Beach Trip 2010

It's stormy weather at St. George Island.  The beaches are fairly quiet with only a few people down near the water.   Someone is constantly patrolling the beaches on four wheelers and helicopters.  We assume looking for oil.  We sure haven't see any.  Some seaweed, but no oil.

Russell with his mama.

When it's storming outside, it's nice and peaceful inside!  You won't see Russell resting like this often!  

These two certainly know how to relax.....in fact, they were quite indignant that I had the nerve to disturb them!

Russell can always be found in the kitchen fixing us something to eat.  Of course, today when I saw myself in my bathing suit, I decided I should swear off eating altogether.  Then I got hungry.

Thinking a bike ride would help counteract the calorie count, we started out late yesterday afternoon to tour the Island.   Still in the  driveway I hit a patch of gravel and went down.  I'm not sure I went as much as I flew head first right into the gravel.  Thankfully, I put my hands out and my head didn't actually hit .....when I came to a stop both palms were scraped up and my right knee looks like hamburger.  I know that my right hip isn't weak because I landed hard on that side and apparently nothing broke.  Russell rushed to me and pulled me up, we turned around and went right back to the house where he washed off my wounds and bandaged them as best he could with makeshift supplies.  AWWWW, he's such a sweet husband. 

I'm not sure we'll get another ride in this trip.  

Hopefully we'll have some nice weather and I'll get some good sunny beach pictures before we leave.  

For now, relax is the word for this week.

We are better able to relax because this little one is home and doing well!

Actually we check often for new pictures of this sweetheart!

Update.......It's Tuesday now and we woke up to a real storm! 

Newest Addition....or We have a future UF football player

From this......

To this.....

Claudia's mama waiting.

Mema (great grandma) Nancy and Russell waiting.

To this.....

We were taking deep breaths and pushing!  It's forty wonders we didn't deliver something!

To this!

June 23, 2010

Charles Thomas

8 lbs. 10 ozs.
20.5 inches long

Or as we like to say, a lot of beautiful boy!!!

At 1:00 a.m. on the 23rd, we got the call that Tommy and Claudia were at the hospital.  We knew we couldn't leave until around 11 a.m. so we just assumed that Charley would be born before we got to the hospital 5 hours away.  But bless his little heart, much to his mama's chagrin, he waited.

The 23rd is also great grandma.....Mema's birthday!  We had taken Russell's mom out the night before for her birthday dinner so she was surprised when  I called her early Wednesday morning and said pack your bag, we're going to get your birthday present.  For just a moment she was confused, then she began to cry!

Claudia had a long day of it, and a LOT of hard work, but she was a trooper!  She also didn't want us to take any pictures of her so that's why there are none here.

But we did snap just a few....

Proud daddy!

After the weigh in.

Daddy got to bring Charley out to show him off.

Going to the nursery.

In the nursery wanting his mama!

Tommy

Pappy has the look of love...

Nana too!

Pappy, Mema, Tommy and Charley....Four generations!!!

Our daddys and Our Father

If not for our Father, we wouldn't have our daddys.   Our heavenly Father placed us in this moment in time and in this place and in just the right families!  Acts 17:26 NIV

Russell and I were blessed with earthly fathers who reflected the love of our heavenly Father, the best gift we could have been given.

I wish I had a good picture of my first father in law, the grandfather of my two oldest children.  He was a wonderful man ,very calm and wise in so many ways.  He loved my children with all his heart.  He waits to greet us in heaven.

My daddy.  This is one of my favorite pictures of daddy. 

 

Daddy rarely took off work when I was a child.  He worked six days a week and went to church on Sunday.  Daddy took care of everybody.  If there was a need of any kind, daddy was right there.  I miss daddy and have days when I wish I could ask him a question or two, get his advice. 

When my my mama's mama died she was the last of our grandparents.  After a long day of people in and out of their house and funeral stuff....daddy sat on the couch by mama, put his hand on her leg and said .....Well, I guess we're orphans now.  Lesson learned.....handle as much of life possible with as much humor as possible!  

Daddy's in heaven too. 

Russell's father was no only good dad but a great friend.  He had such a good sense of humor. 

