Baby shower for Elissa + What Some Might Call a Vacation!

[LurkerOverThePond]

I'd love to know what he talks with Sarah during those weekly interrogations.

[HoneyBunny]

14er is definitely a word out here. They're a big deal. There are 53 of them in the state of Colorado, some technical climbs and some not. People talk about "bagging" another 14er in their quest to summit all 53 of them (technical climbing expertise is required to do that). My dentist and his wife have bagged all of them and were married on top of one of them; that was noteworthy enough that there was an article about it in the Denver Post.

Now that I'm getting older and don't climb them anymore, I'm at the age where friends' kids do. It seems like every weekday morning in the summer my phone dings with a text message starting at 8am, a photo of a teen-20 year old on the summit of a 14er. People start early because of the threat of lightning storms that move in with little warning at that elevation.

[BigSandy]

I'm just shocked at the change in Sarah's mood in the past few blog posts. She has had a vibrant, lively tone to her writing. It's a marked contrast to the laconic, ponderous tone that her posts have had since last Winter. I assume that this is entirely related to her jubilation at getting to surprise Teri with What Some Might Call a Vacation, but it's even a striking change from similar WSMCaV posts last year.

Perhaps it's environmental. If Teri has had a shift in mood due to finishing up her 30 Years of Educational Martyrdom, the whole temperament of the house may be dramatically better.

Really good observation, and I agree!

[PennySycamore]

I don"t really know if "14 er" is a word or why Teri would have the time of her life climbing one. She's done it before. Every year. Also, Sarah titled the post "a Maxwell 14 er." So full of themselves. Sometimes it's just gah, get over yourselves! But oh, they're so humble right?

Fourteener or 14-er is a word in Colorado. It's a neologism to describe those mountains in Colorado are at last 14,000 feet in elevation. I have a T-shirt somewhere that lists all of them and encourages you to "Climb The All". I wore it when my youngest was a very active toddler/preschooler to help me keep my sense of humour about her level of activity. She was a climber -the neighbor's tree and bookshelves at the library...

[Eternalbluepearl]

Thanks for explaining fourteener, everyone. I'm from New England and had never heard the term. :)

[blessalessi]

He has a weekly meeting with each "child," to make sure he's still got a stranglehold on their hearts.

I'm sure that what some might call a vacation won't stop Steve from letting his family know who is boss...

From articles.titus2.com/dad-the-linchpin/

DAD – THE LINCHPIN

This was posted on July 29, 2015 by Steve Maxwell.

How important am I to my family? If I were gone forever out of the family, would they be better or worse off? Am I just a paycheck? (The government can provide that.) Do I drive my family to church? (That is good, but many churches have busses for that.) Am I a friend? (That’s good, too, but pets provide great companionship.)

The paycheck is only a means to fulfill my primary job of leading and discipling. I take them to church BUT more importantly I lead them as an example of life in Christ and in God’s Word daily during family Bible time.

My ability to disciple my children is proportionate to my relationship with them. Far more important than being their friend is my being their earthly father who loves, invests, admonishes, and leads them in following our Lord Jesus. The quality of their lives depends on it. How purposeful in setting direction, how committed and how actively am I discipling my children in a relationship with Jesus Christ? Would they miss that if I were gone?

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.†(Ephesians 6:4)

Steve

FWIW, Steve, I think they will "miss" those meetings when you are gone... but not in the way you imagine. Probably in the way that one would miss an extracted wisdom tooth that had been causing pain for so long that the ache had become "normal".

[kpmom]

I'd love to know what he talks with Sarah during those weekly interrogations.

Soon they'll be able to discuss what senior citizens discounts she can get as an AARP member.

I can't believe Steve still has those silly weekly meetings with his way grown children, although I don't know why I should be surprised.

ETA: For members not living in USA, AARP is American Association of Retired Persons. It's a non-government organization that carries some political weight. We all joke that turning 50 is bad enough but then AARP makes it worse by sending you membership forms pretty much right around that milestone birthday to really remind you about getting older.

As a member though you do get some pretty good discounts.

[Eternalbluepearl]

Soon they'll be able to discuss what senior citizens discounts she can get as an AARP member.

I can't believe Steve still has those silly weekly meetings with his way grown children, although I don't know why I should be surprised.

ETA: For members not living in USA, AARP is American Association of Retired Persons. It's a non-government organization that carries some political weight. We all joke that turning 50 is bad enough but then AARP makes it worse by sending you membership forms pretty much right around that milestone birthday to really remind you about getting older.

As a member though you do get some pretty good discounts.

