Seattle!!

I just got back from Seattle on Tuesday evening. Bethany bought me tickets to go to Seattle for the weekend as a birthday present. It was great to be home. I haven't quite felt at home in TN, wnot for any lack in the Meeks' hospitality, but because the Northwest is my real home; after all it is the promise land.

I ran around with my head cut off the whole time. Though I did manage to see a good number of friends and shop for brushes for the school. My mom and I did the whole circuit looking for painting brushes. Below are pictures from Artist & Craftsman (the best art store in seattle south of 45th on 9th ave).


Here is the find; 20 round brushes (cheap but good ones), 10 nice round brushes, and 10 flat brushes. I am just so excited to have a class set of brushes. I always HATED painting growing up because the brushes we had at school were these flimsy ridiculous things that couldn't hold paint, or a point. So, I am pretty excited to have some good brushes for my kids to work with. I am just excited to be able to encourage them and not have to excuse the media. I'm also excited to work with the other art materials that I ordered earlier on this year; stuff for printmaking, watercolor, pastel, and drawing. It is going to be fun.


My mom and I then ate at Thai Tom. I had one of my two favorite dishes. I got my other favorite dish on Monday night when I ate there with my Mom and my Dad. It was awesome. It is by far the best Thai resaurant in seattle. Everywhere else is just to neat and pretty. Thai Tom embodies the funk that is necessary for good thai.
I also went cycling with my buddy Jack on my friend Daniel's bike. Sadly, I think Daniel has ridden it so much that it was fatigued. So, all of a sudden on a flat stretch of the trail, I went to speed up and get in front of Jack, and right as I pulled in front of Jack the fork failed, and split in half. So the front wheel was separated from the rest of the bike and I went hurtling over the bike. Since I was right in front of Jack, he had no time to react and went hurtling over me. The picture above is the aftermath on me, that I took in the Safeway parking lot. The picture below is the wheel with the leftovers of the fork left over on the wheel.
When Jack and Daniel took the bike to the shop the conversation went something like this (as per Jack)
"What happened? You couldn't have done that just riding?"

"No Way!!! I've never seen anything like that!!"

"You should contact the manufacture, both side exploding like that, I've never heard of something like that happening"

It was pretty validating. I was completely shocked. I have never seen or heard of anything like that ever happening before. Oh well.

This is the poker game on friday night with the fellas. Penny poker with beer and pizza is about all you could ask for with your best friends. It was really fun.

Friday I went with my Dad (on the far right) to meet my Uncle Chuck and Aunt Carol in Olympia. It was really fun. They are great. It was fun to hang out with the family a bit.

Sunday I was able to go to Covenant Presbyterian Church (our home church). It was great to be with the body of Christ there. I don't think most of our supporters expected to see us, it was fun to surprise them. I was then able to go to the meeting of the short-term trip coming from Crosspoint Church: Greenlake. It was really awesome to be with them and encourage them. It was encouraging to see their interest in the work, and be there with them.

Overall I had a really great time hanging out with friends. I got to have great time with Jack, Paul, David Adamson, Daniel, Brendan and everyone else. It was great to have time with my Mom and Dad, and spend some time up there before the boy comes. My wife knows me and loves me enough to send me there.

Praise the Lord for a good Wife, and this season of rest before the boy. Thanks to all my friends and family who cleared their schedules for me; its very gracious of you all.