Busy Week

 This is a late post and many of you already know all that has transpired but I wanted to log it so that we can look back on what we did. We had a busy June with the Family Reunion happening in the middle of the month. The weather was great! Not very hot but overcast and rainy at times. It seems like we had a cloud pop up each day. We were able to see most of the family which was very fun. I can't believe how lucky we were to be at the Guntersville State Park during that time. We also had some trouble with the excursion. Coolant was leaking from where I thought would be a radiator hose. Come to find out it was a metal pipe that also connected to the water pump, so it was something that I wouldn't be able to fix anyway. We were apprehensive about going home but I filled it with water and checked it each time we stopped to ensure that the engine wouldn't overheat. We made it home safely. 

The stars must have aligned just right. The reunion was so successful that we tried to book again for the next year. That didn't work. Those cabins were locked in no time. I guess you have to look 2 years out. We did go ahead and book cabins in the Joe Wheeler State Park. Not too far from Kathy. Their family decided not to book a cabin, but it also works out because they live so close. 

Right after the reunion, Jeffery, Luke, Paul and Mark headed off to a hiking trip. They got back that Saturday. Nathan and I decided to go and mow Paul's lawn for him because they weren't able to get to it due to activities and rain that got in the way. The grass was tall, but Nathan and I enjoyed mowing the lawn with our riding lawn mower and Paul's zero turn lawn mower. 

The following week Julie headed off to Girl's Camp. She enjoyed her time there. Wendy was supposed to take her and a lot of other girls but since we didn't have the excursion, she wasn't able to do that. 

Fourth of July was a little different this year too. Most of us went to Mark Slezak's to shoot pistols and rifles for 2 hours or so then we went to Grandpa's house to eat some burgers, weenies and chicken. Later that evening we had committed to go to "The Club" to see the fireworks and hangout. Wendy, Paul, Jeffery, Luke, Caroline and myself attended. It was better than I thought. The music was really good which featured 2 live bands and a DJ for the kids outside. We met Brooke and Stephonia (I am sure I got her name wrong) there because they were the ones that invited us. 

The next week Wendy and I took an Anniversary trip to the Smoky Mountains. It was great as usual. We didn't buy groceries as we normally do but ate at restaurants only when we were hungry. We did not see any bears and we stayed in the same chalet that we stayed in a few years ago. We remembered that we didn't necessarily like it too much and vowed not to rent that one again. 

So, imagine driving 4.5 hours to Gatlinburg then 4 days later driving 4.5 hours back then I have to wake up and drive 4 hours to Milledgeville, Ga. to drop Jeffery off for FSY and then drive the 4 hours back home. It seems like a lot, and it is, but it was fun because Julie and Nathan was with me to keep me alert.

 

Then wait 4 more days and Ethan, Nathan, Trevor and I go to the Atlanta Braves game. After the game, we drive about 30 minutes to Douglasville to drop off Ethan and Trevor and Nathan and I turn around and drive 2 hours to Milledgeville, Ga. to spend the night, wake up and go get Jeffery. Jeffery gratefully drives us back home (4 hours).

 

Needless to say, just the other day I had to buy 2 new tires for the Camry. It was due for a change. 

Down to 5

 This past Sunday Ethan left for Tuscaloosa where his new job is located. He was anxious to get going after months of delays of the current project at UAB. The project at UAB had finally wrapped up and most of his coworkers were already in Tuscaloosa and he was the lone employee left in Birmingham until last Thursday.

 

He is now on his own, living with a return missionary from England (how convenient and coincidental). This returned missionary served in a neighboring mission. He left and returned about the same time Ethan left and returned. 

Now we are down to just the 5 of us - Jeffery, Julie, Nathan, Wendy and Myself. This is a weird time, but that is how it was when Ethan and Katherine were on their mission and Jamie was in Rexburg. 

Jeffery doesn't have that much time left with us either. Right now he is working at Hoover Toyota with Luke and enjoying his time there to grow and progress in knowledge to see if that is what he wants to do for his foreseeable future (after his mission). He is working on trying to schedule an appointment with the oral surgeon to remove his wisdom teeth. Once that is achieved then he can submit his paperwork to the Stake. We are also hoping that he can receive the Melchizedek priesthood soon, too, and go to the temple. This will all depend on the Stake President. 

Julie and Nathan are staying at home during the summer due to Wendy's new job. They are enjoying this. We have been giving them daily chores to accomplish, and they have been doing it willingly and love to surprise us when we get home by asking us, "How does this look?" They are both good organizers and are doing really well. 

  

Wendy is learning so much in her new job. I am so happy for her and how she is progressing. She is overwhelmed at the time, but I know she has the intelligence to learn what she needs to do accompanied by prayer and reliance on Heavenly Father to get through her stressful times.