The Top of the Seventh at Starbucks

I am a people watcher by nature. This being said, it is no wonder I love to study at Starbucks. Living in a college town, the scene at Starbucks is usually the same most every night I venture in. The people are usually different but the groups are almost always the same. Here are some of the groups I seem to observe every time I visit:

1. Laptops-
Laptops are by far the biggest patrons of Starbucks. Being in a college town I can never count less than 6-8 laptops resting on the tables. Dell and HP seem to be the microprossessor of choice in this particular Starbucks although occasionally an Apple walks in and then leaves with a venti sized drink.

2. The "Daring" Dresser-
There is always one black sheep in the apparel department. Tonight the award went to a guy I saw in tight skinny jeans and a purple Beret. I need not say more.
*Confession Note*- I did put my phone on vibrate and took a silent snap-shot of this kid to show off later at work. Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.

3. The "Starry-Eyed" Lovers-
There is always, of course, the loving college couple sitting close and holding hands while whispering over a shared cup of coffee about who knows what. What was it we talked about when we were 21? I think it had everything to do with seeing and changing the world and nothing to do with minivans and the benefits of heated seats during Indiana winters.

4. The "Regulars"-
Let us not forget the ever-faithful "regulars" to Starbucks. There is one IWU professor whom I am pretty sure wins the award for perfect attendance. Because I see him there every night I visit and because my nights of visitation are so random, maybe once or twice a week at best, I can only assume he must be there every night. I am also pretty sure that he follows the golden rule of the "regulars" by ordering the same thing every time. I know this because he just hands the barristas the cash and they mix up the drinks, always two, one hot and one cold, in no time flat. They do this so quickly it is almost as if they made the drinks ahead of time anticipating his arrival. There is rarely any speaking done in this whole process, especially in the form of ordering. They have it down to a well rehearsed java dance.

5. The Loud Know-It-All-Draw-Attention-To-Myself Patron-
You know this guy. We can all hear him before we can actually see him. This sort of patron can also be found at any bar. However, no alcohol is usuallly needed to push the private liberal-arts college student over the edge into know-it-all territory. It just takes throwing back a few grande lattes and the next thing you know they are spewing out all sorts of large hyphenated words and talking about the socio-econimic downfall of America. Gradually they move into the realms of philosophy, religion, and politics. They subject all of those within earshot to their verbal banter. They usually finish when they think they have impressed everyone around them with their superior knowledge of the world and how it functions or dysfunctions. Little do they know everyone is really just staring at the whipped cream they have on the end of their nose.

6. The Surprise Guest-
There is always one person who wanders in while you are visiting a Starbucks that just looks out of place. Usually they show up shortly before closing. Maybe it is the rough and tumble looking Harley owner in black leather who struts in. Many times it is the woman who is completely inappropriately dressed. She comes in looking as though she is ready for a day at the beach even though it is 40 degrees out and 10 o'clock at night. Tonight it was the old man in the black Velcro shoes and Dodgers baseball cap that caught my eye. He came in around an hour to closing and ordered a grande whatever with a water to wash it all down. He carried his drinks over to his little round table and then out of his pocket pulled out a small silver box. It was an old radio. He turned it up quietly so as not to drown out the overhead music, sat and sipped his coffee, and listened to what was the top of the seventh inning in the sixth game of the World Series. Yankees vs. Phillies. I am not sure what struck me the most about this. I think it was so many things all together that I just plain loved. Maybe it was the fact that he managed to coordinate his black Velcro shoes, that every man over seventy-five wears, so well with his outfit and his black Dodgers hat. Perhaps I loved the fact that he chose a simple pocket radio over a High-Definition LCD TV and a Lazyboy like most Americans. Maybe it was just plain entertaining to see an elderly man, clinging to the old romantic tradition of listening to a baseball game on a scratchy radio all while sipping a grande skinny vanilla latte with whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkles on top, although I like to pretend it was just a plain cup of joe... no sugar, no cream. Anyway, shouldn't he be sitting in his dusty garage fixing something while listening to this great American pastime like they do in all of the movies? What was he doing in an over-priced coffee shop? Maybe this was the biggest part of my interest in him. I love a good paradox. Of course I went over and chatted with him. We talked about his Dodgers, the Yankees winning yet another World Series, and then finished up with the topic every good Hoosier finishes a baseball conversation with... the Cubs and next year.

