Honor

We spent this anniversary weekend as we have several times in the past couple of years - at the Native American Festival at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds. We thoroughly enjoyed our 17th anniversary supper of fry bread, hominy soup, and Indian tacos while watching the dancers swirling to the drums. As usual, Barry either talked with old friends or made new ones! One man found out he was a soldier and personally invited him back on Sunday. Barry told him he was on duty but would try to make it.

This morning we both got up and put on our uniforms. Barry went on to drill, but had permission to leave early and attend the ceremonies. We pulled in within minutes of each other at the fairgrounds, just before the Grand Entry. The boys climbed up into the bleachers to get a good view of the ceremonies. Joey was there, smiling when he saw that he had gotten 2 Longs for the price of 1! There were no handshakes here. We were hugged and welcomed as honored guests. We were asked to be part of the color guard to open the powwow. A young Marine who had been wounded in Afghanistan lead the way with the warriors' staff. This was followed by Joey and another Vietnam vet carrying the flags. Barry and I were behind them as we entered the dance circle. Each member of the color guard was announced, including the pair of warrant officers who happened to be husband and wife! After once around the circle, we stood at attention for the opening prayer, which was beautifully done in Cherokee. With my limited knowledge of the language, I was really happy to pick out a few words. A memorial song was done for those no longer with us. We then rendered salutes as the flags were posted. Then all veterans were asked to come into the dance circle. As they passed near us, there were handshakes all around. It was an awesome feeling to be welcomed in as a warrior, though I felt I had no real ground to stand on. One older man welcomed me home. When I told him I had never been over, he said it didn't matter. Everyone who serves is welcomed home in the circle. The color guard led the veterans dance, and at the end we filed out the entrance to the dance circle. Then there were more handshakes and hugs. I hugged Joey and told him this was one of the biggest honors I had received. What I didn't tell him was that this was a childhood dream come true.

I grew up with an obsession with my roots. Summers were spent in the Smokies. I watched the Qualla Boundary almost dry up and die, then revive with the help first of Cherokee Bingo, then a casino. It does my heart so much good to see it thriving now. When I was smaller, I couldn't believe that I had blonde hair! Most of my relatives had dark hair and darker complexions. I even told my Granny that when I grew up my hair would finally turn dark! Well, I'm still blonde, so I don't think that is going to happen. I always wanted to be accepted though. Today, I made it. It was odd how some of the older ones looked at me. It was as if they looked IN me instead of AT me. I wonder what they saw? The smiles and firm handshakes from warriors who looked like they stepped right out of a John Wayne movie thrilled me to the core!

Joey said we honored him by coming back today, but he was wrong. The honor was all mine...

______________________

We had a wonderful anniversary. The kids enjoyed the festival as much as we did. It was funny how our reception was different today than yesterday. Last night we saw a few familiar faces from years past and enjoyed talking with people. Today, we were family. We were given our meal free from the Cherokee family making the delicious frybread. We were given CDs by one of the musicians there. Aaron bought a beautiful walking staff. In one shop, an old grandmother started talking with him as she sat at her table of beadwork. He told her about his trek at Philmont in the spring and seeing the bears there. She shared her own bear story with him. I couldn't hear the conversation, but to see him standing there talking animatedly with her and see her eyes sparkling as she spoke with him was wonderful. Daniel zipped around smiling that cute little grin of his. Both boys got a beaded necklace with their names in Cherokee, and Daniel got a bow. I had to keep him from tipping over as he was taught to string it!

Tonight I'm thankful for 17 years of marriage to my best friend in the whole world. I'm thankful for my little family. And I'm thankful for my much larger family that I was welcomed into today.

Unforgettable

Two things occurred yesterday. Eleven years ago my baby was born. My little skinny monkey with the precious smile has been a blessing to us from the start. Ninety-seven years ago, the greatest cruise liner ever built sank to the ocean floor. We managed to combine the two events into a truly unforgettable birthday.

Ask Daniel about his birthday and he is more than willing to tell you things about the date. He shares the birthday with Leonardo DaVinci. Abraham Lincoln died on April 15th. He is also quick to tell you that the Titanic sank on his birthday as well. When I heard that a local group of ghost hunters, Roswell Georgia Paranormal Investigators, was conducting an investigation in the Titanic Aquatic exhibit on the night of the 14th, I knew we had to get tickets. The exhibit is currently housed in the Georgia Aquarium. Since we are members, we could purchase discounted tickets. I was really let down when the tickets all sold before I could get some. I contacted the paranormal group to ask if there was a waiting list, and they said to watch the aquarium's website because they had been asked to do a second night. Finally, four tickets were mine!!!

