Growing Older

Givar 2000Faith is preparing to enter university soon. She has a music scholarship, which isn't a surprise since she's signed to a record label as it is. I'm glad that she decided to go to university, at one point she was debating just joining the music industry full time.

We managed to have a long heart-to-heart talk about her future. She wants to move to Apple Valley Metro after graduation, apparently small town life isn't for her. That is fine, I'm not sure what will happen with the twins. Harvis hasn't been the same since his abduction and I discovered that nearly the same time, his brother was abducted as well. I hope this isn't some planned take-over!

Beach Day

With the opening of Apple Valley Metro, I took the family to the beach. It was too cold to swim and Susie and Harvis are not allowed near the water anyway, but we walked about and built sandcastles.

Faith lost her baby, but Nicole and I have still been keeping a close eye on her. We know that she's been sneaking out and we alerted Tobi Sweeny of such, but there's only so much you can do as a parent...sometimes they must make thier own mistakes.

Sweets for my ladies

I visited CupaJava this simday and brought chocolates for my lovely ladies (Nicole, Faith and Susie). I want to show my girls how a man is supposed to treat them, hence I am trying to spoil them with gifts and quality time. That way when they are in a serious relationship they can say "my father does this for me, what do you have to offer?"

I am still worried about Harvis, he seems more obssessed with the sky. Maybe we should take his telescope away.

Robbed!

I feel so stupid! I was digging looking for artifacts as part of our tour and I burst a water pipe. Well this fella came around to help me and said that if I'm not careful something about water flies attacking and blah blah. Well, when he left I was missing $150!!! Next time I will be careful about who I allow to hold thier arm around me.

Boys

I've seen a young man follow Susie about during this vacation. I must keep my eye on him, I am not fond of the way he eyes my little Susie. He reminds me of the men I went to college with, those who chased the ladies with only one thing in thier head.

Fearful!

Simmerville published an article about Blue & Green Aliens, and now Nicole and I must meet with the hood council to discuss our foster children. I'm not sure what will happen or how we can make sure that they won't experience this conflict of the mind. To be honest, Susie is the least of the hood's worries. It's Harvis that this meeting is truly about. Harvis is devoted to star gazing every night and he claims that he is trying to talk to his blue ancestors. Thankfully there are not descendants of green aliens in the hood-only some ozian genes, because otherwise the hood would have a much larger issue on thier hands.

Food Expo Thoughts

The residents here have been very good to us. Some of them decided to hold a "Build a Pantry" for us this simSunday. Basically sims will donate food items to us for our pantry so we can save money. That is great since I barely get a salary for my work as pastor and Nicole is bringing in most of the income-not to mention with three growing teens and three hungry pets, costs can get a bit out of hand.

I talked with Grex to discuss the details of the Charity Fish Fry. I am still collecting fish from the residents and Nicole will grill several fish plates. We're either going to sell them in the church yard or have Grex sell them in the market and then the profits will go towards the new church renovation project.

When I'm not fulfilling my pastoral duties-which isn't often-I try to spend some time with the kids. Faith is growing up so fast and Susie and Harvis are right behind her. I try to talk with Harvis-mano y mano-but...well, he always wants to discuss the stars and the state of alien sim relationships. I'm trying to keep my eye open for all the things they warned us about the twins, but Harvis...well, he's beginning to scare me a bit.

Blessed Harvest

The service went well and a nice crowd showed, both of the girls played and did rather well. In fact, Faith was offered a recording contract due to her playing. Nicole and I agreed to let her persue it since opportunities for violinists to record CDs are not very often.

Babies

Preparing for the 1st set of baby dedications on the island. I've talk with Johan about it, I need to get my speech prepared. After the Shazad's, the Grey's and then the Dawson's, not to mention the Wilsonoff's-whew! Lots of babies being born!

Blessed Harvesty

There's a ccandal with the date change of Blessed Harvest Day, even the groom of the supposed reasoning behind the date change is embarrassed and confused.