I agree! I think Teri and Steve parent too long. Give it up. Get something else to do with your time. :cray-cray:

[anjulibai]

My ability to disciple my children is proportionate to my relationship with them. Far more important than being their friend is my being their earthly father who loves, invests, admonishes, and leads them in following our Lord Jesus. The quality of their lives depends on it. How purposeful in setting direction, how committed and how actively am I discipling my children in a relationship with Jesus Christ? Would they miss that if I were gone?

At some point, Steve, you will be gone - how are you preparing your children for that eventuality? They need to know how to lead themselves, because you will not be around forever.

[sparkles]

At some point, Steve, you will be gone - how are you preparing your children for that eventuality? They need to know how to lead themselves, because you will not be around forever.

I think Christopher is the heir apparent. I know Nathan is the oldest, but somehow Chris strikes me as the son who can out-Steve Steve himself in the self-righteous, holier-than-thou, unyielding prig department.

[blessalessi]

I'd like to be a fly on the wall in the weekly meetings between Steve and John.

This year, John-the-supposedly-reformed-rebel has set up an irrigation business website with no mention of jesus, travelled out-of-state to the not-fundie wedding of his business associate JonMarie-the-recent-rebel, and he has travelled alone, by plane, to another country, on a non-Titus2 mission trip.

How is that working out between them, I wonder? :shock:

[thoughtful]

If it was truly a surprise, I really doubt Teri appreciates it. I'm sure she prefers to plan WAY ahead and have her preparations scheduled. She'd also want to know that everyone else is doing their jobs in preparation for such a big trip. I actually don't blame her, either.

I just caught up with this thread.

I also think that Teri seems like the type to hate surprises (I do, too, so that's not a negative, to me).

But, in Maxhell, it doesn't matter what people like -- in fact, one is expected to eschew what is liked, and do what is not. I guess discomfort for no reason is a form of Godly discipline, to Steve. :shrug:

Maybe I'm being too harsh on him, but I wouldn't put it past Steve to suggest that "the kids" do this, because Teri doesn't like surprises.

[mango_fandango]

I think Christopher is the heir apparent. I know Nathan is the oldest, but somehow Chris strikes me as the son who can out-Steve Steve himself in the self-righteous, holier-than-thou, unyielding prig department.

I think so too. He married the fundiest wife (have we ever seen NR Anna in anything other than a frumper?) he already has three kids with Josh being 3. I know Nathan and Melanie have had some issues though. I know Ruthanne and Lydia are only little, but I don't see them growing up wearing anything other than mini frumpers. The other girls have worn much shorter skirts before... plus Abby had that haircut!

[Maggie Mae]

I can't believe how boring they make hiking and climbing sound.

I’ll give you a peek into yesterday’s hike. I have many pictures to sort through from various phones and my DSLR. Mom had the time of her life with hiking a 14er on her 60th birthday. It was great!

To make things more interesting, John, Anna, Jesse, Mary, and I hiked two more 14ers right near Democrat: Mount Cameron and Mount Lincoln. I’ll share some pictures from the trek up to Democrat below, but I have many more, along with the adventure to summit the double 14ers.

That's not more interesting. What's more interesting is telling us about the hike. What time did you start? What was the weather? Was there bushwacking? Where does the tree line end? What gear are you using? Does everyone have bear spray or just Steve? Does CO have bears? What wildlife did you see? What geological features did you traverse? What did you eat? What did the air feel like? How was each peak different? Where are the photos of what you saw from the top of the mountain? Were you socked in or was it clear?

Enjoying Colorado!

How so? What makes CO any different than your daily life? What do you enjoy about it? Challenge yourself, Sarah, to explain why you like something.

[Black Aliss]

Have the Moodys ever gone to Colorado? Do the Moodys have extended family other than the heathen grandparents?

I agree that the Nathan and Christopher's families are likely to surprise Terri in Colorado. I did wonder why they weren't going. It isn't as if they have jobs to keep them home. I understand why Elissa and whichever interchangeable maxwell she married, would not go. I see no go reason for the others to stay. Of Steve said go, they go.

Can we at least dream for a few hours that the NR boys have each grown a pair and told Steve to eff off?

[Handmaiden of Dog]

I can't believe how boring they make hiking and climbing sound.

That's not more interesting. What's more interesting is telling us about the hike. What time did you start? What was the weather? Was there bushwacking? Where does the tree line end? What gear are you using? Does everyone have bear spray or just Steve? Does CO have bears? What wildlife did you see? What geological features did you traverse? What did you eat? What did the air feel like? How was each peak different? Where are the photos of what you saw from the top of the mountain? Were you socked in or was it clear?