When the 15th rolled around, Birthday Man bounced out of bed and asked for the "birthday necklace." This looks like a medal on a red ribbon, and the boys have worn it for as long as they can remember. I had a lunch date with him, and showed up with cupcakes for his class. Everyone loves you when you bring food! I picked up his Indiana Jones birthday cake and the fixins for supper. After school we converged on Mama's house, which is the Official Birthday Party Location. His special dinner included fried chicken, Tutter's macaroni & cheese, green beans, fried okra, Hawaiian rolls, cranberry sauce, and a veggie tray. (He called Tutter the week before and asked if she'd like to come to his party and bring macaroni and cheese!) Bobby brought sparkler candles to add to the cake. The party was fun and everyone enjoyed themselves. He opened his gifts, which included a TAPS t-shirt from the Ghost Hunters tv show. Finally it was time to head to Atlanta!

We arrived at the Georgia Aquarium and entered the Oceans Ballroom where a small group milled around waiting for the event to begin. We were the only people in the otherwise dark facility. The Titanic Exhibit was opened for us at 9:30 PM, giving us an opportunity to view the artifacts and exhibits without the crowds. At 10:30 we went to the theater for a presentation by RGPI about how investigations were done, the equipment they used, background on what other locations that housed the Titanic Aquatic had reported, and a taste of what had been previously discovered since it has been in Atlanta. Daniel had already told some of the RGPI team members that it was his birthday and showed them his TAPS shirt. One of the ladies come up to him and asked if he had brought any equipment with him. When he said he had not, she gave him her KII meter to use for the evening. Boy, he thought he was big stuff then! The group was split into three groups of about 20 people. That is when the excitement really began...

We were led into the exhibit to the rooms which held dishes and personal items that had been recovered from the wreck. It is truly astonishing what survived nearly a century on the ocean floor! There were some clothing items that had been in a leather suitcase, some letters and calling cards, and a perfume sample case. These two rooms were reported to be the most "active" locations. In the first room everyone sat on the floor while the investigators used some of their equipment and asked questions of any "entities" that might reside there. I was excited but I don't think I saw or heard anything definite there. We moved to the next room where the clothing was. There was a huge mural on the wall listing the names of everyone who was on the Titanic and their fates. We sat down and didn't have to wait long before we were surprised to hear a clock ticking faintly. It was reported from different parts of the room. A couple of people reported smelling two distinct odors: cotton candy and smelly gym socks. This was something that had been noted on the 5 previous times RGPI investigated this area. Their "sensitives" said there were two entities in this area: a little boy and a member of the crew. I told Barry to watch a particular area of the room about head-high, as I kept thinking I saw movement there. Sure enough, he did too, so we mentioned it to the investigators. They said they had a recorder placed in that corner because that had been reported before. Right before we were going to get up to change locations, everyone in the room gasped at the same time as a quick snatch of a child's voice was heard. This little boy's singing had been heard on previous investigations. We left that area and I had such a feeling of sadness for this little one who perished 97 years ago in the icy water.

The second area was in the back hallway of the Cold Water Quest. Construction is going on back there, and strange things had been reported. Though our group didn't really see or hear anything, we got the opportunity to see the preserved giant squid on loan from the Smithsonian that had only been on display for 2 days. The beluga whales swam in their darkened tank, looking like white ghosts themselves. It was fun to see these things without the crowds that are always present when the Aquarium is open.