The girls will be performing at the service, they're so cute praticing-I told them no dancing though, so they will play some musical renditions.

What's going on?

I came back from my duties at the church and visiting residents and the children were all asleep on the sofas. Nicole said that they had a very busy day, with school and playing with thier pets. Wow.

I must talk to Nicole, the kids are getting older and they should have chores. Right now they make thier beds and keep thier rooms clean, but they should also take over feeding the pets and clearing the tables. A rotation would work. Each simday each child could clear the table, feed the pets, clean the bathroom, and water the plants.

An Unexpected Visitor

Ayanna Kent stopped by today right before I walked the children to school. Her husband died during the night and she wanted to chat about funeral services. I told her to call me later or I'd stop by The Centre to chat with her.

Well, the funeral will be rather small. A wake at thier house, I'll speak a few words and then the family will walk to the church to have his tomb laid at rest. Such a sad time, especially with thier daughter getting married soon. A damper on the events if you ask me.

A Son

Boys are different from girls. At least Harvis is very different from Susie and Faith. I shouldn't expect them to be the same, but...

I sat down with Harvis at CupaJava (I wish we had taken the kids to the park instead, but Nicole wanted to pick up some baked goods and she ran into friends and got into a long conversation) and we chatted about his recent move from Simmerville to Apple Valley. He talked about his aunt and his older siblings. I encouraged him to post on the SUN boards, but he said that he rather stare at the stars.

I think I should keep him away from the telescope, there were warnings about the blue and green aliens. What if his blue alien ancestors want him to return to thier planet? What if the green aliens kidnap him? No, perhaps he should look into another hobby...like music.

Back on Dry Land

Finally we are back on dry land and getting settled into our new home. The children are adjusting nicely, they talked us into getting a pet... three pets to be exact. Faith got a small dog named Preach, Harvis got a puppy named Praise and Susie got a cat named Prayer. We attended the welcoming ceremony and the children seemed to have a good time. Harvis and Susie kept to themselves, but Faith talked to everyone. Hopefully they'll make new friends once they go to school.

My Love

Nicole and I have discussed our dreams and compared them, they were so similar. It seemed almost like a prophecy, a prophecy of doom. The dreams tell of a rising flood, that Apple Valley will be covered with water and exist no more, but there's more, it's not the end, only the beginning.

Then it happened! Our dreams came true and Apple Valley flooded beyond existance. Wow!

Service

Mid Week Service went well, several sims appeared and afterwards enjoyed coffee and slices of cake. Nicole was so wise to suggest refreshments afterwards, it really builds the community. She's been having terrible nightmares, I am concerned. I've been having similar dreams as well, but I don't want to frighten her, I wonder what God is trying to reveal to us?

Some great news. The twins are going to be joining our family soon. This is all very exciting, but Nicole and I are keeping things a little quiet. We told Faith that our family may be growing soon and she is curious about it of course.

My Daughter

My daughter is so active, every simday she wants to play baseball or even run around the yard. I am glad that she is active, and very neat as well. She helps around the house without asking, she thinks it's fun to make up beds and clean toliets.

Fishing

I've taken up teaching Faith how to fish, sometimes we sneak out the house early-Faith still in her PJs to fish in the nearby pond. Her mother would kill me if she knew that Faith didn't have any shoes on by the water.

So Close, Yet So Far

Nicole is sad and Faith is asking why. The twins will not be coming to join our family. Travel restrictions made the fostering impossible and they will stay closer to home. I know it must be for the better, something else will work out, but now we must look at should we try adopting again or waiting a bit more time.

Adoption/Fostering

We put in a bid to foster the famous McAstral twins from Simmerville. I don't know if our application will be accepted since we barely meet the financial requirements. They might have better lives in another hood.



EDIT: Our application was accepted!!! We are so excited and even better news. The hood council has agreed to renovate our home a bit to prepare for the twins. Somehow we will gain an extra bedroom. I must say I am curious as to how that will happen. Well, soon the twins will arrive and our little family will grow from three to five. I wonder if we are to adopt them or simply foster them?