So Far This Summer . . .

So far this Summer we are having a splendid time. Slower pace. 

Enjoying a somewhat empty calendar - at least as compared to the Spring we just had. 

July is already upon us!

So, let's catch up...

In May we celebrated the marriage of my practice baby. The
little baby my aunt entrusted to the teenage me, the baby I hauled around (then called our Granny because I had no idea what I was doing), that baby is now a grown-up, married women. And I'm so tickled for her.

She is precious and has found a sweet, manly, God-fearing, young man to spend the rest of her life with. (Heart swelling).

And my own dearly beloved, darling, preacher, handsome, fun, sweet, loving, manly-man was the dude who hitched them together. He's pretty impressed with them too! 
I was the preacher's wife, the "go-fer", the general "what'd'ya'need-er." And HAPPY.
  
The little girls were flower girls (or fairies or hobbits). 

The big girls greeted people, and had them sign the book and pointed them in the right direction (the wedding was outside - in the woods). 
The big boys were in charge of the last minute handling of our video camera (they need more practice - if anybody would like low-budget cost friendly filming they are available). 

And the little boys, well, they stayed out of trouble (as far as we know).

The whole shebang was just perfectly lovely.

Another baby cousin, a rare site, made a surprise entrance!

Top left, Seth waiting to surprise Sarah; right OH YOUR HERE!; bottom left Trying Not to Cry

 And the mother and father of the bride carry lighter pocketbooks now but are really holding up nicely (and still have all the hair they started with). I remember when they came to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and they have been such a wonderful example to me in so many ways. 
Recently, after the wedding-dust had cleared a little, the children and I spent the day with my aunt and little cousin (the brother of the bride). Can't wait to do it again.

And some more sweets for you eyeballs . . .

The Brown Girls

Uncle Doug and Daniel

Those Dunagan Children
Larry, Joyce, Audrey, Juanita
Melba & Carolyn

Skipping down the barefoot trail
(they finally got to go EAT!)

Baby Sarah's wedding day

The day after the wedding we celebrated our 7th Familiversary!
Left over cake at the park with family. 

Part of the clan: Jagdeep, Cindy, Carolyn, Erin (me), Kathy, Audrey, Joyce (my mama), Mike, Melba, Kelly

Leftover wedding cake to celebrate!

My Alex, Cindy's Sean, Audrey's Daniel
Can you tell they are cousins?

Melody, Lora, Jacob, Josiah, Tara, Joyce (aka Grandmother, aka MOAJ)
Caitlyn, Jorja, Lizzy, Aunt Carolyn

Sweet Music - Ava, Kyla, Autumn

 Then a trip to a museum and eating at the Cracker-barrel. 

Those Brown Children get schooled 1900's style.

We snuck in a little swimming that weekend too.

Jacob

Josiah & Lora

Gene and our posse

We continue to minister at the nursing home in Royston every Friday night. And June 1st we began having church at Victoria Bryant State Park in Franklin Springs. We've had campers come every week and some weeks a friend will show up. 

We have enjoyed meeting believers we may never see again this side of heaven. And the services are just wonderful.  
 Gene made a YouTube channel this week and plans to post his sermons there.

During Vacation Bible School at Poplar Springs
I taught the tiny-chillins (18 months-3 years old) and Autumn helped. Ava helped in the 4-5 year old room (so she had Jacob and Josiah with her).
We all had a great time being "Secret Agents" for the week.


In Other News:

The boys raided my cardboard and made armor.

Gene bought us (me) a dulcimer. 

Elijah and Alex went to a half-day football camp. 

Elijah wants to play more, Alex, not so much.

While switching places with our new driver 

something happened to my NEW phone . . .

A picture's worth a thousand words.

We went to the Shriner's Parade in Helen

and saw our very own Shriner.

Papa & some baby-Shriners

Lora got pink boots for her birthday and when I cleaned my room 

(I CLEANED MY ROOM - it's a really big deal and Gene is giving me a hard time about telling everybody - 2 sweet friends, one of whom has had a tour and told me how proud she is - it's that big a deal - I even cleaned the closets and hung curtains - Gene's is "thankful" and happier - but since I don't want to make a liar of him I'm telling EVERYONE - at least 3 more sweet people who read this blog - Hi Mama!) I found another pair of pink boots for Jorja. 

We've seen LOTS of snakes, turtles and lizards. 

Here is a small sample - if you get creeped-out easily scroll down faster now..

The tiny turtle we are "studying"

Note to self: if you find lizard eggs just leave them alone.

Another King Snake - whose tail was
going up the back of Alex's shirt and made him
wiggle after this picture.

One more!

That's all folks!