Remembering my Papaw and celebrating my Mammaw

Papaw passed away in his sleep September 30, 2013 at the age of 85.  As we say now, he walked in the woods with his job in the forestry and that's probably what he's doing now.  Papaw lost his wife, my Muh, 11 years ago.  He left quite a legacy.  I'll never forget how well he and Kate and Benjamin could communicate...it was like they had a secret language that only the three of them shared.

One neat tidbit I found out yesterday was that my Dad's baptism birthday was October 13, 1963 in McClellanville, SC and Papaw's was October 13, 1957 in Houston, Mississippi.  That was actually the year my Dad was born and he was only about 4 months old.  I have to think that was the season God met Papaw and did some work on his heart.
Muh and Papaw on their wedding day


As with death it helps to balance it with life.  So I'll add this note to my post to mark the 90th birthday of my Mammaw, Betty Jane Bailey Arnn.  This is my Mom's Mom.  She is a sprite lady...she has a way with saying things at just the right moment that makes you laugh and wonder if she meant it to be funny.  She has the sweetest eyes and has lived quite a full life.  Mammaw was celebrated yesterday with her sisters, children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  As we sang Happy Birthday to her it was so neat to hear the mesh of names come out because we each know her in different ways and she has played a different role in each of our lives.  She is the eldest of five children, her brother, Bob, passed away and that left four sisters.  One thing I noted yesterday was how we all sound alike.  This family does look alike in some ways but we laugh alike and talk alike more than anything.  Mammaw lost her husband, my Papaw, 31 years ago.  From what I hear he was a game player and I've been told that's where I get my love for card playing.   So I sat there in the Fellowship Hall of Dermott Baptist Church where I remember many a family reunion...and where my parents had their reception for their wedding...and just next door in this building that no longer stands was where my Mammaw became an Arnn in 1947.

I remembered how perfectly God knits us in our mother's womb and knows us before we're born.  He doesn't do anything by accident.  I'm just humbled that at times I can see His stitch work...one day I'll see the tapestry He's weaving but for now I'm content to just see the thread and joyful that I get to be one of His thread.

The church my Mammaw and Papaw (maternal, Papaw Arnn) got married in    



Mammaw and two of her three sisters, her other sister, Jo lives in Florida


The kids were very patient and this was how Kate was BEFORE her cousin arrived who is 9 years old and full of entertainment...we were grateful for her arrival  :)

Santa Rosa Beach 2013

A couple of weeks ago we went to the beach with my parents and my brother's family.  We had such a great time!  It was a wonderful, memory making trip that I would love to do again.  There really were so many great pictures to describe our trip step by step so I'm just putting it all in one post and saying buckle up because you will have picture overload.  

On the way down we were pretty much in rain the whole way...Chris was a champ and drove the entire way there and back home.  All his choice...

Morning cousin cuddles

So fun making breakfast together...my brother makes some mean bacon.

We did this "Heavenly" place twice...such delicious gelato and ice cream.

We were about 5 minutes from Seaside so we enjoyed this adorable town a couple times.

Is she not precious?!?!?

The sky this particular evening reminded me how amazing God's creation is...nothing is by accident.

Speaking of things not by accident...this friendship we began with the Tidwells while we were in Connecticut was so great to get to rekindle on a date night.  Thanks to Mom and Dad for babysitting!  It did our hearts good to connect with them again.

Kate and her friend London, we joke that they'll probably be roomies one day in college.  :)

Rosemary Beach was so beautiful and right up my alley

Lunch in Seaside at the airstreams

Still questioning why we let these three go golfing together...

Fun date night with my brother Andrew and his wife Carrie...loved getting to know them as a couple even better.

The day we left Kate was really itching and seemed like she had more of a rash and not like a sunburn...so we ventured our way to the Destin ER on the way out of town and amazingly got in right away...no wait.  It was determined that she was allergic to bactrim...which she was on for an infection.  Poor girl...she was better quickly on the trip which we were grateful for.



As you can see, she seemed back to her happy self when we got to Jackson, MS to have a quick visit with Jay and Lindsay.  Great ending to a fabulous trip!