Little Ponderosa Zoo with the Mees

Combining trips, we stopped for a visit with Mom and Dad Mee and family while on our way to Pigeon Forge for a vacation with Nathan's side of the family. July 16 found us at a Little Ponderosa Zoo where we got to pet and feed numerous animals - including pigmy goats, sheep, a camel, a zebra, a zonkey (cross between a zebra and a donkey - for real!), an ostrich, some emus, deer, ducks, numerous birds and more. Mom/GramMee, Nathan, Abigail, Andrew, Karen and I had lots of fun together. We joined Dad Mee and Nathan for church that night and went to the pool the next morning before heading on.

Grandparents (great-grandparents) on Nathan's side

Back to Georgia we went! The last trip was too short/full to visit with all of Nathan's grandparents (we did spend time with Grandmother Garner in June) who are spread out a bit. July 11, we headed further south and spent a few hours with Granddaddy Garner at the general aviation airport where he's the manager. Abigail loved the opportunity to experience small airplanes up close (on the ground for now). She even got to watch (and hear!) one plane "go faster and faster on the runway and then up, up, up into the sfky!" The second half of the day was with the Lane grandparents and we all enjoyed the renewing of relationships between those "great-grands." By nightfall, Abigail was playing games (with first aid tape and glasses) and having deep conversations and Granddaddy Lane and Grandmother Lane.

The Abbetts, the Merkles, and Jennie Lue

We enjoyed a quick visit June 28 from Carey and Susan Abbett who are on furlough from their ministry in France. Susan and Julia have been close friends since about 1996. This was Abigail's first time to meet her "Aunt Susan and Uncle Carey." Next time she hopes they'll bring their three children!
For many years, we've spent most Sunday afternoons with Jennie Lue and we've shared those lunches with Andy and Erika for the last six years (since before any of us were married!). These pictures are from our last Sunday together before the Merkles moved to Illinois for Andy to assist in pastoring a church. We miss them greatly and pray often for God's blessing on them. Abigail keeps hoping that Emmalein and "Baby Celia" and their parents will show up for Sunday dinner with Jennie Lue.

Little friends in late June

The two main "events" in this slideshow are a birthday party for Julia's friend Erika (whom Abigail faithfully calls "Tante Erikala") and a day of babysitting for friends with 20 month old triplets. The captions tell the rest.