1st Shakedown Trip

First we have to make sure everything is in working order and the motor home is packed sufficiently.  We will be gone for 2-1/2 months so we need to make sure we have everything.  We took our first “shakedown” trip to Nashville, TN.  We combined visiting Jennifer, Rob & Grayden (oh yeah, Riley too) with trying out our packing job.  I had a great time with both…we did pretty well but made notes as to what we were missing and needed to add.   I also drove for about 30 miles on I-75 pulling the tow car!  Granted I did not pass anyone, just stayed in the right lane from one rest area to the next. Okay it wasn’t amazing but I was glad to turn the beast back over to Bill.  He was very sweet but I believe he was happy to drive once again. 


We took a side trip to the Nashville Zoo (using the tow car) with Grayden during our visit.  It was a beautiful day, he was perfect and we had so much fun.  He experienced his first Carousel ride -- wasn't sure he liked it after all but then again it was at the end of the day and all 3 of us were extremely tired.  It was time for a nap for Grayden, Grandpa & Grandma!  We had planned to go on Saturday with Rob & Jennifer but it was forecast for 100% rain on Saturday.  So...Grandpa, Grandma & Grayden set off alone on Friday -- it was beautiful that day and we had a blast.  

 

On Saturday with all the rain we decided to take Grayden bowling for his very first time.  I have to say he almost beat us all...but then again he did have the advantage of the bumpers & the aide to guide the ball.  We were all jealous of him.  It was lots of fun too.

It was great to spend time with all of them and practice “RVing”.  I am really getting used to this life.

1st Driving Lesson

I am determined to attend the wedding of a very good friend’s daughter on June 19^th.  Bill patiently explained that he would be fine with that as long as I was willing to take my turn each day driving.  We would only have 5 days to make it to British Columbia so he would need help.  Now granted I love driving a van and insist I need one to haul all my stuff and my people, but a 33’ motor home with a tow car????!!  Well I admitted I should do what I could to help, we picked up the motor home one exceptionally warm and sunny day in March and Bill drove it down to the state park a few miles from the condo.  I agreed to practice there as I would only have to go 10 miles an hour and there wouldn’t be much traffic that time of year.   I have to say it was challenging to keep it between the lines and watch what was in front of me (forget what was behind me!).  But on top of that he wanted me to be careful and steer clear of the tree branches on the right side, which is where I tend to hug the road.  Then I put my foot down and said, “Now wait a minute I’ll do my best to keep it in the middle of the road and watch in front but I can’t watch for trees too.”  It wasn’t till a couple months later that I asked him what happened to the light outside the door of the motor home and he said, “Someone hit some tree branches.”  I then realized that would have been me that first day at the park and he graciously had given me an A-.  Now I know where the minus came from.  He was very patient, generous and encouraging.  I will now try very hard to not veer to the right.

Life In Grand Blanc

Can’t say I haven’t had some adjustments to make….but life is very good in Grand Blanc.  I love the church at Bristol Road and making friends with some great people. 

I am enjoying getting involved with Small Groups, Bible classes and HIS Ministry, that provides food & clothing to people of the community.  Working and studying together brings God’s people closer and unites them in a special way.  Bill had been volunteering as a driver for the Cancer Society and I have joined him when I can in that endeavor.  We meet so many people suffering from this horrible disease but dealing with it with grace and dignity.  It’s a blessing to spend time getting to know them.  We also try to spend as much time with our 4 grandchildren (we had a new one born this past March 14^th, a little girl to Jason & Mandy).   Three only live about ½ hour drive from us, another tremendous blessing.  The move has added about another 1-1/2 hour to our drive to Tennessee to see Grayden but we have made several trips to see him (and their parents of course) and actually brought Grayden home for a week.  That was a real treat! 

The holidays were hectic but very exciting.  We had all of our kids and grandkids here for "Christmas" on New Year's Weekend.  David came from Texas, Brian from Ohio and Rob, Jennifer & Grayden from Tennessee.  Kyle, Megan & Jackson and Jason, Mandy & Blair of course were only 1/2 hr away.  Oh yeah, and all 3 granddogs, can't forget them as they are definitely part of the family.   Bad news was my system went on overload and I came down with multi-infections which put me in bed and Bill in charge of everything.  Shock to his system but he did a great job.  He was also overwhelmed with my "Christmas" decorations...but then got into the swing of things and we went out and purchased a 12' artificial flocked tree and all the red decorations we could find for the living room.  And of course we had to have a stocking for everyone, dogs included and Itsy #2 (Named Brynn Layne when she was born March 14th).   Such a blessing....we look forward to many more Christmases together.  

