Sunday: Plan A for today was this: Get the boat in the water by 7AM (with Andrew and Alison) and eventually boat our way over to a little place where they evidently have mouth-watering breakfast muffins, get the boat back OUT of the water by 11AM or so, get it all cleaned up (via David !!) and ready for Jonathan and his family to arrive by 2PM.
"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry ..." said Robert Burns ("To a Mouse" 1785) ... and so it was ... the weather report Saturday night made it look as though (and I emphasize LOOK) it was going to be absolutely lousy for boating--high winds and a 90% chance of rain. Plan A HAD to be scrapped! In its place came Plan B, which when everything was said and done, was a very GOOD plan. We called Andrew and Alison, cancelled Plan A, and put into effect Plan B--meeting them at their church for worship!
Carol began the morning, though, in her lovely kitchen preparing some sweet treats for her grandkiddos. She made phenomenal cinammon rolls, no-bake chocolate cookies, and I can't remember what else--but she did it all with such seeming EASE and confidence and obvious love for her little ones. She is a fabulous grandma.
David caught up on some paperwork for Speedy Legal while Carol was prepping. I just sat around and watched it all with a lot of enjoyment.
We had a very nice time of worship at the church where Andrew and Alison attend. David and Carol are prayerfully considering switching from their church to join Andrew and Alison at their church on a regular basis.
I really really LOVE these pictures of all of them. I'm going to have to print up my favorite and post it on my refrigerator in place of a very OLD one that is up there now.
It will be hard to chose a favorite out of these ... Andrew and Alison are so darling together, aren't they? And I love the happiness that just exudes out of David and Carol in these pictures.
After church, we came back to the house to await Jonathan's family. I was much anticipating FINALLY meeting Jon's family. It has probably been since Rachel's wedding in 2000 since I laid eyes on Jonathan--I believe he and Starvelle married in 2002, but I'm not sure. They now have FIVE children. It was great to meet them, and Star too! What a truly nice family they are.
Carol had told me how TINY Star was ... but you have to see her for yourself! She and Elisabeth are very close in height (super short ... like 4'9.5").
This is their baby Eva, who turned FOUR in December. She is a cutie.
This is MIKO, who will be seven in a week or so ...
The lovely girl just to the right of my brother is BRIANNA, who I think just turned 14. She is a dancer and is a very good one too. She is very fun to talk with and I enjoyed her so much. Brandon is turning 16 very shortly. If I remember correctly, he would like to be a airline pilot. He is also really friendly. I loved asking him questions and learning about him. Mariah is almost 12--what an enjoyable person she is! I believe she told me she would like to be a police-person. I loved visiting with her too.
Carol made everyone comfortable and it was obvious how much they all love each other.
This is my nephew, Jonathan (below). He is a policeman. I cannot even fathom the kind of courage and bravery it must take to get up every morning, put on his uniform, and go to work. I thanked him for his service to our very broken and hurting country. He is an honorable man, for sure. This picture was taken of him folding a paper airplane for one of his children. We did fly paper airplanes (inside and outside) ... I folded the only plane that I can fold by memory ... it's a loopty-looper and I love it. The kiddos were pretty impressed with it too.
By about 4:30, our time together wound down. David and I were scheduled to leave to travel across the state up to Jacksonville to view a few lighthouses the next day. I'll share with you what happened on our way ... yikes!
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