WE MADE IT!!!

We are back home!! We had a great time, but we are glad to be home. Mike, the girls, and I went grocery shopping this morning because we were out of everything!!

While I was gone, I became an aunt again. Mike's sister had a little girl on July 14th. Her name is Alexis Rae. She is so sweet and cuddly.

I got to celebrate my nephew's 2nd birthday with him and it was great.

I will post more later. I had to go through all my e-mails~there were over 900!! Most were junk e-mails! Don't ya hate it. I will post again soon.

HOME ALONE!

With my wife's permission, of course, I have temporarily hijacked her blog. She left July 7 on a whirlwind family visit tour, and consequently, left me at home alone. Being at home... by myself... left to my own devices...? What a scary thought!
My darling wife does call a couple of times each day, to make sure I'm taking a bath and brushing my teeth. These may be considered natural acts that would normally be done without a thought, but the lack of wait in line for our bathroom is down dramatically and that seems to confuse me and makes me lose my train of thought.
My mother also checks in on me every couple of days to make sure I'm all right. I'm thinking "I'm 34 years old, if I haven't figured out how to make it yet, I'm doomed!"
Anyway, they're going to be gone until the end of the month, but rest assured, I will hold down the fort. I figure if I haven't burnt down the house in the first week, I'll probably be OK.

WE'RE OFF AND RUNNING......

We start our trip tomorrow. We will be going to Nanny's first and then on to Mama and Daddy's. We are packing bathing suits, snacks, and good attitudes.

I would be lying if I said I was glad Mike can't go. BECAUSE, ya'll, I am not happy about that part at all!!! I am just thankful that he will be flying to Virginia and being with us for a few days at the end of July. Then, we will be heading home.

I am ready to dig my toes in the sand and be free from dishwashing for 3 weeks (everybody I am visiting has a dishwasher except Nanny. )

BYE, Tennessee friends, I hope you miss us a little! I'll see you soon, Virginia friends!!

HAPPY 4TH!!!!!!!!!

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all!

God forgive and bless America!!

THE NARROWS OF THE HARPETH

We went to a place today called The Narrows of the Harpeth. It is a place that has a waterfall and you can only get to it by hiking down a path. This said path is overgrown on both sides with all kinds of plants and stuff.

Let me just say, I am not one to be squeamish about many things. My brother has always had different animals and such. We once had a family of paint turtles living in our bathtub. Even now, he has a plethora of fish, dogs, a boa constrictor and the like. (God bless his wife, Jessie, she is forever in my prayers!!)

Well, we met up with a slithering little pal on the above mentioned path today. Trevor wanted to pick it up. Jeremy would be so proud:~) It was long and at first we thought it might be dead. BUT, OH NO IT WASN'T!!!!!!!! We didn't bother it. We let it go on to where ever it was heading. It was nice enough to hurry on up and get out of our way.

That was just one of a couple of things we encountered today. Abby learned that you can pee in the great outdoors if you have to go bad enough. Shelby learned that you can't wear a stretchy bracelet and throw rocks in the river and keep bracelet from flying into the river after a rock. Trevor learned that when you are leaning over a snake that is quite long and intriguing expect your dad to come up behind you and scare you.

My Abby likes to collect all kinds of stuff and rocks are no exception. She thinks every rock is unique and worth carrying home. We have to limit her to 5 or 6 rocks or she will fill her backpack up with a ton of them and then want you to carry them for her. She helps me to remember that things we think are plain and boring have signifigance.

ALL WASHED UP AND THEN SOME!!!

Our 4th of July cookout at church was a wash!! At the end of the service, Mike was praying and he was interrupted by the loudest clap of thunder I have ever heard. Then, the heavens opened up and poured. We had a real bad storm.

Mike ended up cooking the burgers on the stove. They have a big gas stove with a grill. We
boiled the hotdogs and we had our "cookout" anyway. It all went well.

This church that Mike is preaching at is country in every way. There are no windows in the whole church building. When we had the Christmas Candle Lighting Service we had it during the Sunday morning service. All we had to do was shut the door and turn off the lights. It was black as pitch in there.

There is a field behind the church with donkeys and cows in it. Most everybody goes outside between services for a smoke break and as soon as church is over they clear out quick for another smoke break. Yesterday, during the monsoon, they were all squished up under the awning of the side door trying to smoke without getting wet. It was a sight to behold. They all got drenched when a gutter gave way and doused them with rain water.

I have been fighting a cold or allergies or something. I have been sneezing my head off and blowing my nose till it is raw. I hope I get over it before I leave to go to Nanny's on Saturday.

I'm off to make chocolate milk for Abby and I hope to get a bit of housework done. Hopefully, but not likely. AHHH~~summer.