Summer marathon installment

Let's see, we left off with a visit with the Mees July 16. The next day we left their home and drove to Pigeon Forge to meet up with Mom and Dad Garner and the Talley cousins. The next three days we enjoyed our first group family vacation and had lots of fun in our cabin, its hot tub, Ripley's Aquarium and Dollywood. Wish I could share some of the 140 fun pictures (mostly of the five cousins), but alas those are no more.
Sunday we drove home to SC with Lane and Patrick, arriving in time for our evening service at Heritage. Abigail loved having a big brother and sister for a week and Julia was busy as mommy to three. Visits to the zoo and park and such filled our mornings.
Monday of the following week, we drove Lane and Patrick to Alabama and stayed overnight at Talitha's. Tuesday evening we were back in Georgia for a night at Mom and Dad Garner's - so that we could fly out of Atlanta the next morning for California! To be continued. . .

Reason for absence and the absence of pictures

A few weeks ago, our computer "crashed." The good news is that it is up and running again (after a lot of work which included a total format). The bad news is that the back-up didn't work and we lost everything on it.
So. . . It shouldn't take me as long as I'd thought to catch up on posting pictures. . . since we don't have any. Actually, I'm working on pulling and saving pictures from old e-mails and photo sites and anywhere else we stashed some.
Hope to be back soon with highlights on the rest of the summer!

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.

Callaway beach and family in Georgia

Between childcare days and non-negotiable work obligations, Nathan took a couple of vacation days and we made a midweek two-day trip to Georgia. Nathan joined Dad Garner and bro-in-law Stephen in recovering bus seats (a huge and very hot summer tradition) and we enjoyed some family time. Stephen had brought Lane and Patrick with him and so the three cousins had lots of fun together - especially the morning we went to Callaway Gardens beach with Mom Garner. All the pictures are fun, but I must admit, my personal favorite (it always makes me laugh!) is "Flexing with Granddaddy."

And more fun with friends

The week after Lydia and Tom's daughters were born (see "Tiny new nieces" below!) included more special visits with friends. College/extension friend Cathy and her family had supper with us one evening and we learned more about the aviation ministry their family is headed toward in the Philippines. Our children wasted little time in becoming buddies. Abigail's good friends Emmalein and "Baby Celia" also spent a fun morning with us.

Fun with friends in early June

Our little inflatable pool provided lots of fun on sunny summer days! One morning, Abigail, David and I met "Tante Erikala" (Abigail's name for her!) and Emmalein and Celia at the park, only to discover it was too hot for comfort. So, we went back to the house for "swimming" and a picnic. The next day, our long-time friend Cherith came through while on deputation travels. She's on her way to Papua New Guinea to do Bible translating work!

Daniel & Jennifer's wedding 5/31/08

The last weekend in May, Julia's brother Daniel (Mee) married Jennifer. . . making our blended family one member larger. =)

Bible verses in May

Abigail was actually "reading" these verses from her New Testament (Psalm 34:8 and Psalm 23 in two segments) to her teddy bears and I grabbed the camera. She was distracted at times (Be quiet...!) because her friend David was with us for the day.

Tiny new nieces!!

I'm not "caught up" on blogging, but this post can't wait till I am! =)
Sunday night (June 8), my sister Lydia gave birth to twin girls - Isabella Faith and Lydia Grace. The girls were 5 lb 2 oz and 5 lb 0 oz respectively. Monday evening my brother Caleb, Nathan, Abigail and I drove to visit them at the hospital. The girls are little but healthy - praise the Lord! - and were able to come home Wednesday. This afternoon/evening, Abigail and I got to spend several hours with Lydia and girls. . . what a sweet time. We didn't want to leave them. More pictures will certainly follow. =)