best of show

The wonder of the three weeks could not possibly be captured by this collection of photos.
Sadly I am missing many of those who made this trip so memorable -
that is, family who are friends and friends who are family.

Of the photos we have, these are possibly the best of show. 

South Carolina, here we come!!

The road Sarah grew up on.

Ahh, life in the "slow-country" - the lowcountry of South Carolina. Southern hospitality was extended even by the azaleas, which welcomed us with a beautiful magenta show.

Grandmar doing what she does oh, so well! 

Granddad and Jude 

 Sarah's little bro Zachary, in his field at the USDA.

 Our sister in law, Emily. I love this girl! 

She jumped in to help out, lend a hand, and love on our kids. 

Beach baby! Jude's first time at the beach in Jacksonville, FL. 

Erik and I visited some past Ravencrest students whilst out east. 

 Which is the candle-stick maker? Cousin Anna Claire, Mimi, or Catherine?

No matter, here's to a jolly Rub a dub dub, Three men in a tub anyway!

 At the controls.

 Daddy time.

Gotcha!

 The fine folks who made our time in SC possible... thanks mom and dad!

SC wildlife- fishing with Granddad... 

and watching caterpillars, to name a few.

salt air, once again!

Can't say it better than this!

(Not from the South? Y'all is a contraction for YOU ALL)

Thanks to all who shared in this special, unforgettable time in our family's life. We love you!

til next time

Parting Shots: Mom

Over this past month, I have spent a great deal of time with my mom. Observing her, I would characterize Mom as a willing, tireless, and cheerful servant, available to support us in whatever way we need. From dawn til dusk for the past thirty days, she has cheerfully, willingly, and gladly been available to love us in countless ways.

I chose these shots because I think they portray Mom's servant's heart, cheerful attitude, and fortitude as she interacted with us.

(She's strong, physically, seen here with 20 pound Jack... but she's got fortitude, too: Mom GAVE ERIK AND ME A NIGHT AWAY, friends! Three babies and some help from two staff girls. Wow. What could be more valuable to this couple than TIME ALONE?! Thanks again, Mom!)

Like I said, dawn til dusk availablity ... and cheerful about it

We love you and miss you, GrandMar!

Parting Shots: Dad

Gulp.
I knew the time would come...
The clock struck midnight, and our fantastical, magical month with the Stansells in both South Carolina and in Colorado ended. (We said goodbye to Mom to the airport today.)

I just wanted to post a few last shots. I love these pictures of Dad with the children. I think they capture the spirit of joy, hands-on interaction, and special love he has for each one.

Mimi said it best in this scenario:

After a nearly two year plus pause, work picked up for Dad while we were in SC. Mimi evidently didn't like the timing of this - a few days of having Granddaddy entirely to herself and then having to share him with the machines was not her idea of fun. As you may know, Camille isn't able to express herself clearly using words yet, but we had no doubt about her feelings after this:

Heading out for work, Granddaddy left the house, the screen door slamming behind him. Mimi cried as he went down the steps and headed for his truck. Through her tears she very clearly called out to him, "I love you!" Dad stopped dead in his tracks. My jaw dropped. This little lady articulately expressed her heart for someone whom she knows loves her very much.

We love you and miss you, Granddaddy!

A visit with Uncle Zachary

We all enjoyed time with Zachary (Sarah's younger brother).