Finally south - at Grandma's (12/20-21)

God granted us safe travel down to Grandma's and we arrived in time for supper Sunday evening. So glad to see her, though our visit would be short due to snow delays.
Uncle Tom, Aunt Janet and Landry squeezed in a quick visit after their church service that night
Abigail loves her Great Uncle Tom like I always did - he hasn't changed!
Grandma welcomed Lai (no strangers ever, least of all our good friend!) and had to show Lai her treasured picture albums. Lai was an interested audience, but sweet Havilah couldn't wait any longer to sleep!
Aunt Lucinda came by before work the next morning and brought gifts for the girls - to their great delight.
After many phone calls, Nathan was able to get a confirmed seat out for Lai and Havilah - back to the rest of their family. Though the plans were not ours, it was great for Grandma and Lai (and Havilah) to become friends.
Before we left for the airport and home, Lai and I managed to get a picture together - normally at least one of us is behind the camera. =)
What a trip - so many pictures and so many memories!

Heading north - family in Virginia

December 17th we packed up and set off for a long weekend "northern" road trip including family visits in Virginia and the wedding of dear friend in Pennsylvania. That evening, Aunt Faye prepared a delicious meal and we enjoyed dinner with her and Uncle Chuck and Aunt Beverley Ann, Uncle David, and Emmalee too! The girls enjoyed lots of spoiling and gifts. What a special Christmas visit with my Dad's family! That night we stayed with Aunt B.A. and the next morning she surprised me with candles in a pecan ring - a fun start to a memorable 30th birthday!

Aunt Faye, Emmy & Aunt B.A. serving up pumpkin dump cake!
Abigail and Emmy
Hannah was captivated by those Christmas light earrings!
Getting reacquainted with "Unka Chuk"
Present from Aunt B.A.
In case you noticed the butterfly bandage and are wondering. . . A couple of nights before we left, Nathan and I heard a bang from Abigail's room just before midnight. She'd fallen out of bed (onto our lovely "new" hardwood floors) and split her chin. Ouch!

Months ago. . .

Almost two months since I've posted! Yikes, lots going on. But for now, I'll post the slide shows I made two months ago and then try for a quick overview update. =)

Towards the end of June we spent a few days visiting my family in Virginia. This was Hannah's first time to meet most of the family there! We stayed with Grandma Johnson and got to meet my cousin Jason and Melanie's newborn (11 days?) daughter Makenna while there. Abigail and Sherilan enjoyed getting reaquainted. Pictures of our four little girls were fun!

Later that day Uncle Tom and Aunt Janet (and Landry) had the whole family over for dinner!

That evening we visited Aunt Lucinda and Uncle Jan before putting some tired girls to bed! =) After church and naps the next day we visited Great Aunt Ruby and Great Uncle Dalton and then the beach (Hannah's first time!).

"Enroute" home, we visited Aunt Faye and Uncle Chuck and ate lunch by their pool. Afterwards, Abigail and Aunt Faye went swimming!

Family visits on the way back

Sunday after Christmas we headed south again by way of Farmville. We enjoyed a yummy meal at a riverside restaurant with Aunt BA, Uncle David, and Emmalee. Afterwards we went to Uncle Chuck and Aunt Faye's house and got to visit with Julia's cousin Kristen and her family there too. "Baby Amaya" is one now (just an infant the last time we saw her!) and she and Abigail were happy to play together. The camera Abigail got for Christmas came up in conversation, and so Abigail demonstrated her photography skills - see the pictures of Jason and Aunt Faye and of Uncle Chuck and Daddy.

Christmas In Virginia

Christmas Eve, Caleb, Abigail and Julia picked Nathan up from work at the airport at 3:30 p.m. and we headed to Virginia! We'd planned to spend Christmas this year with Julia's mom and family in Tennessee, but Mom was spending the holiday with her mom (a year after Granddad died last 12/21). After getting in late, we slept, and woke up to share Christmas morning with Tom and Lydia and girls as well.
Caleb read of Christ's incarnation from Luke 2. Abigail could've recited verses 11 and 14, but she was too shy to do more than whisper a few phrases. After we exchanged gifts (which we took a long time doing!), the ladies got to cooking for a late afternoon meal. It was special to have this portion of the family together (first time in six years that Mom, Julia, Caleb, and Lydia had all been together for Christmas). And of course, the three little girls kept everyone entertained. Bella and Lydee are developing so much personality (six and a half months old at Christmas) and Abigail's always ready to exercise hers.

Virginia travels

The next weekend in November found us in Tom and Lydia's new minivan (yep, Abigail and Julia, GramMee, and the twins - seven of us including three car seats) headed east for a family visit occasioned by a baby shower for my cousin Tamara. What a trip it was! The shower was beautiful and we loved the time with relatives. Grandma Johnson's house was full - putting us all up. Spending three days with babies Bella and Lydee was so special too. Along the drive home Monday, we had lunch with Dad's sisters Faye and B.A. - and of course they loved seeing their great nieces.