church demanding a certain person gets the job. This person doesn't want the job, and the elders won't even consider him for the job, but the members refuse to vote Yes for any candidate other than him. The elder said they will try a re:vote this coming Sunday. I headed back to Ashley's and gave her the glum news, and after she put the girls to bed, we paced around her covered swimming pool, kicking at leaves in the twilight. I lamented the frustration of it all: so strongly desiring to be in a preaching/teaching ministry, being built for it, and yet being unable to land a position. "Sometimes it feels like God won't listen to you unless you get on your hands and knees and beg Him for scraps." She was really sympathetic and supportive through it all.
Tuesday. I went to The Anchor for coffee and scripture, and I met up with Ashley at her place and hung out with her and Zoey for a bit. Dad and I met up for lunch at a Greek restaurant down the street; we devoured gyros and talked about how things are going with Ashley and the fruitless ministry search. I had half an hour to kill before work in Blue Ash, so I went back by Ashley's and hung out with her and Nathan for a bit. Jason was in a sour mood all day, throwing his version of toddler tantrums for not getting extra sodas ("You know the rules, Jason."), but eventually he got himself under control when Jooniper threatened to take Pizza Friday from him. Lisa relieved me, and I made a rainy drive to the Hobbit Hole and rounded out the night basking in the glow of oil lamps, reading scripture, and praying over all the disappointment, frustration, and confusion 2014 has kept throwing at me.
Wednesday. After morning coffee and scripture at (you guessed it) Anchor Grill, I went up to Ashley's and spent the afternoon hanging out with her and the girls. Chloe's come down with something awful, perhaps a chest cold, so she was taken out of school early. I worked 2:30-7:00 in Blue Ash, taking both Ben and Jason to Ballroom Dancing. My night culminated at the Hobbit Hole with lots of reading and oil lantern accompaniment.
Thursday. In lieu of our day at the farm being cancelled, I took Ben and Jason (and myself!) to see the movie Interstellar. After work I headed over to Ashley's, and we spent the evening hanging out with her girls. Amanda came over, too. Zoey is slowly warming up to her. After the girls went to bed, Ashley, Ams and I were up pretty late just talking about life, swapping stories, and laughing till it hurt. "Ashley is so amazing and hilarious and beautiful," Ams told me. "I love her to death. And the girls are perfection. I have never met cuter girls." They're pretty cute, I must agree!
Friday. Ashley and the girls came down this afternoon, and Ams joined us at the Hobbit Hole. We played games, colored in coloring books, and watched We're Back! (an old dinosaur movie I was obsessed with as a kid). At 5:00 we met up with the Tomeos and Hot Sauce Waugh at Rock Bottom Brewery. It was Keith's last night, and thus the end of the Rock Bottom Gift Cards days. After we ate we went out to Fountain Square, and the girls plus the tiblets let me chase them around the fountain as we played Cops & Robbers. Ashley's car battery died, so Ams watched the girls at the Hobbit Hole and I drove us to Auto Zone and had them test her battery. It was completely drained, so she had to buy a new one. "I want you to know how much it means that you were the one who suggested we fix it tonight and made sure that it was done. My ex-husband would've yelled at me for inconveniencing him and told me to fix it myself."
Saturday. The girls had to spend time with their father today, so Ashley came down to the Hobbit Hole and we watched the movie Inception. "It's crazy how the girls like you more than they like their own father," she mused. I spent the evening working in Blue Ash and spent the night. Ams warmed my heart, telling me, "I want you to know how proud I am of you. You are amazing to Ashley and her girls. You take care of her and the girls with whatever you have. I do not want you to ever feel that you are not a good man. You are. No money can even compare to what YOU have to offer."
Sunday. Chloe's still sick, so we didn't go to church today; instead we had an impromptu Bible Study on the Good Samaritan. Chloe was thrilled about it! Ashley's sister Jessica and her husband came by the house, and we spent the afternoon and evening with them. I went over to Ams' apartment for a bit, and then Ashley joined me once the girls were in bed to watch The Walking Dead.
Thursday. In lieu of our day at the farm being cancelled, I took Ben and Jason (and myself!) to see the movie Interstellar. After work I headed over to Ashley's, and we spent the evening hanging out with her girls. Amanda came over, too. Zoey is slowly warming up to her. After the girls went to bed, Ashley, Ams and I were up pretty late just talking about life, swapping stories, and laughing till it hurt. "Ashley is so amazing and hilarious and beautiful," Ams told me. "I love her to death. And the girls are perfection. I have never met cuter girls." They're pretty cute, I must agree!
Friday. Ashley and the girls came down this afternoon, and Ams joined us at the Hobbit Hole. We played games, colored in coloring books, and watched We're Back! (an old dinosaur movie I was obsessed with as a kid). At 5:00 we met up with the Tomeos and Hot Sauce Waugh at Rock Bottom Brewery. It was Keith's last night, and thus the end of the Rock Bottom Gift Cards days. After we ate we went out to Fountain Square, and the girls plus the tiblets let me chase them around the fountain as we played Cops & Robbers. Ashley's car battery died, so Ams watched the girls at the Hobbit Hole and I drove us to Auto Zone and had them test her battery. It was completely drained, so she had to buy a new one. "I want you to know how much it means that you were the one who suggested we fix it tonight and made sure that it was done. My ex-husband would've yelled at me for inconveniencing him and told me to fix it myself."
Saturday. The girls had to spend time with their father today, so Ashley came down to the Hobbit Hole and we watched the movie Inception. "It's crazy how the girls like you more than they like their own father," she mused. I spent the evening working in Blue Ash and spent the night. Ams warmed my heart, telling me, "I want you to know how proud I am of you. You are amazing to Ashley and her girls. You take care of her and the girls with whatever you have. I do not want you to ever feel that you are not a good man. You are. No money can even compare to what YOU have to offer."
Sunday. Chloe's still sick, so we didn't go to church today; instead we had an impromptu Bible Study on the Good Samaritan. Chloe was thrilled about it! Ashley's sister Jessica and her husband came by the house, and we spent the afternoon and evening with them. I went over to Ams' apartment for a bit, and then Ashley joined me once the girls were in bed to watch The Walking Dead.
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