Finally we were taken to the last part of our adventure for the evening, which was the area at the beginning of the Titanic Aquatic. We sat in the first exhibit area for a few minutes as the investigators told us more about their experiences. We began to hear an occasional bump or tap from the next room. This one had a recreation of a First Class passenger cabin as well as glass cases with money, dishes, chamber pots, and makeup that were pulled from the deep. The lights on one of the KII meters seemed to indicate that we were not alone. Barry and the boys, along with many others in the room, reported hearing a whistled tune as well as faint music. I didn't hear this, but I had a bit of a distraction. I was standing at the back of the group. Barry was just in front of me, a glass case was about a foot behind me, and two investigators (a tall man and a short lady) were behind and off to my left. The hallway with the First Class cabin was behind us. As everyone was paying attention to the lights on the KII meter in the center of the room, I felt the woman brush behind me. It startled me and I turned toward the two investigators. Not immediately seeing the female investigator, I asked the man where she was. She was sitting on the floor at his feet. I asked if she had gone behind me, and she replied that she had not. There truly was not enough room between me and the case. I told them what I felt and turned back around. A few minutes later I physically jumped as I had the sensation again of the woman behind me. Again the two investigators had not moved. Barry and a man beside him put their hands in the space behind me and remarked at how much cooler it was than the rest of the room. The investigators asked how tall I thought the person was, and I indicated a shorter person near the height of the female investigator. As we were moving from this room into the next, the male investigator told me that there is a older female entity that has been noted in the area of the First Class cabin. In the hallway where there is a recreation of Third Class bunks, there were unexplained knocks and taps in response to questions. Some were right near where we were, and there was nothing there to make those sounds. The last place we were taken is the "Iceberg" room. There is a large piece of ice you can touch to see how cold it was the night it sank. This room also has a telegraph and warning bell from the ship. During our time in there we heard the faint tinkling of a tiny bell. Barry and Aaron had the sensation there was someone behind them, amusedly watching the group. They say they heard the crackling sound of someone opening and eating peanuts.

As we left for home, Daniel told the RGPI team that this had been the coolest birthday ever!

Feeling Like Noah

Tonight I'm playing the waiting game. Storms earlier in the week and again today have drenched parts of our parched state, and the ground just can't handle it. More rain is expected tonight, along with possible severe weather. So, a little like Noah, I wait.

I'm not concerned about my home and belongings being swept away by rising waters. We live far enough up on Bear Mountain that it would take something catastrophic to get water all the way up here. Instead I worry about communities to my north and south - and I make preparations to come to their aid.

We began to see email traffic a couple of days ago regarding the storm situation that was developing. GEMA and local EMAs began to plan with our Adjutant General on how best to handle the situation, and the result was a very elaborate storm plan. Our battalion is the Search And Rescue specialist for the state, so it was tasked to provide two SAR teams to prepare to deploy ahead of the main body to flood-stricken areas to size up the situation. Today things got even more interesting when I got an email from our battalion commander saying he was not able to be the team leader for SAR Team 1 due to an injury, and could I take it instead. I agreed, and the ball started really rolling. Currently we are at ALCON 2, which means "be ready to go when the call comes in day or night." I am mostly put together, but am foregoing some of my prep in favor of a little extra sleep. If it hits the fan during the night, I don't know when I would get to sleep again.

So I wait, and I watch. Will the waters continue to rise? Will the dreaded tornadoes stretch down and tear up parts of our state? Will tomorrow find me searching through wreckage or flooded homes? Will I be filling sandbags to hold back a flood? Or will I wake to sunny skies, put away my gear, and head off to work like any other day? Only the Good Lord knows, and I just hope I'm ready if needed.

Parati Servire - "Ready to Serve".

Growing Up Is No Fun - For Parents

I simply stared at the reflection in the mirror, not knowing whether to cry or smile. Side by side they stood, father and son. One was a pro, having performed this same routine for years. One followed dad's every move.

You just wouldn't think that shaving for the first time would be such a big deal. I thought that once the little mustache was removed, my baby would look younger. Instead, the handsome face that looked back at me looked so much more mature than his 14 years.

Yesterday my little boys danced around excitedly watching big fluffy snowflakes coating the ground. I made sure they had warm gloves on, and brought them in to get warm periodically. I watched as they pelted each other with snowballs, and as my little one flopped down in the snow to make a snow angel. I celebrated with them as the call came in that school was cancelled for a snow day! Today they played out in the bright sunshine and marvelled at the icy landscape around our home.

What a difference a day makes. The snow is melting and one of my "babies" has a freshly-shaven face. He is so handsome, even if he is mine!!! Granny had a fit! I thought she was going to hug him to death! He asked if I was going to embarrass him every time someone new saw that he had shaved, and I said, "YES!"

Do you know you are my Sunshine?

About a month ago, my mom lost a dear little companion. Happy was a parakeet that Mama adopted on Christmas Eve about 7 years ago. Her first adventure was getting loose in Mama's car in the pet store parking lot! After chasing the tiny little bird all over the car, they were pals. At home, Mama's cockatiel Junior quickly fell head over little birdie feet for this tiny little lady. She was a smart and sassy little somebody who would tip her little head to one side and flirt with Junior. She could do all the songs and whistles he could do, and kept up a constant chatter with him. He'd slide over to her and in a tiny people voice say, "Hiya Happy!" Then he'd whisper sweet nothings to her. We gave Mama a baby white dove about a year ago. When he got older, Snowflake fell for her too. He'd coo and bow at her, and she'd turn that little head and listen attentively - which ultimately made Junior mad. He'd fuss and bang on stuff. One day Mama came in and found that Happy had one of Junior's beautiful long tail feathers in her cage, so we figured they were engaged!