And how could I not mention the photo shoot of the 3 oldest grandkids (taken just days before Brynn's arrival).  Bill & I came up with this idea to take all 3 to Portrait Innovations to have their picture taken together.  We thought we could handle that ... sure!!  So thankful that Kyle offered to accompany us.  Talk about chaos...Blair had been sick and was very emotional which just confused and scared the boys.  The people at the photo shoot were so patient and good they managed to get these great pictures of the kids.  The one of the 3 of them below was  actually they way most of it went.  LOL.  We love the pictures and are glad we did it.  Can't wait to take all four of them next time.  Hopefully all the parents can make that one.!!  LOL.

Much time has been spent traveling back and forth to Ohio & Michigan as we are working on the house there.  Still trying to combine two households and meshing our priorities and lives but Life is Good and we thank God for the chance to be retired and serve Him and our families.

The Motorhome

Another new blessing in my life!  Bill has a very, very nice motor home which he has traveled with and I am starting to get the hang of it and loving it.  My past experience has been tent camping or cabins.  I actually love all that too.  However, with age I have to say that this is the life!!  Haha.  We plan to do some Sojourner trips, which is a Church of Christ RV mission group that travels to different places helping where needed at orphanages, youth camps, churches and sometimes disaster areas.  Looking forward to that work and praying God gives me the ability and stamina to be an asset to this wonderful group.  


Back in August right after we were engaged, Bill planned this fabulous trip to Alaska --- 46 days with a motor home tour group starting at mile marker 0 on the Alkan Highway from Dawson Creek, British Columbia all through Alaska.  There will be 24 motor homes in all traveling together and campsites, events, tours, sightseeing has all been planned by the tour group.  We just have to get there fall into place and enjoy…so Yea!  We plan to spend a couple weeks going through the Canadian Rockies on our own after the tour and possibly shooting down to Denver, CO to see son, David and revisit our “Lily Lake”.  Maybe even stop in to see Grayden in Nashville on the way home??!!  This is going to be fun.  We will keep you informed on this trip which will be starting on June 18^th…watch the blog for updates and pictures of Alaska & more!

The Honeymoon

Bill planned and surprised me with a 14 day cruise from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to San Diego, CA through the Panama Canal.  I had never cruised before and it was amazing, although I did have a little seasickness in the first couple days.  It was a wonderful experience.  He introduced me to new sights and adventures each day.  The weather was perfect, although a little too warm for us a couple of the days in Mexico.  There is so much to do on a cruise and so much food to eat that it’s hard to find time to relax.  LOL.   When we docked in San Diego Bill's friends, Russ & Joanne picked us up, gave us a 2 hour car tour of San Diego, took us to a neat seafood restaurant and dropped us off at the airport. That visit and the chance to meet them was an added bonus to the trip.  Wonderful trip...wonderful honeymoon!!

  

The Wedding

Well, it definitely turned out to be larger than life compared to what we had originally planned.  Sometimes things have a life of their own and we lose control.  However, looking back we are both very happy with the way everything turned out.  We are thankful for all those in our life who love us and made it such a beautiful and memorable event.  We dressed our 3 grandchildren, Grayden (age 20 months, Jennifer’s son), Blair (18 months, Jason’s daughter), Jackson (13 months, Kyle’s son), all dressed up and paraded down the aisle in front of us.  Uncle Brian & Uncle David helped usher them down along with a wagon decorated by Great Aunt Lynne.  Amazing – all 3 looked adorable and did a great job.  Jennifer was my maid of honor,  Mandy sang a beautiful song and Megan read a poem.  They all looked beautiful … everything was done in fall colors – my favorite.  Bill’s best man was his great friend, Dean Oliver.

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The Engagement

Things were definitely a whirlwind from then on.  I had handed in my three months notice at work, was preparing for the move to Grand Blanc, Michigan from Ohio where I had lived all of my 56 years.  I had never truly moved and lived within a 10 minute radius my whole life.  We were making plans for the wedding and the honeymoon, running back and forth between Ohio & Michigan every week, working on packing and clearing out and trying to move me into the beautiful condo in Grand Blanc, MI.  Along with that we were dealing with everyone thinking we had lost our minds.  Well, that may have been true!  LOL.  God had brought us together and we were not going to waste any more time.  After all we are not getting any younger.  I had been praying for a church home and God gave me the Bristol Road Church of Christ, a wonderful Godly husband and a chance to retire and enjoy his creation and serve Him.  He gives us more than we ever ask for.  God is so good!