Our First Few Days in Knoxville!

Well, Emily and I are officially residents (again) of Knoxville, Tennessee!

Saturday, with the generous help of our summer interns and friends in West Virginia and our in-laws (Emily's parents) we moved our stuff out of our apartment and into our rental truck. Then, on Sunday afternoon, again with the help of friends and family, we moved into our new rental home in the Gibbs area of Knoxville. Thanks so much all of you who helped us!

Please mail us or call us at our new home! Our address is 7509 Lyle Bend Lane, Knoxville, TN 37918. Our cell phones will remain the best way to call us until December, when we are finally set free from our cell contract. Mine (Kevin's) is 704.579.2235, and Emily's is 704.579.2022. We have much better reception in Knoxville than we did in West Virginia...

On Saturday after emptying our our apartment, we took Emily's parents to the Exhibition Coal Mine in Pocahontas, Virginia. The mine is the first place coal was mined in the area, and it became a tourist destination years ago. (The coal seam is so big there that people used to be able to drive through the mine--it's now a walking tour.)

The big thing you realize when you visit the mine is how fortunate we are to live the way we do now. 100 years ago, 16% of all coal miners died in the mines. Working was dangerous and life was hard. Sometimes I think we should thank God simply for technological progress... Our lives are are a far cry from the lives of folks 100 years ago, in many good ways!

On Monday, our friends John Hightshoe and Maleigh York came to visit us. John was one of our students at Charlotte South Fellowship, and we have become friends with Maleigh as well. They stayed until Wednesday, and generously weaved in and out of our multiple moving boxes that were yet to be unpacked. We enjoyed visiting with them and hope to have more friends come see us soon!

The past couple of days have been spent humorously... driving around looking for free Wi-Fi in our area, since we don't have the Internet at the house until Tuesday. Fortunately, two excellent (but very different) places to eat offer free Wi-Fi: Krystal in Halls and Panera Bread of Fountain City. I like Panera Bread alot, and the people who work at the Fountain City location rock! But I have had a special connection with Krystals since I was a kid... I love those tiny little burgers of joy. Some may call them mean names, but I love 'em and I will eat 'em anytime I can. If you've never had a Krystal, you've really missed out!

Since it's July 4th, I wish you and yours a Happy Independence Day. In the spirit of the real meaning of the holiday, why not read the Declaration that made our country a reality? Hope you get to have a cookout or watch some fireworks too!