Junior was devastated when Happy passed away. He was mean to Mama and just not himself at all. Snowflake no longer bowed.

Yesterday I saw some Valentines with Snoopy and Woodstock on them, and an idea hit me. I called Mama and asked her to meet me at a pet store in Conyers with Happy's old cage to pick out her Valentines present. She picked up Granny & Papa on the way, and Granny accompanied us in to the shop. Mama spotted a little bright yellow troublemaker getting into everything in the parakeet cage, and Granny rode home with Little Miss Sunshine (Sunny for short) in her lap. The tiny bird didn't appear frightened, and sat looking intently at Granny while she talked to her. Sunny has beautiful red eyes.

I wondered how Junior would accept a new member of the family since he had been so attached to Happy. Well, Mama called me late last night and held the phone out toward the bird room. It sounded like a symphony! I heard cooing and "Dixie" and the rest of their repertoire. Mama said that Junior ran excitedly over when he saw Happy's old cage come in the door, but stopped and looked hard at the new little yellow friend inside. Suddenly he looked at Mama and said, "Pretty bird!" He repeated this over and over, and began to talk with Sunny. Snowflake came over and began to coo and bow at her. She looked a little overwhelmed at first, but took the shower of attention in stride. Mama finally had to separate their cages a few inches, or the boys would have sung to her all night. Junior told Mama again this morning that Sunny was a "pretty bird."

Junior, Snowflake and Mama had a very Happy Valentines Day, and I hope Sunny did too!

Backpacking on the AT

What was I thinking?!?! It was so cold! There were (no kidding) 40 foot icicles clinging to the rocky faces. It was so foggy that you could barely see 30 feet ahead of you, and an icy wind was blowing right in your face. The ground was covered in a mix of snow, slush, and slippery black mud. I leaned on my hiking staff and tried to get my lungs to take in some air while trying to keep my heart from bouncing right out of my body. I'm quite sure I'll probably croak, and after asking to be the last hiker in the group, no one will notice my absence until they get to the summit.

Half of our group started this weekend's backpacking trip at Neels Gap under the stone archway of the Walasi-Yi Inn. These were the boys who nearly run the trails even with full packs. There must be something wrong with them. The rest of us drove around to Tesnatee Gap and began to hike back toward them, with the plan being to meet in the middle. It started as a straight-up zigzag trail from the parking area, and it didn't let up until we emerged on a bald rocky area 100 yards from the summit of Cowrock Mountain. It was astonishing at the temperature difference between the steep, icy trail, and this area where we were peeling out of layers of clothing and relaxing for lunch. The other group of boys came galloping over the summit and joined us. Then we retraced our steps back down toward Tesnatee Gap.

The older boys outran us again, so they were sent ahead by the Scoutmaster to recon potential camping areas for us. While they explored several different trails and Mr. Baker looked over the map, the younger boys ran around like they had not hiked an inch. I was glad to set my pack down for a few minutes, as I'm pretty sure I must have packed the sofa in it at home by mistake. Finally Mr. Baker announced that we were headed to Hogpen Gap to rejoin the others. The icy rock faces along the roadside were incredible! We pulled in at the carved stone that proclaimed "Hogpen Gap - Appalachian Trail."

Grab the packs and hit the trail again! This time the trail was a bit more manageable, so I got a chance to actually enjoy the scenery from Hogpen Gap up Wildcat Mountain instead of praying not to have a heart attack and die where I stood! About 3/4 of a mile in, Aaron wanted to take off a layer of clothing. He and I stopped for a minute and told the others we'd catch up shortly. I took advantage of using him as a sentry to make a potty stop before we rejoined the other 14 guys. That's right, 15 males and one female again.