Summary Statement-
You just never know the interesting people you will come across at a Starbucks if you can just stick around until the seventh inning.

A Boy and His Sheep

Last fall when my mother was cleaning out her house of some old belongings, she ran accross an old stuffed sheep that someone had made her. While she fondly remembered the person who had made the sheep for her, she sat the sheep in a large pile of items to take to the GoodWill store in town and then continued on in her sorting. Caleb happened to walk past this pile of "treasures" and was instantly attracted to this sheep. When it was time to go, Caleb absolutely refused to release his grip on the sheep that he had adopted and had played with all afternoon. I asked mom if we could take it with us and she said that we may. And so began the love affair between a boy and his sheep. Since that day I have found this sheep in so many different places and situations that I began to take pictures of our encounters. I thought I would take a minute to show some of them off. Besides, I am a EWE-r. Sorry... Baaaad joke.

My first random encounter with the this new wooly member of the family came late one night after work. I crept into the house shortly after midnight. Everyone was asleep in bed and the lights were all out. I turned on the light to the living room only to find the sheep in middle of the room with a bowl and an apple at it's feet. You should understand that there were no other toys around at all. Just a sheep, an apple, and a bowl, right in the middle of the room. I do like to think of this as my son's first outward expression of following Christ's command to " feed my sheep".

One evening I found Caleb diligently reading a story to his sheep.
I wonder if this is how they get " Smart Wool " ...

Apparently sheep get cold feet because I find the sheep in socks all of the time. I often wonder how the sheep feels about always being put in cotton socks. I wonder if he finds them " itchy".

I find Caleb and his sheep sleeping soundly many many nights. Of course inquiring minds want to know... Who is counting whom?

Dog Shopping

Lately Caleb has been bugging me every day to buy him an "inside dog". Because the neighbors have acquired a new puppy, he feels that this would be good for our family as well. He must have been tired of hearing me say no because the other day he decided to take matters into his own hands. I came around the corner to find him sitting at the computer desk. He was staring intently at the computer while he moved the mouse around in circles. I asked him what he was doing as he seemed very serious. " I'm ordering an inside dog online," he stated. Slightly amused I told him that I didn't think that this was a very good idea. " Too late," he replied, " I already ordered it!" Then he hopped down from the computer and ran off. I should have asked him how he paid for it but I was too busy running to my wallet to make sure that he had not stolen the credit card. It was there so I guess he must have used "Pay Pal".

Happy Birthday William!

Happy Birthday William! You are one today and the year has gone by so fast. When I look back at these pictures, I see how quickly you have changed right before my eyes. Only looking back through time do I now realize how much you have really grown! If ever there were an argument for life, it is in the next few pictures. Thanks for making this first year so special for our family.

12 Week Ultrasound
It was love from the moment we first peeked in on you and saw your little body
displayed in grainy black and white. Never has such a poor quality picture been
so proudly displayed on a kitchen refridgerator! A rough glimpse of a little one being woven together by his Creator.

5/23/08~ 6 hours
Welcome William Thomas Ewer!

1 week old

1 month ( sorry... sideways)

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

1 Year old!!!

Happy Birthday William!!!

We cannot wait to see what you do

this next year as we watch you learn and grow.

Desitin Math

Equation for Disaster: ( 5 ) minutes of inattention putting away laundry + ( 1 ) ambulating child + ( 1 ) tube of misplaced Desitin = ( 1 ) major disaster... but one really cute picture... and a carpet that will never get a rash.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things...

Career Ambitions of a Jealous Toddler...

I was just sitting here smiling thinking about my son's three year check-up with the pediatrician. We had just had our son William and I think... looking back... that there may have been a couple of warning signs I missed that Caleb was having trouble adjusting.

Pediatrician: " So Caleb... what do you want to be when you grow up"?
( Pediatrician sits looking at his computer waiting for the typical developmentally appropriate answer of fire-fighter or police man).

Caleb: " A "pider" ( Spider) in the basement so I can eat the baby".

( Pediatrician now looks up from his computer ).

Right then I wished I was a "pider" so I could hide up in the corner of his office.

I am happy to report though that our four year check up will be soon coming and we have been rehearsing more appropriate answers such as police man and...well... anything that does not have to do with eating babies.