This weekend Claire got to see three out of four of her aunts, her grandparents (my parents), her paternal grandma, her paternal grandpa and his wife, her great uncle and aunt, and a first cousin once removed! Claire is a lucky little girl, but I think she made everyone who got to see her very happy with her whole-body smiles.

Next weekend they (at least most of the immediate family) will be at her baptism. Their presence will be noticed at our church because new attendees are always recognized! I like that about our church, its smallness.

We found out that our pastor who is taking a year off to spend more time with her family is going to be replaced by another woman. I think that is exciting for our church! We weren't members for the previous pastor change 6-7 years ago, but I believe there was a woman pastor before. I wonder if there are more female ministers in the Methodist church right now or if our church body has regularly requested women?

My sister's boyfriend and my sister go to a very big Presbyterian church. I used to go there because it was walking distance from my apartment and had evening services on the weekends so I could sleep in without guilt! I got connected with my current Bible study through that church's singles group and I'm still a member of the study group since January of 2000 I think. Obviously, the church worked for me for awhile. Unfortunately, I could always go and leave without saying "hi" to anyone. I wasn't accountable to anyone aside from a few people I knew that I'd see occasionally. It is too big for me! Around the time when I met my husband they were starting a fund-raiser to build a gigantic new sanctuary dangerously close to a wetlands area. I was happy to stop attending that church because I'd much rather give my money to a more worthy cause than allowing a church to become even more daunting in size. Not to mention the fact that I have a little bit of a green streak in me and felt for the Portland area's diminishing wetlands areas!  ¶ 10:27 AM