sacred exploration

As we were leaving the preschool today, we ran into the pastor. He is attempting to find someone to hike part of the Appalachian Trail with him sometime this year, and we chatted about hiking for a while there at the door to the church. Dennis got bored with our conversation and headed up the stairs. I gave up trying to call him back, and I was surprised a few moments later when he appeared coming from the cafe area under the sanctuary. This means he climbed the steps, walked around a corner, walked through the sanctuary, came down the back stairs to the cafe and then came back to where we were standing. He was so proud of himself that he immediately did it again. The pastor and I concluded our conversation, and I waited for Dennis to reappear. He didn't. The pastor poked his head around the corner and said that Dennis had stopped in the office to chat with the administrative assistant if I happened to bs looking for him. She poked her head out to tell me he had stopped in to tell her that he was planning a big trip to Toys R Us today and also planned to go eat somewhere good ("like San Marcos" he said). He was still all suited up in his fireman raincoat and Transformer sunglasses, and as we were finally leaving, he announced to Brother Larry "I'm all prepared for the rain AND the sun!".

The wound on his nose is quickly healing, and it is now apparent that what actually happened was a scrape rather than a bite. David and I think the dog was playing a little too hard. If he'd wanted to bite, the injury would be a hundred times worse. There's not even a puncture, thank goodness, and I think the whole thing will be gone in a few days.