Connecting with Friends

Wonderful evening with Jay and Laurie.

We've been friends with Jay and Laurie since before kids.

Military days.

 

We have been faithful to spend time together through

the years, thanks to them coming EAST (they live in CO) and making contact.

We each have 4 children and 9 grandchildren. 

 (they actually have 2 more on the way!)

Would you believe 2 of their grandchildren are from Africa!?

Yep!

They actually made a quick visit to see Courtney this morning ~
to MEET Lincoln and Levi. 

Ohhhh, how GREAT it was to get caught up,

share our hearts, and simply connect as friends.

Precious time.

Kim and Heather Visit

Kim and Heather came up from Richmond ~

What a fun time we had.

 Heather got to visit with some of her friends ~

 both Saturday and Sunday.

We all went over to Courtney and Pat's ~

They got to meet Lincoln and Levi  :)

We had some GREAT laughs!

The four of us went out to eat ~

enjoyed the good food (of course, Great American!)

and each other.

Kim got to come to church with us.

What fun to have her there to worship with us,

and see friends.  Very special.

Thank you guys for coming up ~

we loved spending the weekend with you.

Beach Week: Day 2

We got up the next day and headed over to Alden's homeplace.

We drove by the "drug store" where Alden's

Mom and Dad had their first date.  :)

So special.

.

Phill had a request to "ride a backhoe".

Alden gladly worked that out!

Our kids rode backhoes growing up ~

Alden would take them on their first ride when they were only a few months old.

This picture ~ this scene, was a VERY memorable moment.

Papa riding his grandson Ayden  ~ his first ride.

Tears all around.

Very special for Phill to take Ayden for his first ride

Dad and son ~ and the tradition carries on.

Phill's whole family ~

When visiting Alden's folks through the years ~

I would always see C-130's flying overhead.

There is an Air Force base very close to their house.
My dad flew C-130's in the AF.

AND......this day ~ there it was.

Very special for me.

Driving by the barn

brothers ~

3 generations ~

wonderfully special.

Father and sons

And of course ~ digging!

Talk about fun, special moments.  Amazing.

Okay so......

I didn't even know this.  Alden reminded me.

When he and I were in college ~ at NC State (1972),

Alden brought this dump truck to school.

A group of us went on a hayride.......in THIS very truck....

when we were dating!  WHAT?!!!!!!! 

Here we are 38 years later.  Oh my. 

The girls and Papa having some fun on the mound of dirt!!!!

Such fun memories years ago....
and new ones to enjoy.  Wow.

Ayden playing with cars that were in Grandpa Smith's office.
(Alden's Dad's cars)

We then headed over to a neighborhood Alden's Dad had
started.  Alden and his brother are finishing up the neighborhood
to honor their dad.

Alden telling Phill and Christy about the new road and houses.
Alden's "2nd" job.  :)  Phew.

We grabbed some lunch at a family favorite ~
Wiener Works.  hee hee.

Yet again ~ fun times!  AND....good as it ever was!

Then.........we finally headed to the beach ~
it is BEACH WEEK right?!!!!!!

When we see this sign ~ we know we're almost there!

Got to our hotel ~ yep, oceanfront rooms.

enjoyed the view

Got our suits on and got RIGHT in the ocean.  Awwwww.
Wonderful!

We watched the sun set.

Ordered pizza........
and ate in our suits on a balcony off the lobby.  A lifelong dream! 

We can sure fill up a day can't we! 
We had such an awesome day ~
and slept REALLY good that night.
We're AT the beach!  Yahoo! 

Day 3 coming soon.  :)