A heck of a week

Well, this was a pretty tough week for us here in McDonough, with high points as well as not so high points. Jacob went with to work with me for "Take Your Child to Work" Day on Tuesday and had a good time with the presentations and static displays. We left around 12:45pm to go get some lunch and got hit by another car as we left the Service Center parking lot! Nobody was hurt, but the driver-side doors on my van were all messed up. The other guy's insurance has accepted liability, so now it's just a matter of going through the hassle of the repairs. After we finished with the police I rushed to the dentist to have my gum surgery done, and have been enduring the healing process since then. As I was driving home wondering why I had the surgery done (it hurt) Sue called and told me that someone had tried to break in to the house right after Megan got home. Megan had seen who it was, so we called the police to report it. The police latched on to Megan's "pretty sure it was him" and went to talk with the boy Megan thought it was. When they learned that it couldn't have been him they discounted the story, but promised to increase their patrols in our neighborhood. That was Tuesday. Wednesday I learned in passing conversation that my new nephew has a hole in his heart, but was assured that it's not a big deal and perfectly normal for big babies to have this condition. My brother and his family are considering moving to Springfield, OR, where he would be the plant manager of a charcoal-producing plan out there - we'll see what the Lord makes happen there. Sue is all studied up to take her big national certification test tomorrow, so we figure all this other stuff is just the devil trying to distract us from what the Lord is doing in our lives. We're determined to keep pressing on through the challenges to see what our next adventure is.

If you get a chance check with Sue to see how she did on the test. We hope things are good for you...

New nephew is born!

My brother called us at 10:30pm last night and said they were at the hospital and that Claudia was in labor. About an hour later he called and told us that their third child had been born! Benjamin David Holly weighed 9 lbs. 6 oz. and both he and Claudia are doing well. My mother is flying up to MD today to help with the other boys and to help Claudia when she comes home. Congratulations, Michael & Claudia!

Happy Birthday, Mom Emery!

Sue and the kids went down to celebrate mom's birthday. Mark, Mary, and Nancy all went there, too. It sounded like they were having a great time in the commons room when I called, and they said that it was a good celebration. Yay, Mom!

Coloring Easter eggs at our house

We boiled eggs, got the coloring set and vinegar out, and were all set to go, but I realized something was missing: my Mom and Dad! So I fired up the laptop and we did video chat so they could be with us virtually. It was fun! The kids enjoyed showing their eggs to their grandparents and we got to talk for a little while. It's great to be able to share our lives over the Internet :-)

Dad gets the Silver Beaver award

My father was given the Silver Beaver award by the North Florida Council of the Boy Scouts of America tonight. Of the hundreds of awards that the BSA presents each year to those on the local council, regional, and national levels, the Silver Beaver is one of the most prestigious awards given.

My dad has over 35 years of service with the Boy Scouts. He got involved with Troop 113 when my brother was in Boy scouts, and after my brother earned his Eagle Dad just continued helping the troop. He has made some really good friends and continues to help the boys learn and grow as they progress in their Boy scout experience.

My brother and I were both able to be at the dinner outside of Jacksonville to see him get this award, which was a special treat for all of us. (My mother said that the four of us hadn't ridden in the car together for many years :-) I'm proud of my father for his giving spirit and for the things he's done to help so many people over the years. Way to go, Pop!

Mom Emery home from rehabilitation

Sue went down to help her get settled in her place and make sure she would be OK. Mom seems to be getting around with her walker and leaning on things just fine, which is good. Way to go, Mom!

Megan's first volleyball game

She did really well, serving good after a couple of false starts. Her team did OK - they lost the first game 19-25, but they're playing well in the second game. It's a new adventure for our family, and we're having fun :-)