sights of furlough

As always furlough, or "home assignment", has been a blur.  We are trying to cram as much in and still maintain our sanity.  Not sure if we are succeeding.  Here are a few snapshots of what we have been experiencing since our last post...

Nate, a former youth group student and good friend, lends me the use of his x-ray machine after I thought I broke my toe coming down the stairs at a friends house.  It seems like we always have our share of mishaps on furlough - some of you may remember last time Mia broke her arm after only a few days back.

All three of the girls have joined our town's swim team for the summer.  Swimming in the Amazon is a little different than laps in a pool, but they seem to be thoroughly enjoying it.  

After an impressive first meet, Mia was put on the A team for backstroke.

The girls were able to experience a tornado warning, nothing came of it but they did like the drama.  Gabriella is convinced that she should be a storm chaser when she grows up.

Our good friends Luke and Debbie hosted a welcome home party for us with an "ugly vest" theme.

Our girls play with the Porritt kids during our stay at their house.

We were able to make the Tremont Turkey Festival, our hometown's contribution to authentic Americana.  Which includes such stand-bys as a pageant, carnival rides, and merchants tent, but also other oddities as a bed race, Turkey Toss, and of course turkey sandwiches and drum legs.  Our girls couldn't get enough.  

As members of the swim team, our girls were able to ride on a float in the parade and throw out candy.