Tiger, Deer and Rabbit Riding

We have a new half-way point meeting place, The Carousel at North Pointe Mall.

Savannah, a Wedding and 4 oh no! 3 Hermit Crabs

Catherine and I just got back from Savannah! We made a slight detour to Vidalia to visit the Tumi Outlet. No bargains were found. But we got Frosty's at Wendy's. It was miserably hot and I knew it was only foretelling of the weekend weather to come. Catherine's Frosty had a hole in the bottom, forcing us to combine them in my cup and I didn't really get any and it all melted way too fast. We stopped at a cute little gift shop on the square and cooled off. It was one of those like Bailes-Cobb in downtown Hartwell. It had tons of those handpainted Georgia Bulldog plates and bowls, handpainted signs about being Southern and local Vidalia Onion dressings and sauces. A sweet little old lady waited on us and giftwrapped the decorative iron bowl we picked out for Missy. Yes, I was a little last minute in getting a gift.

We met Elizabeth Glenn Howell and Rebecca Grizzle out on the Howell's amazing dock for shrimp. We watched the sunset and the porpoise swim. I love being on the marsh. It is one of my favorite places on earth. It soothes the soul.

Catherine and I got up early and combed the beach and explored the little shell and jewelry shops nearby. We heard that Miley Cyrus was on the island and had just left the jewelry store we were in. Catherine was not the least bit excited by this news and rolled her eyes when I got giddy with excitement of a potential celebrity spotting. Paul and Nancy Spencer arrived that afternoon. We walked the beach and Catherine explored the sea and marsh. Then we put on our sundresses and flip flops and went to a wedding.

Missy Duncan got married in the dunes on Tybee. It was very, very hot. The reception was under a live oak and they served shrimp and grits!

The next day we went to Sandra Bullock's house and swam in Sandra's pool. Missy had rented the home for the weekend. The pool has made headlines as it juts into a dune protection zone and Bullock had to pay $2,000 in fines to the DNR for not getting a permit to build it. But despite being illegal and disrupting nature, I really enjoyed it. After our refreshing dip in the celebrity pool, we went to Bonna Bella Yacht Club for lunch and then downtown for a carriage ride and ice cream at Leopold's. I went in The Gallery at Market Square for the art and the airconditioning. We walked the live oak sheltered squares and found John Wesley. We walked Broughton and window shopped. I love the French Market. I tried on perfume. We sampled honey in the Savannah Bee Company store. Yum. We then had dinner out on Isle of Hope at Pearl's Saltwater Grille. I had sea scallops.

Paul and Nancy left the next day and Catherine and I went to The Dollar Tree. It is becoming tradition now that all souvenirs, from anywhere inside the US, come from The Dollar Tree. Who really wants a souveneir marked with the location anyway? Surprises from The Dollar Tree are way better than some tacky t-shirt. So that is becoming the way we do things. Emma Grace got a $3.00 beaded necklace from a shop in Savannah and Carson got a rubber aligator from The Dollar Tree. We also picked up a styrofoam cooler while there to house the hermit crabs Catherine found earlier at the beach. We stopped back by Fort Pulaski, watched the 18 minute film inside the Welcome Center about its history and toured the Fort. I highly recommend it. Entry is $3.00 and it lasts several days. You can use your receipt and come and go as you please. In cooler weather I highly recommend packing a picnic and roaming Cockspur Island. You can roam the Fort and climb up to the top. Any child would love exploring it and climbing the winding staircases. The damage to the Fort is still visible and all bricks making up the Fort were handmade by slaves. The history is incredible and has all been well preserved. You must go if ever going over to Tybee. The island also has footpaths that look perfect for running...in the Fall of course. It is surrounded by pristine marshland and great for spotting shorebirds.

We stopped on the way home in Savannah and had lunch with Rebecca Grizzle at the Kayak Kafe near her firm. I didn't want to leave. But Catherine, 4 very lucky hermit crabs and I had to get back. Catherine got one for Carson, Gracie and herself and one for me. I named mine Hannah Montana, but she made a run for it last night and is stuck and parched somewhere in the tall grass of my front yard and has yet to be found.

hangin', waitin'

I officially leave for Pemba on July 29th. I am currently trying to raise money for the ticket I already purchased on my AMEX. I am an American, and that is the only way I know to do things. I have already raised HALF of the money I need! Essentially the flight is $1800 (which is, to me, a good deal) and then I will need to get a room in J'burg for my layover, Malaria meds and a Visa. I am excited to be half way there in fundraising and so blessed to have such amazing friends who see my vision and share my heart for Mozambique. I am looking forward to my time there and expect it to yield a more definite plan of when I would be returning to Africa and what projects I could be working on full time. I cannot wait to share more with you as I learn more about what Iris is doing there and how they are making villages more self-sustaining, providing clean water, an education, and the heart of the Father to those so desperately in need.

If you would like to make a tax deductible donation, checks may be mailed to:

Bethel Atlanta
P.O. Box 656
Tyrone, GA 30290

Memo: Mozambique Missions

Oh! and yes, that is me, in a Garfield t-shirt and sleeveless one at that, no doubt. What was I thinking? I keep trying to rationalize it, perhaps it was a gift? He was really cool back then? It kinda matched my shorts?

It's official-ish!

I am going back to Mozambique! I don't exactly have all the funding yet, but I trust it will all come together. I remember trying to raise funds to go in 2007 and getting a water bill for $1,000. I then had to pay that bill in addition to another $1,000 to fix the underground leak. I knew then that my funding would come through, that only God could work out such a mess in such a profound way and provide in ways that were impossible otherwise. He did. I learned then that if you seek Him, you will find Him. I learned to trust Him and how to better hear His voice. I am going in August to pray into possibilities for long term service and celebrate another birthday in Pemba. I cannot wait to share the adventure.

The Boy named Joy

Just another illustration of the love of the Father.

He created us in His image and put us on the Earth to love us and show others His love.

Nathaniel exudes unconditional love, the miracle of life and joy. I can't get enough.

All boy

I kept Natty yesterday. He is not really "into" peek-a-boo or rolling trucks around or snuggling stuffed animals or being cuddled or stacking up blocks. He's into climbing things and being body slammed. He climbs up tall ladders with no fear and can move faster than the speed of lightening. His little toes are all scuffed up from dragging them along the pavement while on his riding toy, but he doesn't seem to care. He is tough. He just turned 1!! Yet, he acts like a 3 year old and can beat up his older brother. I tried to entertain him by playing with his little baby toys in the floor, but all he wanted to do was get a running start and lunge himself at me and have me gingerly wrestle him to the ground. He thought this was the funniest thing ever and I got huge belly laughs and lots of snot on my neck for doing it. He never tired and I could not believe that just a year ago I was swaddling him and his whole body fit along my forearm and now we are having a full fledged wrestling match on the back porch. He loves it! He throws all 30 lbs into it and giggles so much he slobbers. Meanwhile I am trying not to hurt this BABY, but there is slobber hanging above my face about to land on me and my cheeks are being pinched by his sweaty cookie caked fingers and suddenly we are both belly laughing and I fall deeper in love...if that is even possible.

Emma Grace and I go on vacation

I guess you kinda just had to be here to experience the belly laughs. Gracie had the idea to do these lying down in the yellow weeds. I was cracking up because she was bossing me and telling me how to pose and forcing me to lighten up and have fun and not care about getting dirty or getting hurt. Wow, to be 10 again.

Battlefield & Beach Jumping in Yorktown

Backyard Jumping at Mama Deane's

We are soooo happy to be on vacation and there are few places on earth I would rather be than at Mama Deane's house of peace. Can you tell?