Friday, July 28, 2006
SUMMARY OF APRIL 4th UNTIL FATHERS DAY
We did not rush our trip back to Atlanta and we arrived home on April 4th. We were glad to get back with our Kids and Grandkids. Big plans were in the making because Sam and Darlene had their wedding planned for April 15th. We used the time between our arrival and the wedding getting to know our grandkids. Sage is five and a half and Mia is two and a half, so there were a lot of changes in them in the three months we were away,
On the week-end before the wedding, Sam went to North Carolina and Darlene and the kids came back to Atlanta with him. They had been moving things down to his house for several weeks, so there was not a lot left to transfer. We had met Steven, Jessica and Jewel at Thanksgiving and saw them again at Christmas time, but we got to know them a lot better after they arrived in Atlanta. The Atlanta schools were returning from their spring break and the NC schools were on spring break so it was a good time for them to get the new grand children settled into their new community and enrolled in school. They were pretty much set so that on Monday after the wedding the kids were ready for their new school.
On Friday we all went up to Maggie Valley, North Carolina for the big event. Bill was the best man in the wedding. He, Liz and Mia rode up with us in our motor home. Sam over that night and spent the night with us. It was pretty cozy, but it was an exciting time and we really enjoyed it. Darlene’s parents have a camping trailer on a lot in a campground which they leave there year round and spend weekends and vacations up there. They plan to retire there.
Mary had told Darlene to invite her Mom and Pop over to our RV Park and we would fix something easy for supper. They finally settled on sloppy joes and tater tots. Darlene’s sister was coming in on Friday so she was invited as well. Her kin continued to arrive on Friday and by supper time we had 29 people at our campsite for supper.
We kept adding to the sloppy joes and taters, everyone who showed had a covered dish or a cooler of cokes or some kind of desert. We moved picnic tables from campsites which were unoccupied and had a bunch of lawn chairs so everyone had a place to sit. We ended up having a great potluck dinner and getting to know our new in-laws on the night before the wedding. At one point a lady walked by and asked me if this was a family reunion. I just said “it will be tomorrow” and she said that she did not even know that many people It made things more comfortable for everyone the next day since we had already shared a meal and visited.
The wedding was on Saturday, April 15th. They had a very small, intimate chapel for the wedding. I think they figured that at their age and stage in their lives they did not need a big church wedding. They were limited to twenty guests. Sam had Mary and I, Bill, Liz and Mia, and sister Sue drove up from Atlanta as his family representatives. Ben and Wanda, his college roommate and his wife came up as did Walter and Lynn, a friend from the Air Force and his Lady friend. All the other guests were from Darlene’s family. All four of their children were in the ceremony.
Steven was the ring bearer, Sage and the twins were flower girls. Jessica and Jewel came first and Sage was behind them. She kinda paused at the door and Darlene helped her out a little as they came down the isle. Steven wore the same color shirt and tie that Sam and Bill wore. All three of the girls were dressed alike and looked lovely. Darlene did a real good job with everything. Bill was the Best Man and Her Pop gave her away. The ceremony was short and very well done by the minister. Pop and I signed as witnesses on the license so it was a pretty family oriented effort. Mia, our two and a half year old even confirmed the vows by repeating “I Do” after Darlene said it. So far it is working very well. Mary and I got another wonderful daughter and Sam’s life is totally enriched by the addition of our three new grandchildren. Grand Momma told the kids that they were all very special and unique to us because Steven is our first grandson and Jessica and Jewel are our only twins.
Sunday after the wedding was Easter Sunday and Sam’s Mother in Law, Ann had an Easter Egg hunt over at their house for all the kids. Fun was had by all. I could have spent more time on their deck over-looking a beautiful, tumbling mountain stream, but the newly weds had to go to Atlanta so they could get their kids back in school. Mary and I and Bill, Liz and Mia went to Myrtle Beach, SC. We stayed there Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning. We drove back to Atlanta in time for Bill and Liz to pick up her Grandmother and travel to Tennessee where her Parents are living now. We had a great time in Myrtle Beach. I think that Mia must have moved a ton of sand. She didn’t seem to get discouraged when she figured out that she could not fill up the ocean.
