Leila Ann

Monday, August 22, 2011

China Reunion

We've been very fortunate in that we've been able to stay in contact with some of the families we traveled with back in Sept 08.
Even nicer is the fact that 4 of our families live within range of a day trip.
The summer after we came home, we started the tradition of getting together for an annual 'China Reunion'.
Last Sat, was our 3rd one.

It's such a blessing to get together and catch up.
To see how the kids have grown and changed and are developing.
Some families have since gone back to China and increased in numbers - so we get to meet new faces as well.

Food was great.

The kids played on the swingset and the trampoline.

They played with a various assortment of other toys.

Kids and grown-ups alike played a fun, non-competitive game of volleyball.

This year seemed to be especially good, in that all the kids played together really well.

Austin didn't get to go of course - he's already at school.
David didn't make it again this year either.
Back when the date was originally set, he was fine. BUT,... he had to switch his on-call schedule around because I went to New York City 2 weeks ago. SO,... it was my fault, he was on-call and didn't get to go (as he has so often reminded me the last few days).
My mom went with me in his place. It was nice for her to finally be able to put faces with the names she's heard so much about the last 3 years.

Our beautiful '2008 China Dolls' this year.

Look at how they've grown!

2010

2009

Our thanks go out to our wonderful hosts - Susan and Thad.
We had a great time and can't wait for the next one.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Busy Summer

Gosh, it's been awhile since I've 'blogged'.
Summer has been busy - but isn't life always?

The last few years, David's brothers have come to visit for the 4th of July. Neither one was able to make it in this year.
We still celebrated though.
We had a cookout with my family and went to the parade.
We normally take the boat out watch fireworks from the river, BUT since we don't have that anymore - that wasn't really an option.
David and Darrell went to watch go-cart races. Leila and I went to one regatta for a music concert. Austin and his girlfriend went to another regatta and are the only ones that actually stayed out long enough to see fireworks.

We've had a couple cookouts this summer with food, cornhole and swimming.
You would think that after so many, I would be getting better - but nope.
Unless my partner carries me - I lose every time. At least I'm a good sport. And I still enjoy it!

Leila went fishing for the 1st time this summer.
Mama and Papa got her a Barbie pole for Christmas, and we finally got around to using it.
Seems she likes the IDEA of fishing better than the actual sitting and waiting for a fish. (Just like her Mommy.)

Darrell went to Camp Electric. It's a Christian music camp run by Toby Mac.
This was his 2nd year. As before, he LOVED it.
Last year he went to the one in Nashville. This year, they opened one in Cedarville, OH. That was so much easier for us.
And he talked us into signing him up for next year too.

Austin left for college this week.
His classes haven't started yet. But football has.
We took him down on Mon.
His coach said - here's your room key, get your stuff carried in and unpacked, we have a run at 4:00.
Wow - what a welcome!
He said last night that it wasn't bad so far (wrestling was worse). It's just exhausting. They only have a one hour free a day, and the heat is terrible.
I told him this is the 'initiation period' - it will get better.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Beach

Last week was our 2nd annual 'Girls' Week'.
We went to Atlantic Beach last year and had such a good time that we decided to try to make it an annual thing.
There were 6 of us last year. 5 this year. My aunt, my cousin, my mom, me and Leila.
We went to the Outer Banks - Duck, NC (such a funny name).

This year was SO much better.
Leila was not exactly what one would call a 'beach baby' last year.
She HATED the sand. She wasn't thrilled with the water (because it had sand in it). She didn't get enough sleep - something she desperately needs.
She didn't make the trip the most fun one ever.
She was good this year. She enjoyed herself. She had fun. Therefore, I enjoyed the trip immensely.

It was a lazy, relaxing week.
Early every morning (O'dark thirty), Mom and Marcia would walk on the beach.
By the time, they got back, Leila and I would be up.
We would have coffee on the balcony, and send Leila up to wake Jessica. (Sometimes she woke her - sometimes, she just crawled into bed with her.)
Then we'd go to the beach for awhile.
Come back and get cleaned up.
And then go driving around to see what we could see or do the rest of the afternoon and evening.

I had a better time, but I spent more money this year.
Last year, we ate in almost every meal.
This year, we ate out more. (Not the best arguement for why it's such a great idea that we go again next year tho.)

David and the boys enjoyed their week of 'bachelorhood'.
They played golf several days while we were gone.
We came home on Sun - Father's Day.
He was pretty understanding about us being gone all that day.
Our resort was paid for up until Sun morning, so we figured we might as well stay as long as we could.
Honestly, it was a pretty sucky day.
I knew it would be.
That's another reason I wasn't real keen on coming home early.
It's been a hard week since we've been back - too many thoughts.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Graduation Week

Last week was Austin's 'Graduation Week'.
It's no longer just a one day affair. There's so much involved.

