What?

Kaleb was reviewing his list of "sight words" -- words that don't necessarily conform to phonic rules and, so, have to be learned through memorization.

He asked, "What does 'h-e-r-e' spell?"  I replied, "here."

He asked, "What does 'w-h-a-t' spell?"  I replied, "What?"
He asked again, "What does 'w-h-a-t' spell?" I replied, "What?"
He asked a third time...

I could have kept it going a lot longer, but Keaton spoiled my fun. "Kaleb, w-h-a-t spells what!"

Lion's Choice

Whenever we travel (even if it's to Indianapolis), we rarely eat at a Wendy's or Burger King or any other restaurant that we have in our home town.

In Indianapolis or Kokomo, we'll often drive through Rally's, as Lafayette, for who-knows-what-reason, does not have one.

In St. Louis, our fast-food stop of choice is Lion's Choice.

We first met Lion's Choice when we broke for lunch during the 2008 Teen Talent Expo in St Louis, and we fell in love with it for three reasons:

1. The roast beef - still served a little red, like most Prime Rib is served.
2. The horseradish sauce - with plenty of punch to it -- not at all like the watered-down, made-for-the-masses horsey sauce found at another roast beef chain.
3. The 15¢ ice cream cones - or 25¢ for a chocolate-dipped cone.

We liked Lion's Choice so much that we timed this summer's trip to convention so that we could stop at Lion's Choice on the way. And then, on the way back, we ate there again.

This past Sunday, I (KC) had to go to Joplin for some business. Guess where I stopped for lunch... the Lion's Choice in Eureka.

Shortly after I ate, I got a call from my Father-in-law, who was driving to Branson. He said he had just finished lunch in Sullivan, MO... at a Lion's Choice.

Yesterday, I walked in the family room carrying my Lion's Choice soft-drink cup that I hadn't thrown away yet. Keaton saw it and exclaimed, "You ate at Lion's Choice? No fair! You always eat at the good places!"

I then showed Keaton my Jack-in-the-box cup, but that's another story.

Keaton did ask, however, if we might be able to go to Missouri for lunch!

Thank God for Daddy

The other day, I was standing at our stove dishing up supper for our kids. Several of them had lined up -- Keaton (9 years old) and Korben (10 years old) were jostling for the front position. Josh (9 years old, but looks like he's 12) was right behind them. Kaleb (5 years old) was behind the others, but trying to get up front.

I filled the first plate, and handed it to... Kaleb.

Korben, Keaton, and Josh all protested, "but I was here first!"

I explained that it is always the job of the older kids to take care of the younger kids.

I then proceeded to dish out food to Hayden (7 years old), Josh, Keaton, and Korben.

As I did so, I asked if they noticed that I hadn't given any food to myself yet. I told them the reason was because it's always the job of the older ones to take care of the younger ones.

When we all got to the table, Josh offered to pray.

His prayer, "Thank you, Jesus, for this food, and thank you for Daddy."

By the way, Josh is a foster son we'd only had for a week or two. I was surprised that he started calling me "Dad". I was touched that he thanked God for me.