I really enjoyed Aaron. He and I kept a steady pace with each other and had a good time talking and laughing. He became a tree hugger when he got tired, and even named a few of them Roy. It may not make much sense when you read about it, but it was hilarious at the time! We caught up to the others easily, and trekked the last distance to where the older ones had decided to camp. They were busily constructing a fire ring, as you could already feel the temperature dropping again. We picked out our camping spots, set up the tents, and gathered wood. There was no water nearby, so everyone inventoried how much they still had in their packs. We were surprisingly well-stocked for the evening. Everyone hung their packs on the trees near their tents. Pretty soon the fire was blazing, and everyone was huddled around little camp stoves cooking all manner of food. Jamie and Aaron shared a freeze-dried backpacking meal of lasagna, which they said was good. Daniel and I were going to have one also, but he changed his mind. We ended up roasting Vienna sausages on sticks over the fire, and eating cheese and crackers with them. We put everything away and put the covers on our packs. Once everything was cleaned up, the whole group stood around the fire and basically waited until it got dark enough to crawl into a sleeping bag. It was funny to watch as everyone turned their backs to the fire simultaneously as if on a timer. When that side felt like it was roasting, everyone rotated back around. If they had to leave the fire for any reason they'd say, "I call Spot-back!" This would ensure that no one swiped their place in the ring. The last ones up had to put the fire out, so Daniel and I volunteered. He wanted to poke around in the embers with a stick, and I wanted to be able to sneak away and visit a tree without all the other guys running about. Finally he and I shoveled wet mud onto the fire until you could no longer see glowing coals. This was before 8 PM, and like I said, we were the last ones up.

REI sells these nifty little gadgets called sleeping bag warmers, which basically are big handwarmers that slide into a little fleece pouch. You unwrap them, tuck them in the pouch, and shove them into the sleeping bag before you poke your frozen lower extremities into it. I wonder if they need a poster child for those up at REI? Daniel, my little tent buddy, slithered into his mummy bag with one, and I didn't see him again until nearly daybreak! He slept very soundly. I'm afraid I didn't. The boys had the really good sleeping mats that self-inflate with a twist valve. My older one self-inflated too, but the plastic plugs that you had to stick in to keep the air in were too cold to go in. Oh well. I got to lay and listen to the forest each time I woke up. The wind died down sometime after midnight, and it didn't seem like it was quite as bone-chilling. Some deer came through the camp behind Aaron and Jamie's tent. Aaron heard them, but when he was describing the sounds to us in the morning, it sounded more like Darth Vader had stopped by! About 2 AM a big owl started calling from right behind the tents. He was answered by two that were father away. I listened to them chatting until they silently went on their way. Every time I'd wake up, I'd think about my warm bed at home, with a fluffy pillow and a toasty husband in it. He didn't get to come along on the hike due to bronchitis and an ear and sinus infection.

Shortly before daybreak Daniel's bladder told him it was time to get up. He couldn't wait for me to get my boots on, so he took the flashlight and walked just outside the camp with me watching from the tent door. When he returned and crawled back in his bag, I took my potty trip. It was just barely light enough that I didn't need a flashlight. I crossed the trail and found a nice big tree to get behind just in case one of the other guys got up with the same idea. I didn't want to scar either of us for life! As I approached the camp I saw a strange figure wearing a yellow pack standing motionless near my tent, facing the camp. I stopped and looked, thinking a hiker must have come down the trail and wondering what he wanted. I had followed all the backpacks on the way in the day before, and none of our guys had a yellow one. Then I realized that my "hiker" was actually the tree wearing my backpack with the bright yellow cover. Boy I'm glad I realized that before I yelled and woke up the whole camp for that! I crawled in my bag again and Daniel and I whispered. He giggled when I told him about getting freaked out by my own backpack! He was ready to jump up when he heard the other boys stirring around, but I told him to wait until they got the fire going. I dropped handwarmers down in our boots to knock the chill off before we put them back on.

The fire was roaring and it felt wonderful! Once again, I was amazed at what and how the boys decided to cook over the fire. They held granola bars over it to make them flexible enough to bite, or one managed to lean his poptarts on some of the logs to warm them up. Soon we all had eaten enough to get the day started, and we packed up the camp. Everyone took turns shoveling mud on the fire again. We took a moment to pray, and then went around the circle to tell what we were thankful for on the trip. I actually had several things. I was thankful we had not had any illness or injury. I was thankful to be there with my boys, and with boys that I had been watching grow up for a long time. And I was thankful that they didn't mind having a girl along! We started back down the trail toward the parking area. I really enjoyed the beauty of the woods. I thought about the thousands of feet that had walked this same trail, from those long ago in moccasins, to the modern ones in sneakers and hiking boots. We emerged victorious at the parking area, and had another hiker take a group photo of us. We rode back around to Neels Gap and everyone took another run through the shop. I got the boys both a sticker to put on their notebooks when they get home. We're no longer AT-wannabes. We have braved the frigid wind. We have carried our heavy packs over rugged terrain. We have slept on the cold ground. We have "gone" in the woods. We have been startled by backpack-wearing trees...

