I wanted to share a few photos with you of our trip last week to Charlotte.
Sarah prepared for our Charlotte arrival with a wee snooze in the car.
She needed to be rested up so that she could keep up with Ken and Vernie’s dog, Tippi who it appears, has so much excess energy that it actually bursts right out of her eyes. (Either that or it’s the camera flash.)
Here is a much better photo of darling, Tippi.
Sarah was missing Summer so she was glad to have a dog to snuggle with.
Sarah and Vernie enjoyed spending some time together; Sarah helped her with some issues Vernie was having with her new cell phone. Sarah and Nathan are both natural teachers and have done a whole lot over the years toward helping ye olde mama (and ye older grandma) with various technical conundrums.
As Steve and I got ready for bed the first night of our visit, it occurred to me that I have been sleeping in this bedroom and in this bed for 33 years! It’s the only place in the entire world that I can still go back to where I have so many years of history. 
This is also the room where we brought both Sarah and Nathan to when they were newborns. In fact, here is Sarah in the chair you see on the left in the picture above.
Ken uses this bedroom to store his karaoke machine and his music; it was fun to look at this music on the stand and think of all the many songs he has sung over the years—brightening so many hearts.
I also enjoyed seeing this napkin holder in the kitchen. I hadn’t realized it before but Ken made this back in grade school—about 7 decades ago. Is that cool, or what?
Of of my favorite things I always look for when I go their house is this set of pictures showing two young people with stars in their eyes and shiny dreams for the future. Over sixty years later, the stars in their eyes still shine for each other.
Here is a picture I took a few years ago of Nathan in front of those pictures. I love the juxtapositioning of the generations.
But of course, the main reason for our trip to Charlotte was that this fella was celebrating eighty-four years of life!
It was funny—when Sarah was putting the 8 and the 4 candles on the cake, she looked at them for a minute and then asked her Grandpa, “What order do you want me to put these in? Do you want to be 48 or do you want to be 84?”
He decided to go ahead and be 84.
While we were eating the cake and ice cream, Steve’s nephew, David, thought it would be funny to eat his ice cream with the silver spoon his dad had used when he was a baby. It was slow going!
Before everyone left, I wanted to grab a photo of all the Smith men . . .
Steve’s middle brother, Dana, is holding his grandson, Jason. (Who wants to get down!) To the far right, is Steve’s youngest brother, Jeff and behind Jeff, is David, who is Dana’s son and Jason’s dad.
Before we left to go back home on Saturday morning, I took one last picture of remnants of the memories–the echoes of laughter, celebration and love still filling the room.
The generations continue to march along. Babies are born. Grandkids grow up. Grandpas grow older.
But when love is woven through the justapositioning of the generations, it’s all good.
Very, very good.
Wonderful post! So glad you could all be there to celebrate. Many memories in that home. Loved the photos, too!
Linda in Pittsburgh
Linda,
Memories and celebrations. Two things that always go well together.
I would love to see Charlotte, Becky. i was born there many years back, but left with my parents (Obviously) when I was about 6 months old and moved back to Nashville (My parents were raised there). I guess I’ll never see Charlotte again, but always wonder what it is like.
Jojy,
It’s changed a lot over the years; I’ve heard a lot of people say that for a large city, it has retained so much of it’s charm and smaller-town feeling. I’ve always thought Nashville would be a cool place to live!
So glad you all could be there. The pictures are great as usual. Thankful for safe travels.
Ann,
We’re so glad we had the chance to go–even it was just for a very short visit. We’re treasuring the moments and the memories.
Love the different colored candle flames! Now I want a cake with vanilla frosting, so I can admire the colored flames on a blank background. Not to mention make everyone else nuts because I won’t blow out the candles, so they can’t eat the cake!
Kristina,
I think you (and your family and friends) may all be better off if you do NOT get the colored flame candles. Sounds like things may get complicated. 🙂
Love the photos – and is it just me or are those candles’ flames different colors?????
Stefanie,
You win the award for being the most observant. Yes, those are new-fangled candles and the flame matches the color of the candle. Pretty cool, huh? 🙂
Great post Becky! You have such a way with the words and camera.
I, too, would just like to say thank heaven for the younger generation and their technical abilities. What ever would we do without them?!?!? 😉
LeeAnne,
Sarah teaches me stuff ALL the time. Like you, I am thankful for the young folk! 🙂
That was brilliant. So sad and happy at the same time.
Lesley,
Glad you liked the post. Definitely a mixture of feelings when we go back there, especially knowing it won’t last forever.
what a wonderful story told in words and pictures, you are a genius with that camera Becky, I would love to have your eye.
Gail,
I think the pictures find me more often than I find the pictures!
first of all… Tippi’s eyeballs are a hoot!
Becky, I’m reading a book you’d enjoy… A Little Salty to cut the Sweet by Sophie Hudson. I read just one chapter every morning, and today’s was about the younger folks helping the older folks with “quite confusing” electronic devises.
super family photos and lovely remembrances.
Mrs. Pam,
I have heard of that book and thought I would enjoy reading it. I like your idea about reading one chapter a day–that spreads it out a little and prolongs the enjoyment.
Awww such sweet memories and precious people. LOVED this blog entry and all the wonderful photos! I had tears reading it as well. Thank you for always sharing such lovely memories with us. You are so very talented! Love to all of you. SO excited about a new granddaughter in the family too! Can’t wait to see her and learn her name. XOXOX
Bea,
I don’t know if we ever thanked you for the very sweet Christmas note you sent us; it brightened our whole day! And we are also looking forward to our new granddaughter. Lots of pink in our future.
Great tribute to a great man, Beck! Loved the photos too and seeing the house and the dear people in it. I remember babysitting David one evening (in years of yore) and changing his diaper (which I put on backwards). Makes me feel pretty ancient!
I also appreciated your use of “juxtapositioning”–don’t hear that word very often!
Love, deb
Deb,
I’m glad I’m not the only one who has deposited a diaper backwards onto a baby’s bare bottom. I know you especially enjoyed the pictures since you have also spent many hours within those walls!
Where’s the suggestion box? I’d like to suggest that it becomes the responsibility of the blog owner to supply Puffs Plus to all readers who have been reading the blog for more than …um…the transition from Caring Bridge I to Caring Bridge II.
Another tear jerker from you. That’s two in one week. I can’t afford you! 🙂
Jan,
Caringbridge I to Carinbridge II? You are AN oldster! (And I mean that in the nicest possible way!) 🙂
That was beautiful. I so love your photographer’s heart and eye.
Mary,
Thank you for your encouragement. The heart and eye definitely have to to be hooked together!