Georgia on my mind...

This past weekend we changed our plans from flying to SLC to driving the 13 1/2 hour trip to Georgia. We went to see my mother and my cousins. My mother recently moved out there to be closer to her sisters and to be back in Augusta, GA where she grew up. It was a very pleasant trip and my mother was doing better than I expected.
On our way down we stayed in Charlotte, NC with my cousin Tiffany and her kids. Here is Kade, Jack, Lydia, and Serrin…

This is me and my cousin Tiffany and our two babies that were born 2 weeks apart.

Then on Thursday we headed for Augusta, Ga and it was busy from the moment we arrived until the day we left. We moved my mother into a nicer apartment than the one she was in and she seems very happy right now. And yes, my mother is that small...

On Saturday, we finished up moving the last of the items over and got her settled so that she was functional. Then later that day, we met up with my other cousin Jaime and her family just outside of Atlanta. We met them at a restaurant called The Blue Willow Inn Restaurant. Formerly known as the Bertha Upshaw House. While the Upshaw’s lived in their grand home, Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With The Wind, was a frequent visitor during courtship with Redd Upshaw, her first husband. Redd Upshaw, of Walton County Upshaws, was the character basis for Rhett Butler in Gone With The Wind. Knowing that bit of history made it that much more interesting to eat there. It was beautiful and the food was fabulous!! Good ol’ southern cookin’!

So, do you think they could be twins? It’s a little crazy how alike Natalia, Jaime's daughter, and Lydia look. Lydia is just a few months older than her and they both are having trouble growing out their hair – it must be genetic!

Here are Jaime's kids and Lydia and Jack sitting on a bench at the Blue Willow Inn.

The drive home was beautiful... especially at this time of year. This was taken in Virginia.

Jack’s workbench becomes a reality!

This is the workbench before he and his dad made it a reality with nails. He stacked wood for his seat.

Daddy and Jack built his workbench together, this is so great for Jack. Thanks, John for being such a great dad! Here is the workbench complete with his own chair.

Here is a small video of their project together.

Missing My Dad Today...

This is my favorite picture of my dad and how it demonstrates his love for his grandchildren. One year before he passed away, I took Lydia and Jack to SLC to visit family and this picture was taken as we were saying goodbye to fly back to Cincinnati. My dad was a good man and he was such an example of strength and perserverance as he battled Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) and other trials in his life.

Below:

This is me, Lydia and my dad; Lydia was about 7 months old and this picture was taken in that same trip. He passed away in July of 2006. Lydia was named after his mother Lydia Jane Tracy.

You know missing someone after they pass away never goes away, sure you go on with your life but then something happens or you see something that reminds you of them and all of the feelings just flood back. I am greatful for those times because it helps to keep their memory alive for us. My trials may not be as great as his were, but I hope I can handle them as well as he did.

Thanks dad for your example!