After a month spent winter breaking, Sarah headed back to school yesterday.
I grabbed a picture of her right after church, just so I wouldn’t forget what she looked like.
As usual, Sarah spent some of her time at home tutoring me on technical tips and tricks. She also did all of my grocery shopping and dishes and helped with some of the cooking.
Food Lion, where she usually works when she is home, had hired some extra people so she wasn’t able to work there during December. But rather than just sit and twiddle her thumbs, she drove the four hours (round trip) to Virignia Beach to work at her college job, just to get in those extra hours. Four new tires, an inspection, and an unexpectedly failed battery were all good motivators to keep her workin’ hard for her money.
We’re proud of her initiative and we’re proud of how well she is doing at school. A lovely young woman on her way down the road of life to new places and new horizons.
Even though we are a couple of weeks past Christmas, I wanted to share with you a few snippets from our December visit there. It was a little different than usual because there were a few additional comings and goings involved.
Steve, Sarah and I got to his parent’s late Thursday night and Nathan flew in at 9:30 Friday morning. Steve picked him up from the airport and the two of them headed to Sugar Mountain for an afternoon/evening of snow skiing.
From the time Nathan was six, he and his dad have skied once every year–up until about four years ago when lack of snow and/or family responsibilities kept them from going. This year, they were determined to make it happen. Even though it was a whole lot of work and travel for just a few hours on the slopes, it was well worth it for these two Ski Buddies.
I love seeing those smiles on my two favorite men.
They got back to Steve’s parent’s house very late Friday night. When I got up Saturday morning, I was greeted with the heart-tugging sight of my beloved firstborn, sprawled on the couch, asleep. Love that son of mine.
Later in the morning, I asked Nathan to help me figure out a selfie stick I had picked up at a thrift store. I was just finishing my morning ablutions when I was suddenly ceremoniously presented with said stick.
He didn’t leave until he made sure I knew how it worked.. My first selfie stick-selfie!
Nathan also helped Vernie with some technical questions she had. Both he and Sarah are lifesavers when it comes to teaching us oldsters about the inscrutabilities of technology.
Case in point: Sarah answering some tech questions about her grandma’s cell phone over breakfast.
Saturday afternoon we had our Smith family Christmas. Since Nathan and Sarah have been setting this particular table together for a long, long time, I pulled out a few older pictures of them doing that same job back in the day. These pictures also include our greatly-missed daughter-in-law and grandson.
Nathan always enjoys hanging out with his Uncle Dana.
Steve and his younger brother, Jeff, also enjoyed catching up.
The three beloved Smith generations.
The new selfie stick came in handy when it was time to get a picture of the whole crew.
On Sunday before we left for Florida, we had the rare privilege of attending church with Steve’s parents.
Smith men x3.
The elder Smith . . .
and the younger Smith.
It was so special to have my nephew and his wife and children in the pew behind me, my daughter, son, husband and brother-in-law on one side of me. . .
and my dear mom-in-law . . .
and dad-in-law on the other side.
For much of our marriage, Steve and I have lived far from family and we don’t often get to attend church with people we’re related to. We enjoyed getting to make up for it a little that morning.
After the service, Nathan sought out the drummer and got a few tips. I admire Nathan in that he is always eager to learn something new.
Steve had not met the new pastor at his parent’s church yet so he made a point of introducing himself. Pastors, regardless of their varying backgrounds or denominations, can relate to each other like no one else can.
You no doubt remember me mentioning before that we got married at Steve’s parent’s church (Paw Creek Presbyterian) thirty-six years ago.
It’s always meaningful to stand on those front steps again.
Through the many ups and downs of our marriage, this man’s love and his commitment to me have stayed steady and strong. So blessed.
After the service, we loaded ourselves in the car for the long trek to Florida. I remember telling everyone, “Just think! Everytime we stop, it’s going to be a few degrees warmer.”
And it was! Such a delight to drive into warmness.
And it was even more of a delight because I was in the car with people whom I dearly love.
And the best part of the trip?
Knowing that there were even more people we loved waiting for us at the other end–Meagan and those two sweet babies of hers.
Love at the beginning, love in the middle, and love waiting at the other end.
What’s not to love?
What about you? I’ve told you lots of stories about our December activities. Tell me (and the rest of us) one or two things you have going on in your near future. It is always such a treat to get to catch a glimpse into my readers’ lives.
You always take the best photos! So glad you were able to enjoy so many relatives over the holidays. Great photo of you and Steve in front of the church doors!
Kari,
It’s hard for Steve and I to get a good photo but that one turned out well!
Good Morning Becky: Heard something on the news this morning that made me think of Steve. Today, January 19 is National Popcorn Day. 🙂
Mel,
Steve is so honored that they have named a day after HIM! Thanks for the heads up! 🙂
Great pictures Becky! I love the one of Sarah and Nathan at the end.
I would frame one of those church step pictures of you and Steve, very nice!
As for us, we are mostly hunkered down to keep Sarah from getting the flu. Such a difficult flu season this year for so many people. I’m enjoying the grandbaby when she is cold-symptom free. Looking forward to Spring and Easter flowers.
