The weekend

Friday I had the worst migraine of my life. It was worse than my usual deal and I was pretty much incapacitated. Even the migraine medicine wasn't the magic bullet it usually is. So yesterday was a lot of hanging out and me recovering from that. We also went to Petsmart to see the dogs that were available for adoption, and met Wendy the dachshund who walked *us* around the store. Then after we got home, the little girls played and rode their scooter while Claudia practiced her trumpet. I played my clarinet along with her and it was so fun! We played songs together! Then Claudia started on a polymer clay project from a kit her friend, Cutter, gave her for her last birthday and after that, all three girls painted on the patio and then went to the park up the street. After dinner Jamie built a little fire in the grill and we roasted marshmallows and watched the UT/Ohio game (we lost).

Today we went to church and participated in the water ceremony. The water ceremony is a homecoming ritual that Unitarian churches do and the idea is for everyone to reconnect after being gone for vacations over the summer. Everyone is asked to bring water from wherever they've traveled and a large bowl is placed at the front of the church. Everyone takes turns telling where the water they brought is from and then pouring it into the bowl. At the end of the service, some churches purify the water and lets congregants take samples home to water gardens. Some churches take the water and pour it into the garden at the church and some purify it and use it for baby naming rituals throughout the next year. Jamie spoke for us and was his usual charming and funny self and had everyone laughing.

When I was in Houston, the water ceremony was voted "coolest ritual" by the alternative newspaper, which I thought was really funny because can you imagine how annoyed the Houston-area pagans were?

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Apparently, at our house, we Dress for Saturday morning breakfast. Sam chose a burgundy velour dress and dress shoes. Jordan chose a red plaid skort with matching long-sleeved red shirt.




Here's Claudia deciding what to make out of clay.



Here are Jordan and Sammy dressed down and painting.



Sammy and Jamie enjoying roasted marshmallows.