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Welcome
to the World Jadzia Jacqueline Sitte
On Sunday afternoon the 8th, Joel
dropped off Jean and Galen for a play date.
Then on the 20th, I was told to plan to spend
Wednesday the 25th through Saturday the 28th watching over Galen.
I drove down on the evening of the 24th. Joel and Jean went to
Valley Medical Center in Renton on the 25th, but were told to return the
next day when the birth process could be jump started with induction.
Jean was induced on Thursday afternoon, and at
3:33 PM on Friday the 27th she gave birth to Jadzia Jacqueline Sitte.
She was 20.0" and 8 lbs.
1 oz. The female name Jadzia is actually Polish, but her name was
inspired by the character Jadzia Dax on the TV series Star Trek:
Deep Space Nine.
Jadzia (Jăd•zē’•ă) slept through my short time with her.
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Next door neighbors Verl & Sherri
welcomed Jadzia.
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I Received
the Laying On of Hands Rite from Leaders of
the National Association of
Christian Ministers
On Saturday the 21st, Randy drove me
down to Federal Way to attend the annual Washington State
group's event where newly ordained ministers receive the rite of
laying on of hands which traditionally marks their ordination.
Randy paid for our lunch at Azteca on the way down.
Nancy also attended, although she came
south with Annie and the girls earlier to attend Cross Country
races at Fort Steilacoom Park.
Washington State's annual NACM event was held at the Dumas Bay
Centre in Federal Way. Nancy and Randy witnessed this
moving event which began with worship music followed by a
welcome from Rev. Rodger Niemeier,
National NACM Executive Elder. We learned that NACM
currently has 36,300 members, the great majority of whom are
ordained ministers. This was followed by a fellowship time
and a time for a few brief ministry testimonials. The
laying on of hands ceremony for ten of us concluded the
three-hour Saturday afternoon event.
I made a surprising new friend in Mark "Raven" Redfox of Santa
Fe, New Mexico. He is a Lakota (Teton Sioux). We
discovered we have much more than just Jesus in common. He
is an artist of Native American art. We knew many of the
same
Northwest native artists. He is just five months
younger than I am. He is a photographer. And we even
commiserated about our shared diabetes symptoms and treatments.
He is a Minister of Music. His own twin passed away twenty
years ago.
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Rev. Tim Root, Washington State Coordinating Elder (Auburn)
Rev. Rodger Niemeier, NACM Executive
Elder (Federal Way)
Rev. Raymond Babula, Washington State
Coordinating Elder (Spanaway)
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I was one of the new ministers invited
to briefly share my testimony describing my Bible teaching
ministry. Ten new ministers were anointed with oil and
prayed for in the laying on of hands "sacred rite of holy
consecration for ministry."
I am listed as a Minister of Education on my NACM profile.
Here's how I've introduced myself online in that profile.
Greetings in Christ! Hi, I’m Dr. Dick Sleight (pronounced
“slate.”) I was baptized at age 16, but since I was not
discipled, my faith languished until after college. I joined the
University of Washington faculty in their College of Engineering
at age 22 in 1978. Then, God got my attention and full
allegiance the day Mount St. Helens blew up in Washington State,
May 18, 1980. I have worshiped at University Presbyterian Church
in Seattle and Bellevue Presbyterian Church since that year.
Although I took seminary courses through Grand Rapids Baptist
Seminary in 1982-83, I chose the Ph.D. route over the M.Div.
route, earning my doctorate in 1989. That year, I left the
University of Washington, moving three miles west down the Lake
Washington Ship Canal to Seattle Pacific University (SPU), a
Free Methodist affiliated school. After 32 years there, I
retired (from the business school) as an emeritus faculty member
in 2021. I have led Bible studies and have done adult Bible
teaching for the past 30+ years. I teach in a lecture format in
the Presbyterian/Reformed tradition. Since 2012, I have been an
invited Bible teacher at a large retirement community in
Redmond, Washington. (It took us five summers to get through the
book of Matthew.) Beyond all this, eleven grandchildren
consume most of my free time — see Psalm 128. I was honored to
be named an Ordained Independent Minister of the Gospel by NACM
in March 2024. More about me can be found at SL8.com.