Lesley,
Sarah. A grandbaby. The promise of spring. Easter flowers.
Happy thoughts today.
Having the kids around to help with the tech-y stuff is awesome! Mine have bailed me out several times. 🙂 I love seeing all the pictures and Sarah looks just beautiful, as always. Those skiing pictures were really tugging at my heart strings….I used to ski all the time when I lived in Denver. In fact, through Jr. High and High school, it was practically every weekend. Oh, how I miss those days.
I WISH we had some sort of tropical getaway planned because it’s SO cold here. (Wind chills around -20 and they are supposed to get near -35 overnight). We will be heading east to celebrate our youngest grandson’s 3rd birthday this weekend and then back the next weekend for the guys to take in an NCAA basketball game: Nebraska v. Iowa. It should be a lot of fun!!
LeeAnne,
Well, if you have to be cold, at least it sounds like you are having fun in the middle of it.
Nathan would be so jealous of you skiing in Denver; he skiied in Colorado one time and still talks about it frequently.
no exciting plans… just looking forward to some WARM weather. On Thursday it was 60 degrees dropping to 14 degrees on Friday… and tomorrow it is supposed to be -20 windchill. UGH
loved al the love in your Christmas photos!
Mrs. Pam,
Sixty degrees to -20 windchill? That’s enough to make your body completely confused!
Glad you loved the love. I love that line! 🙂
I am also counting the days to my retirement in June, 165 after today. Today and for the rest of this week and next, I will be working from home, due to a slip on the ice that resulted in a fractured kneecap. I’m waiting for a CAT scan to be approved as both the ortho and radiologist thought they also saw a fracture in the tibia. Prayers that no surgery is needed. I have many great neighbors, co-workers, Sunday school class that have picked up groceries, brought me meals and offered to do anything I need. One former boss picked me up a cold compress Saturday along with a Snickers bar I “needed”.
I am awful at taking selfies, maybe I need a selfie stick.
Phyllis,
So sorry to hear about your kneecap but am thankful for a job that allows you to work at home. And EXTRA thankful that you have so many people around you who love and care about you–even bringing you your needed Snickers bar. 🙂
You are a blessed lady!
So nice to see all of you Smiths! Glad your Christmas was filled with memory-making moments, captured very adroitly with the selfie stick! ? Loved seeing Ken and Vernie who are looking marvy as always! Love those two–so many cherished memories with them. Great post by a great post- writer! 🙂
Love, Deb
Deb,
It always brightens my day to see your name pop up here. And it was very modernish of you to use the word “marvy.” 🙂
Yes, Ken and Vernie are truly amazing people; so thankful to have had them in my life for 37 years.
I love this post! Get it? Love?! Haha, I’m kinda funny!
I must commend your MIL on having a smart phone. My Mom still has a flip phone. I don’t think she even wants to think about a smart phone. And it’s funny how the “youngster’s” show the matured people how to use things…technology, mostly. My lil guy is 2 and I’m sure he’ll be showing me how to use our robot by the time he’s older =) Or whatever new invention is there then.
I’m glad to see you are able to spend time with family. Growing up, we always live far away from family, too. It’s nice to have some nearby now.
And one last thing…taking pictures in church? 😉
Krista,
I love the fact that you loved the joke you made about loving the post! 🙂
Yes, I’ve always been impressed by how readily Vernie embraces new technology. I hope I am like her when I am in my 80’s.
As for the taking pictures in church? Shhhhhh. Don’t tell anyone! 🙂 Although I figured that waiting until the closing hymn and doing it in a non-noticeable manner would be permissible.
Wow! Great posting and pictures. Lots of memories there. No future plans except PET scan on January 23 until April. It will be busy in April and June hopefully with trips and memories to be made. Stay warm and safe. Understand we have snow coming in again Wednesday. Waiting to see how it turns out. Love the snow and will enjoy more snow cream if possible.
Ann,
We are waiting for the snow right along with you. Right now they are saying a 70% chance.
Glad you have a lot of happy times to look forward to this summer and thatyou’ll have some more of your tests and scans behind you. And speaking of summer, I’m about ready for it, aren’t you? 🙂 Hugs to you and Jim.
Wow, so many different, although slightly similar parts crammed into one post!! But I am not complaining!! Thoroughly enjoyed reading about every single part of the post! And I also enjoyed all the pictures too!
Donna,
Yes, it WAS quite the whirlwind of pictures and parts, wasn’t it? 🙂 Glad you enjoyed all the bits and pieces!
Good Morning Becky: Love seeing all your pictures. I have started my “countdown” to Feb. 14th when me, my oldest son, his girlfriend and a family friend will jump on a plane and head to Daytona for the Daytona 500. Accommodations are booked for our park/sleep/fly out of Detroit and the Airbnb house we have rented. We also now have the car booked that will take us on a few day trips to who knows where. 🙂 Southern Ontario, Canada has been experiencing a brutal winter so any degrees warmer than we are now is welcome. Have a great week.
Mel,
Good times! You not only get to watch people drive cars, you get to drive cars yourself–to places of your own choosing in a climate warmer than Ontario.
What’s not to love? 🙂