BTI Babysitting, Day Two: Tuesday

Joe was out fishing at 6:30. Freak. ;-) Just after everybody left at about 7:30 he landed a great big catfish and was sooooooo excited. He’d been fishing for bass, but was thrilled to nab a catfish instead—and to learn that that particular rod was “catfish worthy” and the line didn’t break. From what I could see, the fish didn’t actually bite the hook; it seemed to have grabbed him in the face and eye. :-/ From here on out you’ll always know if you catch the same fish again. Joe named him One-Eyed Louis. ;-)



Isaac and Sam were the late risers today. And Kody, judging by all the hollering for him this morning. “KODY!!!! We’re leaving!!!” Ha! (Don’t worry, Sister Ridlespurge—the guy yelling for him just likes to yell. HA! He was downstairs in no time.) I’m so glad Kody is here. I hope he has the time of his life. :-) Anyway, Isaac was able to nab a fish of his own once he did get up.



I can’t remember very much about the morning except that it was suddenly 11:00. (I didn’t take notes throughout the day today, so I haven’t a clue.) I fixed the girls’ hair and loaded up the seven little people to take them to Zion Hill for lunch. :-) I thought it would be fun to go and eat with the BTI crowd two or three times. It was GREAT. I love, love, love, love, love being with BTI people. It’s funny. They are regular people, people that I know, people that I am friends with, people that I love… but when they are also BTI people I love being with them even more. :-)

I counted to seven ;-) and left HQ to do some shopping before going back to the house. We had to stop at two stores for groceries on our way home (Aldi—strawberries were 99 cents, then Cooke’s—Blue Bell was buy one, get one free) and it was a BREEZE. I assigned every kid a partner and made Joe a “captain” of sorts. “Okay, everybody stay with your buddy… girls, stay with the group… don’t touch the crackers…” Katie hated it, but he did well and wasn’t too bossy. Everybody sang the whole way back to the house.

When we got there I let the girls get in hot tub, then the boys. I cleaned the kitchen and made Berried Delight, a fantastic recipe Jamey had found. It seemed like the day just flew by and I didn’t get hardly anything done that I had intended to. I did get Brother Clarkson’s pants fixed (a seam needed restitched—it took far longer to set up the machine as it did to actually do the work), but that’s about it. There’s always tomorrow.

The home crowd (Hays, Kim, Mom & Dad; as opposed to the go-out crowd—all the single or temporarily-wifeless guys) came home and we had ham and beans and cornbread for dinner, then migrated outside to watch all of the fellas fish. Isaac caught another big one.




I think Brother Clarkson caught two fish.



We had some great discussions and thoroughly enjoyed Sister Kim’s prototype of a certain useful tool that she demonstrated on Brother Chris T., much to the delight of the onlookers. I would share more details, but some things don’t relate well in written form. Just take my word for it—it was grand. :-)

Chris T. and Kody decided to take a spin around the pond in the paddle boat. The both walked out on the dock and stepped into the boat at the same time, accidentally thrusting it away from the shore. We watched as Kody’s legs spread wider and wider, one foot on the dock the other on the boat that we departing, until he finally leaped onto the boat and was able to crawl into place. Ha! One leg bothered him for the rest of the evening, but he assured me sometime later that he was fine—now that the feeling had returned. HA! It was great. Once he and Chris got in the boat they were cracking us up, paddling as fast as their legs could manage, but not going anywhere. :-) You have to paddle at a medium speed for it to work right. They finally figured it out, but they got some real good exercise first.

Dad enjoyed some fishing with the rest of the guys.
Then the grandest thing of all happened. We girls decided to take a ride in the paddleboat. Jamey and Sarah climbed into the back of the boat and Kim and I got into the front. It was poor planning on our part, getting into the boat like that while it was sitting on the slanted dock instead of stepping into it while it was floating flat on the water. Then it was REALLY poor planning that we allowed Chris T. to push us off. He put his foot on the boat and gave a mighty heave, shoving the boat off the dock and into the water--at the very same angle as the dock. This means, of course, that Jamey and Sara's end of the boat went straight down into the pond and filled up with water. Hahahahahahahaha! For a few moments Jamey was sitting in pond water up to her waist. There was lots of screaming followed by hysterical laughter for several minutes. I had handed my camera to Kody before getting in the boat and he got a few pictures, but not until the boat had righted itself and Jamey was no longer sitting in the pond. Too bad. HA! Either way, I can't look at the pictures without laughing--just remembering how hilarious it all was. :-)

Jamey went to get into some nice dry clothes and start some laundry (!), then we all sat and visited for a while. Pretty soon the Baldwin boys and Aaron showed up. I can't remember anything specific about the conversation, I just remember laughing a lot. Then Brother Clarkson turned it into a prayer meeting. :-) He started drilling all of the young guys, trying to learn about them and what they might need from the Lord while at BTI. "Who are you? Are you saved? Sanctified? How do you know? Do you have the Holy Ghost? Why not? What holds you back?" People who don't really KNOW Chris Clarkson might think by reading that that he is pushy and crass, but anyone who DOES know him knows that it wasn't like that at all. None of it was done in a critical way—oh, far from it! Just in an open, honest, real sort of way—wanting to find their hearts and how he might be able to help encourage and pray for them. He talked to them for a while, then led everybody in prayer. We had a good prayer, then some of us stayed up visiting about some spiritual needs, and heard some good counsel, God giving help and hope and direction. I loved it. :-) And it makes me remember all of the reasons why I love and miss the Clarksons so much. I'm always so blessed.

Along with all of the spiritual conversations and prayers, we had tons of fun tonight. My sides are sore from laughing. It’s only day two. I love it. :-) I’M SOOOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!