How so? What makes CO any different than your daily life? What do you enjoy about it? Challenge yourself, Sarah, to explain why you like something.

I laughed at the Random Drive picture of a wet Jesse: "Jesse braved the ice-cold water! It was an amazing feat." An amazing feat! Whoo-hoo! Nobody ever went in the water in summer before.

[blessalessi]

I laughed at the Random Drive picture of a wet Jesse: "Jesse braved the ice-cold water! It was an amazing feat." An amazing feat! Whoo-hoo! Nobody ever went in the water in summer before.

Don't forget that Jesse also drinks strong coffee without sweetener! He's quite the man!

[MamaJunebug]

Enjoy that mention of Jesse's plunge and the resulting, candid, unposed photo showing real emotional response to the experience! Those are rarer than teeth on Chicky Mama's brood back in Kansas.

I don't imagine Steve & Terifying encourage spontaneous behavior like jumping into a cold lake. There are cold showers for the purpose, and the shock and change to a person's physical condition can inspire thoughts! Thoughts of surprise, revelation, new perspectives!

You can get those reactions when you try something beyond gym training, walking, running, hiking and sitting still for church and two-a-day Bible "study" with the very same people day in day out 24 7 365.

It amazes me that the photo made Steve's edit.

[Elegant Mess]

I agree! I think Teri and Steve parent too long. Give it up. Get something else to do with your time.

Might I suggest starting with actually responding to blog comments with more than just a handful of words and using punctuation that doesn't make your responses sound condescending to your readers?!? :twocents-02cents:

[twin2]

I can't believe how boring they make hiking and climbing sound.

That's not more interesting. What's more interesting is telling us about the hike. What time did you start? What was the weather? Was there bushwacking? Where does the tree line end? What gear are you using? Does everyone have bear spray or just Steve? Does CO have bears? What wildlife did you see? What geological features did you traverse? What did you eat? What did the air feel like? How was each peak different? Where are the photos of what you saw from the top of the mountain? Were you socked in or was it clear?

How so? What makes CO any different than your daily life? What do you enjoy about it? Challenge yourself, Sarah, to explain why you like something.

I think Sarah takes the saying "The Devil is in the details" literally.

[kpmom]

I don't imagine Steve & Terifying encourage spontaneous behavior like jumping into a cold lake. There are cold showers for the purpose, and the shock and change to a person's physical condition can inspire thoughts! Thoughts of surprise, revelation, new perspectives!

Shrinkage! :lol:

[Foudeb]

I wouldn't kick the Jesse from the last few pics out of bed... Hey Steve, put your male childults in frumpers lest they cause a woman's mind to wander!

[Elegant Mess]

I wouldn't kick the Jesse from the last few pics out of bed... Hey Steve, put your male childults in frumpers lest they cause a woman's mind to wander!

I think that ship has already sailed here at FJ! :lol: :angelic-halofell:

[theologygeek]

The thought of climbing a mountain for a summer vacation makes me itchy and scratchy. What is so appealing about driving for hours just to climb up a mountain and climb back down? They wear all those clothes and a backpack, and get all dirty and dusty. It's just so ewww. Last week, I was splashing in waves and watching my adult children body surf. The water was so cold but it was fun. I love beaches and saltwater. Can't stand lakes. I wonder if Teri even enjoys mountain climbing with her back problems. She should be pampered on her birthday and not made to strain herself.

[Maggie Mae]

The thought of climbing a mountain for a summer vacation makes me itchy and scratchy. What is so appealing about driving for hours just to climb up a mountain and climb back down? They wear all those clothes and a backpack, and get all dirty and dusty. It's just so ewww. Last week, I was splashing in waves and watching my adult children body surf. The water was so cold but it was fun. I love beaches and saltwater. Can't stand lakes. I wonder if Teri even enjoys mountain climbing with her back problems. She should be pampered on her birthday and not made to strain herself.

It's fun? You walk and deal with obstacles. You climb over rocks and try not to slip on the scree. Once you get to the top you look down on the world. The Maxwell's aren't really sharing their photos of the view, which is amazing. It's a chance to prove that you don't give up. You see views and vistas that so many people don't. You push your body and then reward it with a drink at the top. (Maxwell's excluded of course)

I like swimming too. I make do with lakes because the water and mud here is too dangerous. What I don't get is the appeal of pampering. Or sunbathing

For longer than it takes to warm up enough to hit the water again. I'd rather be doing something.