Over the next few weeks we spent quite a lot of time with the kids and grandkids. On the weekend following their wedding Sam asked us to spend Saturday evening with their kids while he and Darlene went to a concert. For Valentines Day Sam bought Darlene tickets for a Martina McBride concert. There was a Georgia Force Football game that night. Sam had tickets so Steven and I got to go to the game.
It was a high scoring close game and even though the home team lost we enjoyed it a lot. After the game, they put tables out on the field and players and cheerleaders sit at the tables and anyone who wants to can go down and get autographs. Steven and I went down. He got a promotional tee shirt which someone was giving away. It was white and he got players to sign it. I think he must have gotten seven or eight autographs. Later he told me that he was going to give the shirt to Sam. I said to him that it was a good souvenir for him to keep. I thought his response was exceptional for an eleven year old boy. He said that Sam knew more about the team than he did and that Sam had done a lot of good things for him. He felt that the shirt would be more special to Sam than to him. He didn’t know how special.
While we were at the game, Grand Mamma took Jewel and Jessica shopping and then to see a movie. They had a big time and were so excited because they got to buy some lip gloss. They wanted the gloss and Mary asked them if it would be OK with their Mom if she bought it for them. After very little thought they suggested that they call their Mom on her cell phone and ask. I think they were surprised that Mom said yes even after Grand Momma assured her it was for little girls. After dinner at McDonalds they came home and were already there when we got back to Sam’s house.
We also went to school carnivals with Mia and the next day we went with all of Sam and Darlene’s kids. We met some new friends they had made and saw their school. We are proud of the way the kids made the transition to their new school. They thought that there was going to be a problem with Steven because of the curriculum differences between the Georgia schools and the North Carolina schools. Even thought he had not been taught what they were learning in the new school, he was able to catch up. He passed the test required for promotion to the sixth grade and made A’s in all but two subjects. He was pleased and we were proud of him and for him. The girls fit right in and are ready for next year.
I think that about every week we had dinner with both of our son’s families at least once. Besides this we had grandkids overnights also. One night Steven and the twins spent the night with us and we went to Stone Mountain for the laser show. We had a long walk and a lot to carry with our chairs, blankets, toys, picnic and a cooler of cokes and water. We were there for a total of five hours so we need supper and drinks. I think the kids enjoyed the show. Sage and Sam have spent a couple of nights with us together while Darlene and her kids were in NC helping her Mom with a big garage sale. She is getting ready to downsize their house after she retires. We sure enjoyed spending the time with Sage; we only get to see her every other weekend so overnights are special.
Mia spent more time with us than any of the others. Mary babysat with Mia a couple of days a week to help keep child care cost down while Bill and Liz worked. She also stayed over at our house a lot. I think Bill and Liz looked for reasons for her to spend the night with us while we were in town.
We sure appreciate their generous attitude about that. Mia calls our motor home an ARVE. She can’t quite get RV out yet. She does recognize when we turn and she sees the “big sign” on an arch over the park entry. I think that she knows more about what the switches on the dash are for than I do. I’m writing this on July 12th so we have been gone almost two weeks and we are already missing those grandkids.
I played a lot of golf while we were in Atlanta. I am playing better than I ever have in my life. My USGA handicap index came down from 16.0 to 14.5. I’m consistently playing between 80 and 86 and once for the first time I broke 80. I shot a 79. My brother-in-law, Tom Nash, came over and played with me in our annual Senior Member/Guest Tournament. We played a two man best ball and Tom and I had the second best score. The problem is there were three of us who had the same score. After a scorecard playoff we ended up in fourth place. We did have a good time though!! I took one of the senior golf trips over to Aiken, SC. I rode over and was roommates with Tommy Roberts.
We had a lot of fun and even though I did not play great, I did win back the prize money I put up. Tommy had some misfortune with his car and had to miss the third day of play to get repairs done.
