Today Ella was taking her nap and we were cleaning and getting ready for company today and then for my parents to watch the girls for the next couple days. It sounds like Ella is awake and so Bea goes into her room, but then promptly comes out and says, “YOU HAVE TO COME IN HERE RIGHT NOW!” I go in and this is what I see.

There was POO everywhere!! Even on her mouth. It was so disgusting. I have almost no words. Her diaper was perfectly clean because she took it off and then went poo and then wiped it EVERYWHERE!!!! I hope this never happens to you.

We went on a hike today as a family down in the Back Bay area. It was super fun. Ella was in our little backpack thing and she was a total trooper and Grace was really into it. I thought that grouchy Grace might come about half-way into it, but she had a great time. This was a fun thing to do as a family. I can’t wait to go again. We couldn’t take Izzy because she just got fixed and needs to relax, but it will be even more fun when we can take the pup.

We were asked by a friend of my parents named Lisa to participate as models for the upcoming advertising campaign for the Picture People. The Picture People are family photo studios in malls across America. Lisa is the main photographer and in charge of the photo shoots. We took the four of us and my parents because they wanted shots including grandparents. It was at this trendy looking photo studio up in downtown Los Angeles/Hollywood area. That area always makes me think because it’s the crappiest place on one corner and then a super cool film studio, restaurant, or in our case, photography studio on the next.

We had to all have our hair and make-up done by them. Yes, I did wear make-up, but she didn’t change my hair. I figured that either meant my hair was just that good looking or there was no hope in trying to improve such a train wreck. Even Grace and little Ella had their hair and make-up done. They were super cute. Be had her bangs straight down and tons of make-up. She was different and very pretty, but I think I like the way she does herself better.

We took all these winter themed pictures for about two hours with different backgrounds and props.

So this fall or before Christmas, be looking for us at your local Picture People. We just might be on a giant poster or in an ad that comes in the mail. Or we might just be rejected and be in nothing. We’ll see.

And yes, I had that song, “I wanna be a supermodel” in my head the entire time.

We were very sad when we gave up Moses and it’s not looking like it will ever happen for him to come back to us because he is very happy where he is and we don’t want to tear that apart. But then Ryan and Lindsay Guard came out from Arizona with an almost two-year-old boxer girl named Isabella. They were moving into an apartment where they couldn’t keep their dog and so they were looking for a home for her and we have agreed to adopt her as our dog.

She is super cute and sweet - a little hyper but she chills out after a little play-time. We are all learning the ways of being together. They Guards called her “Bella” for short, but that was a bit confusing with “Bella” and “Ella.” So we decided to keep Isabella and call her “Izzy” for short.

The girls both love Izzy a ton and we are excited for our life together.

Here is why I’m not into the hype about The Shack. I’m not anti-The Shack. I’m not against it like it’s the devil or something. I know some people have found it helpful to relate to God. I just hope it’s the God of the Bible they are relating to and not the God of William P. Young. But mostly I just don’t like it. Here’s why. I don’t think God is sarcastic and I just don’t think God talks like this. Overall, I feel like William P. Young is a below-average writer that took on a task that Tolkien, Lewis, and Dostoevsky would have found challenging. It’s a scary task to try and be the voice of God. To say, “This is what God would say and this is how God would speak.” I wouldn’t touch that with a ten-foot-pole. The chances of being wrong and struck by lightning are far too high for me. Now, I read this post by Randy Harris and I have talked to him a lot about this. I read the post a long time ago and I don’t remember exactly what he said and I want to keep it that way while I write this, but I thought I should link to it in full disclosure.

The whole plot-line was a bit disturbing being a father of two daughters, but that’s not why I didn’t like the book.

Here are some of the quotes that I think are weird about this book:

1. After Jesus drops the sauce that Papa (God the Father) cooked we have this exchange. “We were going to have this incredible Japanese sauce, but greasy fingers over there,” Papa nodded toward Jesus, “decided to see if it would bounce.” “C’mon now,” Jesus responded in mock defense. “My hands were slippery. What can I say?” Papa winked at Mack as she passed him the rice. “You just can’t get good help around here.” Everyone laughed.

So this isn’t a huge theological error or something. It’s just cheesy. And I don’t picture the Father and Jesus mocking each other in heaven.

2. “Hmm,” grunted Mack. “Nothing too common about her!” “True, that,” responded Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t say “True, that.” That would make him a dork. He is not a dork.

3. “You seem to be especially fond of a lot of people,” Mack observed with a suspicious look. “Are there any who you are not especially fond of?” She (God the Father) lifted her head and rolled her eyes as if she were mentally going through the catalog of every being ever created. “Nope, I haven’t been able to find any. Guess that’s jes’ the way I is.”

Seriously, God the Father says “jes’ the way I is?” This whole sentence is just so trite and cliche and dumb I can’t even express it enough.

I do admit that there are good things in the book too. The whole concept of Mack having to deal with his own hatred to God for the tragedy and the way he works through it is cool. I guess I just wish that William P. Young whispered his idea into the ear of Anne Rice or Eugene Peterson or Wendell Berry or Frederick Beuchner.