Our new pet

It looks like we have a pet squirrel at our house. He likes to perch on our back deck and chew on pine cones. He's not entirely tame. He usually runs away and barks at us if we get too close. And I think he might be trying to hit us on the head with the pine cones he's dropping out of the trees. He's kind of fun to watch, though. If you want to help us think of a name for our new pet, let me know.

AWANA Adventure

Yesterday we had our first AWANA meeting. For those who don't know much about AWANA, it is a fun-oriented youth program that focuses on Scripture memorization and hands-on learning. This is my first experience using this program. This year, we are using AWANA for 5th grade and down. Our 6th graders and up are in the Teen Discovery program. During the summer, we have been taking a break from both programs. That gives our teachers and leaders a chance to catch their breath and helps to keep them from burning out.

I'll admit that everything was a little chaotic yesterday, as we tried to get back into the swing of things, but overall I was pleased at how everything turned out. Below you will find some pictures of last night's activities.

Our First Hurricane

We endured our first hurricane this past week, although I must admit it was not a true hurricane by the time it hit land in the Carolinas. We watched Hurricane Ernesto for a week or so before it finally came to us. If it hadn't been for the news coverage, I wouldn't have even known it was a hurricane. All we got in the Columbia area was a nice steady rain for a day or so. I wouldn't mind if every hurricane was this mild.