We did not rush our trip back to Atlanta and we arrived home on April 4th. We were glad to get back with our Kids and Grandkids. Big plans were in the making because Sam and Darlene had their wedding planned for April 15th. We used the time between our arrival and the wedding getting to know our grandkids. Sage is five and a half and Mia is two and a half, so there were a lot of changes in them in the three months we were away,
On the week-end before the wedding, Sam went to North Carolina and Darlene and the kids came back to Atlanta with him. They had been moving things down to his house for several weeks, so there was not a lot left to transfer. We had met Steven, Jessica and Jewel at Thanksgiving and saw them again at Christmas time, but we got to know them a lot better after they arrived in Atlanta. The Atlanta schools were returning from their spring break and the NC schools were on spring break so it was a good time for them to get the new grand children settled into their new community and enrolled in school. They were pretty much set so that on Monday after the wedding the kids were ready for their new school.
On Friday we all went up to Maggie Valley, North Carolina for the big event. Bill was the best man in the wedding. He, Liz and Mia rode up with us in our motor home. Sam over that night and spent the night with us. It was pretty cozy, but it was an exciting time and we really enjoyed it. Darlene’s parents have a camping trailer on a lot in a campground which they leave there year round and spend weekends and vacations up there. They plan to retire there.Mary had told Darlene to invite her Mom and Pop over to our RV Park and we would fix something easy for supper. They finally settled on sloppy joes and tater tots. Darlene’s sister was coming in on Friday so she was invited as well. Her kin continued to arrive on Friday and by supper time we had 29 people at our campsite for supper.
We kept adding to the sloppy joes and taters, everyone who showed had a covered dish or a cooler of cokes or some kind of desert. We moved picnic tables from campsites which were unoccupied and had a bunch of lawn chairs so everyone had a place to sit. We ended up having a great potluck dinner and getting to know our new in-laws on the night before the wedding. At one point a lady walked by and asked me if this was a family reunion. I just said “it will be tomorrow” and she said that she did not even know that many people It made things more comfortable for everyone the next day since we had already shared a meal and visited.
The wedding was on Saturday, April 15th. They had a very small, intimate chapel for the wedding. I think they figured that at their age and stage in their lives they did not need a big church wedding. They were limited to twenty guests. Sam had Mary and I, Bill, Liz and Mia, and sister Sue drove up from Atlanta as his family representatives. Ben and Wanda, his college roommate and his wife came up as did Walter and Lynn, a friend from the Air Force and his Lady friend. All the other guests were from Darlene’s family. All four of their children were in the ceremony.
Steven was the ring bearer, Sage and the twins were flower girls. Jessica and Jewel came first and Sage was behind them. She kinda paused at the door and Darlene helped her out a little as they came down the isle. Steven wore the same color shirt and tie that Sam and Bill wore. All three of the girls were dressed alike and looked lovely. Darlene did a real good job with everything. Bill was the Best Man and Her Pop gave her away. The ceremony was short and very well done by the minister. Pop and I signed as witnesses on the license so it was a pretty family oriented effort. Mia, our two and a half year old even confirmed the vows by repeating “I Do” after Darlene said it. So far it is working very well. Mary and I got another wonderful daughter and Sam’s life is totally enriched by the addition of our three new grandchildren. Grand Momma told the kids that they were all very special and unique to us because Steven is our first grandson and Jessica and Jewel are our only twins.
Sunday after the wedding was Easter Sunday and Sam’s Mother in Law, Ann had an Easter Egg hunt over at their house for all the kids. Fun was had by all. I could have spent more time on their deck over-looking a beautiful, tumbling mountain stream, but the newly weds had to go to Atlanta so they could get their kids back in school. Mary and I and Bill, Liz and Mia went to Myrtle Beach, SC. We stayed there Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning. We drove back to Atlanta in time for Bill and Liz to pick up her Grandmother and travel to Tennessee where her Parents are living now. We had a great time in Myrtle Beach. I think that Mia must have moved a ton of sand. She didn’t seem to get discouraged when she figured out that she could not fill up the ocean.Over the next few weeks we spent quite a lot of time with the kids and grandkids. On the weekend following their wedding Sam asked us to spend Saturday evening with their kids while he and Darlene went to a concert. For Valentines Day Sam bought Darlene tickets for a Martina McBride concert. There was a Georgia Force Football game that night. Sam had tickets so Steven and I got to go to the game.