One day I was talking to Russell's dad on the phone and asked where Russell's mom was....to which he replied playing bridge where she spends a lot of  time.  Then he added this.....Now, if I want her to know I said that, I'll tell her!  He could always make me laugh!  

He also waits in heaven.

I'm so grateful for all the fathers God placed in my life.  Each of them shaped me into the person I am today.  

And always, I'm so grateful God chose me to be in His family! 

Big Day

Finally.....it seems like I'm getting further and further behind each day!  A lot to say but no time to say much.  Graduation day dawned and we were all super excited.  It started early, so we were up and dressed and out of the house (Katie's house that is) and on our way across town to Southwestern College where they were having the ceremony.

Maria and her friends and family had gotten there really early and gotten front row seats!  The sweet girl even brought cushions for this old Nana and old Aunt Cathy!  Those cushions may have saved my life!  The risers were concrete.

They also made a big banner.....

And placards with her name for all of us to hold.....

We were having a very good time!

It was hot and Ashley was waiting until the last minute to don her gown!  She visited for a moment before she headed down to get in line with her classmates.

Proud mama

Brother.....Adam waiting patiently.  Isn't he just the most handsome??? 

Daddy (my son) and Jessi waiting for the star!

AND the star of our day finally walks to the stage!  What a feeling. Doesn't she look so happy???

Then it was time for family pictures.
Ashley was talking to her Uncle David who was in Panama City! 

Ashley with her sister Angelina, mama and brother Adam.

After graduation Paul and Jessi, Cathy and I and the kids went for breakfast.  It was really good!  We had such a good time together enjoying breakfast and conversation. 

While we were gone, Maria and family and friends were fixing up for a bbq Mexican style!

The tables were set and things were decorated so pretty.....but the food???  Out of this world!  Maria's family can cook!  We ate and ate....the only thing I didn't try was a dish that looked sort of like green beans with onions.  It was cactus...yes, you heard right.....when you looked closely you could see where the prickles had been.  Nope, I didn't try that dish.


The cake was not only pretty but delicious!  

One of the best decorations on the table was....

the diploma!  I did have a picture of it, but decided I probably shouldn't show it without editing and well, I'm not such a good photo editor.....so believe me when I say she has a beautiful diploma!!

Katie, Beau and Anna Cross came for a while.

Adam did a little trick skateboarding...

Later she opened her cards and presents.

A very nice and momentous day drew to a close and Ashley's weary Nana and Aunt Cathy drove back to fall exhausted into bed!

Saturday morning rolled around and we lazed around with Katie at her home for a while, drinking coffee and talking.

We called to see what the kids were doing and found that Adam had been sick all night and wasn't up to doing anything.

We went to get Ashley and she wanted to go to a movie so off we went to the Prince of Persia.....it was a cute movie.  But it was very cold in the theatre!  Thankfully there was a W*alm*rt next door where we got Ashley a little jacket.  I thought Aunt Cathy might fight her for that jacket before the movie was over!

 

Sunday, we got up and dressed and went to church with Paul and Jessi.  Their church meets in the elementary school in Ashley and Adam's neighborhood so I knew just where to go.  Paul and Jessi were waiting for us and took us to our seats.  They were greeters and had to get back to work!  Zoe, Jessi's little girl was there too and we were so glad to see her!

We enjoyed church and afterward they had a hot dog lunch!  That was nice...they are doing lunch for 4 weeks to start the summer.

Jessi and Zoe

Paul with his mouth full...sorry son!

There was more to Sunday, but that's for later.  Now I need badly to hit the publish button because I'm tired! 

I hope you all like pictures as much as you can tell I like them!

California Graduation.....Part 2

My sister writes in a little book during trips....I don't have a copy so I'm trusting this memory of mine to remember each day.  That's pretty scary since by supper every day I can't remember what I had for lunch!

Thursday, we got up, lounged around with Katie for a while then drove over to see the grands.  We took Ashley and Adam shopping.  Ashley needed a dress to wear under her cap and gown and Adam needed jeans.  We went to a nice BIG mall and had lunch then shopped.

Before we left, Ashley did a little show and tell with her cap and gown. 

