Almost There

Friday afternoon.

Lunch time.

I can see the weekend from here.

There's still work to do.

A few things to finish for this week.

A few things I'm trying to get ahead of for next week.

Because sitting out there on the calendar are Thursday and Friday.

Two glorious days marked:

OFF.

I have plans.

Desks are moving.

Computers are moving.

Things that have accumulated in my office over the last five years are going to have to defend their continued existence.

The goal is simple.

Make my space...

My space.

Or at least start.

But first, today.

Then dinner.

Tonight's Dad Menu:

Steak fingers.

Mashed potatoes.

Country gravy.

Cheddar broccoli.

And my version of a Black Forest cake, except I'm replacing the cherries with raspberries.

I'm going to try something ambitious this week.

Not burning it.

While I'm cooking, the mini fridge is coming out to defrost.

One of the kids left the door open overnight.

Now there is enough frost inside that the door won't close.

Which, naturally, creates more frost.

Excellent system.

No notes.

Tomorrow brings another Apostles' Creed lesson with the kids.

Maybe a park if the weather cooperates.

Then baseball practice for David.

Sunday is church.

And then...

First game of the fall season.

Let's go.

Somewhere between all of that, we'll start cleaning and preparing for the office transformation.

And I'll set up David's replacement phone.

Yes.

I finally surrendered.

Insurance deductible paid.

Replacement ordered.

We're just waiting on the new case.

However...

The original phone now has a $20 bounty.

Find it and collect your reward.

At this point, having a backup phone that can eventually become Jacob's is worth twenty bucks.

I'm also reasonably certain announcing a cash bounty guarantees one of these children will locate it somewhere I have personally searched eleven times.

The kids are otherwise doing their thing.

Zoey finished everything on time again.

Still flying.

Jacob may have a rough vocabulary test today.

That's okay.

We'll keep leaning in.

Keep experimenting.

Keep helping.

Asher is doing really well.

He's also found some new games and invited me to play with him this weekend.

There are invitations from your children that you simply don't decline.

That is one of them.

And tonight, after dinner is cooked and hopefully not carbonized, there's an event on our community Valheim server.

Games.

Laughs.

A couple drinks.

Good conversation.

Also...

I'm feeling better.

Mostly.

Still tired.

Still catching sleep wherever I can find it.

But better.

I'll take it.

So that's Friday.

A little work left.

Dinner to cook.

A fridge to thaw.

A phone bounty to announce.

Baseball waiting.

Games waiting.

Family waiting.

And two days off next week quietly getting closer.

Almost there.

Sometimes Friday doesn't need a lesson. It just needs a finish line. There is still work between me and the weekend, and plenty waiting once I get there, but it's the kind of plenty I like. Cooking with the kids. Teaching them. Baseball. Church. Games. Projects. Laughing with friends. Maybe even a little sleep. The work will get finished. The office will eventually get rebuilt. And somewhere, somehow, that stupid phone is still hiding in this house.

Much love.

Stay safe.

Wash your damn hands.

And I will see you, next time.