sadly we received a call on June 8th that Clay's dad, Mr. Simmons or Beba (as the grands call him) had fallen down his basement steps & the doctors were calling in the family. Thankfully I had just finished the laundry. We packed up the van & headed out within 2 hours of getting the call. We left around noon on June 8th. Made it to Athens, GA by 9:30 PM. Clay went in & stayed the night with his mother, sister & father while I checked into a hotel with the kids. Sadly Mr. Simmons passed away on June 9th around 4:30 in the morning. I am so glad we were able to make it in time for Clay to be with his mom & sister during that time.
The kids & I came home on Tuesday after the funeral & Clay stayed until that following Saturday. On Sunday, June 17th, we headed to Tennessee. Clay had a conference he still had to attend & we had originally planned on going with him for the week to have a vacation. Clay still wanted to go as planned as he didnt want the kids to remember his dad's passing in conjunction with their family vacation, the 1st for Abigail on down, being canceled.
We went to Graceland, The Hermitage, the Nashville Zoo, & Centennial Park - which houses an exact replica of the Parthenon & a 43' indoor statue of Athena. Rachel loved it!
It was a long week but a fun one that helped keep our minds off of Beba passing away.
We returned home on Saturday & by the following Thursday we had an outbreak of strep throat (only the 2nd in 17 years at our house). 1st Esther, then Levi, then Asher. On top of the strep throat, Levi & Asher also broke out with Hand, Foot & Mouth disease. Poor Levi also got a raging yeast infection from the antibiotics. They are finally on the up mend.
Sadly our garden is a loss for the year...mostly. I'm disappointed. I havent been spending much time out there. We have had record breaking heat here in VA. While I love the heat, being pregnant in 108 degree temps is not fun. Plus I have entered the phase of just walking across the floor causing contractions & major ligament strains that cause immense pain.
we also helped our friends, Chad & Becky Dennys, celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary. their 2 older daughters surprised them with having all of their family come into town to celebrate. it was fun...especially knowing we really pulled one over on Becky.
we went to the zoo on Saturday to let the kids play in the water fountains. here is a picture of Asher playing. he had the most fun i think.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-14
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him."
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