We have had an adventure we'll always remember.

Now Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen! On Barry, Jennifer, Aaron, & Daniel!

Well, it is now three days after Christmas, and we are resting from our whirlwind Christmas tour! It has been a hectic but wonderful week as we gathered and celebrated with family and friends from all over. We've enjoyed some great food, fellowship, and fun as we went home to home. Here's a listing of where all we've been!

A week ago we hosted the Family Christmas Dinner at the Lodge for over 75 members of the Harbin and Haney side of the family. The food was outstanding and laughter rang throughout the building. Santa arrived, and we took family photos again this year. It is a way we can give a present to so many people. Everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves.

Christmas Eve found us doing what I have done every Christmas of my life. Granny & Papa's home was warm and festively lit with candles in the windows. Children raced around the living room, and everyone visited and laughed. Granny & Papa shined, as they really enjoyed this night that is so special to them. They positively glowed as four of their five great-grandsons, two of their three grandchildren, and both daughters filled their home. Bryson, the tiniest one of all, seemed like he couldn't get close enough to Papa. He kept running over and grabbing Papa in a big hug! Paul galloped around after Aaron and Daniel, and had the time of his life being one of the "big boys!" Walt was thrilled with the jar of apple butter that I made earlier that day. He said he had not had homemade apple butter since his grandma used to make it for him. It was yet another priceless Christmas Eve!

Once home, Barry and I set to work to finish the gift we planned to give out at the big breakfast at Tutter and Uncle Bob's house - a DVD of family photos. We finished around 6 AM Christmas morning, and fell into bed to sleep for about an hour or so! Aaron and Daniel excitedly woke us up to tell us that Santa had visited. The poor guy must have gotten tired waiting for us to go to bed! We opened the gifts under our tree, dressed, and headed for the breakfast.

Tutter and Uncle Bob's house was the picture of happy chaos once again. Melanie, Dawn, Dana, and I were the gift assembly line as we passed the presents from the spare bedroom into the eager hands of those around the tree. It was fun to see all the boys with their Hess trucks. Melanie's new stepson was excited to experience his first Christmas with our family. When the din quieted down a little, we brought out the DVDs we were so proud of. Everyone was so happy to have one of their own. I'd love to have been able to see their faces as they watched it later. The kids hunted the pickle on the Christmas tree - a large, obvious one for the littlest kids, and a well-hidden one for the bigger ones. AJ found the big one and Jeremy, Melanie's stepson, found the other one. After everyone else said their goodbyes, we sat down with Tutter and Uncle Bob and watched the DVD. Tutter would get so excited as she recounted who someone was. It was a joy to see them enjoy something so much.

Off to Mama's house we went! Christmas lunch was enjoyed by us, Walt, Mama, and Granny & Papa. Afterward the boys went next door to see Mrs. Margaret and her family. We took our time and enjoyed another part of our precious family.

As evening approached, we jumped back in the Jeep and headed for our next Christmas destination: Bob and Reba's home. The boys bounced in the door and grabbed Grandaddy and Nanny in big Christmas hugs. They had fun playing games with cousin Eddy. Reba put out a nice finger food supper for us all, and then it was time to open our presents. The children all had a blast, and the excitement on their faces was beautiful. Everyone played and visited until close to midnight.

Barry and I slept late the next day. Mr. Cockburn brought us a homemade Jamaican rum cake to the door, and we all hugged like people who had known each other our whole lives. He was delighted that his brother in Canada was shoveling snow and he was not! I think we've made a Southerner out of him! We had a nice family day in preparation for the last stop on our Christmas tour.

Yesterday morning we once again hopped in the Jeep, this time heading for Tennessee. The fog was beautiful heading over the mountains. Anita almost ran out the door to greet us as we pulled in at her house. We all played with her Chihuahuas Petey and Bear. She named Bear after Barry! Everyone opened their gifts, and we spent a nice, relaxing afternoon with her. She made reservations for us at a place there in Dunlap called the Blue Orchid Bistro. It was absolutely delicious! Full and happy we returned to her home to visit a little longer before making the drive back home.

Today has been spent playing and looking at photos of the adventures of the past week. Christmas of 2008 was definitely a blessed Christmas indeed.