Mammaw & Pappaw's Cherries

Saturday, June 14, 2008


My grandparents have two wonderful cherry trees growing in their yard. Up until a couple years ago, they had three. One was very small, however, and we decided it would be a great addition to our yard. So we dug it up, and now it stands near our mailbox. It was doing great until "The Great Frost of '07." Ever since then, it is only half living. When I say "half" I mean you could draw a line down the middle and have a thriving tree on one side and firewood on the other. Needless to say, our cherry harvest was tiny (the birds at them all.)
My grandparents' trees, however, flourished this year. So we've been picking cherries like crazy. Anna's really good at this now. Luke, on the other hand, eats more than he saves. They make scrumptious cobblers!

Camp ACC


Ryan directs a senior high week of camp at Camp ACC in Unicoi each summer. This always proves to be a fabulous week of fun and growth for the students and volunteers alike. Some highlights from this week were visiting some elderly friends in local nursing homes, improving some homes, a "Lost and Found" concert, crazy messy games, lots of great speakers, learning some new words (Tao, Namaste, Ubuntu, Solidaeridade), making some new friends, reconnecting with some old friends, worshiping our God as one body, and witnessing a friend join that body. For more pics, check the camp out at campacc.com

Happy Daddy Day!


I'm one of those grown women who still calls her father "Daddy." Maybe it's because I'm Southern. But maybe it's because he's more of a "Daddy" to me than a "Dad" or "Father." Daddy is a dairy farmer. He loves to farm, keep up with UT Football and the Lady Vols basketball. He's a wonderful singer and puts on productions with a local chorale. He has always been faithful to the church and his family. He and my "Mamma" (yes, they are still "Mamma" and "Daddy") have been married for almost 40 years. Daddy is currently fighting cancer and will soon beat it. He is the best Daddy and Grandaddy I could have ever imagined.
And here's to the other dad in my life. Anna, Luke, and Caroline are blessed with a dad who spends much of his life playing, reading, driving, disciplining, teaching, tickling, laughing, comforting, hugging, kissing, and loving his children. What a great dad.