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17th Anniversary

Last night Kristy and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary at The Oar House restaurant in Dahlonega. Great food and fantastic atmosphere outside on the Chestatee River. Here are some memories.

Cookout in Dahlonega

Last night we were invited to a cookout with some folks in Dahlonega. Great time of meeting new friends. The kids had a blast, too!

Strawberry Picking

This past Saturday our family headed to a strawberry farm in Dahlonega to pick fresh strawberries right out of the patch. Tons of fun!

House in Dahlonega

We have a contract on a house in the Dahlonega area, and had the inspection last night. Here is a picture of the house. It is kind of a mountain cottage style on 2 acres / cul-de-sac. One main level with a finished bottom/terrace level. The back is forest with a nice creek and small waterfall. The kids can hike and play for miles back there. Should be PLENTY of wildlife... saw a BIG doe last night. : )

Six Flags

Yesterday I took Ann Ferris and four of her friends to Six Flags. Perfect Weather. Short lines. A GREAT day! To see photos, go to my mobile me gallery here.

Preaching at East Lanier

The next two Sundays I will be preaching for Alan Foster at East Lanier Community Church in Buford/Flowery Branch, GA. This week I am teaching from John 4:1-26, “Through Samaria.” I am giving the message that title because in verse 4, John says that Jesus “had to go through Samaria.” Hmmm… had to? Actually, there were other ways to Galilee than through Samaria. Jesus could have travelled east along the Jordan River, or on the other side of the Jordan (like the Pharisees would do in order to avoid Samaria). So I think that understanding why Jesus “had” to go through Samaria will shed light on the very heart of Jesus’ purpose and mission… and will provide plenty of grace-centered teaching on what a missional church might look like. Geographically, Jesus did NOT have to go through Samaria. Missionally, he did. As Steve Brown would say, “You think about that.” Okay, I think I will… and will tell you what I came up with on Sunday at East Lanier. :)

Sarah Wynn's Violin

Sarah Wynn was given her first violin this week from a friend at Perimeter Church. She LOVES it, and can't wait to begin lessons! Kristy took Sarah Wynn to a violin shop in Duluth today to have the violin tuned. The shop owner gave SW a book and taught her the "DAD" song, which she came home and played for me.

Night at the McDonald's

Last night we went swimming at the McDonald's neighborhood pool, and then to their house for a cookout. A great time was had by all... and we finally got the fire pit started for roasting marshmallows around 11:30pm. : )

Blogging Resumes Tomorrow

Hello friends and family,
Blogging will resume tomorrow. For now, we're headed to a cookout and pool party... : )

Wax seal, potential new home, friend, fish, etc.

Weekend Update:

1. Today I got my handy-man vibe going and replaced a worn out wax seal on one of our toilets. That is one fun way to spend a Saturday!
2. Ann Ferris had a blast at her friend's house last night.
3. We have a verbal contract on a home in the Dahlonega area, and hope to have it in writing by early in the week.
4. Right now, Sarah Wynn has one of her best buddies, Gillian, over to play. Mayhem and pandemonium... but in a good way. : )
5. I'm cooking lemon pepper Orange Roughy with rice and green beans for dinner. Hungry?
6. Have you been watching the NBA semi-finals? Wow.
   

The Picnic Cafe

This afternoon after looking at homes in Dahlonega, we ate at The Picnic Cafe on the square. Click here to see a picture of a very hungry Kristy, Schaeffer and Sarah Wynn. But hey, I was hungry, too. And we were not disappointed. Ann Ferris was at a sleep over at Allison Smyth's home. Fun stuff.

Highlights So Far...

Highlights of the week so far: house hunting in Dahlonega, American Idol, and the NBA semi-finals. A cookout with friends is planned for Friday night. Fun stuff. Hopefully, I can get some more recent pics posted soon.

Five Minute Shopping Spree at Publix

This morning we surprised our kids with a shopping spree to Publix. They each had one of those hand-held baskets and were given five minutes to fill it up with whatever food and snacks they wanted. We pretty much had the run of the store, and it was a good thing, since they literally ran all over the store. Anyway, it was one of those events that they probably will remember all of their lives. Here are the "before and after" pictures.

May Church Plant Update

To see our latest church plant newsletter, the May 2009 Edition, click here.

Downtown with Shakespeare

Today I am working from home with Sarah Wynn while Kristy and the big two are in downtown Atlanta with friends attending a Shakespeare play. Very cool. Anyway, I will report back when I hear how it went.

Happy Girl

Sarah Wynn as "Happy Girl." FYI: Mother's Day pics coming soon!

Two Chefs

I love this picture of Mommy Chef and Little Chef.

CFAF Dance

Ann Ferris attended a CFAF (Christian Fine Arts of Forsyth) dance recently, and had a great time with friends. The students learned English and Scottish dances that are depicted in the Jane Austen novels/movies. Here are some pics.

Game 7

Yesterday, I took Schaeffer to Game 7 of the Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat playoff series. We definitely made a great Fahter/Son bonding memory—especially since ATL won! : )