I Really Have Not Fallen Off the Earth!

What a crazy week this has been! It has been Spring Break for my oldest boy, Daniel, so we made last minute plans to go to Atlanta for a few days and visit his true love and her parents! It really was a lot of fun, though we stayed in crazily-busy mode the whole time we were there. I had been hoping that since we get to take so few vacations, that there would be some time for just lazing around the hotel, but it really did not happen. We were there from Saturday until Tuesday, and every day was jam-packed!


Our own Motley Crew staring into the sun at Marietta Square in GA

We had a nice two-bedroom suite we found at Residence Inn. I have a special place in my heart for the Residence Inn chain! We spent quite a bit of time at one on our honeymoon, and it was just the best! This one did not disappoint either. The kids had their own room and bath, we had a bedroom and bathroom, and there was a huge living room with a pull-out sofa for the girls. We also had 3 t.v.'s which helped to keep the peace when we were there!

Saturday night, we went out to the Cheesecake Factory near Atlanta to celebrate Micah's 13th birthday. It was a wonderful evening full of good food, even better cheesecake, and the best in laughter and conversation with Jennifer and her parents. At times, all the young people were laughing so hard at their end of the table that I thought they would "bust a gut!" It seems to always be like that when Daniel and Jenn are together.


Micah tries to hide, but the birthday singers found him! :)

Dan, Jenn, and Micah are full and happy!

Sunday, we worshipped with Jenn's family at Douglasville, GA. They are almost done with a new church building, but they are currently meeting in a funeral home chapel. Lucky for me that I spent a lot of my 30's in a funeral home environment, and it did not phase me a bit to pass the body in the viewing room on the way to the restroom. Still, I know the brethren there will be tickled pink to be in their new building soon.

Monday was a very full day! We went to Marietta Square and played and shopped. They had some neat shops on the square, and we had a good time just goofing off.

Here, Micah plays at the Antique Shop!

Meet the Parents-- Tim, Dana, Rita, and Robert!!!

The kids had a ball playing on the train on the square, and so did some of the parents!

Robert and Hannah enjoy the slide!

The Valiant Dan rescues the Fair Jenn from the

train tracks!

Hannah and Sarah enjoy playing by the fountain!

On Tuesday, we decided to do something educational and go see where the Civil War battle at Kennesaw Mountain was fought. Tim had an ancestor who was possibly wounded there and died eventually as a result of his wounds. The mountain was pretty high, and there was an incredible view from up there!

You can even see Stone Mountain from up there--over 20 miles off in the distance!

We loved the museum and the theater! Here, Sarah waves her flag beside one of the cannons.

Dan attempts to keep the lovely Jenn from falling off Kennesaw Mountain!

After climbing parts of the mountain and admiring the view, we decided to head back toward Marietta and visit the grave of JonBenet Ramsey. I had no idea a day earlier when we were playing up on the square, that we had been so close to her grave.

I followed the story of JonBenet back in 1996 and 1997 like the rest of the nation did. I always thought it was such a sad story. We found her grave, all the way in the back of a very old cemetery. Her mother's grave is at her feet, still unmarked but for a simple wire fence about a foot high around the perimeter. A small tree hangs over JonBenet's grave, and people have tied all sorts of ornaments and suncatchers and wind chimes to the dangling branches. It is such an unremarkable grave for such a darling little girl. Jenn got this picture of Sarah by the grave. There is no caption needed:



Our trip came to an end, and we are back to reality now. Time slips ahead an hour tonight. I am not believing we are almost half-way through March. I am frantically preparing for Sam's graduation. We are thinking we have found a car for Daniel. I have umpteen appointments to go to this month. I got my c-pap machine, but some adjustments are going to be necessary. The thing is horrible to get used to.

Spring seems to be here, and I happily say goodbye to cold weather and static electricity. Hannah's hair has been unmanageable all winter! Happy Spring, Everyone, and set those clocks ahead tonight, or you will be late for church tomorrow!

My lovely, statically-electric Hannah Bee!