Catch up time

Hello! It has been too long...Mark and I went to Florida for a week in March...most of it sans kids! It was GREAT! We spent the time Baseball games, hiking, baseball, exploring, and yes...you guessed it baseballing! It was spring training time and Mark has always wanted to go watch the Atlanta Braves...so we did! It was beautiful weather...and great company!Following are a few of the highlights of the week!



Port Canaveral Beach..the pelicans are very tame..and looking for dinner from the fishermen! This one would walk right up them and take it from their hands...or table!


This WONDERFUL food brought to you by Squid Lips! IT was GREAT food....



...and a great view of the river!


Then it was off to our first Braves game vs the Washington Nationals at the Space Coast Field.




Batting Practice...we WERE that close!


The new kids on the block.. Jason Heyward! He was great fun to watch!
The Braves won!!! We had a great time watching the game..and had fun fans around us!


The next day we were off to Disney Sports field for another game...against the Florida Marlins....another victory! AND a SUNBURN!!!! for me! Again..close seats! FUN time!


They are the Braves jazz quartet...fun to hear them play!



Day three...


Who would have ever thought this was 20 minutes from Universal Studios???!!! NOT me!
One minute you were driving through traffic, then you turn off on a dirt road and find a piece of heaven!

A natural Spring with water at a steady 72 degrees year round. Water crystal clear!
Hiking...canoing...picnic!!! FUN times! LOTS of wildlife too!
We were canoing that close to him...


And this guy in the water. He crossed our path and we followed him into a little cove...on the other side that the one above was sunning himself in.

Beautiful scenery...the water here was black from the tinatic acid in it. Ma
de for great reflection shots!
Canoing....great times!




Day four...the last day on our own...Hannah and Graham drove down after school Thursday...

This is Blue Springs State Park...winter home for manatees! Right behind us is the spring boil...130 feet deep~!


We were very fortunate to get to see them this close..and showing off for us too! We did see MANY all together..and across the river from us...but this one came swimming by, flipping and rolling to get the catfish off his back! The ranger was telling us that in January, during the cold spell we had, there were over 300 in the river! They were so thick he said that you could literally walk across the river on their backs. There is a retired ranger who goes out every morning to count them. He knows them by the marks on them. What a great job! They really are amazing to watch. The babies live with the moms for two years.

I LOVED the scenery once again!


This is a Tilapia fish! And it really does not do its size justice here! They would build their 'nest' and lay eggs...then protect them from the awaiting catfish! The nest was probably 3 feet in diameter! The water is soooo clear! that was probably 3 feet deep!


The kids made it safe and sound...so on to Friday!

Mini golfing at the resort...They were soooo bad they got locked up!

Afterwards...Mark and I went to another Braves game...against Detroit Tigers...andother victory! and the kids went to Universal studios! Notice the red chest!

Saturday we all went to have some fun at the park! Hoping to get a glimpse of teh new Harry Potter!

And there it is! Opening June 2010!


One of the local high schools was putting on "Les Miserables" and we were REALLY hoping to go see it..but alas, it was sold out! So MArk spent 30 minutes looking for a Race Track gas station so he could have a Coke Slurpee...CRAZY man!

It was a great vacation..but as all good things..they do come to an end...
So did the Braves winnings!!!

Where oh where is my head!???

I cannot believe it is DECEMBER!!!! sooo much has been happening in my little corner of the world...and I do NOT know where life has gone!


Here is Hannah SINGING..."In my Own Little World" at her Recital...she did a GREAT job!




And Playing...she is really doing well with her music! I LOVE it when she plays and sings together!


My second grandson was born in October...Levi Cooper..and WHAT a joy he is! He and Thatcher are best of friends!






I got to take Thatcher to the County fair in November, LOTS of fun!











He HATED the rides...LOVED the cotton candy...and LOVED the animals from a distance! GREAT memories!!!

Graham had a great year at football....not many pics as they are night games



Number 40 had his name called for many tackles this year...he earned a starting position as inside linebacker and LOVED it!

He had his football banquet this week and he won the Character award! This was his first year as Varsity player. He really enjoyed it! He is now gearing up for Diving and swim team for the school! He is STILL the energiser bunny....just keeps going and going! Something new all the time!

Life is GOOD...Come what may and love it has been a very fitting theme. As this year comes to a close, I think back and look at what I have done, and it is truly a blessing...an RN again, it seems like a lifetime ago I wrote the exam, and now I am working! I have TWO grandsons... FANTASTIC! DOUBLE the pleasure! Double the fun! (If anybody else is old enough to remember that commercial...) Mark had a great recovery from his surgery..I met wonderful friends...we got to travel lots to see Graham play...but also got to see family in ATL! All is all a GREAT year! It is sooo crazy we only have two kids at home anymore! Scott is doing great at UGA...first semester JUST about over! It is fun to watch him grow and mature..and LOVE the college life! Next step...a mission.