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September Birthdays Celebrated on the 22nd
Our September family get-together,
held at Susan's house while she was touring Greece, celebrated
the birthdays of Corvin and Vivienne Pastrick. Isaac
Sleight and his family did not attend this one.
Play time, lunch, birthday cakes,
presents, and a piñata (a Sleight family tradition) were enjoyed
by seven kids and ten adults.
This month, Corvin turned five,
Vivienne turned three, and Isaac turned two. I autographed
Corvin's book from us, How to Babysit a Grandpa,
Happy 5th birthday
Corvin! Rev. Dr. Grandpa Dick.
I was pleased to see the new (and
first!) haircuts for Rowen and Corvin Pastrick.
The homemade piñata was attacked by
age from youngest to eldest. Valerie had the best and most
violent technique.
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The Shed Roof
Nancy moved back to the shed re-roof
project in late August. We began this project back in
November. We have a common saying in the family, especially
where Nancy is concerned, "It's not a piano!" But even the
roof of the old shed gets the piano treatment from her.
I managed to fix the electrical wiring
in the newly upgraded workshop. That's the circuit that
also sends electricity underground to the shed. I help Nancy as
her gofer.
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   Five
Days
with Galen
I spent the 24th through the 28th
keeping an eye on Galen. He is happy, playful, stubborn,
and a normal 2 year 10 month-year-old who loves his grandpa but
greatly missed his mommy and daddy.
His streaming media of choice includes Fireman Sam, Paw Patrol,
and anything Superman or Spider-Man.
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Randy Moving Slowly
On Wednesday, August 28th, Randy took
a serious fall while on a hike inspecting bridges for Snohomish
County. He learned the next week that he had two broken
ribs (#6 and #7). He had other torn and bruised body
parts.
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Another Condo
to Go
Up Nearby
On my daily stroller walks with
the little girls, we've been walking past the pending
condominium construction site south of NE 12th street on 100th
Avenue NE.
Two small older houses were demolished
just north of the LUX apartments.
This will be the closest large
building to our house at 1228 99th Ave NE. It will be just one
block south and half a block east of our house. I'm
thinking this may be a big reason why we get calls every week
from developers and real estate agents hoping we will sell.
Our lot is twice the size of those of all our neighbors.
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Daily Stroller
Walks Continue
I'm still taking one or two
granddaughters nearly every day in their stroller on one to two mile trips
to QFC or further south.
I still get tired but I'm noticing
slow improvement in my strength and stamina.
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  Teaching
the
Book of Job
at Emerald Heights
On the 10th, I received the invitation
to offer my lectures (still to be prepared) on the Book of
Job. I'm scheduled for the five Thursdays of
January 2025.
Like
Father,
Like Son
Jean forwarded me a picture of Joel
taken at about the same age that Galen is now.
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  A
Cooler September at Harvest Time
What started in a small pot of Asters a few
years ago has become two
in-ground flower beds at two homes.
The tomato plants that are in pots are still
producing, but I realize I need to space them further apart next year.
I can foresee a big jalapeño and Serrano
pepper harvest. I've already picked a few of both varieties, but
I've learned that I can let them stay on their plants as long as I
harvest them before the first frost.
I have another good crop of green onions with
no bugs (so far) this season.
 
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Grandkids Corner
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Nancy believes Shadow is in her final
months. She is thin and alternates between using her litter box and the
mud room floor. As you can see, she is much beloved by the girls.
A concert in Seattle for Cynthia and
Grandma Helen coupled with a weekend of LARPing for Nathanael and Thomas
meant I had a long late afternoon and evening with Jonny, Reuben, and
Isaac.
