We're Off!!!!!!

Mixed emotions about heading home, especially for Becca!! Uncle Greg has given us something to look forward to in Nashville though!! He and Tyler are taking us out for lunch (I'm assuming he's paying!!) to the Rain Forest Cafe. We are all looking forward to that.

We'll drive through the night tonight and stop somewhere tomorrow afternoon for a break! Getting the van packed up and our house clean has been lots of work but we're almost done now and should be out in less than two hours.

Becca's youth group had a surprise going away party for her last night. They had a goodbye cake, gave her cool gifts, and brought her up on stage for everything. They have really loved her well and she'll miss them. The youth pastor and his wife are just great.

Ok, bye bye.

Ang

Last Week's Adventures....

Rebecca has been volunteering everyday from 9 - 4:30 at a summer day camp at our church. She loves it and comes home exhausted. Last week, Kaitlyn and Madison got a chance to volunteer with Camp Little Bear which Bethany attended. Madison helped out in a class and Kaitlyn was in the Craft Shack all week. Kaitlyn napped almost every after noon!! They had a blast.

We also celebrated Father's Day on Sat. and Kaitlyn's 9th birthday on Sunday!! Rebecca was in Atlanta with the youth group from church for the weekend but was home just after church to celebrate.

Kaitlyn helping decorate her cake...


Gifts from the Nickerson's before breakfast...


Kaitlyn's choice for breakfast?? Krispy Kreme!!




Kaitlyn talking to Auntie Cyndi holding her new Lil Kinz!!


Father's Day...



The girls were a little bored today with no camp to go to...




The "Zerbert" tradition....



Miss Craft Shack after a hard days work...



Bethany singing the "Yee Haw" song...



Teacher Maddie...


Bethany and her teachers...her favorite being the "cute" boy...

Continuing on our N.C. trip....

Ok, so I've finally got a chance to update last week's trip to N.C. I think when I left off we were eating pizza with Matt and Amy! Here's some pictures of our time with 2 of the most awesome Grandparents in the world.


Baking cookies with Mamaw...





Climbing trees...



Did you know Jeff's parents have a Christmas tree farm?? Isn't that cool??



This is Mamaw's sister and her husband. We had a quick visit with them and left with a HUGE container of bubbles and cool blowers (that the girls loved, I'll have to post some pictures of that) and a bag of Snickers Bars. Jeff told the girls as we left that his Uncle always had some candy in his pocket and loved to share with him. The tradition continues! Aunt Bet and Uncle Ralph...



This is Jeff's sister Margaret and her husband Randy. Also parents of Joel (who we ate with in Asheville,) and Rachel (who goes to U.T,) and Jonathen (who is going into grade 12 this year) and Ruth Anne who is in the next picture!! We had a great dinner at their home and enjoyed the food and the visiting. It was great for the girls to spend time with this part of the family and they talked most of the way home how nice it was to see everyone and how sweet everyone is! Jeff said that if he had to sum up his sister Margaret in one word he would say she is "graceful." We are all so thankful for this opportunity to see this side of our family.








The girls with Papaw's sister and her husband. Aunt Edna and Uncle Bill. We really enjoyed visiting them!!




I just had to include this last one of our 8 hour trip home. We are screaming out loud to the Dixie Chicks "Earls Gotta Die" song and the girls each played an instrument!!! Introducing...Maddie on the pretzel container, Bethany on cutlery, Kaitlyn on the wrapper and Becca on the corrugated pencil box!! Super good times.

If Pictures are Worth a Thousand Words...

this is going to be one long blog!!

Last Friday we set out to Knoxville TN. to spend the night with my brother before making our last trip to the mountains to see Jeff's family. What should have been a 4 hour drive turned into a 7 hour tour (a seven hour tour...remember Giligan??) because of a ginormous traffic jam.

Innocently enjoying a picnic...not knowing what awaits...




I used the zoom to search for clues...





90 Degrees, Traffic Jam, No AC (just so we wouldn't overheat) Necessity is the Mother of Invention...




Traffic Entertainment - My Sweet Feet...




After a late night visiting with Greg we headed to Asheville after breakfast to hang out with our nephew Joel and his sweet girlfriend Katie. We absolutely loved her, she's beautiful, fun and even played hide and go seek with our girls! Joel is an amazing magician, and once again dazzled us all.

The Happy Couple (this is not a GAP add...it's really them!!)






After lunch with Joel and Katie we went to visit Matt and Amy Auten and their two super cute boys! Matt is Jeff's best friend from college. They live in Black Mountain, Matt is a finish carpenter and also a musician. (See here) He's got three CD's out and has enough material for a fourth! Amy is doing an amazing job loving her husband and her boys. We had a great visit and had some yummy pizza for supper.

Are You Wondering What's Sooooo Funny???



It's Kaitlyn's "Suck in the Nostrils" Trick. We're so Proud...




Bethany and Graham...


Maddie and Benjamin...


She May Be 13, But We Still Can't Take Her Out...




Kaitlyn Keeps Entertaining..




We finally arrived at the Kuhn's around 8:00p.m. I'll post some pictures tomorrow!

Under the Sea...

We got up early this morning and headed to Atlanta. Jeff had some time booked with Walter Brueggemann, and we also hit the largest aquarium in the world while we were in town.
During Jeffs visit with Walter the girls and I played at a park and spent some time in the library. After a picnic snack at the park and lunch in the van, we headed to the aquarium. Good times.
Here's some pic's.

Picnic snack in the park...



Lunch in the van...



The Atlanta Aquarium...



Hanging out in the penguin's tunnel...



"Touch Pools" with baby sharks and sting rays...





Probably our favorite exhibit...

Botanical Gardens...

Just wanted to share a few pictures of our weekend with Jeff's parents and his brother Mike. We of course took them on a tour of the Samford campus and then spent some time at the Botanical Gardens. They are huge and totally beautiful. I'm glad we headed out early because it was a scorcher!

Memorial Day Thoughts....

Living in the States at this time in history has been quite disheartening for Jeff and I. After some time of trying to put down my thoughts on the war, on the fact that even Christians pledge allegience to a flag, on patriotism and politics, I quit!! Everything I wrote sounded arrogant and I hate that. So, Jeff has attempted to blog our thoughts, questions and ramblings on his blog. Check them out here if you care to.

As for my tribute to Memorial Day I'll share a poem written by Carly, a sister who lost a brother in this most recent war, and a couple of verses, written by the person that wrote Chronicles, that I have prayed for years regarding this nation.

Have you ever heard the sound of a mother screaming for her son?
The torrential rains of a mother's weeping will never be done.
They call him a hero, you should be glad that he's one, but,
Have you ever heard the sound of a mother screaming for her son.

Have you ever heard the sound of a father holding back his cries?
They say he must be brave because his boy died for another man's lies.
The only thing he allows himself are long, deep sighs.
Have you ever heard the sound of a father holding back his cries.

Have you ever heard the sound of taps played at your brother's grave?
They say he died so the flag will continue to wave.
But I believe he died because they had oil to save.
Have you ever heard the sound of taps played at your brother's grave?

Have you ever heard the sound of a nation being rocked to sleep?
Our leaders want to keept you numb, so the pain won't be so deep.
But if we the people let them continue, another mother will weep.
Have you ever heard the sound of a nation being rocked to sleep?

II Chronicles 7:14.

If my people who are called by my name,
will humble themselves and pray
seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and
heal their land.

May God have mercy on us. Ang