SO many Blessings....gotta LOVE it!

Blessings in September!~

September 2, 2009, Mark and I left the house for Charleston SC. We had a room at the Marriott, which was very nice! We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in August(!) and went for supper, so we added this nice night on our trip to Charleston... That night we went downtown and found a quaint little restaurant that was still open called Garibaldi's and had a MOST delicious dinner. Mark had the Crispy Flounder, a whole flounder that had been diamond scored and fried with a mango chipotle sauce. I had the Mahi Mahi with lump crab stuffing. Did I mention it was DELICIOUS???!!!! The soup and salad were also DELICIOUS!


The next morning we went for a walk down the battery row, and along the Ashley River. It is so beautiful there! Here is Mark with the Oleanders...


This is in the park...Great trees for climbing..I have thought about the kids when they were younger, how much fun they would have had here!


I LOVE this view! Later that day, (Sept 3) I took Mark to the MUSC...Medical University of South Carolina to have surgery. He had a Choledochal cyst, which was ressected there by Dr Kathryn Morgan. We were very happy with her as a doctor, and the hospital was very nice!

Here is a picture of him Friday...with all his tubes, BUT sitting up in the chair! He did GREAT! He had an epidural for post op pain, and it really seemed to help him alot! He had an NG tube, foley, IV, and the epidural. His recovery there went VERY well...his surgery was at 3:00pm, and was in his room by 8:00pm. That night was not restful for me, but he slept quite well with his drugs being pumped into him as he needed. Saturday he went for a short walk in the hallway a couple of times. By Sunday, he was lapping the hall 2-3 times each walk..which he did 3-4 times. They let hime have ice chips Saturday...YEAH! Sunday was met with clear liquids...the NG came out! MORE walking!!!! He got very handy with pushing his IV pole carrying all the extra gadgets he was attached to! Monday the epidural came out so did the foley, and he got to eat REAL food...NOT much appetite though! Tuesday, we got to GO HOME! YEAH! We were both excited to go, but very unsure of how well he would travel! But, as the rest of is went, he did very well! GLAD To be home!

Sunday I found the local ward for church and attended...having a bad day that day, I was hoping to go in and be unseen and unheard...well, NOT! Heavenly Father had different plans for me! I walked in and was met by a gentleman who so very warmly greeted me. Then few steps down the hallway I was greeted by a warm and friendly sister. So I decided I would sneek in the back of the chapel and the rest of the meetings would be alone. WELL....WRONGO PONGO! There sitting in the middle of the chapel were 3 families from the Augusta area...Steven's Creek ward! SO...no seeking in alone thingy here! The Jones' family, the Horton family and the Jensen's were all vacationing in Folley Beach and were at church that day. Following church the Horton Men went and visited Mark and gave him a blessing! How great was that!
Here is the vies from Mark's room! Above the building is teh Ashley river...some days I could see many sailboats cruising the river.


I was VERY blessed to have met this wonderful family...the Harmon's. Patrick(not here) is a 3rd year Medical Student at MUSC...was a youth pastor in Savannah the same time my dear friend Cheryl and Randy beach were there. Patrick and Randy worked together in the church there. Years later, the Beaches brought the Lowry's and Harmons together. They opened not only their home to me, but their hearts and family too! From left...Maddie, MacKenzie, Kitsie(mom) Masy, Mallory and little Merideth..or Bear! They REALLY were the greatest blessing to me while there! They lived a short distance from the hospital and they gave me the key and I wandered in an out as needed! The bed was WONDERFUL the food was DELICIOUS but most of all the LOVE was SOOOOO welcomed!


Tuesday morning I got up and took Maddie and Mallory to the beach for a quick dip in the ocean!
This is Folly Beach!
Maddie and Mallory

The surf....soooo much fun!


The Pier! I LOVE the beach! it is such a place of comfort to me! I am grateful to live close enought o be able to go once in a while!



This past Sunday, September 20th, was another wonderf day of blessings! Scott received the Melchezidek Priesthood. Mark ordained him an Elder!


Poppi(Dan) Crunk, Mark, Scott, Doug Lowry, Graham and Evan Mullins were in the circle! Soooo Grateful for family...adoppted and natural!
Mom and Dad! Proud parents!

The whole group of our Georgia family! Micheal, Donna and Doug Lowry. Mark, Geri, Scott Graham and Hannah Lowry. Dan and Patti Crunk, Krista, Evan and Thatcher Mullins. So sad Matt could not make it!
Our family except Matt! He was there in spirit though!
What a wonderful day..what a WONDERFUL family! I love each and every one of them!