As a part of their summer break from school, I have required the kids to stop whatever they are involved with to spend one hour of reading time each day. Most of my kids enjoy this quiet time and actually enjoy reading to themselves.

But not Isaiah.

Today I found him like this…reading upside down, wiggling his legs on a chair. He remained in this position for the entire hour.

If reading was an aerobic workout, he’d be all for it, and so he’s negotiated with his body to make it tolerable for him. It is fascinating to witness the compromise.

Having found a marker from the supplies the kids brought home from school at the end of the year, Kevin decided that he must use it in a way it wasn’t intended.

“Hey, Dan. You should let me draw a tattoo on you.”

“No.”

“Yeah, come on. It will be sweet.”

“No.”

“I’ll give you five bucks.”

“Yeah right. Like you have five bucks.”

“Okay. I’ll give you a dollar right now.”

“No.”

“You should let me.”

“No.”

“I’ll take you fishing with me next time I go.”

“Fine. You can draw a tattoo on me.”

And so this is Daniel’s water-based, bribery-induced, marker tattoo:

And God, if You are paying attention to this whole incident, please…please let Daniel catch a trophy Northern and Kevin, the smallest perch in the lake.

Amen.