The Culprit

Yesterday Joe and I did the grocery shopping together. I like it best when we do the shopping together. It's more fun to decide with him what to have for dinners for the week. And it's more fun to come home and put the groceries away together. Together, together, together...

When we're away from the house for any length of time, we make sure the dogs have toys to play with... something to keep them occupied. And when I say "make sure they have toys..." I mean that Joe or I have to go on a toy-hunt out in the yard because that's where they all end up.

Well, yesterday I made sure they had rubber kong toys and balls... a softball; some tennis balls.

Apparently, those were boring because I came home to find my bible destroyed. Shredded. Strewn about the bedroom. Parts of it in tiny little bits of pieces... and parts of it clumped in hearty sections, still bound. They had a field day!

Lucky for them, it was just a $10 paperback version of the NIV Study Bible that I picked up on my way to a WOF event years ago.

I have a pretty, leather-bound bible with my name engraved on the front that my parents gave me a couple of decades back. That one, read from time to time, is in a safe place. The ones I study from, however.... the ones I use up and wear out.... and leave on my night stand for puppies to be tempted by.... are typically paperback versions.

I've been meaning to retire that old, worn bible, and have had one on standby for a couple of months. I ordered it recently through Amazon after attending a UCG Women's Conference with Kay Arthur and Alicia Williamson-Garcia. I usually study from an NIV, but Kay made me want to take a look at the NASB, so that's what I got.

The thing is... I've been putting it off for two reasons. I'm used to studying from the NIV... I'm afraid the NASB is gonna seem weird. Plus, new bibles are so naked. No underlines... notes... highlights... reminders. It's just all so new, like starting over. Is that ridiculous?

Anyway, that's why I put it off.

Now, I was very curious last night, and eager to determine, who the culprit is that has forced me to break out of my comfort zone and dig into that new bible...



Emma: "Uh... I'll just lay here next to you, while you crack the binding on your new bible, Mom. Cuzzzzz ... I'm a good girl. ...and I love you..."





Blaze, able to rest easy, doesn't appear to be guilt-ridden.





But, back to Emma. There's something about this good girl... she's always eager to have something in her mouth.



Oh, sure. Now that my bible is destroyed, you find the ball desirable... a little late!



Whether it fits comfortably in her mouth, or not. She just wants to carry things.

But, come to think of it, she never destroys her obsessions.

She has an empty trailmix bag that she's been picking up, carrying around, setting down, and picking back up again for weeks. No, it's not her MO to shred.

(See my hand on her neck? I was just trying to keep her at bay long enough to snap a picture. She kept getting in my face with the ball... all happy and wiggly, as if she wanted me to take it from her with my mouth! Sometimes I think she thinks I'm just one of the pack!)




Ah ha, this little one is sure eyeing that ball suspiciously! She seems to want it badly!






But Riley's laying low.
Riley: "Nope, not me. I'm a good boy. And cute, too. Just look at me."






Emma: "Nah, nah, I've got it and you can't have it!"
(Sorry, I know it's blurry, but I couldn't resist the tongue.)





Emma: "I'm sorry. No, you're right. That wasn't very nice."





Meanwhile, Riley and Sara both want the ball. Riley seems to have the advantage.






Doh! Sara gets it from him. Notice the "little something" on the floor next to Riley's paw, that's a piece of my bible cover...






Sara gets to work. This is serious business. Riley, staying close by, is intent on her hurrying up!






Tenacity - she's moved to the bed! She worked it and worked it. I'm not sure what she thought she was going to accomplish, but she seemed to want to undo the laces.






Emma: "Not me, Mom. I'm the good girl. See? Just precious... you always say so."
(Notice her pink nostrils? How funny. )






Meanwhile, Riley (who has become bored with waiting for his turn with that ball) has decided to shred a tissue. Riley!






Riley: "Aw, Mom! I couldn't help it; she wouldn't let me have the ball."






Hmmm... Sara leaves the ball long enough to see what her naughty brother is up to.
Sara: "Whatcha doin?"






Riley: "Never mind, Sara. Go away. I got in trouble."






The ball... seemingly forgotten, has rolled under the bed.



This is where I say goodnight.




Zzzzzz.


Zzzzzz.


Zzzzzz.






Good morning...!!





Oh! Riley!!







Emma begins to investigate. "Mom, I think I know who your shredder is!"

It appears my bible fell into the paws of one, still-precious-as-they-come...Riley, and I suspect the little princess, Sara, may have been his accomplice!

And to think I just washed these sheets on Saturday. I do enough laundry to make you believe I have seven children!






That's the end of that!




(Dumb camera focused on the background instead of the foreground... grrrr... couldn't be operator error! And the flash shadows in all of these shots drive me nuts, but the manual settings weren't cooperating... groan.)


I'm sorry, Mom, but Luci Swindoll's Alchemy of the Heart met it's tragic end alongside my bible. I'll replace it.