Katie and Anna Cross came to go to the mall with us and got to visit with Maria.  Rental car in the background. 

We also got to visit with the grands' delightful little sister Angelina.  She already has a Nana so she calls me Nana Nancy. 

Just waiting to go shopping.  Adam wouldn't look!

We looked and looked and looked and looked!  We went in so many stores but we finally found the dress she liked!  Just a little white sundress.   Here she is in the dressing room saying this may be the one!

I didn't get a picture of Adam with his jeans!  I think he would have been embarrassed to have his picture taken in a store.  For that matter Miss Ashley may have been a bit embarrassed!  Bless their little hearts, they usually do cater to their old Nana.

We got in from shopping and Maria's old friend Carolina called to say she wanted to come by to see me.  All her friends and family are so sweet to me, usually coming by at some point to give me a hug.

Here's me, Andrea (Carolina's daughter)Maria and Cathy.  Andrea is so grown up too.  She's a year behind Ashley in school and I've been seeing her since she was a little girl.  Haven't seen her in two years, do you know they grow a LOT in two years??

Ashley drove away in her little car to her Senior Banquet.  Mama's giving her last minute instructions. 

Cathy, Carolina, Maria and I went to In and Out Burger then Cathy and I headed across town to Katie and Beau's home for the night. 

Beau was pretty mad that we didn't bring him a milkshake!  We rectified that problem before the end of our stay.

This little girl can sweeten him even better than a milkshake!!

Stay tuned for part three......graduation day!

California Graduation .....part 1

Labeled part 1 because I'm sure I can't do this in one session.....mainly because life didn't stop while I was gone....so if you're a stay at home wife, you know what I'm saying!

That being said, let me just give all the glory to God for a wonderful trip!  I thank all my dear prayer warriors who have faithfully prayed and assure you that God is faithful, even when we aren't!  My nerves were on edge because the last trip out was less than pleasant.  This one.....wonderful!

Thanks to Beau, Katie and Anna Cross for having us in their beautiful home and treating us like the biddies queens we are!  

Precious Anna Cross was a delight.  She was so much fun to play with and she is such a good, well behaved baby  :)  Seriously, she is good!

 AND she's just about to walk.  I'll bet she'll be walking before her first birthday which is coming soon.


On day one of our adventure, we started out very early with a 7:30 a.m. flight.  Now we used to be three minutes from the airport....we are now at least 30 to 45 minutes away depending on traffic.  This was our first trip to our new airport and we were underwhelmed.  That's all I have to say about that!


Once we got through security and to our gate we started hearing announcements about our flight being delayed.  Our next connection was Atlanta and we only had about an hour to get to our next flight.  Finally boarding started and then we sat on the runway for a long, long time with fear building.  Flight attendants kept telling us that the delay was due to weather in Atlanta....so I called the airline and they said, no, our connection was on-time.  We knew we were in trouble at that point.  The next flight we would be able to catch was at 9:59 p.m. putting us into San Diego LATE!


Finally, lift off!  We made it to Atlanta with 11 minutes until our next flight.  Ever seen two approaching elderly women run through an airport???  Try to get a visual.  We were the last people on the plane, but we made our flight!  

I would go on about how crazy it is to pay for your bags, buy anything you eat, etc. but I'm just not a complainer.  Ahem!

We arrived safely in beautiful San Diego, took the shuttle to rent a car....and started driving.  Me, small town girl, driving the freeways in California.

We had our little GPS programmed to all the places we would be driving and it worked like a charm.  Oh, we had a few near misses, but I have those in small town, Florida.


We drove over to see my eldest and father of the graduate and his wife, enjoying a little time of catching up with their lives.

From there, we went to see the graduate and family!  Below, my grandchildren and their mother.

Since somehow I got these mixed up, below are my grandchildren with their Nana and Great Aunt Cathy.

And now below are my grandchildren with their mother!

My grandson, Adam has gotten so tall!  


After visiting with them, we drove across town to unload and spend some time with Beau, Katie and Anna Cross.  


I got to read Anna Cross a story, sing to her and rock her to sleep.

We passed out fell peacefully to sleep in their guest room.

Thus ended the beginning of our wonderful trip to California!  
More tomorrow!