It was a high scoring close game and even though the home team lost we enjoyed it a lot. After the game, they put tables out on the field and players and cheerleaders sit at the tables and anyone who wants to can go down and get autographs. Steven and I went down. He got a promotional tee shirt which someone was giving away. It was white and he got players to sign it. I think he must have gotten seven or eight autographs. Later he told me that he was going to give the shirt to Sam. I said to him that it was a good souvenir for him to keep. I thought his response was exceptional for an eleven year old boy. He said that Sam knew more about the team than he did and that Sam had done a lot of good things for him. He felt that the shirt would be more special to Sam than to him. He didn’t know how special.While we were at the game, Grand Mamma took Jewel and Jessica shopping and then to see a movie. They had a big time and were so excited because they got to buy some lip gloss. They wanted the gloss and Mary asked them if it would be OK with their Mom if she bought it for them. After very little thought they suggested that they call their Mom on her cell phone and ask. I think they were surprised that Mom said yes even after Grand Momma assured her it was for little girls. After dinner at McDonalds they came home and were already there when we got back to Sam’s house.
We also went to school carnivals with Mia and the next day we went with all of Sam and Darlene’s kids. We met some new friends they had made and saw their school. We are proud of the way the kids made the transition to their new school. They thought that there was going to be a problem with Steven because of the curriculum differences between the Georgia schools and the North Carolina schools. Even thought he had not been taught what they were learning in the new school, he was able to catch up. He passed the test required for promotion to the sixth grade and made A’s in all but two subjects. He was pleased and we were proud of him and for him. The girls fit right in and are ready for next year.
I think that about every week we had dinner with both of our son’s families at least once. Besides this we had grandkids overnights also. One night Steven and the twins spent the night with us and we went to Stone Mountain for the laser show. We had a long walk and a lot to carry with our chairs, blankets, toys, picnic and a cooler of cokes and water. We were there for a total of five hours so we need supper and drinks. I think the kids enjoyed the show. Sage and Sam have spent a couple of nights with us together while Darlene and her kids were in NC helping her Mom with a big garage sale. She is getting ready to downsize their house after she retires. We sure enjoyed spending the time with Sage; we only get to see her every other weekend so overnights are special.Mia spent more time with us than any of the others. Mary babysat with Mia a couple of days a week to help keep child care cost down while Bill and Liz worked. She also stayed over at our house a lot. I think Bill and Liz looked for reasons for her to spend the night with us while we were in town.
We sure appreciate their generous attitude about that. Mia calls our motor home an ARVE. She can’t quite get RV out yet. She does recognize when we turn and she sees the “big sign” on an arch over the park entry. I think that she knows more about what the switches on the dash are for than I do. I’m writing this on July 12th so we have been gone almost two weeks and we are already missing those grandkids.I played a lot of golf while we were in Atlanta. I am playing better than I ever have in my life. My USGA handicap index came down from 16.0 to 14.5. I’m consistently playing between 80 and 86 and once for the first time I broke 80. I shot a 79. My brother-in-law, Tom Nash, came over and played with me in our annual Senior Member/Guest Tournament. We played a two man best ball and Tom and I had the second best score. The problem is there were three of us who had the same score. After a scorecard playoff we ended up in fourth place. We did have a good time though!! I took one of the senior golf trips over to Aiken, SC. I rode over and was roommates with Tommy Roberts.
We had a lot of fun and even though I did not play great, I did win back the prize money I put up. Tommy had some misfortune with his car and had to miss the third day of play to get repairs done.
