Catchin' Up in Nashville

After we had our fun Kentucky weekend, we headed back to Nashville for a week of Vacation Bible School. I did not get any pictures, as I did not serve as a volunteer this year. Instead, I sent them two of my best girls to do the job! Firstborn and Twinkle Toes both signed up to help and were placed with the "little ones" tribes. Separately, they both came to me after the first day describing a little person in their group that was shy, crying, unhappy to be there. Both girls took them under their wing and by the second day, they were happy campers. I told them that is exactly why God called them to be volunteers this week. The main leaders needed to focus on the big group, but they were able to help with the little stragglers and love on them!

Our days were busy with watching American cartoons (!), fun with the cousins, sliding on a slip-and-slide, and picking the garden. Our evenings consisted of big country dinners and winding down without any big agendas! We also had a visit from old friends from Fort Wayne, Indiana, and CC's college roommate and his wife. One night we went down to my brother's house to celebrate his firstborn's 14th birthday. I failed to get pictures of so many of these events, but I guess I was busy having fun. That night my son left his camo crocs to his cousin. Big Ben was outgrowing them, so we donated them to cousin and his brothers to come from the Congo. The crocs turned up missing later, then were found...out by the trampoline...with a black garden snake curled up in them! I guess camouflaged little boy crocs would make a good snake bed!

Here are my kids enjoying country air. I know, I know...it's illegal. It was also just a house or two down the road, and at 15 miles per hour! I spent many summers at my Granny's riding to the Taste-E-Freeze in the back of a truck. I guess I just think every kid should at some point!

And the highlight of Sweet Cheeks' summer has been getting to dogsit! My parents, sis-in-law, and in-laws all have little doggies. Since we can't feasibly have a dog in Turkey, she gets to play dogsitter here. In this photo, she is riding my old tricycle (returned to us by our Fort Wayne friends after about 30 years in their attic) as Santa Claus with Waldo in front as the reindeer.

After a fun week up there, we headed down for Memphis time. The middle girls went to camp this week. Here they are in their cabin. I'll admit to lingering a bit, making up their beds, wanting some extra goodbye hugs. What did I get from them? "Ok, mom, we are ok. You can go now." Sigh. It's going too fast.