We started out last Sunday.
Our church had a surprise dinner in his honor last week.
Lots of good food, cards and well wishes.
He was completely clueless too - which made it all that much better.

Tues was Class Night.
That's when they announce the 'Personalities', read the 'Class Poem', read the 'Class Will', announce their activities.... fun things like that.

Thurs was Awards Night.
Austin was upset with me initially because I said he had to go.
He didn't think he would be getting anything, so he thought it was pointless.
He wanted to go to work instead, since he'd already missed work Tues.
(I knew he was getting one thing.)
We were all surprised!
He got 4 scholarships!!!

Sat was THE big day. Graduation!
It was outside - down at the Riverfront Park.
The weather was perfect.
He graduated with honors.
(1 down - 2 to go.)

I even let him wear his 'toe shoes' thru the line.
He mentioned it as a joke.
When I agreed - he just about fell over with shock.

Our baby is off to college later this summer.
He's going to Kentucky Christian University, which is in Grayson, KY (about an hour and a half away).
At this point, he plans to major in youth ministry.
He's turning into a pretty amazing young man, and we're quite proud.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Dad

We've been down a very hard road here lately.
My Dad passed away on April 29, 2011 (my brother's 47th birthday).
He'd been sick for quite awhile. He's had heart problems since I was little.
He fought this battle for so long, and he fought oh so hard - right up to the very end.
He didn't start getting really bad until Dec. (He even went hunting at Thanksgiving.)
His mind was still good. His body just gave out.
I watched my grandma a few years back. Her body was good, but her mind went first.
I don't know which is better or worse.
I guess we all knew this day would ultimately come, but it doesn't really make it any easier.

Dad was probably the hardest working and strongest man I've ever known.
He did things not for glory or recognition, but because it was the right thing to do. Things like giving the local guy that walks the roads and isn't 'quite right' and doesn't smell good, a ride when it's dark or raining. Things like weed-eating along the road so someone doesn't pull out and have an accident because you can't see, even though that's the state road's responsibility.
He was ALWAYS there whenever we needed. It didn't matter what it was.
He's kept my kids, run errands, helped us move, helped fence the yard, roof the cabin, build a shed, mowed my yard, ....

My dad hated the beach. They only came to see us when we lived in FL, because they had to and to see the kids - not because he wanted to be there. (He wasn't a fan of the hot and the sand.) The mountains were his thing.
We've been on more vacations with my parents than we have without. My favorite was probably when we all went on a 'family' cruise to Mexico. I think his was the one to Yellowstone though.
It completely, totally breaks my heart that there won't be anymore now.

Next week would have been my parents 48th anniversary. He was only 73.
All my cousins (and I have a lot), have been telling me how 'he was always their favorite'. I know - I had the best.
It just does't seem fair.
Every time I think I'm out of tears - there's another bucketful ready to fall.

I think I heard once that the true testament to a man's life is how many people show up at his funeral.
Well - that only reinforced what we all already knew.
There were almost 400 people came for the calling hours. People stood in line outside in the cold and in the rain to pay their respects.
The funeral home ran out chairs during the funeral itself.
After the service, our church provided a dinner and a place to go to for awhile.
I'd guess they fed 200 people that day. They had 2 long rows of food and another for just desserts. My dad would have loved it. What an amazing church family we have.

I hurt for me. I hurt for my Mom. But I hurt for my kids.
Austin will be graduating in 2 weeks. Dad won't be there. He'll be starting school and will be playing football in college. He SO wanted Papa to see him. (Papa was an amazing football player in school.) Now he won't.
Darrell was named after my dad. He's only 14. He has so far to go in life. And he's such a good kid. It breaks my heart that as he's entering high school next year, Dad won't be there to see how he matures and develops.
Leila - well she's only 3 1/2. My biggest fear is that she won't remember him and how much he loved her. When she says 'Mama and Papa's house', I cry because Papa isn't there. And yet, when she says 'Mama's house', I cry because I'm afraid what if she's already starting to forget?

Yes, I KNOW he's better off. I KNOW he's no longer suffering. BUT my head and my heart are two totally different things. Just because he's better off, doesn't mean we are. Just because he's not suffering, doesn't mean we're not.
Why do people that don't deserve the space God has given them on this earth still get to be here? And yet, people that should be, aren't?
I know that time eases pain and that things get easier. I may have that knowledge deep inside me, but it's not helping much right this very moment.

I have a million pictures I like. I'm just going to try to pick a few of the best here.

Back in the Day