Someone failed to tell me not to tickle Jonny so much that he wet me!
Six-year-old Jonny is so bright, reading at an advanced level and
quickly mastering digital games requiring logic. Isaac and Reuben
were especially fun to play with as well.
And these boys are self-feeding.
Before I could cook their hot dogs, they'd devoured seven uncooked ones
between them.
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Shohei Ohtani
Makes Baseball
History
On September 19, 2024, Shohei Ohtani of
the LA Dodgers played the best individual offensive major league
baseball game of all time. He went 6 for 6 with a single, two
doubles, and three home runs, while also stealing two bases.
In doing so, he also became the first
player ever to have at least fifty steals and fifty home runs in a
single season, and he accomplished both marks in this same game.
The Dodgers beat the Miami Marlins 20-4, and Ohtani accounted for 10
of LA's RBIs.
I am not a Dodgers fan, but such individual
greatness cannot be overlooked. (Plus, "Sho Time" Ohtani wears my
favorite number 17!)
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Bits and Pieces
   I
was greatly surprised and saddened to learn that a YouTuber I've learned
from and enjoyed had passed away.
Paul Harrell was a U.S. Army and Marine
Corps veteran who earned a strong following on YouTube as a firearms
educator and gun rights activist. He died in Oregon of pancreatic cancer
at the age of 58. He announced his own death in a posthumous video recorded last December. In the
six-minute clip,
 he was seen sitting on a log in the woods with a crutch
lying beside him.
Annie appreciates
having Charis with her to and from SCS so that they can drive in the
HOV
lane. Charis began First Grade on the
4th.
Randy and I joined
Don and an ailing Judy in Renton on the 14th to "enjoy" the 2024 Apple
Cup. The game was played at Lumen Field now that the teams play in
different conferences. Alas (for us Huskies), WSU won this one
24-19. WSU quarterback John Mateer ran for two touchdowns and
threw for one more, and Washington State made a goal line stand with
1:07 remaining to secure the win. Nancy texted the "good news" to
Cougar alumna Susan on a tour in Greece.
Daniel
J. Evans, a moderate Republican who dominated Washington State politics
as a three-term governor and a United States senator and who was
repeatedly  considered
for the vice presidency, died on September 20th at his home in Seattle,
about five blocks from where he grew up. He was 98. I also remember him
as a staff member at Camp Parson, B.S.A., before my time in Scouting,
where I spent my summers from 1973 to 1975. He summited Mt. Rainier on
July 21, 1965.
 Born
in Seattle in 1925, Evans spent his youth hiking the Cascade and Olympic
Mountains. As a Boy Scout from Camp Parsons, he summited Mount
Deception, just two years after Olympic National Park was established by
President Roosevelt. He was also an avid skier and mountain climber.
After graduating from Roosevelt High School, Evans enlisted in the Navy
and was deployed to the Pacific shortly after the end of World War II.
Earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering at the
University of Washington, Evans worked as a structural engineer in
Seattle before entering politics as a member of the State Legislature in
1956.
From 1965 to 1977, Evans served three terms as the Governor of
Washington and played a significant role in the creation of the
400,000-acre Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
Nathanael
has moved from Nelson Middle School to work at Benson Hill Elementary
School. These Renton schools are each about twelve blocks north
(Nelson) and south (Benson Hill) of SE Petrovitsky Rd.
On
the last day of the month, Annie drove Charis to school and I drove her
home. Annie is on the mend, Valerie has a cough, Irene threw up
the night before, Nancy's temperature was 101.4 F, and I likely have
whatever they have.
Our
western neighbors began the construction of their concrete wall last
September. Finally, at the end of this month, they have begun
installing the long-promised wooden fence upon that wall. When
finished, the fence will divide their new, small, elegant yard from our
old, large, rustic yard. For months, I've been glancing over there
to see if the fence construction had begun.
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